Winspace has created a very good bike in the M6. It's a fast bike with great handling and a wide range of customisation options. In this spec and for the money, it easily stands up against bikes from bigger brands.
Pros
+
Good value as a whole bike or frameset
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Excellent handling; exciting and precise
+
Lots of customisation options at point of sale
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The Hyper integrated handlebar is a great shape and aids front-end handling
Cons
-
BB bearings sounding a little rough after under 2k miles.
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Tech specs
Price: $3,900 / $1,580 frame.
Weight: 7.9kg out of the box inc mount
Sizes: XS-XXL
Groupset: Shimano 105 Di2
Wheels: Unaas Hard D50
Colours: Nine / ‘Emerald lake’ (pictured)
Winspace has been making bikes since 2008, and despite being around for some time, only in the last several years has the brand’s visibility risen in the western market, as more and more Chinese brands have gained a foothold, popularity and visibility.
I’ve been test riding the Winspace M6 since April. It's one of the brand's latest aero road bikes and sits alongside the T1550 and T1600 models.
The M6 is available in a few configurations; I've tested the 105 Di2 version, though it's also available with 105 mechanical and Ultegra Di2 as well. It's generated interest wherever I've taken it, far more than some of the best road bikes I’ve ridden from more established brands.
As pictured, the bike I have been riding comes in at $3,900, making it a more attractive option than bikes from bike brands with similar specs that may cost a lot more or as an affordable yet capable platform to upgrade further down the line.
I’ve done all my road riding and training on it, and have used it for three road races. Here’s how I got in.
The M6 in the spec you see here comes in at $3,900 (Image credit: Tom Wieckowski)
Design and aesthetics
Image 1 of 4
Winspace was founded in 2008(Image credit: Tom Wieckowski )
Here's that angular head tube from the front (Image credit: Tom Wieckowski )
The headtube is fairly deep; note the transition from the fork crown into the down tube. (Image credit: Tom Wieckowski )
The integrated computer mount is included with the bike and has a combo mount fitting underneath.(Image credit: Tom Wieckowski )
Winspace owns its own factory in China, which I believe allows for some of its competitive pricing. Spec-wise, the bike comes with a strong overall package that doesn’t really have any gaping weaknesses.
You can do quite a lot of customising when ordering on the Winspace website, and the brand uses a direct-to-consumer model supported by dealers in different regions. You can choose from one of nine colour options, and custom paint services are offered in at least the UK, with prices starting from £450.
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Two integrated handlebars are available: the Hyper bar, which is what came with my bike; I chose a 36cm/105mm combo and loved it, or you can choose the Hyper 2 for $100 more, which to my mind looks a bit like the bar shape on the Colnago Y1Rs.
The seatpost is an aero Winspace model, which has 15mm of layback in size M and upward, and is inline for the XS and S sizes, topped off with a Selle Italia Novus Boost Evo X-Cross Superflow, an XC MTB-specific saddle, but one which I have also found very comfortable, visually it also fits in well with the bike, and doesn't look out of place.
Handlebar width and stem length can be specified, as can crank length, and (to an extent) chainring size. It's all very customisable, and you should be able to get close to the exact build combo you want. One thing to note is shipping times; you can currently expect a 30-45 day wait for your order to arrive.
My bike came with the stock Unaas Hard D50 wheels with 28mm Continental Grand Prix tyres and tubes, but you can spend up to $1000 more by upgrading things on the wheel front.
The groupset is the always solid Shimano 105 Di2, and it was solid as a rock. The bike comes with a 170mm 34-50T chainset, and I did swap in a 36-52T for a road race; for general riding it’s absolutely fine, but if you're racing and need some more speed in flat-out fast finishes or for a better chainline you may want to go bigger. There's also no included power meter, a positive or negative depending on your opinion; PM crank arms for Shimano chainsets are relatively inexpensive though.
One aftermarket part that caught my eye immediately as I wax each new test bike's chain was the chain itself. Winspace spec'd a SUMC flat top model - a Chinese brand that I wasn’t familiar with. I'm a stickler for running Shimano chains with Shimano groupsets, but I must say performance has been good from it. I can’t say shifting performance was any different to a Shimano unit or poor in any way, and I was paying very close attention.
Image 1 of 5
Those deep fork legs catch the eye; the drive side is also blind, meaning you can't see the thru axle. (Image credit: Tom Wieckowski )
There's a chunky bottom bracket shell.(Image credit: Tom Wieckowski )
The seatpost clamp tightens from underneath; spot the UCI sticker also.(Image credit: Tom Wieckowski )
Angular, dropped seatstays(Image credit: Tom Wieckowski )
It's a familiar looking aero package overall.(Image credit: Tom Wieckowski )
So, for the frame itself, the M6 is constructed from Toray T700/T800 and M40/60 carbon fibres. Various brands use Toray, so material-wise, the quality is there.
The bottom bracket standard is T47, and my bike came fitted with a Token screw-together unit; the cranks span very well straight out of the box, but more on this further in.
The frame is UDH-friendly and has 32mm tyre clearances; I've run it with 32mm Specialized Cotton TLR tyres comfortably at times.
