Ashmei’s bespoke Vandeyk steel road bike
We take a closer look at the British brand’s stunning “no compromise” steel road bike
Hands up who everyone who thought the Ashmei clothing we featured last week looked pretty special? Us too. But what flew under the radar a little was the bespoke road bike they brought along to the launch, created by German design house Vandeyk.
First things first though – you can’t buy it. In fact, there is only one of these in the world and it won’t be replicated. Disappointing, we know. But that doesn’t mean we can’t take a look at this latest offering from Vandeyk, which rose to prominence with projects like the Rapha Continental programme.
“It had to be steel”
“The specification for the bike fell together very easily”, said Ashmei founder Stuart Brooke, “especially when you have one remit – ‘ignore costs and build the best’. Build something that has no compromise with regard to performance but make sure it’s a polished design and has real soul.
“We knew it had to be steel and we chose XCr Steel as this has superior mechanical and weldability characteristics that reduce the possibility of crack formation, especially during the welding process.
“Groupset needed to be manual so the connection to the bike remained strong and the rider felt in full control. SRAM RED was chosen to complete the American components selected from Enve and Chris King”.
Full spec:
Frame: Vandeyk, Columbus XCr Stainless Steel tubing, handbuilt (TIG welded)
Fork: Enve Composites
Gruppo: SRAM RED 22
Wheelset: Chris King R45 / Enve Composites 65 Tubular / Sapim CX-Ray
Skewers: Tune AC14
Headset: Chris King Inset I1
Bar/stem: Enve Composites
Seatpost: Enve Composites
Saddle: Fizik Antares 00
Tires: Continental Competition
For a good look at Ashmei’s upcoming cycle and triathlon clothing, currently seeking sponsors on Kickstarter, check out our gallery here.
What do you think of Ashmei’s collaboration with Vandeyk? Let us know in the comments!
Jamie Beach
Former digital editor 
