RoadBike

Bikes We Covet: The Van Dessel Solstice

Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the bike lane, Van Dessel Cycles drops a black carbon compact on the world.

Van Dessel's charge d'affaires, Edwin Bull -- himself a racer with a lot of kilometers pounded out on Belgian cobbles during his youth -- brings us the Solstice. It's a one-piece molded carbon frame, also known as a "monocoque" in bike circles.

To biker types, a black carbon monocoque means responsive, smooth, resilient, and stiff.

To people like me, it means a dope ride!

Van Dessel offers lots of options for building up your Solstice, but with top-of-the-line Campagnolo Record (why would you ever run anything less?), it runs $5999.

Tags: campagnolo, carbon, compact, monocoque, road bike, RoadBike, shimano, van dessel, VanDessel