MORITZ’S NUA

Moritz has been in love with titanium bikes since he bought a 1998 Serotta in 2008, although lately, he’s also been getting around on a fully-equipped steel-framed Rotor Comet with a Rohloff gearbox.

So having experienced the benefits of both a good-quality titanium frame and a Rohloff internal gear hub, Moritz dreamed of combining both these elements in the perfect bicycle, which he described to us as a “lifetime road enduro tank”. After six months of fruitless searching, he found Nua, the perfect partner to help bring his dream to life. After dozens of emails and quite a few months of work, this was the result:

A bicycle for intensive use (Moritz rides a minimum of 5000 km a year); capable of riding on any terrain and under any conditions; useful as a daily commuter, but also up for weekend adventures, cycle tourism, or just doing a sporty lap of a local trail on a Sunday morning.

The heart of this bike is a Gr9 Ti-3Al-2,5V titanium frame, tailor-made to fit Moritz’s own big frame (192cm). In designing the geometry, we were looking for great stability when descending trails at high speeds, although a bike with a front rack is also going to need agile steering to compensate for the extra weight on the front wheel.

A big bike, to be nicely proportioned, needs big wheels, not only aesthetically speaking, but also for ride-feel. So we designed the frame to accommodate some generous 29er, 55mm-wide tires (Compass Antelope Hill Extralight). Their slick profile provides extremely low rolling resistance on the road, but as a tire specifically developed for gravel riding they provide exceptional grip, even on sandy trails. Their generous dimensions make the bike very comfortable thanks to the huge air volume. We chose them as the best compromise for on-road/light off-road use.

For great nighttime visibility, and vision to boot – and without having to worry about charging batteries – the Nua Moritz is equipped with Supernova lights (E3 Pure front light and taillight) fed by a Shutter Precision dynamo hub. Rather than on the racks, they are mounted on the handlebar and the seatpost, so that the racks can be removed independently of the lights.

The brakes and transmission of the bike are controlled by Sram Force Brake levers. We’ve modified the shifters to be compatible with a Gebla Rohbox and a Rohloff speedhub in a drop bar configuration. They also control powerful Sram force hydraulic brake callipers with 180mm rotors. The out-sized rotors were chosen to take into account the size of the rider and the potential amount of extra load carried on the racks.

A Chris King i7 headset, in navy blue, matches perfectly with the Brooks blue bar tape, wrapped around a dirt road bar from Ritchey (WCS VentureMax).

The pedals are these beautiful Hope F20 CNC machined platforms. They provide good grip even when bare so we left their pins off to make the bike more appropriate for commuting. They can easily be installed for off-road rides as needed. The pedals are mounted on a sturdy yet light Race Face Aeffect Cinch MTB crankset, providing an ideal chainline for the gates CDX belt drive/Rolhoff Speedhub system.

A highly ergonomic SQ-Lab 610 Ergolux saddle provides ultimate comfort during long rides.

One of our beautiful titanium bottle cages, always a good choice both because they’re so light, and because thanks to the titanium’s inherent flexibility, they hold a bottle like no other.

Adding considerable value to this bike are the racks, custom-designed and fillet brazed with stainless tube. The idea was to make the bike capable of carrying four panniers (front and rear) with or without the front top platform, which is attached to the front rack by four screws (custom-machined titanium) for quick and easy removal.

The rear rack has eyelet mounts to simplify and improve the attachment of the rear mudguard.

Designing and constructing custom racks like these ones requires an extraordinary amount of time, although we have to admit we enjoy the process.

And of course, we also enjoy testing the bikes we make. We’re very lucky to have these beautiful trails a stone’s throw from our workshop in Arbúcies.

To sum up, we’ve invested a huge amount of time and effort in this bike, in order to realise the dream of a discerning client with a very clear vision of what he wanted. A process which has helped us to raise the bar on our already exacting standards.

