The RaceVox is the all-new platform for SwiftCarbon, drawing on the pro-race geometry of its original Ultravox but adding disc brakes, fully internal cabling, dropped seatstays and aero-led tube profiles.
At a glance the RaceVox is a clean looking bike, if possessed of a similar silhouette to almost every flagship racer going. But that’s no bad thing, the dropped seatstays, hidden cables and one-piece bars have been adopted by the industry for a reason, as too discs.
One thing that did set the RaceVox apart, though, was the iridescent paint, a deep sparkly blue that changes tone in the light. It’s a class looking act that’s also available in a similarly pleasing red.
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Spec is up there on the top-line Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 model I tested, and shows Swift’s racing intentions. Deep-profile 58mm front and 62mm rear Reynolds AR wheels and FSA ACR Metron 5 one-piece bars fulfil the speed brief, while an in-house seatpost, Fizik Antares R1 Versus Evo saddle and Vittoria Corsa 2.0 25mm tyres round things off.
This build (Dura-Ace Di2) will set you back £6,290, which is very competitive in today’s £10k flagship-bike world. On spec alone, the only major difference between the RaceVox and any of the mega-brands’ top-tier bikes would be the wheelset.
The Reynolds AR wheels are fine enough, but with 19mm internal/21mm external width profiles and a 1,730g claimed weight, they will seem slightly underwhelming to some riders. But happily the RaceVox frame does plenty to flatter its rider and its components, and in that, appears to punch well above its pricetag.
Pricing
- CarbonSwift RaceVox with Shimano Ultegra Di2, Mavic Ksyrium Pro wheels, FSA Metron 5 bars and Fizik Antares R5 saddle, £5,299
- CarbonSwift RaceVox with Shimano Ultegra mechanical, Vision Trimax Carbon 40 wheels, FSA Metron 5 bars and Fizik Antares R5 saddle, £4,099
- CarbonSwift RaceVox with Shimano 105 build, Vision Team 30 wheels and FSA Metron 5 bars, £3,099
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The ride
I’ve tested a number of Swift bikes over the years and I’ve always rated the brand for its geometry, and for sticking with it. There is barely a millimetre or tenth of a degree between the first Ultravox and the RaceVox, and to my mind, nor should there be.
The original Ultravox blended fast handling with stable descending, and leant towards an aggressive position without alienating less flexible riders. The RaceVox retains this ‘all-rounder’ foundation, and indeed that’s how the bike is billed by Swift – a racer for all occasions.
Given I’ve been on various other models with the same geometry, it’s unsurprising that I felt immediately familiar with the RaceVox. But I’d hazard to say most riders will, as there is an almost neutral disposition to the bike that on the flat gives nothing away about its character. It just felt nice to cruise on, smooth but not exactly plush.
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If there is a lack of overt comfort I’d level that at the wheels with their tall, stiff rims. You don’t see many wheels over a 55mm deep these days, and deep profile rims tend to be pretty unforgiving. But if deep is where you want to go, you could alleviate some of the high-frequency road chatter with wider, lower pressure tyres.
Swift says the RaceVox accommodates up to 30mm rubber, though there were mutterings from some Swift personnel that 32mm fits but can’t be recommended due to how different tyres sit on different rims.
The upshot with such high-siders, and of course the wind-cheating bars and narrow hourglass headtube, is that the RaceVox accelerated with ease. At 7.1kg it’s not exactly a lump, but with the bare-minimum on show to cause drag – Swift has even gone down the recessed water bottle route, although the RaceVox hasn’t been in a wind-tunnel – the bike glided along easily and pushed on to higher speeds without feeling like it was fighting the air.
All this meant a nice introduction to the bike on the flat, but an ultimately unremarkable one. Climbing came and went in a similar fashion too. I rode some pretty punchy inclines and the RaceVox took them in its stride, but I wasn’t left feeling like I was especially quick because of it.
But importantly, it didn’t feel like my climbing efforts were being undermined in any way. Highly satisfactory, but not outstanding. Until the descents.
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Descending is where the RaceVox came alive, propelled from friendly companion to mate with murderous intent. Despite the low-for-a-disc-bike weight, I did feel like there was a lot of bike here; that is, the RaceVox ploughed more than it skipped.
But while some riders may look to a flightier ride in certain situations, on fast, twisting downhills, solid is exactly what I want and what the RaceVox delivered. Only solid with more than an edge of finesse.
I’ll still be looking for a longer review period to confirm this, but over several days and a few hundred kilometres of riding, my current take-home is that the SwiftCarbon RaceVox is one of those bikes that gives you more the more you push it.
Sedate and neutral at low speeds, but pointed and precise the faster you go. Well-honed, well rounded, but with a very aggressive edge if required.
Like I say, I need more time on this bike. Or strike that, I’d really like more time on this bike. It feels full of promise and racing intent; and I rather like looking at it too. An in-depth review will appear in Cyclist Magazine soon. See swiftcarbon.com for more details about the bike.
Photos: Ana Lidia Borba, flowsjournal.com
