A Mainstream Bike Killer? DEVEL A01 One Year Review

SUBSCRIBE: bit.ly/2gMWc1t
One year into riding and racing the Devel frame and we can finally go a long term review. As we mentioned in the video the two main reasons for holding off on this was
1. The Distribution and 2. the RRP
For distribution check out the Devel Facebook page ( / develprojectbikes )
For RRP in your area email the sale staff directly ([e-mail])
The other subject we wanted to address was the comparison we inevitably had to have to the previous bikes we owned. I think it's fair to say we all came in with pretty low expectations, a first up bike build from an unknown brand ... but the problem is we are struggling to find any real difference.
Like I said the build of the whole bike with Campagnolo BORA, 12s Mechanical and selle Italia saddles all add to the equation.
Finally, if you would like us to talk about the way we handle equipment as an amateur bike racing team please let us know.
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INSTAGRAM: @chrismiller27 @nerocontinental
TWITTER: @chrismiller @nerocontinental
WEB: www.nerocontinental.com
STRAVA: / strava
BIKE: Devel Project A01
GROUPSET: Campagnolo
KITS: Rapha Custom
SERVICE & SUPPORT: Cycling Projects Racing

[@bettjeman123]

Hey Chris... would love to hear the inside line on equipment, bikes etc.

[@timschroepfer2385]

Yes, Chris it would be great to hear the inside scoop on equipment, etc! and Congrats to Jay Vine and your program:)

[@CheriShin21]

Merry Christmas! Great to hear that Devel bikes are awesome.

[@derekcravenPT]

Merry Christmas to you, Chris, and your family. Thank you for your consistent vlogs and thank your family for giving you the space to make them. Looking forward to 2021, more vlogs and more great results for Nero.

[@ronnel1227]

Chris reviews on niche brands will be great! and rider skills, tips and techniques will be appreciated! more power guys :)

[@ramonalcazaren]

🇵🇭 DEVEL. Merry Christmas Chris!

[@troycollett8540]

Yep would love to know about equipment and also how the rider contracts work etc

[@BenDhover7]

yes please talk about all the specifics of epuipment in nrs

[@drewacko]

thanks for the honest down to earth insights Chris 👍🏻

[@aidanbuttigieg8795]

Very insightful review Chris.

[@brettmorgan9797]

So good to see this review but next point how do we in Australia get our hands on one of these Devel frame sets I’m sure I’m not alone in thinking this mate. So awesome to see how well it’s been doing and how well it’s held up to the riggers of what you have all put it through that’s the best part. Oh and dig dig dig yes please on the financial side of things 🤙🏻 Merry Christmas 🎄 and stay safe out there everyone 🙌🏻

[@kkkwwwaaakkk]

Unfortunate that the website has expired and you can't even look up the geometry, bottom bracket standard, weight etc of the frame

[@Tim_McMurray]

Seeing these bikes up close in the flesh is impressive. The finish is as good or better than the known brands. Hope to see them set up some distribution to give more access to the brand

[@AndrewSmith-cd5zf]

Chris, I assume Devel are reading these comments. First it is great that they are creating bikes with properly engineered bb’s. However if a simple website is too much of a stretch then how will they ever become more mainstream?

[@neandertaler3683]

I’ve written with one of the sales managers. He was actually pretty nice and open to answer all my questions. But now with the Corona Pandemic I wonder if Devel Project is still a part in the race. Now that there’s even no more domain, just insta and FB. 🤷🏼‍♂️🙃 I would’ve actually bought one next year.

[@clintnieves]

Happy holidays Chris

[@rck812]

good talk and merry christmas to you also

[@TurneyUK]

Merry Christmas 🎄

[@chrisvisvis]

Equipment deals insight would be splendid ✌️

[@CarsAndBikesBklyn]

Yes I would love to know how you guys get equipment and if and how much you have to pay and also the support you get from your sponsors.

[@alecursini]

would love to see the equipment vid!

[@billsomerset238]

Yes, id like to hear about it

[@johnandrews3568]

Merry Christmas Chris... yes please... burst some bubbles on urban myths. Lets get down and dirty, mate.