Moritz sent us this fun macro photo, and this review:

“The Bike is unbelievably beautiful and the best thing is that it rides even better than it looks.
Never in my life before I had a bike with these ride characteristics.
The Frame fits like a good glove, the absorption of the titanium is reference class and nevertheless it is very stiff at the same time.
The wheels are running very well and interact perfect with the Compass tires.
The Bike is very stiff even on higher speeds ( Downhill about 70 Km/h ).
I was a bit afraid that the Bike is too big for the city and small curves and streets, but in fact it is very easy to use and perfectly manoeuvrable
Even on small off road tracks.
The racks are perfectly crafted and very lightweight but strong.
The gear ratio in interaction with the belt is fantastic.
The Rohloff in combination with the Gebla Box and Sram Force STI is very cool and intuitive.
The Bike is very lightweight (round 13 Kilos with lights, mudguards and racks) and fu……ing fast.
I think together we create a Monster which is absolutely unique.
So again thank you for putting your heart and soul into this Bike”

That’s all for now.

Stay tuned to the blog, follow us on social media (Instagram or Facebook), or sign up to our newsletter here to be sure to keep up with news about our latest bikes and be able to order your custom one.

Visit www.nuabikes.com to look at more of our bikes and to have a play with our new bicycle builder and configure your perfect machine.

Safe and happy riding, and a very happy 2020!

The Nua Team

ANDREW’S NUA

Did you miss us? Lately, we’ve had a lot of bikes to build, and not much time for blog posting, but we’re back!

In this post, we’ll introduce you to Andrew’s new bicycle; our personal take on a gravel bike, or “go everywhere bike”.

Andrew wrote to us with the idea of commissioning a bike which could replace all of his current bikes: a Colnago C50, a Thorn Raven MTB with Rohloff, a touring bike, and last but not least a fixie! Building him something along the lines of our Silice or Tramuntana seemed like the best solution to this challenge, given that they are extremely versatile machines which can handle just about anything without turning a hair. A few weeks later his Nua was born.

With a 14-speed Rohloff – which has a wider range of gears than any currently available derailleur and chain system – Andrew will never be caught short of a gear. And a change of oil every now and then is all the maintenance it will need, especially since it’s paired with a Gates Carbon Drive belt.

All our wheels are hand-built in our workshop, with a huge amount of love and only the best components. Top-quality DT Swiss rims and spokes are our go-to option. In this case, the front wheel was completed with a SON dynamo hub.

This hub generates the power to feed a powerful Supernova front light and a Busch+Müller rear light integrated discreetly into the Curana mudguard.

A Gilles Berthoud leather saddle in brown with titanium rails, Brooks leather bar tape, a Thomson stem and seatpost, Ritchey VentureMax gravel bars, a discreet and pleasant sounding Crane bell, and our own titanium bottle cages complete a marvellous, versatile build.

Andrew wrote to us as follows:

“We’ve just come back from Catalunya on holiday and a chance for my Nua to be close to her original home! The bike seems to have been built for the dirt and gravel trails in Catalunya, I really put her through her paces on some very fast downhills where she gave great confidence: though with all the flying rocks I’ve added some patina to one or 2 of the components! I also had the chance to do some mountain passes on the road where she climbed and descended very nicely”

Visit www.nuabikes.com to find links to our other customizable bikes and to have a play with our new bicycle builder and configure your perfect machine.

Safe and happy riding!

The Nua Team

THE NUA SÍLICE

One of the defining characteristics of our bikes is their versatility, and in this post we present one of our most versatile models yet: the Nua Sílice, a bike which could be classified as one of the new breed of Road Plus bikes, with 650B (27,5”) wheels and generously wide tyres (48mm). These tyres have an exterior diameter similar to that of classic 700/28 road tyres, but with no less than 2.5 times more air inside, and with a considerably lower pressure.

And what does this mean, in real terms? It means that we have a bike with the same dynamic performance as a standard road bike, but with a level of comfort and a capacity for absorbing impacts which allows offroad riding on almost any terrain.

If you’re asking if these tyres wouldn’t make your bike roll slower on asphalt, the answer is a clear “no”. In fact, if the road is not perfectly smooth (and how many actually are?), wide tyres can actually roll faster than narrow, high-pressure tyres. The reasons for this phenomenon are basically two:

Better absorption means the tyre adapts to irregularities in the road, reducing suspension losses.
The shape of the tyre’s footprint on the road reduces the torque necessary to turn the wheel, which again reduces energy losses.

