I am never drawn into owning top-of-the-line stuff even if I could afford it. My purchases are mainly based on affordability and the potential of the product.This is especially so when it comes to bikes. Of course it is nice to own a Pinarello, Specialized or Colnago costing tens of thousand of dollars but in the end, what makes the bike go is the rider. Unless the intention of buying such bikes is merely to show off, I think the money can be better utilized for other things. Bikes, just like cars, are liabilities; they don't appreciate in value over time even though they may be classic bikes. The value of the bike is not commercially determined by market forces but by the buyer. I am willing to pay more for a bike only because it has some sentimental value. Perhaps it was a bike I wanted when I was a kid but could not afford or maybe it was a bike that reminds me of an event or a person. Whatever the case might be, prudence is a virtue when it comes to buying bikes.
I saw the Olmo Pro Link frame hanging on the ceiling of my friend's bike shop and was attracted to it due to its colour. It looked good. I have never heard of the brand before but some googling reveals that Olmo has been around since 1931. Its an Italian brand with a rich heritage. You can read more about the history of the company here, http://www.olmo.it/en/history/
The Link Pro is the entry-level carbon frame weighing 1.2 kg. It comes with a matching carbon fork and has internal routing for all the cables. Personally, I do not like cables routed internally; they are a nightmare to install and I do not think they do much in reducing drag. It does make the frame look neat and tidy but when you work on bikes like I do, you soon learn to dislike internally routed cables.
Not knowing how well the ride would ride and whether I would like it, I decided to take the cautious route. I used the Dura-Ace parts cannibalized from the Klein Quantum. Everything was transferred over, less the Easton crankset which was replaced by a 53/39 Shimano Ultegra 10-speed. The completed bike weighed around 7.5 kg which was quite ridiculous to me because I have never owned a bike with that kind of weight before! Of course, it was thanks to all the carbon fibre bits and pieces. I was all smiles and smirks after the first ride. It's an incredible feeling riding a bike that feels like a feather (when compared to the rest of my bikes); the surge and ability to reach good speed with less energy was something I could not stop grinning over. I knew that this purchase was a right one, never mind if it is entry-level. It is time for real work to be done to the bike.
The Easton wheels were replaced by Shimano RS 81 C24 shod with Continental GP 4000IIs. Technically, they are a little bit heavier than the Easton wheels but I did not want to spend a bomb and the RS 81 had good reviews.
The next major upgrade was to replace the 10-speed Dura Ace groupset with an 11-speed Ultegra groupset. I wanted to return the parts borrowed from the Klein Quantum because that is where they belong. The seat post is a Deda carbon fibre, stem is a Deda Zero One 100mm and the handlebar is from Cinelli. I was afraid that the weight of the bike might go up but thankfully, it remained at 7.5 kg. with pedals on.
The bike is a real blast to ride. With a slightly racy geometry, it’s a smooth, accomplished and comfortable ride, plusher than expected for a carbon frame at this price. The acceleration is good too, the BB86 bottom bracket, chunky chainstays and short, tapered head-tube contributing to a poised and purposeful performance.
The Olmo has proved once again that you do not need the best to be the best that you can be. It surpassed my expectations and for the price I paid, it was worth every cent.
