Tommaso Monza Review
Category: Road Bikes
Tommaso pride themselves on their well-specced bikes, which deliver excellent value for the money, and Monza sits top of their aluminum road bike range. Built for road cyclists looking to take their riding and training to the next level, the Monza is one of Tommaso’s top-selling bikes.
Boasting a durable but lightweight aluminum frame and vibration-dampening carbon fork, the bike is built for clocking long miles. The chief upgrade on the lower-end models in Tommaso’s aluminum road bike range, however, is a full Shimano Tiagra groupset.
Specifications
The Monza shares some of its spec with another popular Tommaso model, the Forcella, namely a 6061-series alloy frame and HCT carbon fiber fork. For your extra money, however, you get a full and up-to-date Shimano Tiagra 4700 groupset, which marks a big step up from the lower-tier Shimano Claris used on other models.
Frameset
Frame and Geometry
Tommaso use a 6061-series alloy frame at the heart of all their aluminum road bikes, and the Monza is no different. It is a useful starting point, offering a lightweight but durable core.
If you want truly low weights, you will need to look at carbon frames that sacrifice some of that durability. At the other end of the scale, steel is tougher but naturally heavier. The 6061-series alloy frame is a nice blend of the two, ideal for low-cost performance road bikes.
Tommaso offer the frame in an endurance-style geometry, more focused on comfort as opposed to forcing you into an aggressive, racing position. The Monza is for the club run or long training rides.
Finally, it is available in two colors – an eye-catching blue or a stylish matte black.
Fork
Tommaso have also used the same HCT carbon-fiber fork on their top two aluminum models.
The Monza, therefore, offers the same vibration-dampening properties through the front end as the second-tier Forcella and is pitched as an upgrade on the durability-focussed lower end of the range.
It is the only nod to carbon fiber in the whole build, offering a lower weight to alloy or steel but an increased stiffness.
The end product for the rider is more efficient pedaling, less fatigue caused by road buzz and a slight increase in the speed on offer.
Sizes
Groupset
The groupset is the key selling point of the Monza, and why it represents such a good upgrade on Tommaso’s other aluminum road bikes.
Earlier iterations of the Monza used entry-level Shimano components, but it now comes equipped with a full Shimano Tiagra 4700 groupset.
Japanese component giants Shimano upgraded their Tiagra groupset in 2016 to great acclaim. Where it was once very much a lower-tier groupset, Tiagra is now a top choice for bikes around the Monza’s price point.
Drip-down technology means it lends plenty of features from higher-end Shimano groupsets, particularly the hugely-popular (but more expensive) 105. As a result, it offers excellent value-for-money and top-class shifting performance.
Drivetrain
The Monza consequently boasts the most powerful drivetrain in the Tommaso aluminum road line-up. It pairs a 34-50T crankset with a 12-32T Tiagra cassette for a good range of gears, capable of tackling variable roads and rolling hills with greater efficiency.
The ten-speed Tiagra cassette (one of the key upgrades Shimano made for the latest iteration of the groupset) is at the heart of that.
Where the Shimano Claris-equipped bikes elsewhere in the Tommaso range are built firmly with the entry-level market in mind, the Monza is therefore for riders looking to step things up.
Given its excellent price – superb value, when you consider the cost of the full Tiagra groupset alone – the Tommaso Monza delivers plenty of bang for your buck.
Tiagra drivetrain on Monza.
Tiagra rear derailleur offers ultra-smooth shifting.
Brakes
Wheelset
Rims
Bike brands use cheaper rolling stock to keep costs down and Tommaso are no different, but they have ensured their top-end aluminum road bike also boasts their top in-house wheelset.
The TC40 hoops are the widest, most aerodynamic wheels the brand offers. The 40mm aluminum rims feature bladed spokes with 20 on the front and 24 at the rear.
While beginner riders may not feel the performance benefits compared to, say, the TC30s used on Tommaso’s second-top bike, these are more befitting of the all-around Monza package.
As with any off-the-peg bike, however, if you are looking to upgrade in future, the rolling stock is very often the first place to look and there are better-performing hoops out there.
Top-of-the-line Tommaso Corsa TC-40 aero wheels for maximum speed.
Tires
The Monza also features upgraded rubber compared to other models in the Tommaso range, with Kenda’s K191 better geared towards the road bike market.
Differences are slight, but the brand claim a 90 percent increase in puncture protection, though it is not clear what that figure is based on.
The 25c tires are grippy and reliable, but you may want to swap them out for something higher rated if you intend to step up your riding.
Ergonomics
Tommaso supply all of the finishing kit on the Monza from their own-brand TRS Ultralight Sport Series.
The aluminum range is built to blend low weight with a profile geared towards comfort. The TRS Ultralight Sport Series handlebars, for example, features shallow drops and flat tops.
The stem and 27.2mm seat post are also from that range.
The saddle is a WTB Volt, with a Tommaso logo. It is comfortable, but ultimately it is a mountain bike saddle and another area to look for an upgrade for more committed road riding.
Out of the box, the Tommaso is supplied with standard flat pedals. As ever, they are useful for newer road cyclists, though clipless pedals are a better option for more confident riders.
Comfortable grip on handlebar and smooth controls on Tiagra shifters.
Weight
Shimano Tiagra brings the weight down compared to the Claris-equipped models in Tommaso’s aluminum road range.
With the lightweight alloy frame and carbon fork already contributing to a decent low weight, the total Tommaso package is 22.3lbs in Small size.