On top of all this, wider tyres mean better grip and fewer punctures. Could it get any better? If you like to know more about all this, you’ll find various articles on the subject in Jan Heine’s (Compass) excellent blog, for example this one:
https://janheine.wordpress.com/2018/01/03/12-myths-in-cycling-1-wider-tires-are-slower/

Our take on the Road Plus genre is the Nua Sílice, of which the bike we proudly present here – custom built for David in Denmark – is a very nice specimen. He wrote to us looking for a winter/gravel/commuter bike to use for his 17 km daily commute along roads and gravel tracks, and for weekend treks on all kinds of terrain. Shortly afterwards, his Nua was born, looking like this:

David had sent us a fit sheet done by a specialist bike shop, so we designed his frame to perfectly fit his proportions.

David also had a clear idea of many of the characteristics he wanted his new bike to have, for example a carbon fibre fork, an internally geared hub, and a belt drive. For the fork, we chose a Dedacciai Gravel, a lightweight full carbon fork with sufficient tyre clearance to allow wide tyres (in this case Panarecer Pari-Moto) even with mudguards. It comes with a solid 12mm thru-axle.

For the gearing, we decided on a smooth and ultra-silent Shimano Alfine 11 speed. With its ample 408% range, it will be able to manage any kind of incline.

Combining IGH’s with drop bars isn’t always easy, but in this case it was no problem thanks to these microSHIFT brake shifters, designed specially to combine with the Alfine 11.

The microSHIFT brake shifters are only available for cable disc brakes, so we installed these Hy/Rd brake callipers from TRP with an integrated hydraulic system which converts mechanical pull to hydraulic push, vastly reducing the amount of adjustment and maintenance necessary, and slightly increasing the braking power.

For the front hub we opted for a Shimano Ultegra RS770, one of the only hubs on the market which combines a 12mm thru axle with 32 holes. We needed this combination so we could install WTB KOM i23 TCS rims, which will stand up to every kind of off-road punishment.

For the handlebar, we chose a Salsa Cowchipper, a so-called “dirt dropbar” with a radical 24º flare in the drops which increases leverage and stability for offroad riding.

Among other components we selected were the Crank Brothers Double Shot hybrid pedals – half flat, half clip-in:

A Brooks Cambium C15 All Weather saddle:

And some Curana C-Lite mudguards, beautifully integrated into the bike:

To sum up: a bicycle which will perform equally well on roads and on dirt tracks, and which will even allow for some serious mountain biking. A bicycle which will be David’s faithful companion on his daily commute, but also on his weekend adventures. We’re very happy with the result, and it would seem David is too:

“Today I received my Nua and after putting it together I couldn’t resist to go out and trying it out. The first impressions couldn’t be better, and not just because the looks. After a 2h ride mixing inner-city bike lanes, open roads and gravel roads I can’t remove the smile from my face. It’s such a nice ride. Super comfortable, very silent, stable and surprisingly fast! Can’t wait til next ride!”

That’s all for now. If you don’t already subscribe to our newsletter and you’d like to receive regular updates about our latest custom builds and ideas for your dream bike, sign up here.
Safe and happy cycling!

MARK’S NUA DUAL

Mark has been riding the London streets on his daily commute to work for decades. So when he decided to buy a new bicycle he already had a clear idea of his needs. He had come across the Nua Dual on the internet and thought that its titanium frame and fork, its Pinion gearbox, and its belt transmission would be the perfect base on which to construct his dream bike. We were of course very happy to help.

The Nua Ti-Frame – constructed from Gr9 titanium – perfectly accommodates the fabulous Pinion gearbox. As you may already know, this gearing system was designed by Porsche engineers, so it’s not very different from the sequential gearshift you might find in a Porsche sports car. It is precise, has an enormous range which will handle any situation, and is maintenance-free except for a quick and easy oil change every 10,000 km. In Mark’s case, after discussing his needs, we opted for the 9-speed version.

Of course, the transmission had to be a Gates Carbon Drive CDX belt. With a minimum working life of 20,000 km, without the need to grease or tension, it’s the perfect companion for the Pinion box. Mark chose a red belt to add a splash of colour to his bike.

