Introducing Nik’s Nua. This bike has a special place in our hearts, as it’s the first Nua ever to be ridden on the streets of New York.
Nik wanted to replace his old fixie with a commuter bike better suited to the difficult climate of his city. A titanium frame and fork, belt drive transmission, disc brakes, and mudguards seemed like the perfect combination for a bike which would be out every day in all weathers. So we got to work on his behalf, with this result:
Nik is a member of the 5th Floor cycling collective, and his well-trained legs can easily cope with a higher gear ratio, so we installed a Gates Carbon Drive CDX belt with a 60 tooth front sprocket and a 22 tooth rear sprocket. (R=2,73).
Our Nua Ti-CORE frame is, among other things, extremely versatile. Although this bike has been set up as a single speed, Nik will be able to adapt it to his future needs. He can even install a 14 speed Rohloff IGH if he so desires, since the sliding dropouts and internal cable routing are designed to accommodate a wide range of possible configurations.
Disc brakes definitely have the advantage in wet climates. Once again we’ve gone with Magura hydraulics, with 160mm rotors for progressive braking.
We hand built a pair of wheels with Shimano XT hubs, Ryde rims, and Sapim D-light spokes. The result is a great quality piece of kit: robust, yet lightweight.
For the points of contact between bike and body, Nik opted for pieces from Brooks’ Cambium range, which are water-resistant and maintenance-free: a C15 saddle and Slender grips, both in a nice rust colour which matches the brown leather of the top tube protector.
Nik has a lot of plans for this bike, taking full advantage of the flexibility which the Nua Ti-CORE frame affords. As he says, he already imagines “converting it from a commuter into a trail rig for midweek trail rides in Cunningham Park or taking it to the Wednesday night cross-training practice”.
We’re looking forward very much to seeing the future incarnations of our first Nua in New York.
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Safe and happy cycling.