Improvements and price hikes for the Energie GR City Bike point towards its mid-range sibling as the new value in Vitus's cyclocross fleet.
By Jessica Lamb
Vitus's Energie GR City Bike, billed as a 'do it all adventure bike', was last year's steal of the cyclocross market, but the improved 2016 version has taken a price jump in the wrong direction.
With the new GR you get all the features its predecessor had and the redesigned Shimano Tiagra groupset, now with tidy 105-like shifters.
And there's a carbon steerer to go with the carbon fork on this alloy frame, skimming 360g off the whole bike's weight - now at 10.24kg in size 55cm. It also features Spyre disc brakes.
However, for these upgrades the GR has sacrificed its place in the under €1,000 category with a new price tag of €1,131.
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At first glance, the mid-range Energie could be the better buy.
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The price hike on 12 months ago, pushing it into the price range north of €1,000, will deter some from the Energie GR City Bike by Vitus, despite the upgrades.
The Energie is at €1,351 a whopping €1,000 cheaper than the big daddy, Energie Pro, but the only significant difference between the two is the frame material.
Energie is alloy, not carbon, and doesn't have internal cable routing, but it does have top tube cable routing and it does have a carbon fork and steerer.
There is still SRAM's new Rival 1x11 groupset, including hydraulic brakes, and the same WTB Frequency wheelset, making the bike less than 1kg heavier than the Pro.
It's got everything the GR has for a few pennies more, and most of what the PRO has for a grand less. If that's not a steal, what is?