When it came to tires, Mark’s priority was to reduce the risk of punctures to an absolute minimum, so we installed some robust Continental Contact Plus and added some Zefal anti-flat tape. The 55mm width absorbs rough road surfaces with ease.

We modified the Curana mudguards so that they can be installed without removing the back wheel. That way Mark can use them only during rainy spells. (Wishful thinking from a Londoner, perhaps?)

Mark had a couple of other specific requirements: for example, he wanted to be able to have a GoPro recording at all times; very useful in case of accidents. So we designed a special bracket for the camera, mounted just below the stem.

He also wanted to theft-proof his bike as much as possible, and this we achieved with a superb quality compact Abus lock installed directly on the frame. In this way, the bike’s weight remains centred, and the lock is tidily out-of-the-way but easily accessed.

With the frame protected, it only remained to protect the main components with Hexlox inserts. Here the titanium handlebar:

The wheels (which by the way were laced in-house with Pinion hubs and DT-Swiss 471 rims):

The Gilles Berthoud saddle with titanium rails:

The titanium seatpost:

Even the rear wheel’s sliding dropouts:

The pedals:

And the titanium stem:

Mark’s words in a recent email made us very happy:

“Roberto, the bike is a sheer joy to ride. I make excuses to go out for a ride 🙂 I had a very specific set of requirements, and the superb design and all-round capability of the NUA Dual you custom made for me is the best bike I could have wished for. I love it. One of my friends already called my Nua the ‘Range Rover’ of bicycles – by which he meant it is the ultimate mix of off-road and urban luxury ride :)”

THE NUA KENSHŌ

The Nua Doppio is perhaps our most iconic preset. Sexy and fast, it stands out from the crowd. So when Philippe wrote to us from Zürich asking about the possibility of us making him a version of the Doppio but with a Pinion 6-speed hub, we were more than happy to oblige. A few months later, the Nua Kenshō was born:

The Pinion gearbox is from the new C-line range, sporting a super-light magnesium alloy casing. With six speeds covering an ample range, it’s more than sufficient for urban riding and the occasional excursion into the countryside. It should last for a minimum of 100,000 km with no more maintenance than an oil change every 5,000 km. What more could you ask for?

The rest of the build is identical to the standard Doppio. Here are a few photos for your viewing pleasure:

Judging by his words, Philippe is very happy with his Nua:

“Thank you very very very much for this beautiful machine. Everything feels fantastic and I love it. I‘m using it every day and enjoy every detail and part. I am travelling a lot by train + bike from Zürich to Geneve, here some pics”

We are also extremely happy with the result of this experiment. So much so that we’ve decided to offer it as a new preset: the Nua Kenshō.

Speaking of presets, we’re in the process of adding a fabulous new Bike Builder to our web, which will allow customers to choose between components to configure their own unique Nua. It’ll be going live soon on www.nuabikes.com, so keep an eye out!

YUKKA’S FLOC DE NEU

The Nua we’re presenting in this post has a big personality, and it’s been a similarly big pleasure to watch it come to life and to welcome it into the growing family of Nua bikes which populate planet earth.

Yukka wrote to us from Finland. Like other clients who live in the frozen north, he was interested in the combination of titanium frame and belt transmission; a combination which can cope with the adverse riding conditions in his country, where snow, ice, salt, and gravel form a cocktail which often proves lethal to lesser bikes, which struggle with rusted frames and chains.

Yukka is used to riding fixed gear bikes, and had been in love with the Nua Floc de Neu (our take on the fixie genre) for some time. But he needed to add certain components which are obligatory by law in Finland, such as lights and a kickstand. It was a challenge keeping the minimalist aesthetic of the Floc de Neu intact, but I think we did pretty well!

The wheels are laced by hand, and the rear one sports two Gates sprockets, one fixed and the other single-speed, so that Yukka has only to flip the wheel to change between the two.

For the front wheel, we opted for a super-light Shutter Precision hub, which powers a discreet and powerful LED light from Supernova, the E3 Pure. This light is held in place by a custom-made bracket screwed directly into the fork, which has been given some special eyelets for the purpose.

