Clean is a word often associated with good design and things don’t get much cleaner than the latest collaboration between Aston Martin and British titanium bicycle expert J.Laverack.
The resulting J.Laverack Aston Martin .1R is cleaner than a nun in a bubblebath. Fusing 3D printed aluminium lugs with sculpted carbon fibre tubes, you’ll find it difficult to spot the typical bolts, welds and joins that festoon cheaper, mass produced machines. This is about as bespoke as bikes come.
Integrated brakes that use power four-piston callipers are so cutting-edge, the engineering team had to create testing equipment to ensure they performed to the most exacting standards.
Every bike is specifically tailored to the customer, like a pristine suit. This is manifested in the fact that each handlebar stem will be 3D printed from titanium to the owner’s unique measurements. “Reach and width can all be specified with absolute precision,” according to Aston Martin.
In addition to this, crank length can be specified to the millimetre, while customers can select between Shimano Dura-Ace Di2, Campagnolo Super Record Wireless or SRAM RED eTap AXS to power their bespoke bikes. Naturally, all cable routing is internal, so not to spoil that squeaky clean aesthetic.
There is currently no word on price, but it’s likely a case of “if you have to ask, you can’t afford it”. Perhaps to soften the financial blow, Aston Martin will throw in either an aluminium or carbon travel case, which will double as both a travel solution and somewhere to display the .1R appropriately.
Plus, there’s a track pump that matches the bike, featuring Alcantara or leather covered handles, as well as a bespoke set of tools that sits neatly in a handmade wooden box.
Marek Reichman, executive vice president and chief creative officer at Aston Martin, said: "The J.Laverack Aston Martin .1R is essentially a titanium hypercar on two wheels.
"The simple, clever genius is how we’ve fused the engineering advancements throughout the bike with a purity of performance design to deliver a viscerally exhilarating riding experience.
"The result is a distinctive form, born through tradition and technology and handcrafted using only the most advanced materials, befitting the pedigrees and forward-thinking natures of our two iconic British companies."
As coffee stop oneupmanship goes, things don’t get much better (and cleaner) than this.