Winspace quotes 900 grams for an unpainted size M, and my bike came in at 7.9kg out of the box.
The M6 is billed as an aero bike, and the frame is angular and many familiar aero shapes are there from the deep head tube, which tapers at the front (pictured below) to the seatstay junction area; perhaps the most eye-catching are the 68mm deep fork legs which flick backwards at the bottom.
Aero-wise, the brand says the bike has been to the Fuji wind tunnel and this was preceded by CFD modelling. Compared to the brand's C5 bike, Winspace claims an 8.9 watt drag reduction at 48km/h, though that bike has an almost identical frame from what I can see. I don't have any comparisons for the T1550 and T1600 models, though, which would be desirable.
What we don't have currently is any of our own wind tunnel data for the M6, but I would like to see how it fares against a range of current models.
Performance
Here's the M6 at a road race with some 65mm DT Swiss wheels and quicker tyres. I've ridden it with the bars lowered a little, the same as you can see in the pic. (Image credit: Tom Wieckowski)
I've ridden the M6 for over 1000 miles, including using it in three road races, even taking a 5th place in the last one, to really test it in anger and have been highly impressed.
As is often the case with the bikes I know are really going to fit me well, my laps around the block to scrub the brakes in told me a lot straight away, and I was able to find a great position on the M6 pretty much immediately.
Position and fit will make or break things, regardless of the bike you are riding, so let's look at the geometry first. I'm 176cm and have been riding a size M bike, which has the following key geometry figures (full table below):
The geometry results in a pretty user-friendly bike in my opinion; that 383mm reach number is the same or within a millimetre or two of bikes like the Cervelo Soloist, Specialised Aethos, Ridley Grifn RS and Ribble Ultra Race, all bikes I have ridden and been very comfortable on. In short, it isn't super aggressive, and a range of riders should be able to get comfortable, and if you do need a longer stem, it's only going to make the bike look mean.
I was very comfortable, but could still achieve a low, aero position on the hoods. Stack-wise, the bike is a touch more aggressive; I rode it with 20mm of spacers.
Image 1 of 4
The wheel and tyre combo has felt good for me; overall, it's a nippy-feeling package that didn't leave me wanting to upgrade immediately like some lower-spec options. These are decent wheels. (Image credit: Tom Wieckowski )
The 28mm Grand Prix TR tyres are a good choice for balancing cost; they feel nippy enough and have the Continental BlackChilli compound like more expensive offerings.(Image credit: Tom Wieckowski )
The Unaas hubs felt very smooth to me; they use a three-pawl freehub, which is easy to clean.(Image credit: Tom Wieckowski )
Here's the full geo chart.(Image credit: Winspace)
In use, there is little for me to fault when it comes to the M6; it has performed excellently across the board.
I've loved the handling; it's sharp, exciting and precise. I've felt completely confident on the bike, and descending and cornering under pressure in races has provided another solid testing ground.
The Hyper bar has helped in this department; I really like what it brings to the table. It feels very stiff, though I am a lighter rider, and the shape and ergonomics really help you put the bike where you want it. Also, in its 36cm size it falls within the UCI handlebar width rules, as long as your shifters aren't at a crazy angle, so racers will be ok on that front.
I've ridden the bike with three different wheelsets and a range of tyres, from 28s, 29s and 32s; the bike has felt comfortable with all of them. It's a racy bike, engaging and snappy, but it hasn't beaten me up, and 30 or 32mm tyres will do a lot there. One thing I did notice was that acceleration was improved at low speed with a lighter wheelset, specifically some Roval Rapide CLX III's I'm testing.
The Stock Unaas wheelset weighs in at a claimed 1609 grams, with a 21mm internal width, Pillar steel spokes, cartridge bearing hubs and a three-pawl freehub. The hubs feel buttery smooth, and combined with the 28mm Conti Grand Prix tyres and tubes, the wheels feel nippy enough and smooth. There's nothing wrong with them, and they have felt livelier than other budget wheels I have used.
I've tried the bike with premium wheelsets from Roval and DT Swiss, and an upgrade in wheels and tyres only unlocks more performance. At speed on flat and rolling terrain it feels really quick.
I've done all sorts of efforts and training sessions on the bike, and sprinted flat out on it; it feels very good when accelerating and riding out of the saddle, and the ride quality is there.
Does it feel quite as stiff and direct as something like a Canyon Aeroad CFR when you are really stamping on the pedals? Not quite, but it's not a million miles off and for a bike at this price point, it's meant as a compliment.
I could do everything on this bike; its 7.9kg weight isn't too bad. Of course, we all want a lighter bike, but for a 105-spec aero machine, it's not bad in my opinion; it would be easy enough to start dropping some weight, and the M6 itself certainly doesn't feel sluggish.
I've had no mechanical issues with the bike of any kind, and the quality and paint finishing all seem very good.
The cranks spin very well, but i've run into one bottom bracket niggle. (Image credit: Tom Wieckowski)
Maintenance and servicing
A single issue has raised its head so far, and that relates to the bottom bracket. When I first removed the chain to wax it, I was highly impressed with the way the cranks span; it was probably the best spin test I've seen in a test bike.
