This British built superbike costs less than WorldTour bikes - can it really outperform them?

If you are in the market for a high-performance road bike, the default choice seems to be Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL8, Canyon Aeroad CFR or Pinarello Dogma F, probably in that order. I am always amazed at how many of these phenomenally capable and incredibly expensive machines there are wherever cyclists gather.

However, if you fancy an alternative to these brilliant yet often ubiquitous bikes, then the Handsling A1R0evoS is well worth a look. Started in 2014 by ex-racer Simon Whiten, Handsling offers a small range of performance-focused bikes for road, gravel, CX, TT and track. Despite their small size, Handsling sponsors not one but two UCI Continental teams, UK-based ‘Handsling Alba’ and the brilliantly named ‘Turbo Velo Pickle Juice Cycling Team ’ in the US.

Like most brands, Handsling's carbon frames are made in the Far East, but designed by Simon and the team in Hampshire, in their own exclusive moulds.

Unlike a normal review where the test bike arrives ready-built, Handsling was keen to offer me a look at the entire buying process, which they feel is one of their USPs when compared to the bigger brands. Thus, I found myself, slightly jetlagged after an overnight flight into Heathrow, sipping coffee in Handsling’s Oakhanger workshop and discussing ‘my’ possible build with Simon himself. All buyers are encouraged to visit and chat about their requirements before purchasing, but phone and email conversations are also possible. It is worth emphasising that my experience was not because I was reviewing the bike, but simply part of Handsling’s usual customer service.

I’ll deal with my spec choices in the next section, but for me, a big part of Handsling’s appeal is its flexibility. As the bikes are built up in the UK, most components can be swapped out, sizes changed or omitted completely - if you already have a favourite pair of wheels or preferred saddle, for example, you're not tied into buying a part you don't need.

Another huge plus for Handsling frames is the massive choice of frame colours, with about 30 possible options, ranging from plain carbon to very sparkly flip-type paint jobs. I chose Sunset Gold, a gorgeous coppery orange and even got to talk to the chap who would be doing the paint spraying, Alfie.

After my visit, I emailed in the setup and measurements of my bike, and then had a couple of telephone calls with Rob to discuss what aspects I might like to change - for example, I chose a slightly shorter stem and narrower bars.

Construction

That paint job! Even though I’d chosen the colour myself, there is a big difference between looking at swatches and seeing the finished article in the flesh when I unboxed the bike, and it is hard to do justice to the multitude of colours apparent on the frame. Depending on the light, gold, green, orange, bronze, purple, copper and even blue make an appearance, an effect that is particularly noticeable around the curves of the bottom bracket. Alfie had done a stunning job.

Back to more technical matters. The claimed frame weight for the new A1R0evoS (launched in 2024) is 770g for a 52cm, around 200g less than for the non ‘S’ version. This has been achieved by the use of Toray 1100 carbon as opposed to Toray 800, which requires less material for the same stiffness, and adds £600 to the cost. Both frames are identical in terms of shape and geometry - another appealing aspect of the Handsling philosophy is that they don’t change the frames seasonally or particularly encourage riders to upgrade to the next, latest thing. Simon is keen that their bikes are built to last and remain on the road.

Although it is not an out-and-out aero bike, there are plenty of aero touches, with truncated D-shaped tubes, dropped seatstays and a cut-out seat tube. The hourglass head tube and fully integrated cables keep the front end extremely clean, with an extended section at the back of the head tube to reduce drag. The bottom bracket area is reassuringly chunky to not just catch the light beautifully but also to better harness power. Interestingly, it is a BB86 press fit unit rather than a mechanic-friendly threaded unit, a point that Handsling emphasises on its website as being better for performance.

New for 2025, the Advanced fork is wider and deeper for improved aero with a neat enclosed thru-axle end. The fork allows clearance for 35mm tyres. Rear tyre clearance is still a healthy 32mm.

The geometry is definitely performance-orientated, with 395mm reach and 565mm stack on my 56cm bike - identical to the SL8 and very similar to the Canyon Aeroad. However, the wheelbase of the A1R0evoS is fractionally shorter than both at 985mm, promising quick handling.

The inline seatpost and one-piece handlebar are Handsling’s own; I chose a 120mm stem and 38mm width bar to go with the bike’s racey character. Bikes also come with smart Handsling carbon bottle cages (25g each on my scales) and a K-Edge computer mount.

There is a good choice of wheels available on Handsling’s configurator and they have a long-standing partnership with Parcours, but, ever the weight-weenie, I opted for another British wheel brand and specced some Scribe Core SL50+ wheels to save a few grams and add a couple of millimetres of internal width. These wheels pushed the 30mm Pirelli P-Zero Race TLR tyres out to over 31mm in width.

Most riders would admit that Shimano Ultegra Di2 is every bit as good as Dura-Ace, except for a small weight penalty, and I fully agree with this suggestion. So, of course, I opted for a full Dura-Ace set-up - well, given the chance, you would wouldn’t you? Heart over head for sure.

Nothing contentious in the spec of the groupset with a 52/36 chainset, 11-30t cassette, and 170mm cranks, without power meter. I love the fact that with Handsling, unlike most off-the-shelf manufacturers, a ‘downgrade’ to Ultegra, for instance, does not also mean accepting cheaper wheels, bars, tyres, etc.

