At the 24-hour race, the Bergamont's reserved character suited me very well: The Fastlane did its laps of the Olympic circuit in an unagitated and track-fast manner. I found this to be an advantage, especially when my legs were getting a little tired and my concentration was waning. At the same time, the Fastlane never seemed boring or sluggish, as it also has racy racing genes: extremely light frame, sporty riding position and a total weight of less than eleven kilos. However, there is a reason why it loses out in the final sprint on the home straight: The somewhat heavy Reynolds aluminium wheels prevent the Fastlane from accelerating too quickly. In addition, the less progressive rear end bobs slightly when pedalling. The Fox fork also reacts very sensitively, but it could be a little firmer for racing.
The Fastlane requires a bit of physical effort when cornering: the large wheels in combination with the 690 millimetre narrow handlebars make it very difficult to corner. The strengths of the Hanseatic racer lie more on the straights. Once it has accelerated, the Fastlane calmly runs its course. Slight changes in speed can be wonderfully equalised with the finely graduated double gears. The bike glides over root carpets and rough tracks like a hovercraft over a windswept sea. We can't fully subscribe to Bergamont's promise of "more is not possible" (MGN). Lighter wheels, fork and shock lockout and slightly more powerful brakes could make the Fastlane an even better race bike.
Conclusion Lightweight noble tourer with a sporty riding position. The Fastlane MGN lacks some of the agility and sprinter qualities of an emaciated race bike.
PLUS Well thought-out equipment, somewhat heavier, but significantly cheaper than the marathon competition in this test
MINUS Relatively narrow handlebars
