Very few bikes that I have ridden in the recent past truly surprise me. I can pretty much look at a frame and see what kind of ride quality the manufacturer designed into the bike by their choice of tube sizes, diameters, shaping and manipulation of each of the eight frame tubes. Other than carbon layup and weave direction, the ride quality of most bikes is pretty predictable.

The Guru Photon is a very notable exception. With it’s oversized down tube and tapered, oversize top tube, I was expecting a ride that would make every pebble in the road feel like a speed bump. Guru tuned their massive tubes to absorb rough roads like you were riding your old steel bike. The call out of “rough road” from the front of the paceline doesn’t startle you, when you know that the Photon is going to track directly where you aim it. The bike glides over choppy surfaces like a touring sedan.

In the performance category, if I were to compare this bike to a particular car, I’d name the BMW M3. Yeah, you could pay a lot more for a little more performance, but this bike holds its own with bikes twice its price. Unlike the car, if you find yourself lagging behind on the Photon, it is time to think about getting your engine supercharged. This bike delivers what you put into it. It is quick to respond to power surges and loves to descend.

The total package of the Photon, SRAM Red group, Zipp carbon cockpit, Dura Ace pedals, and Zipp 303 Firecrest clincher wheels came in at 15.1 pounds. If you are a weight weenie the Photon will get you into the illegal UCI range easily without forfeiting durability, ride quality and safety. If you can just figure out how to supercharge your engine you can quit your day job and take the Photon oversees and kick some serious butt with a custom frame that the entire peloton would envy.

Until then, you might want to stay local and beat up on your buddies, whether you are out for a one hour spirited ride or doing this summer’s epic 6 bottle wannabe classic. The Photon will pleasantly surprise you, giving you the performance that you want without the harshness that you expect from a frame that looks like it was designed to contest for the green jersey.