[@lilth501]

I'm glad this bike got this review People are too eager to shit on Asian branded bikes with odd names

[@MP48]

Would like a look into the engineering at Devel bikes. What bb are they using? Tolerances for the bearing housings, how accurately is the seat tube internal dimensions to prevent the post seizing in future. That sort of stuff counts a lot more tha than the historical brand name on the down tube. If Devel engineers their bikes to the same standards or better than Look or Time then we have a serious player. A lot of Chinese in house factory brand frames have better tolerances than the traditional brands they fabricate for. Give us some insights please Chris. And merry Christmas to you and your ladies too. May 2021 be kind to you all.

[@zebulundocallas]

Its UCI approved. So yeah, some teams are starting to use it worldwide.

[@troycollett8540]

There’s some very good quality stuff coming out of Asia

[@PaulElliott1987]

there seems to be a bit of a shift where people arent necessarily buying in the mainstream brand bull**** spouting aero tests and the like and looking to alternatives like Devel, Winspace and others that the cycling media claim as "cheap chinese carbon" bikes but they are usually made in the same factory as the mainstream brands (but dont tell you that part 🤫) the problem for the big brand bike companies I see is that they dismiss how good these bikes actually are and how savvy the consumer is, obviously road cycling is big on history and heritage but when nearly all the WorldTour teams bikes are made in Taiwan or China compare that to the past where they were handmade in italy or france, I think its time to look outside the box and not necessarily at the brands with the best marketing 👍.... ohh and Merry Christmas to the family Chris, thank you for the informative and entertaining vlogs in an otherwise abysmal year, keep it up 🙌

[@iancruz2304]

I think even if they give you a kmart bike Chris you'll still do well with it. But cheers for the fair review.

[@lloydhopwood4331]

Tell us......tell us........please please please tell us!!!! Happy Christmas from Scotland mate.

[@brettdyson3286]

Absolutely burst all the equipment myths

[@BrettKelly74]

Would love to understand the working of a rider and running a team.

[@michaeldezwart9432]

@chris Miller...would like to know how the campy 12 speed has held up after 12 months?

[@davidnicholson6680]

Totally agree that the build is crucial. I've found bike reviewers very rarely use control tires and wheels to properly isolate and evaluate frames. This makes their feedback somewhat meaningless. The other problem is that bikes have mostly settled on proper geometry and proper frame engineering. Essentially any bike you buy these days is going to be both very similar to other bikes and pretty damned good. Lastly, weight isn't really an issue, any bike below 8 or 9 kilos is fine for all of us. Things like rider position, clothing and helmets matter much more than frames from an aero perspective so I feel you can safely ignore that as well. With all that in mind, I focus more on the details of the frame: what bottom bracket are they using, is the seat clamp mechanism reliable, how good is the cable routing, how easy is the bike to maintain etc.

[@TimothyVea]

After more than a year usage is the axle came with the frame is more susceptible to break. The Allen hole is almost unusable, front and rear axle. Got it replaced, I might be the one at fault since I only have a compact easy to carry Allen tools.

[@reeeeeem69420]

0:46 I bet a lot of Filipinos are watching Devel Project Bike/Frame reviews

[@eml924]

What’s the team plans for next year? Any changes?

[@mj162]

Happy Christmas Chris. Eat more food!! Mark Johnson.

[@cecilordono6326]

I want Hambini’s take on this 😁

[@pamfiloabionjr4529]

you're an awesome guy

[@alanschlug5418]

For those of us who are still interested in the history and heritage-- do not worry. You're fine. Don't feel poorly if you find yourself looking sideways at an off brand, midnight run, no name frame. It's fine. And for those who cannot be bothered to pay for one of these historic brands, don't let it bother you, either. At the end of the day, getting out and turning those pedals around is more important than anything else. No, you're never going to wipe away a photo of Saronni coming across on his brilliant red Colnago or Eddy Merckx on his De Rosa (or Guiseppe Pela) made frame. And won't be able to make anyone shrink because they have turned up on one and aren't as fast as you. Trust me, those arrows fall to the ground before the reach the rider.Time does not flow in reverse. It's only cumulative, and those moments, should they inspire you or flash your mind into action, are reason enough for some of us to buy the frames we buy. Especially as we age into situations that allow us to purchase these pieces of arse jewelry. I try to help as many young riders as I can with parts and by working on their bikes-- and I am careful never to be critical, only supportive. After all, I raced on a Giant Cadex myself once.

