"… CarbonSports is playing in a different league than the competition. The ‘Total Eclipse’ is the embodiment of the smart application of high-tech fibers and perfect craftsmanship."

"The uncompromising king of comfort: The TOTAL ECLIPSE by the carbon-fiber specialists at CarbonSports looks back on a long history: In 1995 the monocoque with its beam was called “Exclusiv Design”, later “BST Racer”. The current version designed under new command has received careful attention to reach its fourth stage of evolution.

Outstanding in the truest sense of the word is the beam, which offers noticeably improved comfort. The lab report shows a vertical stiffness of 125 N/mm, and the bottom bracket area is now stronger than ever after the amount and direction of the fibers has been carefully recalculated.

Compared to the other candidates, the smoothly flowing shapes of clear-coated carbon fiber and the internal cable routing best show the fascination of the material (...).
Summary: Carbon fiber with a special look. Lots of engineering and high quality justify the price."

More quotes from the ‘TOUR’ test report:
"... by now it has become common knowledge that the potential offered by carbon fiber is not fully realized within the limits of the classical diamond shaped frame design. Well-thought out layering of the fibers and the almost unlimited freedom of design allow for the construction of frames that are stiff, leight weight, aerodynamic and comfortable at the same time."

"… Comfort you can feel and measure – a property often ascribed to carbon fiber frames – is something the classical bikes in the test offer very little of. Their diamond shape precludes better results. Only the two monocoques from CarbonSports and Carbon Crew offer the rider real comfort. Their beam designs eliminate bumps efficiently."

Source: ‘TOUR’ magazine 1/2003. Text : T. Musch, M. Borchers
Tested: 7 high-end carbon fiber road bikes. CarbonSports was represented by the ‘6.8’ model. At 6.8 kg it was by far the lightest bike in the test.

Dampening:

But everything is different at the saddle: The suspended top tube really gives slightly when you sit down. Just three or four millimeters, I’d guess, so it is not the cushy feeling you get with some full-suspension bikes.

However, the effect is really noticeable: I would never have expected so much more comfort. It is not like every road is ironed flat with this bike. You still notice the bumps, just not as much as you would on your old bike. The bike rolls over road irregularities so much better, so you pedaling movement is disturbed less. I feel this helps me in two ways:

1. When riding hard: I pedal more smoothly. When I really crank out all I’ve got I can now still pedal smoothly even when the road is not perfect. I used to have to get out of the saddle just a tiny bit to relieve my butt, or I would forget all about pedaling circles and just stomp the pedals to get pressure off my behind. This would take an additional toll on my legs, which were already working near their max. With the TOTAL ECLIPSE FRAME I seem to be flying across such irregularities without losing my smooth cadence; I can still pull upwards on the pedals after all.

2. On long rides: We’ve all been there: If you are tired you feel every pothole twice as bad. The TOTAL ECLIPSE FRAME takes the edge off of these bumps. They are still there, but over the course of a long ride you notice the difference. And it becomes bigger the longer your rides are! And what I really like is that I’m not paying for this difference by riding a heavy, inefficient frame with a complicated suspension system. I want the fastest bike, not the most comfortable – and this bike is fast, trust me.
You really do not notice the suspension much when going slow. Going uphill I feel no difference to a traditional bike. I guess I pedal pretty efficiently already, but even riders with less than ideal pedaling technique will not notice a pogo-effect. If that’s what you fear your idea of the top tube is much too soft. But if you keep your old bike for rainy days you’ll feel the change: I find it hard to believe that that expensive piece of Aluminum riding like a block of concrete used to be so dear to my heart. It makes me feel like I’m back in the Stone Age whenever I ride it now.

Notes regarding geometry and positionTop tube length is the key towards achieving an aerodynamic position. As the top tube is not adjustable you must chose your frame wisely. While you can scoot your seat back and forth a bit this will change your position in relation to the bottom bracket. Thus, a 28” frame shouldn’t be too long, otherwise an aerodynamic position will be hard to achieve.

A classic road bike has equal seat tube and top tube lengths (“squared design”). Some builders prefer to design slightly shorter frames (e.g. Storck), while others use longer top tubes. Riders wanting to ride with aerobars should choose shorter frames. The TOTAL ECLIPSE by CarbonSports is about 1.5 cm shorter – an excellent start!
Using a seat post without setback and moving the seat forward slightly my saddle is in perfect position for long triathlons on a hillier course (effective seat angle 75-76°).

