Review: NeilPryde Bura SL

I've had a few different road bikes over the last few years, Fuji SST, Look 595, Parlee Z5, all built with Campy Record and 50/36 Q-rings. All good in their own rights.

I had the opportunity to build up a bike with Campy Record EPS, but no matter how much I tried, I couldn't make it look "right" running the electronic cables externally on my Parlee. Then I went to the TriExpo in Washington DC and talked to the guys from NeilPryde (and District Hardware, the NP LBS). I decided to give the Bura SL a try and build it with my Record EPS.

So how it is? In a word, amazing! It's as stiff as any TT bike I've ever ridden (and I've had quite a few), it descends like it's on track and it's comfortable enough for longer distances (I would still pick my Parlee for a century, but the Bura would be my choice for anything below 60-70 miles). And this things CLIMBS! A lot of that comes from the stiffness, but a full build just shy of 14 lbs makes it easy. I used to be a sprinter when I was younger, so I've tried a few sprints. It's crazy easy to maintain speed and then unleash the sprint. You really want the front end and rear end to feel like a single solid unit when sprinting, and the stiff BB, the bulky chain stays and the stiff head tube and fork makes it follow your every input.

Can you tell that I'm REALLY impressed with Neil Pryde? This is a brand that you don't hear much about, but they've really done a great job developing their bikes.