Tech Specs: Aurum Magma
Price: €11.899,00
Frame weight: 780 grams (54cm) unpainted
Sizes: 48-58
Spec choices: Four builds, ten spec choices
Bottom bracket: T47 threaded
Hanger: Sram UDH
Alberto Contador casually dropped the chain down a number of cogs and accelerated out of the saddle inside the first kilometre of my take a look at of the Aurum Magma with simply sufficient intent to make me assume to myself, “You higher maintain on to your hat”. Thankfully for me, the winner of all three Grand Tours, a number of instances, was merely getting up to the mark and setting the tempo for the opening downhill part of the take a look at journey on the Aurum Magma launch occasion.
Aurum has achieved quite a bit in a brief house of time. The vary is three bikes sturdy now, and the model, based by Alberto Contador and Ivan Basso, has at the moment rolled out a brand new model of their range-topping race bike, the Magma, itself raced on by the Polti-Kometa ProGroup.
The Magma, the model’s range-topper is within the phrases of Aurum ‘able to being the quickest uphill, downhill or on the flat’. In a nutshell, the Magma has been designed to do all the pieces nicely. It has acquired extra aero consideration, extra integration and the carbon development has been improved. A number of different issues like the underside bracket and rear hanger customary have additionally been tweaked. Check out our information piece for an in-depth dive into the design.
I used to be capable of attend the bikes press launch in Madrid, Spain and spent a couple of kilometres testing out the newest model of the Magma to see if the enter of riders of the calibre of Basso and Contador has produced one thing particular.
Design and Aesthetics
For starters, Aurum is Latin for Gold – a nod to the palmares of every of the corporate founders. The mannequin title; Magma – is a nod to the volcanic panorama of Mt Teide, the scene of many onerous coaching kilometres for enterprise companions Ivan Basso and Alberto Contador.
Aesthetically, I actually just like the look of the Magma. The body design is comparatively conventional and un-dropped seatstays create a timeless form. For a straightforward comparability, there’s extra aero tube profiling than one thing just like the Specialized Aethos, and a few of the body shapes and silhouettes remind me a bit of of the Canyon Ultimate.
All bikes have a block color paint scheme which I like, and the paint finishes I noticed seemed high-end and lustrous. Particularly the model’s uncooked carbon/ gold mannequin which seemed unbelievable decked out in Dura-Ace and Lightweight wheels.
My 54cm take a look at bike (I’m 176cm) was completed in shiny white with silver decals. I favored the easy, clear design and there weren’t too many logos or pointless prospers occurring.
My bike was geared up with a top-end spec. It had the brand new Sram Red AXS groupset and Princeton 4550 wheels constructed across the very costly Tactic TR01 hubs and fitted with Vittoria Corsa Pro 28mm tyres. The ending package took the type of Aurum’s new built-in handler and stem, and its personal seatpost topped with a Prologo Scratch saddle.
Aurum has now gone with an built-in handlebar and stem, saving a claimed 10 watts over the previous setup which most riders would gladly take. I admired the selection to stay with barely extra easy-to-live-with cable routing and bar/stem choices on the previous mannequin. This new setup is quicker and lighter although and in at the moment’s market, that tends to take precedence. I additionally actually favored the curve and form of the handlebar drops and felt comfy hooked into them.
A Sram UDH hanger is now fitted together with a T47 threaded backside bracket. Surely each are well-considered design selections. The UDH hanger standardizes match, which means no looking for hangers must you ever want one, and a threaded bb might be music to lots of people’s ears.
Performance
I had just below an hour on the brand new Magma, so this actually is a real first-ride impressions piece. That stated, the journey gave me a great perception into what the Magma is all about.
We tackled an out-and-back journey that began with a flowing downhill a couple of kilometres lengthy that had a couple of false flats. I used to be a few riders again from Alberto Contador who set the tempo on the entrance and we carried good pace by the bends. It was fast sufficient and windy sufficient up prime to make me a bit of nervous at first on a brand new bike, with euro brakes and on unfamiliar terrain. Despite a barely binding headset, I used to be feeling comfy after a couple of kilometres and my confidence shortly grew to the purpose the place issues felt regular. The Magma felt secure at pace and the dealing with was exact and correct. In the tip, I might lean the bike into the bends and put it the place I wished.
This feeling of confidence grew and I felt at dwelling on the Magma just about right away. The geometry on my 54cm bike felt wonderful, not tremendous lengthy and low as I had imagined, however a pleasant mix between comfy and quick. Stack and attain numbers for that mannequin are 545 and 386 respectively and as that is Contador’s personal dimension, a few of this will need to have come from his enter and we have been advised he’s very concerned with testing. My bike additionally options the inline seatpost possibility, although there’s additionally one with setback obtainable.
Power switch felt good climbing, and the bike felt stiff and environment friendly when sprinting out of the saddle which I examined a few instances. The Magma simply felt gentle, direct and nimble. It did not really feel harsh or over-aggressive and I’m inclined to agree with Aurum’s claims on the bike being a strong all-rounder, the flexibility to now match 35mm tyres additionally provides up a couple of totally different choices relying on what you are doing.
The high-end spec of my bike definitely did not maintain efficiency again. The new Sram Red AXS groupset is great, and the moderately particular Princeton wheels with Corsa Pro tyres felt quick and clean and appeared to roll very nicely.
There have been two issues I did not significantly like relating to my very own take a look at mannequin. One, it had fairly extensive handlebars, I consider they have been 42s, however the bars have to be measured inside to inside, making them lots wider than the 38s or 40s I are likely to journey. I feel most prospects shopping for a top-end efficiency street bike typically desire a narrower handlebar as nicely lately. For me it simply makes the bike really feel unwieldy and I do know it is costing me pace and watts.
The second was a headset situation which made my take a look at mannequin’s headset bind up barely when driving. This wasn’t nice for the primary few kilometres of descending. It did not trigger me a lot bother in the long run, however this wasn’t ok for a brand new take a look at bike in my view.
Early verdict
Aside from sure issues not becoming me completely, I really feel there might nicely be a really participating and thrilling body to journey on the coronary heart of the Magma.
Geometry, journey high quality and dealing with all felt excellent. The bike felt very gentle and direct, secure sufficient at pace and the dealing with was sharp and pinpoint. It’s nonetheless refreshing to see non-dropped seatstays on high-end bikes now and I like the aesthetics, the identical goes for the block paint color and never over-the-top Aurum logos.
The Magma is designed to be an all-round race bike, reliable, quick and cozy. I acquired an actual sense of this, and it appears Aurum has rolled out a thought of and well-executed replace to their race bike.