For the rear light, we went with a LightSKIN seat post with integrated battery-powered LEDs.

The front brakes are our old favourites, the Tektro R559 Long Reach, the only rim brakes on the market which fit around wide tyres while maintaining the same braking power as a good short-reach brake. And to operate them, a very pretty and super strong Paul brake lever, with metallic cable housing from Velo Orange:

The headset is titanium, a rare breed. It has a brushed finish which combines nicely with the sand-blasted frame, the lovely green of the stem, and the natural colour of the bar tape.

The saddle and bar tape, both in natural coloured cotton, are from the Brooks Cambium range.

The tyres are by Compass: wide, comfortable, and super fast-rolling.

By this time you will have noticed that we painted some of the bike’s components a pretty green colour. Here, for example, the F-Gimondi crankset, powered by MKS Japan pedals.

To sum up, a very personal bike, practical, but at the same time elegantly simple and exceptionally beautiful. And if Yukka’s comments are anything to go by, it’s adapted very well to its icy new home.

“The bike is very light, responsive (I drive fixed) and fast compared with my older steel fixed gear bikes. The wide Compass tires are really comfortable. Today we have about 5 cm fresh snow and icy ground, but the tires handled it well. I’m more than happy with my Floc de Neu, it really flies over ice and snowy sleet. I will surely treasure and cherish my Nua.”

THE NUA GRAVEL 1×11

Geoff wrote to us all the way from Australia. He explained that he planned to spend a few months in the south of France and would need a lightweight and versatile bike on which to explore the highways and byways and the beautiful offroad tracks typical of the region. On top of that, his new bike would need to serve as a daily commuter once he returned home to Australia. A couple of months later, his Nua was born:

This Nua is best categorised as a Gravel Bike: a machine which is equally comfortable on or off the asphalt. On this bike, Geoff will be able to ride pretty much anywhere.

The frame is tailor-made, with specially designed dimensions and geometry. Also custom designed are the chain and seat-stays, S-shaped to permit the use of Sram Rival road cranks, with a narrower Q-factor than usual.

Speaking of Rival 1 components, we substituted the original road-bike 11-36 cassette with an 11-42 MTB one to make steeper hills a breeze.

The hydraulic brakes are impressive, very progressive and strong.

The bike has been designed to be ready for whatever changes the future might bring: it has eyelet mounts for racks and mudguards, sliding dropout inserts ready for a Rohloff hub (as well as internal cable routing), a belt port to allow for the installation of a Gates Carbon Drive transmission, etc…..

It’s always a pleasure to use top quality components, like the Chris King headset, the Brooks leather bar tape, or the Gilles Berthoud saddle.

When we test-rode the bike we loved it, and it seems that Geoff does too:

“Hi Roberto, My Nua arrived safe and sound today and is even better in the flesh than the photos.

Thanks for all your help and time with the build…”

THE NUA AUDAÇ

The Nua Audaç is one of our favourite models, and also one of our most popular. Kitted out from head to foot with top quality components, it’s a bike which can do it all: from your daily commute to weekend excursions and light touring. It rolls equally well on asphalt or gravel, and will even venture into the mountains without turning a whisker. And it’s practically zero-maintenance, which means you can clock up the kilometres without a worry in the world.

This particular build, ordered by Mr. Baumann from Switzerland, is especially good looking, we think, and just goes to show that a practical and fully equipped bicycle can also be a beauty to behold:

The transmission is composed of a super silent 11-speed Shimano Alfine internal gear hub, (or with the option of an 8-speed Alfine or a 14-speed Rohloff), and a Gates Carbon Drive CDX belt drive. An oil change every 10,000 km and a replacement belt every 20,000 or 30,000 is all it needs in the way of maintenance.

The lights are perfectly integrated, and powered by a Shimano Alfine (or Shutter Precision) front hub dynamo, so they’re super bright with no need for batteries.

Hydraulic disc brakes by Shimano are a given, along with other superb quality components such as a Thomson seatpost and stem, a Brooks saddle and grips, a Tubus rack for side panniers, a titanium handlebar, and Curana mudguards with a Busch & Müller integrated tail light.