Fast forward a few months, and the cranks still spin very well, but the bearings are sounding a bit blown out and rumbly.
I'm light and easy on equipment; I'm also light on the bike washing. I removed the cranks for an inspection, and the right BB bearing feels rougher than the left one. Not terrible, but there's some roughness there which I wouldn't expect after less than six months of use.
A bearing upgrade may help; I can't vouch for the quality of the stock 'Takino' branded bearings, but if that failed, perhaps a deeper look at things would be needed.
Elsewhere, it's a similar story for a bike like this: minimise front-end blasting to protect your headset bearings; though you can access them for regreasing, the bottom bracket is threaded, you just need the correct Token bb tool, and keep everything as clean and as well greased as you can. I can't say there are any specific points to mention.
The computer mount is included, as is a fixed go-pro / light combo mount underneath. (Image credit: Tom Wieckowski)
Value
As mentioned $3,900 or £3,460 is our price tag here for the M6 with Hyper bar and 105 Di2.
The bike comes pretty much assembled, and you get the integrated out-front computer mount included. The bike also comes with a neat foam-lined cardboard box with spares, spacers, a light mount for the combo computer mount, and a Shimano Di2 charger cable.
How does it measure up to the competition from bigger name brands? Let's look at Canyon, with it's often hard to beat direct to consumer pricing.
A base-spec Canyon Aeroad CF SLX 7 starts at $4,999 or £4,499; that bike also has 105 Di2 with a power meter, and 65 mm DT Swiss ARC 1600 carbon wheels with Continental Grand Prix 5000 S TR tyres. It's about $1000 more, with a bigger spec, but you can't specify stem length, and you will need to purchase the computer mount separately. A Specialized Tarmac SL8 Comp with 105 Di2 and alloy wheels comes in at $4,699 or £3,599; that's without a PM and with a two-piece bar.
I've discussed the excellent performance, but putting that aside, I think a key part of the Winspace value proposition is the range of customisation options on offer. You can spec a heck of a lot straight off the bat, and I see notes on the UK website, for example, on communicating cassette and power meter preferences. For less than a lot of bikes, you can choose a lot of the spec to suit from the off, which could save a lot of money and time further down the line.
I feel comfortable saying i've developed something of a soft spot for the M6, we've shared a lot of road together. (Image credit: Tom Wieckowski)
Verdict
Winspace has put together an excellent all-round road bike in the M6. It's a bike that performs very well everywhere. The handling is excellent, and is further boosted by the very good Hyper bar. The ride quality is good, exciting and engaging, and the bike is comfortable to ride; this will only be boosted by larger, tubeless tyres if you want to go that way with it.
I'd like it to feel even more direct when really putting the power down out of the saddle on steep climbs, but that's a finer point; it really has impressed me across the board.
It sits at a competitive price point, and you can customise an awful lot at point of sale; I think it also provides a good base to upgrade from in the future, or as a competitive frameset to build up into a race bike, etc.
Check the geo, and if it's right for you, I promise you will not be disappointed in the M6.
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Design and aesthetics
The frame, bar and seatpost produce an agressive and attractive looking bike. The very deep fork legs may be slightly polarising, but I think it all works well. Plenty of colours to choose from, and no design choices that leave me scratching my head.
8/10
Build
Strong without any glaring gaps, 105 di2 is rock solid, and the Unaas wheels have impressed me despite being a less exciting, lower end option. The Hyper handlebar is also excellent in my opinion. You can customise a lot if you want something different.
9/10
Performance
Excellent across the board, feels great when up to speed, great handling and responds well to accelerations and flat out sprints. I'd just like a bit more stiffness when really hitting it out of the saddle. BB wear issue to be confirmed.
9/10
Weight
A similar weight to bikes like the Cannondale Synape Carbon 2 and the Cervelo S5 at 7.9kg, not a featherlight, but I think it's pretty competive for the spec, and could easily be made much lighter, it also doesn't feel sluggish in any way.
8/10
Value
For the money, I would say very good. You can customise an awful lot which boosts the value offering and the performance is very strong.
Tom joined the Cyclingnews team in late 2022 as a tech writer. Despite having a degree in English Literature he has spent his entire working life in the cycling industry in one form or another. He has over 10 years of experience as a qualified mechanic, with the last five years before joining Cyclingnews being spent running an independent workshop. This means he is just as happy tinkering away in the garage as he is out on the road bike, and he isn’t afraid to pull a bike apart or get hands-on with it when testing to really see what it’s made of.
He has ridden and raced bikes from an early age up to a national level on the road and track, and has ridden and competed in most disciplines. He has a keen eye for pro-team tech and enjoys spotting new or interesting components in the wild. During his time at Cyclingnews, Tom has already interviewed some of the sport's biggest names including Mathieu van der Poel, Tadej Pogačar and Alberto Contador. He's also covered various launches from brands such as Pinarello, Ridley, Specialized and more, tackled the Roubaix Challenge sportive aboard his own rim-brake Cannondale SuperSix Evo, tested over 20 aero helmets in the wind tunnel, and has created helpful in-depth buying advice relating to countless categories from torque wrenches to winter clothing.
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