Now the armrests have to be positioned at the correct height. The drawing shows two 90° angles between pedal, hip and shoulder and hip shoulder and elbow, respectively. Do not change the hip angle, but the angle at the shoulder may well reach 100°. This shows that the bars must not be placed too low or the hip angle will become acute. While that would improve aerodynamics, it would lead to reduced power output (which should have top priority in triathlons, unlike in classic time trials). If you want to achieve a lower position you must move your seat farther forward.

Upon first riding a bike properly set up one may believe that this position is too comfortable, leading one to lower the bars. Don’t! That’s a good sign, as the bike will feel just right several hours down the road.

The bottom line is: This frame is a good basis for a triathlon bike. When riding bike marathons in the mountains, as I often do, you simple move the seat further back or switch to a seatpost with some setback to achieve a classic road racing geometry.

The ride characteristics: At under 9 kg (19.8 lbs.) and a perfect aerodynamic setup I find my bike to be the ultimate triathlon weapon. It all begins with the fascination derived from the stiff bottom bracket area. The dampening is firm, but takes the edge off bumps. This dampening is the reason why I bought this rather costly bike for myself. I am convinced that it allows one to ride farther faster. One test ride will convince you, too!

Set up with a normal, lightweight wheelset and without aerobars the bike weighs in around 8 kg (17.7 kg) – not bad for “suspended” bike! Can you imagine something better for a long-distance event? Hardly!

Last, but not least: I especially like the internal cable routing. The rear derailleur cable exits at the rear dropout. And look at the beautifully sculpted section where rear brake cable exits the downtube.

Notes regarding the suspensionI have been getting so many questions regarding the dampening of the frame: How long is the suspension travel, does the seat bob up and down, and so on. It can’t hurt to answer a few of these questions here.
First things first: There is no bobbing! The beam is much too stiff for that. It only moves 1 mm under a 12 kg load, so you need 24 kg to deflect it 2 mm (53 lbs.). Thus, if you don’t pedal smoothly and have an imbalance measuring 24 kg (Heaven forbid!) you’ll be moving the saddle by 2 mm. Put clearly: Even one-legged cyclists will not suffer from pedal pogo!
The beam is much firmer than it appears at first sight. You feel patches in the road, but the edge is taken off any bump. The sharp, aggressive, tiring aspect of such bumps is gone.
A comparison to the SOFTRIDE system is misleading: You wouldn’t compare a Rolls-Royce to a race car either. Both systems have their advantages, but they are entirely different systems. The SOFTRIDE completely smoothes out the road. Riding the CarbonSports bike you still benefit from well paved roads.
Your first impression may not even concentrate on the dampening. It is not the first thing a rider notices. The first impression is that of an extremely stiff and responsive bike. This bike shines on hilly courses with lots of tight turns. Brake, accelerate, turn – this is where you feel the excellent lateral stiffness of this frame. The bike leaps forward upon the slightest touch of the pedal. This direct response of the monocoque frame captivates any rider.
The dampening doesn’t come into play until you get it up to speed. You don’t notice the dampening at slow speeds like uphill, not even when you are pumping your upper body grinding up a climb. But when the road turns level and short hard bumps beat you on an ordinary bike the dampening does its job to protect you from the worst. Just what riders want!!!
Several times friends have begged me for a test ride on the TOTAL ECLIPSE. The result has always been the same: The fascination is centered on the bike’s stiffness, responsiveness, its “hunger for speed” as a friend put it. This bike wants to be put through its paces! I don’t know anybody who was still doing his regular aerobic training during the first week on this bike. Instead, people seem to race like they were chased by the devil. It’s not until later that they have built enough character to withstand the bike’s will to go fast all the time!
Dampening isn’t what my friends and colleagues mention at first. It seems to be doing its job secretly in the background. But wait until they are back on their Principias, Treks or Cannondales: That’s when they realize how comfortable the time on the TOTAL ECLIPSE really was.
It only remains to be noted that I have come to be considered hors concours by training buddies for city limit-sprints, attacks or other competitions which form the spice of any training ride. Should I come in first they seem to take this for granted, just as if I was riding some kind of moped. That’s a disadvantage, but one I can live with.