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Tommaso La Forma Review

Last updated: May 6, 2020

Category: Hybrid Bikes

One of the strongest choices on the market in the budget hybrid bike bracket, the Tommaso La Forma, garnishes a healthy reputation and for a valid reason. Capable of keeping up with rides twice its cost without stress, we’ll go over what makes it a competent machine and what to expect if you’re looking into it.

Specifications

Here we’ve compiled a simple list of specs found on the Tommaso La Forma. Their recognizable aluminum frame and standard flat handlebars accompany the following specs:

Frameset

On any budget bike, a high-quality frameset is a critical part and arguably the most important piece overall. While components and parts like the derailleurs and brake pads will wear out over time, the frame is meant to stand the test of time. Thankfully, Tommaso engineered the fork and frame properly and serve for a solid foundation to build on.

Frame and Geometry

The same frame which can be found on all of their road bikes, the 6061 aluminum frame is both sturdy and lightweight. For those out there who pay attention to aesthetics, you’ll notice the tapered top tube adds a bit of flair as well.

Rack is not included, but can be installed on La Forma frame.

Tommaso has done a great job on the geometry and it employs modern design philosophies in terms of optimizing performance, weight, and comfort. Under stress tests it offers minimal flexion, an important aspect to consider if you’re into sprints or pushing the limits a bit.

Fork

Putting to use the Tommaso HCT carbon fork, the La Forma offers great handling feedback and vibration reduction while in motion. This translates to less vibration sent to the handlebars while riding, which is especially appreciated if you’re going off-pavement for any amount of time.

Especially a thing to mention, a carbon fiber fork is significantly lighter than the steel found on some of their other models, helping reduce overall curb weight a considerable sum.

Sizes

Tommaso put in great work at adapting the geometry to fit perfectly with almost any rider. Sure, you can get a custom-built frame that fits like a glove, but that’ll cost you multitudes more than this entire bike costs. For a production-level frame, it’s about as good as you can get in this price category.

Groupset

The Shimano Acera groupset is commonly found on low-mid spec mountain and fitness bikes, being a good set of parts to work with as they’re quite reliable and easy to service.

Drivetrain

A complete Shimano Acera component and drivetrain set, you can know for sure that the parts were made to work seamlessly with each other. No mismatched parts and potential reliability issues to worry about further down the road, it’s a nice break from the strange configurations becoming increasingly popular on budget bikes.

A wide range of 27 gears to choose from thanks to the 3 by 9 gearing configuration, you’ll have a lot of wiggle room to play with, no matter if you’re climbing dirt paths or sending it down steep slopes.

Shimano drivetrain on La Forma.

Shimano Acera rear derailleur.

There is something to be said about the Shimano Acera groupset itself. It’s designed ultimately for MTB and offroad use, and they put more emphasis on reliability and wider tolerances than their groupsets dedicated for road bikes. This makes them a great choice for hybrids and fitness bicycles, which La Forma is.

This means that shifting won’t be quite as crisp and power delivery won’t be quite as sharp as some of their other more precise component sets, however, it’s a fine tradeoff to make if you’re going to be less than gentle with your ride.

Another advantage the Shimano Acera drivetrain has is familiarity – bike shops all around the world are very familiar with servicing Shimano parts and they likely have a good stock of replacement components lying around, in case something does go wrong. This is a really underappreciated virtue to take note of!

Brakes

Using a set of Tektro RX1 V-Brakes and Shimano Acera levers, you get pretty decent stopping power. We can’t quite say that they’re quite as capable or refined as hydraulic disc brakes, because they aren’t, however, we can say they’re more than adequate for the majority of situations you’ll run into. Unless you’ll be frequently encountering rain, dust, oils and other factors that make rim brakes undesirable, you’ll be well served by this set. Bonus points for rim brakes, in general, being very easy and cheap, to service and maintain!

Wheelset

Tommaso opted to choose Mingda wheels on all their hybrid and mountain bikes, likely for the reason that they offer a wider tread and stronger durability than the wheels found on their road bike lineup.

Wheels

The Mingda DA-16 alloy wheels use 28 spokes in the rear and 24 upfront which can safely bear ~230lbs of mass and improved resistance to shock from curbs and bumps, according to manufacturer specs.

They come in at 2,500 grams (5.51lbs) for a set which is heavier than most wheels found on road and fitness bikes, but they can stand up to a significant amount of abuse which may be a tradeoff that’s worth it for you.

Tires

32mm width Kenda K193 tires offer quite low resistance and are a capable all-around tire. The tread works reasonably well with wet and off-road surfaces. However, you can’t expect handling like you would with chunky MTB tires.

They’ll do well with commuting and light off-road using and will last fairly long, though we always recommend getting the best tires possible when you do end up changing them out. The included tubes measure in at 700 x 32c and use the same standard Presta valve found on other Tommaso bikes.

Ergonomics

To accommodate urban commuters, Tommaso made some design changes in their road bikes. On La Forma, which is a hybrid bike, they decided to use wider flat handlebars and a different seat for improved comfort. While you lose the ability to drop down like with road bike handlebars, you’ll get vastly improved comfort and handling for commuting and city cruising.

Ergonomic flat handlebar.

Shimano Acera shifters.

The saddle they’ve chosen to use is a WTB Speed V – Street Smart Comfort. Offering far more cushion and comfort than the standard road bike seat, you’ll be glad when you’re out on the road for any amount of time or if you haven’t got a set of cushioned undershorts.

Weight

Tommaso chose to use their light aluminum frame and pair it with a carbon front fork on the La Forma, which does reduce the overall weight however doesn’t quite put the bike entirely in the lightweight category. This is mostly due to the heavier wheels, seat, and handlebars they’ve put on this ride.

Still, it’s quite light overall and the difference between 1-2lbs on these bikes is marginal. In our eyes, the improved comfort and ergonomics are well worth the tradeoff in weight. Of course, parts can be upgraded and the fact this bike has a great foundation – a high-quality aluminum frame and carbon fork to build off of gives it a lot of versatility in the future.