Duratec Phantom review

All bike brands like to claim their production methods are unique. The truth is that most brands make their carbon frames in much the same way, using similar materials, often in the same factories in the Far East.

So when we find a brand that really does do things differently, we sit up and take notice.

Duratec produces its bikes in the Czech Republic, and it moulds its frames in a single piece in one large aluminium mould.

While that may seem like a small difference, it’s a significant one.

Normally, what most people call a ‘monocoque’ (one-piece) frame is actually made in several parts.

One mould creates the front triangle from multiple sheets of prepreg carbon fibre, the chainstays and seatstays are created separately and then all the bits are bonded together.

With the Phantom, the whole frame really is fabricated in one piece.

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‘With this production technology the fibres lie uninterrupted for nearly the whole length of the frame,’ says chief designer Milan Duchek. ‘This means it has better mechanical properties.’

What he means is that the frame is very rigid. That makes sense, as fibres joined together are less stiff than those inserted into a mould without a break. Duratec also boasts high grade carbon in the frame.

‘We use Toray T1100, which is the strongest fibre in the world right now,’ says Duchek.

Now, a claim like ‘strongest carbon in the world’ needs some qualification. The strength is in terms of tensile strength (3,460MPa, since you ask) rather than impact strength or rigidity – which would be measured by Young’s modulus.

As such, the use of Toray T1100 doesn’t mean the Duratec is the strongest bike in the world. Duchek says the advantage of the fibre is as a way to reduce weight.

‘We could have used cheaper material with low tensile strength but we would have needed to increase wall thickness, also adding weight,’ he says.

The engineering behind the frame certainly reflects a meticulous attention to detail.

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Even a casual glance reveals intricate layers of carbon, finely laid squares for cable inlets and stunning raw carbon weaves around the bottom bracket that are as much art as they are a showcase for the design.

However, much as I’m awed by carbon fibres and resins, material isn’t everything.

Design, geometry and tube shapes play a far more important part in the equation of a good bike.

Getting the carbon right will give a very good bike the edge, but first we need to see whether Duratec has the right building blocks for the Phantom.

Phantom limb

On first taking to the road on the Phantom, I was struck by how rigid it felt. From front to back the frame just seemed to deliver on input, spurring me on to greater efforts.

Having ridden the Colnago C64, S-Works Tarmac Disc and Giant Propel in recent months, I had expected the Duratec to lag a little behind the performance on offer from those bikes, yet actually the transition was seamless.

On first impressions the frame seemed every bit as good as the very best on the market.

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That rigidity was coupled with an impressively light overall weight – the frame is a claimed 760g, which helps to keep the overall build at around 6.8kg (it could be lighter, but the Campagnolo EPS groupset – while great to use – is around 200g heavier than Sram eTap).

The Phantom’s other big draw is its pleasing degree of comfort.

In the days of wider tyres and tubeless technology, frames can probably get away with being a little stiffer than they once were.

But I’d say that on a set of 25mm tyres, the Duratec falls into that sweet spot of delivering enough vibration from the road to feel fast but not so much as to ever disturb the rider. It simply felt smooth, as though I was drifting happily over the road surface.

With 28mm tyres fitted, for which there seems to be enough clearance, it would be a more versatile package for longer days on rough tarmac.

The standout facets of the ride quality are handling and stability. The bike was solid and well balanced, and it remained firmly planted beneath me as it set about thundering along the road, carving into tight corners or descending with predictable sharpness.

I believe this is largely to do with the material, but is also helped by good design and proven geometry. Duratec has sensibly not tried to reinvent anything in this regard.

Standing alone

The Phantom’s ride quality and performance were first rate, but I was still left with a few reservations about the overall package.

The most striking is that, for a bike of this price, there is no option for custom geometry.

‘Instead of geometry changes, we offer eight sizes, plus there’s a high customisation of our components,’ says Duchek in response.

In one regard, this makes a lot of sense – it’s simply not feasible to design a one-piece mould for every customer.

But it does beg the question of what the Phantom can offer compared to any WorldTour racer from the major brands.

While the material and construction method are interesting, there’s nothing wholly different about the bike.

Yes, it’s made in a single piece but that’s ultimately a manufacturing USP with marginal gains.

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Image 5 of 7

Duratec hasn’t broken new ground with integration, versatility or aerodynamics or even simply thrown the UCI rulebook away and designed something that looks strikingly different.

With so many black carbon bikes currently on the market, the Phantom doesn’t really stand out.

Indeed, it even seems a little overly conservative in terms of sticking to rim brakes and offering no disc brake alternative.

All that said, at £8,500 with a Campagnolo EPS groupset, the Phantom is no more expensive than many alternatives from the big brands with a similar spec.

In pure technical and performance terms, I’d say it beats many of the best rim brake racers on the market too.

Spec