The all new Astraeus is about as advanced as titanium getsWarren Rossiter/Future Publishing
The Astraeus is drilled and prepared for Di2 drivetrainsWarren Rossiter/Future Publishing
The hydroformed tubeset is joined by a tapered head tube design that’s CNC machined to minimise weightWarren Rossiter/Future Publishing
The triangulated top tube joins this beautifully welded seat tube junctionWarren Rossiter/Future Publishing
The brake bridge is laser etched with the VN crestWarren Rossiter/Future Publishing
Hydroformed tubing is still a rarity on titanium bikesWarren Rossiter/Future Publishing
Sculpted and cowled dropouts on the AstraeusWarren Rossiter/Future Publishing
The Zephyr is Van Nicholas’s take on a sportive machineWarren Rossiter/Future Publishing
Highly tapered seatstays drop well below the seat tube junctionWarren Rossiter/Future Publishing
Butted titaninium is used for the relaxed riding ZephyrWarren Rossiter/Future Publishing
The all new Ventus is available from just 1,899 Euros for a SRAM Apex equipped modelWarren Rossiter/Future Publishing
Affordable titaninium, but still a great looking machineWarren Rossiter/Future Publishing
SRAM Apex for the Van Nicholas VentusWarren Rossiter/Future Publishing
Van Nicholas designed finishing kit adorns the VentusWarren Rossiter/Future Publishing
The all new Ventus is available from just 1,899 Euros for a SRAM Apex equipped modelWarren Rossiter/Future Publishing
In the face of stiff competition from the carbon fibre brigade, Van Nicholas have stuck steadfastly to their titanium ethos for 2013.
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Zephyr
One of Van Nic’s longest serving designs, the smooth riding Zephyr, has received a significant makeover for next year.
The bike is now press-fit compatible and has a reworked head tube, plus dual compatibility between mechanical and electronic drivetrains. We’re pretty excited about it, and are looking to test as soon as we can.
The Zephyr is priced from 2,902 Euros for a Shimano 105 equipped bike. The frame is also Di2 compatible with an exclusive lightweight build (5,390 Euros) thanks to dual-use drillings throughout.
The zephyr is van nicholas’s take on a sportive machine:Warren Rossiter/Future Publishing
The Zephyr is Van Nic’s take on a sportive machine
Astraeus
Van Nic’s top-flight bike, the Astraeus, looks every inch the road race bike, with a cleverly worked titanium frame mated to an ultra-stiff fork.
The frame is built using hydroformed titanium tubing, with a tapered head tube that’s then cleverly machined to further pare back the weight. The industrial front end makes the bike distinct from the competition.
The Astraeus frameset is available from 2,499 Euros, with complete bikes ranging from 4,240 Euros for an Ultegra equipped bike to 7,691 Euros for a Dura-Ace Di2 model. Van Nicholas also offer the Astraeus as a tailor-made (custom) frame for 3,394 Euros.
The triangulated top tube joins this beautifully welded seat tube junction:Warren Rossiter/Future Publishing
Beautiful welding on the high-end Astraeus
Ventus
The new Ventus is Van Nic’s most affordable offering for 2013. With a SRAM Apex complete bike available for 1,899 Euros, it looks to be a decent alternative to carbon offerings at around the same price.
Affordable titaninium, but still a great looking machine:Warren Rossiter/Future Publishing
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The Ventus is an affordable titanium bike but still looks great
Warren Rossiter is BikeRadar and Cycling Plus magazine’s senior technical editor for road and gravel. Having been testing bikes for more than 20 years, Warren has an encyclopedic knowledge of road cycling and has been the mastermind behind our Road Bike of the Year test for more than a decade. He’s also a regular presenter on the BikeRadar Podcast and on BikeRadar’s YouTube channel. In his time as a cycling journalist, Warren has written for Mountain Biking UK, What Mountain Bike, Urban Cyclist, Procycling, Cyclingnews, Total Bike, Total Mountain Bike and T3. Over the years, Warren has written about thousands of bikes and tested more than 2,500 – from budget road bikes to five-figure superbikes. He has covered all the major innovations in cycling this century, and reported from launches, trade shows and industry events in Europe, Asia, Australia, North American and Africa. While Warren loves fast road bikes and the latest gravel bikes, he also believes electric bikes are the future of transport. You’ll regularly find him commuting on an ebike and he longs for the day when everyone else follows suit. You will find snaps of Warren’s daily rides on the Instagram account of our sister publication, Cycling Plus (@cyclingplus).