Aston Martin unveiled a model called .1R that’s smaller and more city-friendly than the existing members of its range. It’s not a follow-up to the Cygnet: it’s a bicycle developed jointly with British company J.Laverack that features intricate design details and lots of carbon fiber bits.
One of the .1R’s most eye-catching features is the seamless frame, which creates a sleek appearance. Even the cables you see on many road bikes have been integrated into the frame to achieve a cleaner look. Like the DB12, among other models, the .1R is fully customizable and buyers will have the option of choosing any paint color that Aston Martin offers on its road cars. The carbon fiber parts can be left bare for riders who prefer a more performance-oriented look, while the brake calipers and brake rotor centers are available in bronze or black.
Part of the reason why Aston Martin offers so many customization options is that it expects some buyers will want to configure a bike that matches their car. Look closely and you’ll even find a few car-like details: the pierced stem echoes the side strakes on the new DB12.
Aston Martin stresses that a tremendous amount of work went into developing the hardware fitted to the .1R. The four-piston calipers were designed specifically for this model, for example, and fine-tuning them required developing new testing equipment. Buyers can also specify their preferred crank length down to fractions of a millimeter thanks in part to 3D-printed titanium tips fitted to the carbon crank arms.
While models like the DBX 707 and the DB12 use a twin-turbocharged V8, the .1R relies solely on your leg muscles for forward motion. Three 12-speed groupsets are available: Shimano Dura-Ace Di2, Campagnolo Super Record Wireless, or SRAM RED eTap AXS. These are off-the-shelf parts, but they’re the same type of components used by the various professional riders who compete in the UCI World Tour.
Aston Martin hasn’t released pricing information for the .1R, but we don’t expect it will be cheap. As a trade-off, components like the hubs, the cranks, and the frame are numbered, and each bicycle will come with a case made with aluminum or carbon fiber (it’s the buyer’s choice) that can also be used to display it. Inside the case, owners will find a matching track pump with Alcantara- or leather-upholstered handles.
