Bike Reviews

If you're a bike retailer, having your own house brand lets you and your customers save money. The house brand of catalog and online giant Performance Bicycles is Scattante, and Bo Glenn, divisional merchandise manager for bikes and frames, says that because the company sells so many bikes directly to consumers, Performance has extensive customer research. A Taiwanese manufacturing partner provides engineering know-how. Don't fret--the partner factory also builds for several other well-known U.S. brands.

The CFR Race is a sub-1,000-gram (claimed) carbon-fiber road frame with a boxy down tube, tapered steerer tube, fat chainstays and wispy seatstays a lot like those you'll see on Cervelo's R3 and Giant's TCR Advanced SL. The CFR Race also has asymmetric chainstays and a sudden, sharp taper in the seat tube to further refine ride quality.

As much as anyone, I am swayed by marketing and brand recognition, and Scattante has little of either. But the CFR Race is a fine bike. Our test model weighed 17.15 pounds, competitive with many $3,000 bikes. Componentry is also similar, with two downspec exceptions: the Mavic Aksium Race wheels (Ksyrium Equipes are more common) and Tektro brake calipers (instead of Shimano).

The classic European stage-race geometry delivers predictable and responsive handling in all conditions. And while not as stiff as some enthusiast bikes, the BB30-equipped CFR Race is no noodle, with a ride that's exceptionally comfortable on long efforts, thanks in part to the frame layup and also the 150-threadsz-per-inch Vittoria Rubino Pro tires.

Despite its name, the bike isn't meant to be ridden competitively, says Glenn: "It's for the guy who wants to be fit, rides three or four times a week and enjoys the group ride from his local shop." To that end, a compact gearing option and a stem with a less radical cant than the +/-17-degree Deda might help. The CFR Race won't turn heads on name alone. But if you're more concerned with net worth than name worth, consider this bike.--Joe

Buy It: If you tend to invest in less flashy, but strong, companies on the cheap
Forget It: If you're a blue chip-only kind of buyer