Vaaru MPA review

The Vaaru MPA (which stands for Miles Per Annum) is the brand’s versatile frame that is designed for year-round riding and to be comfortable for the longest of rides.

With a full complement of mudguard rack mounts and racks mounts, including on the fork, it’s perfect for anyone wishing to do some touring.

Vaaru are relatively new and specialise in titanium frames, concentrating solely on the benefits that this particularly tough metal can bring.

The level of detail on the frame is fantastic with touches like the titanium headset spacers, anodised decals and chunky, purposeful dropouts with thru-axle all helping to lift it out against other frames.

The geometry and tubing is aimed towards longer rides, with a relatively tall head tube and short top tube giving the bike a slightly more upright position, and one that prioritises comfort over out and out aerodynamics or speed.

With neat, interchangeable cable inserts making it suitable for electronic or mechanical groupsets, the Ultegra Di2 set on our test bike was a real plus with the only minor gripe being that the buttons can be a little hard to differentiate when using thicker gloves (hey, it was cold!).

The Edco Optima Roche wheels, while not a common sight are a nice addition, coming in at a competitive weight and are responsive without any noticeable flex.

No tubeless

Given that they’re tubeless-ready it would have been nice to see tubeless tyres fitted as standard, although the Continental Grand Sport rubber they came with still provided good grip and feel of the road.

With a weight of just over 8.5kg it isn’t light by race bike standards, but for its intended use it is on par and even on long, steep climbs it felt responsive and never too laboured.

The descending ability is where it truly shines, though, giving unparalleled stability and confidence thanks to the smooth ride quality.

Comfort on even the longest of rides is excellent, even with relatively narrow 25mm tyres fitted. There is space, however, for tyres up to 30mm and mudguards should you wish to add them.

Ratings

Frame 10/10; Components 9/10; Wheels 9/10; The ride 9/10

Verdict: Vaaru has succeeded in creating a bike that's almost flawless. The attention to detail and the thought that's gone into the bike is fantastic and perfect for the type of riders it's targeted at. Supremely comfortable and incredibly confident descending ability make it a buzz to ride.

Spec