[@bossg2817]

I think as long as the bike is UCI approved it's good enough.

[@molfar9049]

spill them beans Chris!:)

[@bossg2817]

Hi Chris, I just want to ask if a size 44 frame will fit me, I'm 5'3", thanks!

[@thecyclinggreek274]

I would also like to here about riders equipment deals etc.

[@callumph]

Definitely wanna hear that bubble be burst!

[@ebersajun]

Hi Chris, Is there any shops here in Brisbane that sell this bike or just the frame itself? Cheers

[@dev1ce888]

Is this bike good for climbing also?

[@daviddang82]

Is this a branded open mold frame?

[@ariffau]

The Pardus Robin SL is good and cheap. Mike Pryde said it’s the exact same thing as the Neil Pryde BuraSL he himself designed.

[@teunluijbregts2533]

Great video! Bought a similar frame myself (manufacturer using own mold, chinese, etc) and had the exact same experience.. Would love to see you review the Campa groupset 👍👍. How does that cope with a year of pro (ab)use?

[@scottwatson8834]

Yep interesting vlog Chris. I'm pretty sure a Conti team would have soon discovered and decided if those bikes were shit. What a great 'test site' the NRS is. Cheers

[@hereintoca4701]

All brands start somewhere

[@jesperferm72]

Give us Mythbuster Chris🤣

[@aaron___6014]

Where can we buy it and how much? If you can't buy it then it's the same as Peter Sagan's Synapse, a custom product.

[@MKV1196]

1 things for sure is that you can buy it here in the Philippines.

[@lukealsford7079]

Those rear stays look very much like the windspace aero bike

[@imperialspy3457]

Now that you mention it, the resemblance to the seatstays on my 2014 Cervelo S5 is uncanny. Hmm... it's almost like there's a lot of similarities between bikes, even if they come out of different factories.

[@epexusJeffryDalisay]

FYI it's a brand from the Philippines.

[@inakilrg]

If love to hear what you'd love to tell!

[@johnnyboy4711]

how much for flip sake????

[@TimothyVea]

Feel free to join the facebook group. Devel project bike enthusiast to know more. Personaly I own disk a01 version and have no complaints. My opinion might be bland to some since im just a casual weekend rider but knowing Cris team ridden it makes me a casual rixer have more confidence on using the bike hard and descending to hilly roads 70+kph. I pre ordered the gravel stratos for my 2nd bike and cant wait for on the trails.

[@campagnolocolnago2366]

Good day there i have some concern what size do i fit im 5'7 in Devel a01? im planning to build for it

[@TimothyVea]

@@campagnolocolnago2366 Check the sizing chart

[@zakcollins987]

dig into the finances Chris!

[@freddiefuckenflintstone2623]

CM Lets say you get a call out of the blue from a well known bike brand ( Trek , Cannondale or Specialized or the like ). Offering to sponsor the team and will match the deal you have with Deval. Same price same everything. So do you take the new deal for the well known brand or stick with the Deval ?

[@freddiefuckenflintstone2623]

Hypothetically speaking of course

[@ChrisMillerCycling]

Would simply never happen. As you know, mainstream brands such as those are either not interested or distributed locally by a domestic distributor with even less interest.

[@freddiefuckenflintstone2623]

Hahaha Well dodged

[@freddiefuckenflintstone2623]

Very timely review , Can I suggest that you maybe doing such a positive review at the end of 2020 in the hope that you/team get supplied free/cheap bikes in 2021.

[@ChrisMillerCycling]

No such luck Fred, we’ll be on the same bike next year. As always appreciate your maturity. Merry Christmas

[@freddiefuckenflintstone2623]

@@ChrisMillerCycling I only said maybe I didn’t say you were. Merry Christmas to you also 👊

[@danieldanielo5955]

I tried using the email [e-mail] and it bounced back saying it does not exist.

