autoevolution
 

Little-Known Fezzari Bicycles Unleashes Murdock Road Bike for Pennies

Since everyone is all hyped up about eco-friendly goodness, it makes sense to bring to your attention one of the most environmentally friendly means of travel, the bicycle.
Murdock Road Bike 9 photos
Photo: Fezzari Bicycles
Murdock Road BikeMurdock Road BikeMurdock Road BikeMurdock Road BikeMurdock Road BikeMurdock Road BikeMurdock Road BikeMurdock Road Bike
What you see here in the cover photo has got to be the most eco-friendly and healthy method of travel humanity has developed. This particular bike is known as the Murdock and it comes from Fezzari Bicycles. No, not Ferrari, Fezzari. This little-known Utah company seems to be building some highly acclaimed bikes, the Murdock being one of them.

Now, this little sucker is amazing from quite a number of standpoints. As you can clearly see, the frame geometry and components tell you that this is no downhill sled but rather a road bike. I would maybe go so far as to even consider it a gravel-worthy bike. However, the real big bonus here is the way that frame is composed. More specifically, Fezzari uses a hydroformed aluminum alloy to offer a strong but lightweight frame.

Yet, the team’s magic touch doesn’t end there. If you have a look at this bike’s spec sheet, one of the most important aspects regarding the frame construction is that this alloy is double-butted and heat-treated. If you feel you’ve heard of this sort of technique being used on an alloy frame, you're instincts are working properly. It is the same sort of treatment that Giant offers their ALLUX SL and SLR frames, the most capable of the Giant alloy frames.

Murdock Road Bike
Photo: Fezzari Bicycles
However, you all know very well what sort of prices other big brands have, so it’s my personal pleasure to inform you that the Murdock comes in with a price tag of only $999. No joke. To top it all off, Fezzari even throws in an FD2 carbon front fork. Folks, I checked a few times, and there are no digits missing from that price I just mentioned.

One thing you might enjoy about this bike is the inclusion of the new Shimano Sora R3000 series drivetrain. Wait, wasn’t Sora reserved for sport and fitness bicycles? Well, yeah, it is, so? Since when has it become a problem to get some really great gear for a really great price? Not everything is too good to be true; some things really are good and true.

The front derailleur is there to handle two speeds, while the rear derailleur is set to handle a nine-speed cassette from Sunrace, giving you a total of 18 speeds. That's more than enough to play around with the elevations and descents you’ll encounter. A decently mid-level bottom bracket height also ensures your leg extension is adequate while offering decent control during turns.

Murdock Road Bike
Photo: Fezzari Bicycles
For the cockpit, it seems you’ll find more in-house parts from Fezzari. The handlebar is composed of the same treated alloy as the frame, and even the four-bolt stem is 3D forged alloy, also from Fezzari. When it comes to the brakes, Shimano supplies a BR-UR300 hydraulic disc setup, although there's no mention of the rotors used. Everything from brakes to shifters are controlled through internal cable routing.

The rims are a pair of WTB ST i21 TCS with disc only and tubeless-ready fittings. Finally, the tires. The reason I choose to mention the Murdock's tires is because it’s essential for a suspension-less bike to include tires that can dampen some of the vibrations and bumps encountered in your journey.

Listen, I'm not the biggest fan of bikes from companies with a very short history, but I think you’ll find that this team and bike should definitely be considered for your next bike purchase.
If you liked the article, please follow us:  Google News icon Google News Youtube Instagram X (Twitter)
About the author: Cristian Curmei
Cristian Curmei profile photo

A bit of a nomad at heart (being born in Europe and raised in several places in the USA), Cristian is enamored with travel trailers, campers and bikes. He also tests and writes about urban means of transportation like scooters, mopeds and e-bikes (when he's not busy hosting our video stories and guides).
Full profile

 

Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?

You will only receive our top stories