On your bike! Aston builds a bicycle with Storck

The new Aston Martin Edition of the Storck Fascenario.3 is a bicycle, limited to just 107 examples, and built by the renowned German bicycle manufacturer, which collaborated closely with Aston Martin’s bespoke division to create this special push bike.

This new bicycle’s frame and forks are the result of the latest advances in carbon fibre and aerodynamics, while the componentry is of the highest quality, meaning that the Aston Martin Edition sits near pinnacle of current road bicycles.

This project came about after Markus Storck, the eponymous founder of the Storck bicycle company, joined forces with Aston Martin on the Vanquish ‘One of Seven’ project. Having owned several Aston Martins, Storck worked with the British marque’s bespoke division, Q by Aston Martin, to develop the septet of special sports cars that focused on showcasing carbon fibre.

During that process, Storck met Aston Martin’s EVP and Chief Creative Officer, Marek Reichman, and they agreed to explore the possibility of a joint venture with bicycles that reflect many of the key technical aspects of an Aston Martin.

The end result is the Aston Martin Edition, described as the ultimate evolution of Storck’s award-winning Fascenario.3, The bicycle’s frame weighs just 770g and combined with a host of lightweight items from manufacturers like THM and ZIPP, the whole bike weighs just 5.9kg.

The Aston Martin Edition comes equipped with SRAM’s wireless gear shifting technology, to give the bike an uncluttered aesthetic, with the left and right levers operating just like the paddles found behind the steering wheels on Aston Martin’s sports cars – right to go up a ratio and left to go down.

Q by Aston Martin, which usually tailor’s cars to specific customer requirements, was responsible for mixing the bike’s subtle yet distinctive paint. Named Argentum Nero, it is a twist on the company’s classic racing green. Depending on the light in which the bike is viewed, the paint colour changes subtly, appearing a lustrous grey, green or silver. This colour will also appear on a future car collaboration between Storck and Aston Martin.

Carbon fibre is as important in the modern bicycle industry as it is in sports and super car production. To this end the Fascenario.3 frame has been designed with innovative Nano Carbon Technology, utilising of nanoparticles in the resin structures of the carbon fibre to improve the breaking and splintering behaviour to increase flexibility. This leads to enhanced comfort combined with higher component safety.

Storck has also paid particular attention to the types of carbon fibre 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. The most visual example of this is the bike’s flat-backed seat post, which has a cross section designed to aid flex and compliance. Many of the other components, such as the THM brakes and ZIPP wheels are also made of carbon fibre.

Just as Aston Martin strives to improve the aerodynamics of its cars, so Storck has striven to produce class-leading aerodynamics in its bikes, with parallels drawn between the 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 unfavourable vortices.

Pricing has yet to be announced, but with just 107 being produced, the Fascenario.3 Aston Martin Edition is likely to be a rare sight on the road and it doubtless become highly sought after by collectors.