John Trevorrow-Former Australian Olympic cyclist
Although a winner of three Sun Tours, and a career racing in Europe, at 57 my competitive road cycling days are long behind me, but riding the Superbike in the Victorian Great Bike Ride surprised me. I performed exceptionally well.
I was surprised by the rigidity of the frame, which has the least flex of any frame I have ever ridden. That means when pushing the pedals all the effort is transferred into the bike going forward.
There was no whip or side movement and I was equally surprised how it handled in the wind. With such a large surface, rather than being hampered by the wind it acted like a sail and pushed me along.
I was very impressed with the bike's overall performance.
Richard Webber - London
I took possession of my RMIT SUPERBIKE 3 months ago in London. Having ridden the “L'Etape Du Tour” for the last two years, and looking forward to next years ride and its Alpe D'Huez hilltop finish, I had it fitted with a compact crank and Ksyrium SL wheels. Soon after getting the bike I left for 2 months in Australia and took the bike with me. While there I put it through its paces: long rides on flat Victorian roads and hard rides up and down Mount Buller and Mount Buffalo in a variety of conditions.
The qualities of the SUPERBIKE are unique and bold. Acceleration is instantaneous - once you're moving both sprint pick up and sustainability of top-end speed are truly remarkable; your line feels beautifully solid and transfer of power inspirationally pure. In addition to this the bike looks great so the combination of great performance and superb looks is everything a rider could ask for.
To comment on two frequently asked questions from other riders: Firstly - Crosswinds are not an issue, in fact I feel more secure in wind than ever before. Secondly - Hill Climbing performance: I weigh 98 kg and am the antithesis of a climber. I rode Mt Buller (16 km) and Mt Buffalo (22 km) gate to chalet at 16 kph and 17 kph respectively with comfort and 5-10% better than I would normally do on my diamond frame. In addition to this I am more confident descending on my Superbike than I've ever previously been.
In conclusion I would unequivocally recommend the RMIT SUPERBIKE to any cycling enthusiast.
Laurie Duncan -Carlton , Victoria, Australia
I am 55 and took up bike riding several years ago however I was frustrated by my lack of performance. I was hopeless!!
I tackled the problem by buying better, costlier equipment. While I saw some improvement as my bikes got better I was still being passed by too many other riders. When the opportunity arose to ride the SUPERBIKE I jumped at the chance as a friend who already owned one claimed I could improve my performance by 10%!
After my first ride on the RMIT SUPERBIKE I was impressed how smooth it was. I have ridden the bike almost every day since and I have definitely captured the elusive 10% improvement! The improvement is both due to the technical superiority of the bike and because the riding experience is so much more pleasurable I ride a lot more. I am at least a 10% better rider now while getting 100% more enjoyment from the sport.
I rode the SUPERBIKE on the Great Victorian Bike Ride and it performed brilliantly. I have done 5 GVBRs but this was the first time I rode up every hill. If it's good on the hills it's out of this world on the flat! The bike has a great turn of speed - when you "go for it" you get instant acceleration, transforming an ordinary rider into feeling like a "real" rider.
A question often asked is "how does the bike perform in cross winds?" as people assume because of its surface area it may be buffeted by cross winds. This is absolutely not the case. It is the most stable bike I have ever ridden - handling all sorts of wind magnificently. No wonder the bike is well named - it truly is a SUPERBIKE.
Brendon Walsh - Former Professional Cyclist and Australian Champion
Over the past few months I have had the privilege of test riding and giving feedback to Technique Sports Pty Ltd on the RMIT Superbike. During a professional cycling career that stretched over a few decades I rode many bikes from the double butted steel types right through to today’s full carbon fibre frames which I presently own. I have always kept up with bike changes and have ridden successfully both on the road and the 6 day track circuit. The opportunity to test this technology was something I eagerly accepted.
My first ride was on a bike not setup for my normal riding position, but it was impressive from every turn of the pedal. The RMIT Superbike has great strength and very little flex. I put it through numerous situations trying to be very critical and identify any weakness or issue I could. In hill climbing, time trialling and sprinting the RMITSuperbike passed with flying colours and I now have a new respect for aluminium frames.
