Van Nicholas, a titanium bike company in the Netherlands, has updated its flagship race bike, the Astraeus, now featuring radically hydroformed tubing, a fully integrated front end, UDH, and T47 bottom bracket. Van Nicholas calls the new Astraues the “evolution of our ultimate titanium race bike”, and opted for a hydroformed construction to reduce the total material used without compromising strength or durability.
The website translation states that the most highly stressed parts of the frame – headtube, bottom bracket, dropouts, and seattube cluster are either ‘cast’ or ‘3D cast’ in single pieces, to ensure maximum strength at rigidity. It’s not clear if that means they’re 3D-printed or actually cast parts. Regardless, the shapely parts give the frame a distinct look and are said to improve durability.
The tubes are also shaped to maximize efficiency in some areas and compliance in others. For instance, the top tube transitions from a diamond shape cross-section near the head tube to a flatter, more vertically compliant profile nearer the seat tube. The top tube also has a diamond-shaped cross-section that tapers to a flatter shape as it nears the seat tube cluster.
The Astraeus geometry is mostly that of a pure road racer, with a medium-sized frame featuring a seat tube angle of 73.5 and a headtube angle of 72. Short 415mm chainstays will make for quick accelerations and nimble handling. Interestingly, the reach increases only 13mm across the five sizes, from 379mm in XS to 392mm in XL. This means that the fit is long and aggressive in the smaller sizes and far more approachable in the larger sizes.
The Astraeus features fully integrated lines at the front, and the frameset is compatible with both mechanical, Shimano Di2, and wireless electronic group sets. Like most new frames, the Astraeus features a UDH derailleur hanger and a threaded T47 bottom bracket. Presumably to better facilitate the complex design of the seat tube cluster, the Astraeus uses a somewhat less prevalent 31.6 inner diameter seat tube. Thankfully, it accepts a normal round seatpost held in place with an external collar. Van Nicholas specifies a maximum tire clearance of 32c for the Astraeus.
The Astraues carries a lifetime warranty, and is limited to just 50 frames with pricing starting at €3,999 for a frameset.
