Performance
Since this is an entry level road bike you can’t expect it deliver great performance. But since this might be someone’s first bike, we judge its performance from a beginner’s aspect.
The all-aluminium frame ensures that the bike is lightweight, which is a good thing for beginners. We have seen many novice riders struggle handling a heavy bike. The Vilano Shadow is quite east to control.
Next the bike comes with 14 speed levels. The bike also has 6061 Double Betted Aluminium Aero frame enables the bike to cut through the wind nicely. It doesn’t reach high speeds but this is not bad for a first timer.
Our Experts nephew was planning to buy a road bike and we called him to give this a try. He described the experience as quite enjoyable. He was satisfied with the maximum speeds he reached as he felt confident and stable.
The Vilano Shadow uses and integrated Shimano STI Brake Lever/Shifter. Changing gears works well though you would have to slightly reach for the shifter if you have small hands. The braking performance is average.
Comfort
While judging a bike’s comfort stability is an important criterion. Since this bike doesn’t reach high speeds it remains stable for the most part. But if you are riding on an uneven terrain you might experience more vibrations than usual.
Pro Tip – Get good quality gloves with this bike. They will reduce the effect of vibrations significantly.
Next, you won’t be that comfortable riding this for long durations. The seat is of decent quality but the comfort will reduce with time since there isn’t much padding.
Next the pedals are of standard quality. You can upgrade to different and better quality pedals after few months.
Assembly (Be Very Careful)
If this will be the first bike you will assemble, we strongly recommend not to do it on your own. Even though you are good with tools, there are some things which will go wrong and that might to lead to bike breakdown or may cause injuries.
You can ask a friend for help or you can even go to some local bike shop. If you go to a bike shop pump the tires to 110 rating. This avoids flat tires in your first ride.
Things which could have been better even at this price
We were not happy with the brakes. This bike uses an integrated system for the brakes and shifter. So be careful when your reach high speeds, the brakes might not perform as per your expectations.
Some customers have reported that gears wear out with time. Obviously we cannot confirm this since we usually test bikes for 3-4 days. During that time we experienced no issues. You can read few bike maintenance tips online to increase bike’s life and efficiency.
Finally the handle bar wrapping was mediocre and the manufacturers should have done a better job at that. You might have to replace it altogether.
Final Words
Talking strictly for beginners this isn’t a bad option. In fact we will recommend this if you are planning to buy your first road bike. You get good performance, above average comfort and the whole experience will be enjoyable. As you gain experience and knowledge you can look for better options.
However, if you are someone who already has a road bike, don’t buy this. Go for a better more advanced bike. IF you don’t want to spend a lot and still move a step further we recommend the Schwinn Prelude.