[@pope406]

when you know how much so called premium brands have in reality quality issues you would not talk badly about "cheap" asian frames

[@davevaughn6293]

People don't want to admit that they do make good products in Asia. Everyone wants to feel like look at me I have a expensive bike . I'm really over that 😒

[@juanlara6278]

Pretty sure devel is now uci approved

[@Apex820]

All the name brand road bikes are over priced! I’ve been wanting to get a new road bike they keep going up and up every year. I think am just going to do my own bike build myself.

[@jezhopo7221]

This is an advertising game and that game needs money and therefore you need volume which Devel don't have.

[@lukemanion6555]

Yeah it may not yet but the guys behind the DEVEL produced over 1M mainstream bikes/frames this year alone in Asia so the pedigree is there

[@marcus_velo_9970]

Chris to be honest with you it's an elcheapo looking brand that devalues the branding you're trying to project with your team. Good on you for supporting a subpar brand, but really most people on here can afford a brand with race pedigree, made in Taiwan hopefully not using slave labor or controlled by authoritarian governments. I mean let's drop Rapha and go with Aldi, come on mate, you've been around cycling enough to know you can't kid anyone to thinking this brand it up there with Giant, Trek, Specialized. Of course it the bike is safe, uci approved, good on them. I'd have you on Baums, that's more what you're about, Australian made product - very high quality build.

[@Tim_McMurray]

All your "race pedigree" brands are made in China and shipped to Taiwan for painting and a "made in Taiwan" sticker and shipping. Brands like Devel, Pardus, and Elves are very good. Cycling is way to brand snobby and should be more inclusive.

[@swites]

My frame is on the way out after discovering problems in the head tube after a crash. I can either buy a top quality asian frame from a respected asian brand for $1500 and swap my current rim wheels over etc or I can get one from a mainstream brand for about 2.5 to 3.5 grand. Then have to pay heaps of dollars on disc wheelsets groupsets etc That's the thing. Rocking up to the race or group ride is not quite the same if you're on an "insert quirky name here" brand compared with a fancy new trek or cervelo. Your top end chinese frame from a good factory may be much lighter in rim and made of the same T1000 carbon fibre. It may be just as good, but the wank factor just ain't there. I mean what would the neighbours think? Funny how us roadies worry about things like this.

[@cryptopsycho4838]

DEVEL is made from Philippines and not in China.

[@coldforgedcowboy]

@Chris Miller Cycling... so adequate but not extraordinary, typical of white label bikes.

[@plantfuelled8912]

Personally I'd rather have a Merida. World tour team sponsors and easier resale. Almost all bikes are made in China, so no real difference.

[@ChrisMillerCycling]

Hey PF. I find the “world tour” thing interesting. I mean you know as well as I do that the only reason these bikes are in the WT is they pay a huge amount of money to be there. It doesn’t in any way resemble their quality as a bike, it’s not as though these WT teams choose their bike based on anything other then sponsorship dollars. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, team need to generate income somehow, it’s not as though they are getting ticket receipts at their local stadium.

[@DanTuber]

After all this time, i don't care about the bike or how cheap it is. It's un-buyable.

[@lukemanion6555]

Haha depends where you live Dan

[@cannon1156]

The frame is nothing special. It is simply another generic chinese frame not unlike every other frame of an aero profile. Wouldnt be surprised if you found another brand with exactly the same mould. Saying that is not a criticism as such. If the frame is competitively priced then all is good

[@bigal1888]

When did China take over the Phillipines? This bike frame is designed and manufactured in the Phillipines by people from the Phillipines. The carbon fibre and resin is probably from China or Japan.

[@kkkwwwaaakkk]

@@bigal1888 Doubtful that they are manufactured in PH. There might be a Giant factory in the country in the future, but assume that Devel frames are made in China/Taiwan

[@bossg2817]

@@bigal1888 manufactured in Taiwan.

[@cannon1156]

@@bigal1888 ..another complete clown. Do you seriously believe that? ...so funny. No where in their blurb do they say manufactured in the Phillipines. It is just another open mould frame similar to others that come out of China. In fact it looks very familiar with the curved seat tube

[@anthonymian1242]

Did I read it correctly that these frames are approx 1.5k?

[@cryptopsycho4838]

Why you guys keep saying "Asian brand" ? Cant you just simply say "Philippines brand" ? Jeezzz...

[@preciousnevaeh1544]

Fantastic 😍💋 💝💖♥️❤️