Following up on last weeks announcement of our partnership with No22 Bicycles, we're excited to showcase our first Aurora build, the titanium builder's flagship disc brake road bike. With custom geometry, a dreamy build kit, and a stunning two-tone raw finish, this bike certainly demands a deeper look.
The Aurora Frame
The Aurora sits atop No22s range of disc brake road bikes. Sharing much in common with the rim brake Reactor, it features all of their latest tech innovations. The oversized butted tubing, carbon seat mast, and tight geometry culminate into a bike perfectly balanced between race day responsiveness and all day smoothness.
The concept of the bike started when our rider started considering what his "forever bike" would be. He'd always been intrigued bout titaniums legendary ride quality and of course its undisputed longevity. With a history of of back and leg injuries, custom geometry was essential to ensure all day comfort. Of course, No22's unique styling was a driving force behind his decision. While anodized ti finishes get a lot of hype right now, this rider wanted a modern take on a raw ti look. A two-tone blasted to polished finish uniquely showcases the bike's intricate graphic layout.
The Cockpit
The front end is made up of an Enve carbon cockpit. A standard road stem paired with the Aero Road bar, provide a nice split between classic and modern aesthetics with Enve's proven smoothness. Sitting atop the integrated carbon seatmast is a Fizik Arione saddle.
The Drivetrain
Sometimes our clients come to us knowing exactly what they want, other times they come to us looking for guidance on the direction of a build. In this case, our rider started off unsure of exactly which way to go, but after working with him a Sram Red AXS drivetrain ended up making perfect sense. This build ended up with the 46/33 rings, 10-33t cassette, and a Quarq powermeter. Oh and that rear Red derailleur got the full Ceramicspeed OSPW upgrade.
"I had no idea what I wanted at the time - all I knew was I wanted titanium. I'd been a long time admirer of the work AC has done on bikes in the past, and knew it was an opportunity to build something custom and lean on the experience and recommendations from AC along the way. Chad and I spoke at length about how I wanted the bike to feel, the type of riding I planned to do, and the type of aesthetic I was after. He threw a ton of ideas my way and we eventually whittled it down to the bike you see today. It was a truly collaborative process."
The Wheelset
With a frameset as balanced in ride quality and beautiful as the Aurora, this bike needed a wheelset to match. We ultimately ended up with a handbuilt set, featuring Enve SES 3.4AR rims. The versatile aero rims are laced to a set of Chris King R45 hubs. The bourbon finish adds a nice hint of subtle color to the otherwise greyscale build. We took this bike as an opportunity to use the new Enve SES tires. The 29c size has proven to be excellent for all around road riding, and paired on the SES rims, it's a match made in heaven.
The Pump
And in a final touch of class, we had a No22 finish a Silca frame pup to match the rest of the bikes graphic treatment. We always love a good frame pump, ensuring you're alway prepared should a flat tire strike without wasting a single use CO2 cartridge. This thing really completes the package.
So where is this bike headed? Our rider is local to the San Francisco Bay area, but we asked if there were any bucket-list destinations in store for this sleek titanium steed.
"Oh boy, you name it I want to do it. This is my road bike and I'd love to take it back home to Australia or through Europe or Japan, but ultimately I want to use the bike as an excuse to explore the US a little more. Seattle to Portland, RAGBRAI, Death Ride, or even Mt Haleakala in Maui."
We're thrilled with how our first Aurora turned out and it most certainly won't be our last. If a cutting edge custom titanium machine is calling your name, we're here to help you out!
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