It’s been about a month now that I’ve been riding my new Malvern Star Oppy C7 Team and I thought it was about time I shared my thoughts on it. And while my luck with my other form of transport has been somewhat unfortunate of late, the Malvern Star has performed amazingly.
I could get this review over and done with in very quick fashion and just tell you that it is the best bike I have ever ridden (which it is) but I thought I’d spend a bit more time and go into a bit more detail.
Straight out of the box this bike looks great. The combination of the matte finish and the orange paint job means it really stands out in a crowd and on numerous occasions out riding around Brisbane
I’ve also added my own personal touch with a few nicknames on the side of the top tube that look pretty neat. There are also a few other subtle features that have caught my eye. The world champion stripes at the top of the rear stay and the internal cabling really top off a brilliant looking frame that I am thoroughly impressed with.
It comes equipped with a full Sram Red groupset and being my first experience with Sram and the double tap system I will admit to having a few Shimano moments and trying to push the brake lever with unsuccessful results. But once I got used to the feeling I really have nothing to complain about and am extremely impressed with its performance. The shifting is so short and exact and with all the shifting occurring with the one lever it is very convenient.
Because the bike I got was originally built up for one of the Genesys team members it came equipped with a Sram wheelset, Zipp handlebars, stem and seatpost and a Fizik saddle which differs slightly from the specs of the model Malvern Star have available to the public. Either way the bike comes ready to race and is extremely light, even the large frame that I’m riding. And with all of these quality brands being used in the build there is nothing that needs to be changed before you line up on the start line of any cycling or triathlon race.
The only alterations I’ve had to make to the bike have been the addition of some carbon bottle cages and my Bryton Rider 50T bike computer to give me all the data I’ll ever need. Come race day I’ll be rolling on some Zipp 404 wheels and depending on the course will also have a set of aero bars fitted.
The bike itself rides like a dream. The acceleration as soon as you put the power through the cranks is immediately transferred into the frame and is noticeable straight away. Because it is so light it also feels right at home climbing the hills and not only races up them but flies down the hills and around corners with great control. My last bike had an integrated seatpost and having enjoyed the comfort of that was a little apprehensive of coming back to a standard seatpost design. However, the Malvern Star feels more comfortable than ever and because I need the large frame I no longer have the hassle of only just being able to fit the integrated seatpost into a bike bag whenever I travel.
All in all I don’t think I can possibly find a negative thing to say about this bike and I can’t wait to have my first race on it and also feel what the time trial machines are like and it is no wonder the Genesys boys are performing so well around the country when they have a bike of this quality under them to rely on.
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