quick press release correction: Delivery date updated to October.
Perhaps ahead of their time, Asylum Cycles was one of the companies that partnered with Titus cycles to produce one of the first full suspension 29ers- the OCD. Sold by mail order retailer Speedgoat, the brand eventually went into hibernation. Several years later, and now located in Portland, OR, Asylum are back- with founder Chris Currie at the helm. The first product out of the gate (and over the barriers) is the Meuse ‘cross bike. The 1,100g hi- modulus carbon fiber frame is disc-specific and comes with a 540g disc-specific fork. A PF30 bottom bracket allows for single speed builds and a Rogue Brewery version is also available.
This time around, Asylum is partnering with crowdfunding site Crowd Supply, which will allow customers to support the project while getting unreal pricing on the Meuse frame or one of two complete builds. As followers of Currie’s Cannootervalve blog will know, there is a full suspension design in the works, so mountain bikers should keep an eye on the project as well. In the meantime jump the barrier to check out the Meuse’s details.
PORTLAND, Ore.—March 20, 2013—Asylum Cycles is announcing the crowdfunding and product launch of the Meuse, a race-ready, full-carbon cyclocross bike designed for the most demanding riders. With a Belgian river as its namesake, the Meuse pays homage to the early European origins of cyclocross. Built around the added capabilities of disc brakes, as well as a tapered head tube and PF30 bottom bracket, the Meuse is the ultimate bike for cyclocross racing and riders looking for a bike with go-anywhere capabilities. 
The Meuse is being launched on Crowd Supply, the first crowdfunding site to support the management of pre-orders, fulfillment and e-commerce for new products.
“We know that there are a lot of carbon fiber bikes on the market today, but none put it all together for cyclocross at a reasonable price the way the Meuse does,” said Asylum Cycles co-founder Chris Currie. “The most performance sensitive cyclists expect a special ride quality from their bike that only happens when obsessive bike geeks design the end product. We’re building our bikes for the most demanding of riders. We think of them as our design partners, not just our customers.”
The Asylum Cycles Meuse features elements that are optimized for speed, durability and portability, including:
- Lightweight, high-modulus carbon frame with reinforced dropouts (1120g for the 54cm)
- Molded-in chainstay disc brake mount for a stiff and strong rear triangle
- Oversized bottom bracket shell with PF30 system for increased stiffness and power transfer
- Tapered 1-1/8” to 1.5” head tube for steering precision
- Full-carbon, Columbus fork with tapered steerer
- Vibration damping Flat bottom seatstay design for a smoother ride
- Massive Powerflow downtube and oversized chainstays resist flex
- Replaceable threaded disc mount inserts and a replaceable derailleur hanger
- Internal shift-cable routing
- External brake cable routing for hydraulic lines
- Exceptional mud clearance
- Simple and lightweight integrated headset
- Crash replacement policy and 3-year warranty against defects in manufacturing
Asylum Cycles is using Crowd Supply to provide a more collaborative approach to the introduction of new bikes, involving racers, cycling enthusiasts and other potential customers in the design process from the very beginning. 
Using input from those riders and racers, Asylum Cycles has refined and tested prototypes of the Meuse. “Now that the Meuse is ready for release to production, Asylum is seeking backers to aggregate a large order so it can deliver its first bikes at the lowest possible prices. Our mission is to welcome customers into the design process to help us create the best bikes at the best prices,” said Currie. “Crowd Supply is the perfect partner to create long-term relationships with the people riding our bikes.”
“The Meuse will undergo its full evolution on Crowd Supply, from launch to the acceptance of pre-orders to the sale of finished bikes,” said Lou Doctor, co-founder and CEO of Crowd Supply. “On other sites like Kickstarter and Indiegogo, the crowdfunding campaign would have been a one-time event, but companies like Asylum Cycles are now using our platform as the foundation for a long-term relationship with their customers. We believe that Crowd Supply’s complete support system is the future of crowdfunding and innovation.”
The Meuse will be available on Crowd Supply in several forms including a frame and fork only, a race-ready single speed, and a SRAM-equipped geared version. A Rogue Team limited-edition build is also an option. Production deliveries start in September October 2013.
For more on Asylum Cycles, visit: www.AsylumCycles.com
To learn more about Crowd Supply, visit: www.CrowdSupply.com