The RMIT Superbike is a joy to ride and although it is slightly heavier than a full carbon frame it is much less fatiguing to ride. The development, technology and aerodynamics behind the RMIT Superbike is the obvious conclusion here.
The RMIT Superbike has been so impressive that I have now assembled a full time-trial bike that I will use in the upcoming triathlon season and have retired the carbon frame to the shed. So, well done to all those involved with the design and production of the RMIT Superbike.
I have won numerous State and Australian titles on the track and road and spent many contracted years riding the tough mountainous terrain in Europe. In that time there has never been a more impressive bike that I have had the pleasure to ride. I recommend it to any competitive cyclist or triathlete looking for a competitive edge.
The RMIT Superbike from Technique Sports is a real winner.
David Kemp - Professional Cyclist - Queensland Academy of Sport
The RMIT Superbike - or should I say Super-Fast-Bike!!!
I find the bike an amazingly easy ride. I can literally feel the difference between the conventional bikes and the Superbike - it’s like riding around with a disc wheel all the time. Once I have the bike at speed around 35-55km I can hold that speed with amazing ease, and particularly at top speed, around 50-60km I really feel the difference and find myself just wanting to go faster and faster .... and the amazing thing is that I can!!!
The bike is definitely the stiffest I have ever ridden and that gives it the ability to produce a lethal sprint. One thing that I would like to do is put Aerobars and a disc wheel on the RMIT Superbike - It would be an unstoppable machine!!!
Great bike !!
David Bellette - Weekend Warrior - Singapore
It is with great pleasure I get to write this letter of appreciation to you. I am new to this sport of cycling and have recently purchased one of your RMIT Superbikes. Previously I have only ever used a steel framed bike in normal riding configuration and never in a time trial position. After competing in a duathlon in March my time on the steel bike for 40km time trial (no drafting) was 68minutes and 46 seconds. Upon hearing about your bike and purchasing it in April I have been able to set the bike up in a true triathlon time trial configuration. Yesterday I competed in an overseas triathlon competition in Singapore called “Osim Asian Championships”. I am very proud to tell you I had my first win with our team and reduced my time on the bike to 59 minutes and 50 seconds (also no drafting). A vast improvement from my effort four months earlier as you can see.
I believe by training a lot more as well as getting my frame into the true time trial position has helped greatly as I am of large frame size. The other considerable thing I have noticed about your bike is that I am able to hold a significantly higher top end speed more comfortably than I can on my conventional road bike. The reason I can say this with confidence is we do interval training in the same location and when I am on your bike I can easily hold a higher top end speed for much longer than I can on my conventional road bike.
So in closing I would like to thank you and your team for what I am sure was a painstaking task to design and produce this type of bike for elite triathletes as well as weekend warriors like myself at the tender age of 40. It has been a wonderful experience to get some reward from the old body again on a magnificent looking machine.
I am sure many others will want to thank you for this renewed interest in a great sport on an eye stopping, conversation starter “RMIT Superbike”!
Keep up the good work and I wish you every success with this outstanding design achievement.
Professor Ian Bates - RMIT University - Melbourne Australia
The RMIT Superbike resulted from a project in the Aerospace Department at RMIT. The project aimed to develop the world’s best bike - fast, lightweight and good looking.
Associate Professor Lachlan Thompson led this successful project which saw the RMIT Superbike ridden to Commonwealth Games Gold medals in 1994 and 1998 Victories in the UCI World Cup in 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998 and 1999 and UCI World Championships in 1995, 1997, 1998 and 1999.
The Superbike achieved this gold medal performance because the research at RMIT developed a frame which achieved the critical combinations of stiffness, aerodynamics and lightweight.
The bike is still one of the best , if not the best performing bike in the world. The further work to bring the RMIT Superbike to the market in aluminium means that people who like to cycle can buy a high performance bike developed for champions, at a very affordable price.
