Review: BH G6 Pro Ultegra Di2

The BH G6 Pro is the Spanish company’s answer to aero. With its profiled design and aggressive geometry the bike is built for top performance at high speed. Our test model, the BH G6 Pro Ultegra Di2, includes a set of BH’s house brand carbon deep section clinchers making it an all-round race ready machine.

Before we step into the bike review here’s a brief look at BH, a company whose past presence in South Africa, has perhaps belied its bike building pedigree. BH (Beistegui Hermanos) began life as an arms manufacturer in Spain pre World War I and has been making bicycles for over 100 years. Winning the first two editions of the Vuelta a España and multiple thereafter, the brand has remained present in the pro peloton since then with sponsorships of the likes of Liberty Seguros and AG2R.

Specifications

• Frame sizesXS, SM, MD, LA, XL
• FrameG6 Pro Full Carbon
• HandlebarBH Super Lite Carbon
• StemBH Evo
• SeatpostBH G6 Pro
• SaddleSan Marco Concor
• Front derailleurShimano Ultegra 11sp DI2
• Rear derailleurShimano Ultegra 11sp DI2
• BrakesShimano Ultegra Direct Mount
• Shift LeversShimano Ultegra 11sp DI2
• CassetteShimano Ultegra 11sp/25
• Chain KMC X11L
• Crankset FSA SLK 386 4B
• WheelsetBH Evo50
• TyresMichelin Lithium 700 X 23
• Weight6.8kg
• PriceR64 900

The G6 frame features a sloping geometry to give a good standover height and, according to BH, better “torsional stiffness”. Most of the tubing on the frame is aero profiled and quite substantial in size. The headtube, downtube and seat tube are all aerodynamically profiled and the seat tube extends into a semi-integrated seat post with some adjustability. The bottom bracket is super wide at 86mm to provide increased stiffness and efficient power transfer. In contrast to the front end, the rear of the bike is quite petite with the spindly seat stays designed to provide some forgiveness on bumpier surfaces.

A standout feature on the G6 Pro is the Shimano Ultegra Di2 group set, although with a FSA SL-K crankset in favour of stock Ultegra. The inclusion of compact chainrings struck me as an odd spec choice on such a race focussed bike, but thankfully the cranks feature a standard 110BCD so swopping out chainrings is made easier. The Di2 battery tucks away neatly in a dedicated compartment in the integrated seat post. Another highlight is the full carbon clincher wheel set – BH’s in-house Evo50’s weighing in at 1580g.

BH’s Convertible Internal Routing (CIR) system allows you to run electrical or mechanical cables internally.

On the road

Getting on the G6 for my first ride I was mostly aware of how my condition was in no way on par with the look of this bike. It’s a mean looking race bike and with its “look at me” lumo yellow accents it’s a head turner.

Initially the biggest change for me was testing Di2 in the wild for the first time. Aside from trade shows and parking lot tests it’s not something I had spent much time with. The shifting did take some getting used to and resulted in a few unintended brake grabs trying to shift. Instead of shifting the entire brake lever, Di2 uses two smaller “paddles” on the outside of the brake lever with subtle, but distinct actuation. Soon enough my brain and hands were Di2 ready and the rest of the bike could take centre stage.

The G6 arrived with a carbon compatible brake pads which combined with the Ultegra brake set made for assured braking.

The rear brake is tucked away behind the BB – out of the wind and allowing for the super slim rear end.

The combination of the stiff frame and lightweight carbon wheels make for a very responsive ride with great acceleration. The bike appears to enjoy speed and in race situations I found myself quickly closing gaps I thought were all but lost. Though with the appetite for speed does come with a need for control. At speed with hands on the hoods I encountered a few twitchy moments on fast flats and descents. In the drops though that skittishness disappears, the bike is stable and sure footed – I even clocked a few downhill PBs.

An obvious enemy to any aero profiled frame or wheel set is the wind. Here the G6 was no different and in no way immune to blustery Cape winds. It is something you get more comfortable with and should you have the choice you might want to opt for a shallower profile on those ultra windy days.

Although designed more for speed on the flats than climbing prowess, I found the G6 to be a comfortable climber. The notion that aero bikes are not great climbers typically stems from weight consideration. These days though, most top end aero bikes are barely UCI legal. Thanks to the overall light build and light wheels, climbing seated or standing on the G6 was no burden.

Verdict

The BH G6 Pro is a high performance aero race bike which chomps at the bit to be raced. The stiff frame and light carbon wheel set make for an ultra responsive ride. It does lend itself to a more capable, confident rider though, as the aggressive head angle does make it a little feisty at times. Overall the BH G6 Pro provides a spec and performance level that is tough to beat.