Sabbath Mondays Child Review

Unfortunately, when carving bends, the specification is let down slightly by the standard Mavic Equipe S wheel system. Although the wheels themselves are sturdy and quite light at the price point, the Yksion tyres are inconsistent. They offer uncertain grip; squirming under cornering load. Worse, they perform unpredictably when conditions become mixed, breaking loose with little warning on damp roads. We’d recommend swapping them for another performance tyre.

You get a feel for the width of the downtube here

This bike really came to life when we started cranking the watts. Up the climbs, the frame displayed the springiness titanium is known for. Rocking the bars side-to-side out of the saddle, the bike was eager to jump forward under acceleration. The flared down and seat tubes kept the bottom bracket under the rider and the front wheel went where it was pointed even when we jumped out of the saddle. The frame may share the ride qualities of other titanium and steel frames, but the lateral stiffness reinforced that Sabbath’s labour-intensive tube shaping is not just a marketing ploy.

Visible welds speak volumes as to this bike’s purpose

Seated climbing was comfortable. We found the stem-to-bar drop perfect for comfortable ascending with hands on the tops or hoods. Standing on the pedals or powering in the saddle on the flats yielded similar results: The Monday’s Child was just solid, never wavering or skipping around, the wheels staying planted, inspiring confidence in the rider at all times. We were extremely impressed.

Racing The Sabbath Monday’s Child

Our race schedule was packed at the end of the year. Desperate for upgrade points, no bike racing stone was left unturned. We raced the Sabbath in rolling circuit races, criteriums, and hilly road races, even stooping to the dreaded Hillingdon as the season crept to a close.

All the tubes including the seatstays are chunky for added stiffness

The geometry is more consistent with a pure road-racing machine. With a slightly longer head tube than some racing frame alternatives at a similar price point, relatively relaxed head and seat tube angles, and long top tube the bike’s dimensions appeared to be built for long days in the saddle. After racing the Sabbath for three months, we found it was well suited for anything thrown at it. We believe the secret lies in the combination of tube construction and frame design.

The Monday’s Child performed well in road races as expected. The Surrey League races we compete in usually feature series of small climbs, bumpy descents, and narrow roads. We found ourselves feeling fresher, with less back and hand pain than usual; a reflection of both the comfortable ride and the stable handling.

Attention to detail is evident; all of the Mondays Child’s fittings are very tidy

 
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