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

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Incolor 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 such as Specialized, Cervélo, and Trek. In this article, we’ll cover 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. It features a distinctive, refined appearance with curved shapes and careful attention to detail. It stands out not only from Chinese road frames but also from Western ones. Its design aims to reduce 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 between the dropped rear seat stays and the seat tube is another key design element. Incolor claims this feature improves aerodynamics and absorbs road vibrations for improved comfort, but its rear end appears stiff in the photos. The carbon fiber construction might provide some compliance.

The geometry chart suggests the bike achieves a balance of reach, stack, and wheelbase, allowing it to maintain an aggressive racing position while preserving comfort. The short stack height enables an aerodynamic posture, while the proportional reach ensures stability and control. The wheelbase, varying across sizes, supports handling that is suitable 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 with weight, Incolor 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 moved it back by 10 mm. According to CFD analysis, this improved integration with the rear wheel reduced resistance by about 10%.

The downtube of the Incolor 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 addresses 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 SR version offers this aero bottle kit as an option, while the SR+ version includes it as standard.

The Incolor Speedster also comes with the AEROWAV integrated handlebar, weighing only 330 grams. Its thinnest section measures 17 mm. The handlebar features a 12.5 mm flare angle, improving grip alignment for 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 Incolor 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 aerodynamic performance and exceptional stiffness, Incolor used high-grade carbon fiber and advanced layup techniques. Over six months, the team iterated on 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 pitch-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 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 Speedster is priced similarly to 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 Incolor increasingly emphasize quality and performance over affordability.

Incolor Speedster Technical Specifications

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

The Speedster SR+ also comes with extras, such as a 3D-printed titanium bike computer mount, different color options, and two years of complimentary paint replacement.

Conclusion

I would genuinely like to see the Incolor 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, and 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 are considering buying or already have a Speedster, please contact me. I’d like to ask you a few questions.

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