I recenetly had the oportunity to test a Top End Force over 3 days. The model tested was a slightly customised model equiped with wheels built with Phil Wood hubs and Velocity deep V rims but apart from that pretty well standard.

The Force is a race oriented bike with a very low and reclined position this makes the Force very aerodynamic. Getting on and off the machine is moderatlely difficult but after a couple of attempts got easier. Due the distance to the foot rests you need quite a long reach to do up the velcro ankle fasteners. Once you are on the bike the riding position is comfortable but a neck support would be a nice addition especially on longer rides. The aluminium frame utilises single beam construction which is very stiff and gives a fairly hard ride, the addiotion of thicker back cushion would alleviate this and would be easy to do if you wanted. Adjustment is possible for backrest angle and for crank reach but there was no crank height adjustment possible on this model.

Out on the road it proved to be a very quick machine. It accellerates with ease and once you have it rolling on the flat it maintains the speed easily. On the second day I had the bike there was a howling gale blowing and I was surprised just how easily it cut through the wind. I generally sit in an upright position which in these conditions I would have been a good minute per mile slower. For such a reclined bike it climbed well and I was able do a 300ft climb as fast as I do on my normal bike which is set up for hills.

Overall its a nice machine thats looks good and has a quality finish. Its a fairly hard ride but handles well and turns sharply. Dislikes are the long drive chain that suffers from a lot of slop. A neck rest would be a great addition. This is a race oriented machine but if you are looking for a high performance machine for general riding then this could be the bike for you.