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Named after Skeiron, the Greek god of the north-west wind, Dutch titanium specialist Van Nicholas says this is its most advanced bike to date.
The £1,795 aero-optimised frame has been designed around internal cable routing, an ovalised and flattened top tube, and bi-ovalised down tube to minimise the bike’s frontal area, while a broader shape at the bottom bracket provides a stiffer connection with the bottom bracket shell.
The carbon fork has a bowed front profile. The wider spacing means the disrupted air from the front wheel doesn’t crash into the fork legs, making it a smoother and potentially faster design. The crown’s been designed to cheat the wind, with a stepped profile that’s matched to an interlocking bottom section of the titanium head tube. Aero benefits aside, it’s a great-looking detail.
Detail is where the Skeiron frame shines. The 3D cast titanium rear dropouts are some of the most beautifully sleek I’ve seen. The thru-axle assembly and internal cable exit tunnel look incredibly slick.
It’s not an uncomfortable ride, just solid feeling. The rather rigid VNT leather-covered saddle doesn’t help, but I did like its long, narrow shape.
Up front it’s a very different story, with the full carbon fork and classy cockpit looking after you very well. When that’s combined with just the right side of sharp, stable handling, the Skeiron becomes a formidable partner for riding fast and descending at speed.
The gear range of 50/34, 11-28 is exactly what I’d recommend for most riders, and when Shimano’s Ultegra Di2 provides the shifting you’re in good hands.
Titanium has its charms, and plenty of fans, and I like its toughness and longevity. When it’s worked well, it exudes a lovely ride quality, the Skeiron has some of that supple feel, but is at the firmer end of the titanium rides I’ve experienced. While the frame is beautifully finished, it’s also very expensive.
Van Nicholas Skeiron specs
- Weight: 8.75kg (57cm)
- Frame: Butted 3Al/2.5V titanium
- Fork: Carbon, 12mm thru-axle
- Gears: Shimano Ultegra Di2 50/34, 11-28
- Brakes: Shimano BR-RS805
- Wheels: FFWD F3D
- Tyres: 28mm Schwalbe One
- Bar: VNT alloy 44cm
- Stem: VNT alloy
- Seatpost: VNT titanium
- Saddle: VNT chromoly rail
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Product Specifications
Product
| Name | Skeiron |
| Brand | Van Nicholas |
| Brakes | Shimano BR-RS805 |
| Cassette | 11-28 |
| Cranks | Shimano Ultegra Di2 50/34 |
| Fork | Carbon, 12mm thru-axle |
| Frame Material | Butted 3Al/2.5V titanium |
| Front Derailleur | Shimano Ultegra Di2 |
| Front Tyre | 28mm Schwalbe One |
| Handlebar | VNT alloy 44cm |
| Rear Derailleur | Shimano Ultegra Di2 |
| Rear Tyre | 28mm Schwalbe One |
| Saddle | VNT chromoly rail |
| Seatpost | VNT titanium |
| Shifters | Shimano Ultegra Di2 |
| Stem | VNT alloy |
| Wheelset | FFWD F3D |
Authors
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).
