As bike testers, we’re expected to keep our emotions in check. We’re supposed to remain objective, analyse and evaluate – much like physicists in a laboratory or surgeons in an operating theatre. Emotions? Please leave them at the door.
That’s tricky enough with mountain bikes. And even more so with gravel bikes. I’m still relatively new to this field: I’ve tested just under 1,000 mountain bikes, including plenty of bikes for the hardcore crowd with plenty of suspension travel. Gravel bikes have made up perhaps 20 of those so far.
One of them, however, completely shattered my professional detachment: the Storck Fascinario.5. What started as a test turned into an experience report. And it changed me as a person.
A road bike that’s made for the woods
Strictly speaking, the Fascinario.5 isn’t actually a gravel bike at all. Storck calls it its all-rounder amongst road bikes, or to be more precise: “The most complete all-rounder” – typical Storck understatement! An aerodynamic, lightweight carbon frame, paired with 35-millimetre-wide knobby tyres – you can’t fit any more in there. And there you have it: the recipe for a road bike with moderate off-road capability.
I think it’s a brilliant idea: road bike DNA – light, explosive, aerodynamic – combined with slightly more comfortable tyres. Woodland tracks, country lanes, gentle trails – no problem. That sums up my gravel philosophy perfectly: off the road, into the woods.
We call this category ‘Speed-Gravel’. As far as I’m concerned, it’s the logical evolution of the Race-Graveller.
And the Fascinario.5 is a rather impressive example.
It does, however, change the driver’s personality.
Not necessarily for the better.
My brother sums it up perfectly when, yet again, I take a bend at maximum lean: “On a motorbike, everyone turns into a wanker – just like in a BMW M3.”
He’s not entirely wrong.
I don’t just ride the F5. I attack.
I don’t take bends – I provoke them.
Going downhill, I don’t want to be fast – I want to be faster.
I don’t ride actively – I ride aggressively. I see red.
And it's brilliant.
Go for it until your muscles are screaming
The cockpit plays a significant part in this. The narrow carbon handlebars feel like a Formula 1 front wing in your hands: just 34 centimetres wide at the top and razor-sharp, whilst at the bottom they’re pleasantly wide thanks to a pronounced flare (19°). Plus, there’s very little drop. Perfect. Your hands glide easily and smoothly into the underhand grip.
So, exactly where you want to go when you’ve only got one thought left:
Speed.
The acceleration is almost outrageous. The Zeitjaeger Platinum 47R wheels with carbon spokes play a part in this. The bike doesn’t just roll along – it seems to fly over the ground.
The freewheel screeches so loudly that it sounds as if it’s trying to tell everyone around that someone’s picking up speed. Perhaps that’s actually its way of teaching you a lesson: if you stop pedalling, you’ll get an earful.
Even the brake levers stick out to the sides like a hornet’s antennae.
Everything about this bike looks menacing, taut and ready to pounce.
On the other hand, the Fizik handlebar tape is very comfortable.
It has the same grip as my favourite tennis racket.
And yes, the F5 with its narrow cockpit does require a bit of arm strength and core tension. If you want to master the bike whilst standing, you’ll have to put in the effort. But that’s why you got on the bike in the first place.
There’s also room for improvement beneath the one-piece cockpit. Anyone looking for an even more aggressive riding position with a higher saddle can have it.
I didn’t want one.
I liked it just the same.
Neon orange, like an ambulance
Visually, too, the Fascinario.5 certainly doesn’t hold back. Storck calls the hand-painted special colour ‘Koi bright orange’. I suspect, however, that this koi carp has been lying in the sun for too long. Or perhaps it was swimming in an ornamental pond near Fukushima.
I call the colour ‘ambulance orange’.
And that’s exactly how it drives: with the siren blaring constantly.
By the way: Storck offers a modular system where components can be combined as desired. Wider handlebars? A different gear system? Different wheels? It’s all just a click away.
Our test bike, the Team Edition, weighs in at 7.65 kilograms and is fitted with Shimano Ultegra Di2 2 x 12. The price: 7,699 euros.
It’s not exactly a bargain. But in return, you get a remarkably well-thought-out design: a road bike that isn’t content merely with being fast on the road.
Dimitri Lehner
Editor