Nine times out of ten, when you think about the Look brand name, their pedal systems come to mind. So it should come as no surprise that Look was showcasing their Keo Blade 2 and Keo 2 Max Blades at Interbike. Of course Look also makes some great bikes, and they brought their 795 and 795 Aerolight to Vegas to help remind us just how good their bikes can be. Check out our galleries below to see all that Look had to offer.
Look 795
For us, the Look 795 Aerolight was one of the stars of the show – every time we walked by couldn’t help but stop and stare. And while our very first day at outdoor demo was graced with wet and windy conditions, we couldn’t resist taking the 795 out. To hell with the weather, we wanted to get some saddle time on it. And we’re happy to report that the 795 did not disappoint. It is easily one of the most communicative bikes we’ve ever ridden. Devon found the feedback through the pedals to be, as he put it, “stunningly good.” Also, the concerns we had initial about stiffness due to the sloping head tube were completely unfounded – this is a bike built to win races!
The 795 Aerolight frame features direct mount rear brakes under the chain stays. Up front is an integrated front brake that Look claims improves braking by 20% compared to a traditional brake, while improving bike aerodynamics by 3%. The Aerostem creates a single line from the top tube to the handle bars and has no need for spacers. The stem itself can adjust from 13 degrees negative to 17 degrees positive (no need for spacers).
Overall, this is a bike we are longing to host at AG HQ for a long-term review.
Keo Blade 2 and Keo 2 Max Blade
The Keo Blade 2 is Look’s top-of-the-line pedal system. Available in either a titanium (90g) or chromoly (110g) axle, the Blade 2 is designed to race. The carbon body pedals feature a 64mm / 700 mm2 support surface with a stack height of just 13mm. The Blade 2 also features a carbon blade (hence the name) designed to provide rigid coupling and quicker release at the end of disengagement. The blade itself helps make the pedal more aerodynamic by creating one single uniform surface on the bottom of the pedal. While the release engagement is not easily adjustable (you have to swap out the blades using a special tool), Look does offer three different tension levels (12, 16, and 20) that should suit the needs of almost any rider –12 should be sufficient for most cyclists and 20 is for those looking for maximum hold. The great news is that Look sent us home with a set of Blade 2s, so keep a lookout for our first ride review coming soon.
The Keo 2 Max Blade combines the incredibly successful Keo 2 Max design and adds the blade system pioneered by the Keo Blade. The Max Blade features a 60mm / 400mm2 support surface and a 14mm stack height. The Max Blade is available in tension levels of 8 and 12 and weighs in at 120g.
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