Aston Martin, the British manufacturer of luxury sports cars and grand tourers, has collaborated with renowned bicycle manufacturer Storck to produce a limited-edition road bike: an exclusive Aston Martin version of Storck’s new Fascenario.3. Only 107 pieces of this special bicycle will be produced, and owning one will cost £15,777!
The special Aston Martin version of Fascenario.3 has amazing features. For instance, it has an iridescent paint job, which means the bike will appear to gradually change its color as the angle of view or the angle of illumination changes. The weight of the medium-size frame is only 770 grams, and according to Storck, the complete build is around 5.9 kilograms.
However, although it’s light, it is far from fragile, with Storck greatly exceeding the expected industry testing standards in order to prove the durability of its frames. According to an earlier road.cc test, “Storck has offered some of the lightest and stiffest bikes they have ever tested, and the new Fascenario.3 Platinum was no exception”.
The Aston Martin Edition includes an SRAM RED eTAP groupset, SRAM’s wireless gear shifting technology. Many components of the bike, such as the THM brakes and ZIPP wheels are also made of carbon fiber. A prototype of the bicycle was originally presented at the exclusive Rouleur Classic cycling event last year.
During the subsequent 12 months a few changes have been made to items such as the bottom bracket, which is now stiffer, and the brakes, which are now the second generation of THM’s Fibula calipers. In a nod to the tires used on some of Aston Martin’s road cars, the Storck Fascenario.3 Aston Martin Edition bicycle also now comes equipped with Pirelli’s recently launched high performance P Zero Velo tires.
The Fascenario.3 frame has been designed with innovative Nano Carbon Technology. The utilization of nanoparticles in the resin structures of the carbon fiber improves the breaking and splintering behavior, increasing flexibility. This leads to enhanced comfort combined with higher component safety.
Storck has also paid particular attention to the types of carbon fiber used and the way that they are laid up in the transverse-oval tube shapes. The aim of any bicycle frame is to have stiffness where it is needed to aid power transfer, but tempered by the desire for comfort.
Perhaps the most visual example of this is the bike’s flat-backed seat post, which has a cross-section designed to aid flex and therefore compliance. Many of the other components, such as the THM brakes and ZIPP wheels are also made of carbon fiber.
Just as Aston Martin strives to improve the aerodynamics of its cars, so Storck has striven to produce class-leading aerodynamics in its bikes. Parallels can be drawn between the new DB11 and the Fascenario.3 with both going to great lengths to smooth the airflow around the front wheels.
Storck achieves this through its distinctive open and wide design of fork, which leaves noticeably more room around the front wheel than with conventional designs, thereby avoiding aerodynamically unfavorable vortices.
Markus Storck: Fascenario.3 Aston Martin edition is probably the best bicycle ever built with an automotive name on it
The spectacular final production version of the bicycle is being showcased for the first time at the 2017 Rouleur Classic in Victoria House, London. With just 107 being produced, the Fascenario.3 Aston Martin Edition is likely to be a rare sight on the road but it will no doubt be highly sought after by collectors.
The final word goes to Markus Storck, the managing director and founder of Storck Bicycle, award-winning designer and innovator, who is quietly confident that this collaboration sets a new benchmark: “I would say that this is probably the best bicycle ever built with an automotive name on it.”
Marcus Storck and Storck Bicycles
Markus Storck is a German bicycle designer and developer. He designed and manufactured the first-ever all-Carbon fork, the first-ever all-Carbon Full Suspension bicycle, and the first-ever all Carbon Cranks. He is the managing director and founder of Storck Bicycle, award-winning designer, and innovator, and his current developments hold the world record lightness and stiffness to weight ratios.
The history of Storck Bicycles
As early as 1977 Markus Storck was powder-coating high-end Storck road bikes that were built by Technobull according to Markus Storck’s specifications.
In the early 1980s, Markus Storck started importing the US brands Cannondale and Trek in his parents’ store in Frankfurt am Main, thus bringing completely new brands and technologies to the German market. In 1992, he started developing the “Power Arms” full-carbon cranks – setting an early milestone in the company’s history. In 1993, Power Arms cranks hit the market, and being only 280 grams, they were the lightest cranks ever produced.
In 1995, he launched his first bikes bearing the logo of the new Storck brand. Up to 1995, the name of the brand was “Bike-tech”.
In 1996, At the Olympic Games in Atlanta, Bart Brentjens on a Storck Rebel, emblazoned with graphics depicting an American Eagle, won the first-ever Olympic gold medal in mountain biking.
In 1997, Markus Storck participated in his first-ever international design competition and immediately won the first-place award of the renowned “Red Dot Award,” an accolade for top design quality, for the Adrenalin Full Suspension MTB. In 1998, at Eurobike, Markus Storck presented Scenario Pro, a road bike that by tipping the scales below 6.5 kilograms set the record in its class.
In 1999, Storck launched the Stiletto Light road bike fork. At only 280 grams it was the world’s lightest fork and the test winner of the “Tour” bike magazine.
In 2001, the Storck company logo featuring the unmistakable Yin-Yang symbol and the integrated Storck S was introduced. His frequent trips to Asia have inspired Markus Storck in the creation of the logo. In the same year, Storck introduced his lightest frame to date, the new Scenario Light road bike frame, weighing less than 1,200 grams. In 2002, the new Scenario Light road bike set a new world weight record: 4.9 kilograms with conventional series production parts.
In 2003, Storck introduced Scenario C0.9 and 1.1 carbon road bike frames. With a weight of 985 grams, the 0.9 broke the one-kilo mark that has been considered unbeatable. At the 2004 Eurobike, Markus Storck unveiled a road bike based on Scenario C0.9 that has been reduced to 4.2 kilograms.
In 2007, the Fascenario 0.7 was introduced. Due to innovative VVC (Vacuum Void Controlled) production technology, Storck managed to reduce the resin content of the high-grade carbon frames by a third. The Fascenario 0.7, in a field of 41 candidates that to date makes the test the largest one ever to have been performed by the bike magazine “Tour”, won across the board: best rating, lightest frame-fork set plus the best weight-to-stiffness ratio.
In 2012, the Fascenario 0.6 won the world’s most extensive frame test by “Tour” magazine and additionally received the Eurobike Design Award. The road bike model Scentron became a multiple test winner in the class of Ultegra Di2 bikes.
The Aernario Platinum was the test winner of “Tour” 2/2013 magazine and celebrated as the best frameset of all time. The frameset was awarded a rating of 1.1 which has never been achieved before.
The Aernario Signature became the test winner in the “Tour” magazine 02/2014. The Aernario G1 won the 2014 German Design Award and the Aernario Platinum clinched the iF Gold Award for the best product design.
The Fascenario.3 was presented by Storck in 2016 and a prototype of Aston Martin – Storck Fascenario.3 was originally presented at the exclusive Rouleur Classic cycling event.
The F.3 Platinum was the immediate winner in the 2017 Bicycle Brand Contest, winner in the 2017 German Design Award, and received 2017 iF Design Award. The Adrenic Platinum was recognized with 2017 iF Design Award and a Special Mention in the 2017 German Design Award as well. The nam:e e-bike concept was selected as the winner of the 2017 German Design Award.
Sources
- “Aston Martin Unveils Special Edition Storck Bicycle” on Aston Martin web site
- Aston Martin on Wikipedia
- Markus Storck on Wikipedia
- Storck bicycles web page
- History of Storck Bicycles on vielosports.co.uk
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