In a nutshell, a bike that’s versatile, long lasting, and elegant. Perhaps the only bike you’ll need for the next few decades.

That’s all for now. If you’d like to receive regular newsletters with updates about our latest custom builds and ideas for your dream bike, sign up here.
Safe and happy cycling!

Peter’s “monster gravel” bike

Peter wrote to us from Australia asking about a titanium fork for one of his bikes, and ended up ordering one of the most amazing custom builds we’ve made to date.

Principally designed to pull a trailer on long treks across the Australian outback, this bike will also be Peter’s welcome companion on his weekend bikepacking trips, and on quick excursions into the mountains.

We designed the frame specially with a gravel bike geometry: neutral angles and a low bottom bracket for extra stability. We combined this with 27,5” wheels, Plus tyres, a light and maintenance-free Lauf TR fork, and a Pinion 12-speed gearbox.

And, of course, we installed a Gates CDX belt to complete an extremely robust and low-maintenance assembly. One which will be able to cope with any climate and terrain.

The icing on the cake is the adjustable mount for the Pinion shifter, custom made for the bike. Peter often has his hands on the drops, and he has a bit of a bad wrist, so he was very particular about the positioning of the shifter. He has experience with Pinion, so he knew exactly what he wanted. This is precisely the type of thing we mean when we say we offer a custom service.

The fast-rolling 3” wide gravel tires are super comfortable, and the clearance with the fork is great.

We put in a third pair of eyelets for a water bottle, necessary if you’ve got a frame-pack taking up its usual spot.

A Ritchey WCS dirt road handlebar with a Thomson stem.

A rear hub by Pinion with 120 POE, and an indestructible front hub by Chris King.

The headset is a Chris King i7 tapered.

The new Hylex hydraulic brakes by TRP were an obvious choice.

In a nutshell, a beast of a bike which could withstand an apocalypse, but which nevertheless maintains the elegant lines which define a Nua. A bike you can throw anything at, bombproof and maintenance-free. We hope that Peter enjoys it as much as we’ve enjoyed creating it with him.

That’s all for now. If you’d like to receive regular newsletters with updates about our latest custom builds and ideas for your dream bike, sign up here.
Safe and happy cycling!

THE NUA RÁPIDA

Ladies and gentlemen, we take great pride in presenting our latest model, the Nua Rápida:

Its name says it all. A bike designed to get you from A to B fast. And we mean fast.

Its Gr.9 titanium frame is complemented by a carbon fibre fork. A combination which offers excellent stability at high speeds, as well as superb agility for zipping through urban traffic.

The drop bars allow for a more dynamic riding position: lean, mean, and ready for speed.

The Rápida is available as a single-speed or with a Kappstein Doppio 2-speed BB hub. Both models come with a Gates CDX belt drive transmission as standard: silent, clean, light, and maintenance-free. And thanks to the sliding dropouts, you can remove and replace the back wheel in seconds, without affecting the belt tension.

We’ve pulled out all the stops with the rest of the set-up, too: gorgeous Crank Brothers Cobalt wheels; Compass Barlow Pass extralight 38mm tires; Avid BB7 disc brakes activated by Sram levers (the version with 2-speed shifter for the Doppio model); Thomson seatpost and stem; Acros headset with Tune carbon spacers; Fizik Cyrano handlebars; Exustar pedals; and a Brooks C-15 saddle with matching bar tape.

Riding this bike you have a sensation of speed but also of security. It zips along, but at the same time it seems capable of reading your mind and responds instantly and effortlessly to any change of direction. You can feel how your pedal power is transmitted unhesitatingly to the rear wheel.
The brakes are top-notch, and the whole machine has a feeling of quality you don’t often find in a city bike. As with all our bikes, its titanium frame offers a level of comfort impossible to achieve with aluminium or carbon.

In a nutshell, a bicycle for those who are looking for superb quality in a commuter. Those who enjoy the adrenaline of speed, but who also know how to appreciate the simple lines of a superior quality product, built to last a lifetime.

That’s all for now. If you’d like to receive regular newsletters with updates about our latest custom builds and ideas for your dream bike, sign up here.
Safe and happy cycling!