Incolor Intropy Speedster: The Best Chinese Do-It-All Frame Yet?

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Incolor Intropy Speedster is proof of China’s growing reputation in the world of high-performance bicycles. Incolor positions it as a serious competitor to Western cycling giants like Specialized, Cervélo, Trek, and others. In this article, you will learn its key technical specifications and what people who have already ridden it think about it.

Design and Geometry

I am a big fan of Speedster’s looks. I like its distinctive, refined appearance, curved shapes, and attention to detail. It stands out not only from Chinese road frames but also from Western ones. Its design aims to reduce the frontal area for improved aerodynamics. However, compared to the recently unveiled Colnago Y1R, which appears even thinner from the front, the Speedster’s profile feels more robust.

The smooth connection of the dropped rear seat stays with the seat tube is another key design element. Intropy claims this feature improves aerodynamics and absorbs road vibrations to improve comfort, but its rear end looks stiff from the photos. The carbon fiber construction might provide some compliance.

The geometry chart suggests the bike offers a balance between reach, stack, and wheelbase, making it capable of maintaining an aggressive racing position while preserving comfort. The short stack height allows for an aerodynamic posture, while the proportional reach ensures stability and control. The wheelbase, varying across sizes, supports handling that works for both criteriums and longer rides. Check out the following geometry chart:

Aerodynamics

The team used Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) to analyze airflow and wind resistance. Their research showed that, at a bicycle’s specific Reynolds Number, the width of a cross-section impacts wake size more than its shape. Simply increasing the tubing’s aspect ratio did not reduce drag and only added unnecessary weight.

To balance aerodynamics and weight, Intropy designed a lightweight frame that minimizes windward area. This achieves aerodynamic performance that is close to that of traditional aero road bikes. They widened the lower section of the seat tube by 32 mm and shifted it back by 10 mm. Based on CFD analysis, this improved integration with the rear wheel reduced resistance by about 10%.

The downtube of the Intropy Speedster measures just 42 mm, making it narrower than many aero road bikes. It also features a custom aerodynamic water bottle kit with a wrap-around cage, which theoretically solves the issue of bottle instability. Trek took a similar approach with the Madone Gen 8. Thanks to their aero bottles, Trek claims the Gen 8 is faster than the Gen 7.

The aerodynamic bottle kit saves up to 8W compared to a standard water bottle. The SS version offers this aero bottle kit as an option, while the SS+ version includes it as standard.

The Intropy Speedster also comes with the AEROWAV integrated handlebar, weighing only 330 grams. Its thinnest section is 17 mm. The handlebar features a 12.5 mm flare angle, improving grip alignment with the brakes, while the ends rise by 20 mm. This design enhances ergonomics and reduces resistance, saving 2-3W. It’s great to see such concrete data, as it’s not common to get aero data for Chinese-made road handlebars.

The Intropy Speedster achieves a windward area of 626.46 cm². This is 3.2% smaller than the Cervelo S5, a purely aerodynamic frame, and 1.7% smaller than the Specialized Tarmac SL8. In final CFD simulations, the SPEEDSTER reduced wind resistance by an average of 4.5W at 45 km/h compared to the Tarmac SL8, coming within 1.6W of the Cervelo S5.

Balancing Aerodynamics and Stiffness

To achieve aerodynamics and exceptional stiffness, Intropy used high-grade carbon fiber and advanced layup techniques. Over six months, the team refined the frame design 14 times. They used Finite Element Analysis (FEA) and real-world testing to identify areas that needed reinforcement.

The size 54 frame weighs just 720 grams, offering high stiffness without adding weight. The SS+ version uses T1100 carbon fiber and 80T asphalt-based carbon yarns. This delivers a pedaling stiffness of 181 N/mm, outperforming the Giant TCR Advanced SL.

You might also be interested in the Incolor Intropy Spectre concept triathlon bike.

Aerowav Carbon Wheelset

The Speedster is equipped with Aerowav wheels paired with Continental GP5000 tires. Compared to the best Chinese carbon wheels, they don’t look as impressive, although I appreciate the wide rim width.

The lower-end version costs 8800 RMB, uses steel Sapim CX-Ray spokes, and weighs 1520g. The higher-end version is more expensive and uses carbon Vonoa spokes, which results in higher stiffness and lower weight. Check out the following table for more details.

Pricing

The Intropy Speedster is priced basically at the same level as some Western bike brands. While this may challenge Western buyers accustomed to lower-cost Chinese options, it signals a shift in market perception—Chinese brands like Intropy increasingly emphasize quality and performance over affordability.

Intropy Speedster Technical Specifications

Here’s a quick summary of the Intropy Speedster’s key specifications:

Speedster+ also comes with some extras, like a 3D-printed titanium bike computer mount, different colors, or 2 years of free paint replacement.

Conclusion

I would honestly like to see Intropy Speedster in person and ride it. It seems a lot of time and energy was spent on its development. It’s one of those do-it-all bikes that actually look stylish and are lightweight, but also surprisingly aero. But is it competitive with the best road bikes out there? It’s hard to say because it’s not widespread in Western markets yet, and there are also no objective reviews or comparisons.

If you happen to be considering buying or already have a Speedster, please contact me. I’d like to ask you a few questions.

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