Weight without pedals, but with cages and mount, came in at bang on 7kg. Pretty good for a disc brake, semi-aero bike with 30mm tyres and 50mm wheels.

The ride

Years ago, a friend of mine had an Audi RS4, which I drove regularly, and I remember that it wasn’t the incredible V8 noise or monstrous performance that impressed me most, but the way that the suspension dealt with bumps whilst remaining stiff and planted on the road. The A1R0evoS reminded me of this. It is a race bike in every way, but it is also very composed on poor road surfaces. Of course, you still feel every crack, bump and piece of grit, but it is through a filter which removes the sharpest edges. No doubt the tubeless 30mm Pirelli P-Zero tyres and Scribe Core 50 SL+ wheels were doing their bit, but I am sure that the frame was also contributing a good degree of vibration absorption, making the bike less fatiguing than many race bikes.

However, step on the pedals and there is no hint of wooliness, just an instant response whether seated or standing. For a UCI-approved frame with two pro teams on its CV, this should come as no surprise, but after spending the winter on a succession of very good all-road bikes, the step up to a true race bike was still noticeable. The Handsling is longer, lower, stiffer and lighter, of course, but it is also more direct with greater responsiveness.

The short wheelbase never felt nervous, it was a joy to ride on fast, sweeping descents in Mallorca, where I found myself deliberately taking a sub-optimal line through some bends, just so that I could flick the bike over and carve round it, tightening the curve rather than straightening it, just for the fun of it. On the less-lovely roads of the Peak District, confidence was similarly high, although between potholes and gravel, there was a lot less scope for pratting about. Again, large volume tyres and wide rims played their part, but wouldn’t work nearly as well unless attached to a similarly competent frame.

Speed was never an issue (or at least not from the bike’s point of view). Whether pace-lining along the flat or gurning up a climb, the A1R0evoS played its part, providing a solid platform that encouraged big efforts. Handsling doesn’t give any aero figures, but the bike felt like it maintained speed very well.

The A1R0evoS does have a few quirks and foibles, though. First, and least important, is that the seat post clamp is rather clunky. It is a sort of double clamp whereby the part that clamps the saddle rails is itself bolted to the carbon post, and although the whole thing is light enough, it ain’t pretty. It’s worth noting that the layback version offered uses a much more standard clamp that looks a lot neater.

Secondly (and thirdly), there are lots of different bolt sizes used, from 3mm to 6mm (personally, I’d ban all 3mm bottle cage bolts!) which is a bit irritating, and some of the torque specs are way bigger than normal, eg. 12Nm for the saddle clamp and 10Nm for the seatpost. This isn’t too bad in the workshop with a torque wrench to hand, but it's pretty hard to achieve mid-ride with a multi-tool, although at least there is little danger of over-torquing them.

And finally, I found the shape of the one-piece handlebar a bit basic. Having used a few really nice, sculpted bars recently, the Handsling unit felt quite old-school. Although the tops are nicely flattened, they become round before the forward bend, making them less comfortable when holding them near the hoods. The drops curve away from you a bit too much and other designs feel more ergonomic.

However, the worst part of riding the A1R0evoS was that I was petrified of scratching the lovely paintwork. Whether leaning it against a wall outside a cafe, using metal tools near it or packing it into a bike box, I was in constant fear. A very nice problem to have, though.

Value and conclusion

I’m going to say that the Handsling A1R0evoS is good value. £9,089 for a British, custom-painted, Dura-Ace-equipped aero bike that weighs 7kg is not easy to match. It isn’t perfect, but I’d rather have the opportunity to choose my own stem and handlebar size than have a prettier saddle clamp any day.

Whilst writing a recent piece about steel and titanium bikes, it struck me that for some, the appeal isn’t just in the material but in the process and potential for customisation. This, in turn, leads to greater involvement and deeper connection with the finished product. Handsling offers a very similar proposition but with carbon rather than metal.

I certainly can’t say that the A1R0evoS is definitively faster than a Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL8, Canyon Aeroad CFR or Pinarello Dogma F, but I can say that there can’t be much in it for normal riders, and that the personalised service, chance to ride something different from the norm, and the balance of speed and comfort this bike delivers make the Handsling a very tempting proposition for anyone looking for a race bike.

Oh, and looking at that paint job never got old.

Specification

• Frame and fork: T1100 carbon with Advanced fork
• Bottom bracket: BB86
• Groupset: Shimano R9200 Dura-Ace Di2 12-speed
• Cassette: Shimano Dura-Ace 12-speed HG 11-30T
• Chainset: Shimano Dura-Ace 12-speed 52-30T, 170mm
• Brake rotors: Shimano Dura-Ace L 160mm front, 140mm rear
• Wheelset: Scribe Core SL+ 50 tubeless-ready
• Tyres: Pirelli P Zero Race TLR Black 700x30mm
• Handlebar: Handsling Race Integrated Carbon 380mm x 120mm
• Seatpost: Handsling Aero D-Shaped Seatpost
• Saddle: Selle Italia SLR Boost Carbonio
• Actual weight for size 56cm: 7kg