Light bike specialists Storck focused our attention heavily on two completely new bikes that they introduced last week at Eurobike, with the new aero road race Aerfast and the disc-brake cyclocross T.I.X. Both bikes are a bit of a departure for the company who has been typically known for their lightweight, fast handling bikes, but is both a good indicator of a significant move by European producers towards these kinds of bikes, and a good example how lightweight and high performance can adapt in the aero road and cyclocross specialties.
Hop past the break for the lowdown on these two, plus 20th anniversary special editions, and 4 more new bikes!
The Aerfast is an all-purpose road racing bike with a goal towards eking out those precious extra seconds in a race to the line with a bit of an aero advantage. It builds on the Sectional Aerodynamic Shaping, which looks at maximizing the aerodynamic shape of all tubes taken in a horizontal cross section, that Storck uses in its Aernario time trial/triathlon family, and tweaks it to optimize aerodynamics in a bike you can ride all day. Its newly designed fork greatly increases stiffness vs. their previous aero attempts and is more integrated with the frame, for more control and less drag.
The rear end of the bike incorporates Storck’s aero-standard horizontal track ends to allow the gap between tire and seattube to be adjusted for max aero benefit, while allowing flexibility in tire selection. And a direct-mount rear brake has been integrated into the chainstays to further benefit aerodynamics. All this was done while keeping the bike under that magic aero bike threshold of 1kg. An interesting feature of the bike is that the seatpost, even though looking to be a proprietary aero shape, is actually fully compatible with a standard round 31.6 post. Storck simply makes an aerodynamic cover that slips over the post to clean up the frame’s lines, but the internal clamping is for a normal round post to add comfort and flexibility.
Design Features and Specs:
- Full carbon frameset including Aerfast fork, integrated headset, and integrated seatpost clamp
- Full carbon bearing seats: bottom bracket shell and headtube headset seats
- Horizontal track ends to allow adjustment of the tire to frame gap
- Replaceable derailleur hanger
- Sectional aerodynamic design
- Full internal cable routing for both braking and shifting
- Shimano standard integrated direct-mount rear brake
- PressFit 41 x 86.5mm BB
- Integrated seatpost clamp for a standard round 31.6mm post
- Electronic and mechanical compatible routing
- Frame weight (small) from 950g
The Aerfast will be available as 4 complete bikes spec’d with Dura-Ace or Ultegra, mechanical or Di2(from €4498-€7698), or as a frameset only(€2999).
As part of a recognition of 20 years of bike building Storck is making most of their top level bikes available in a special edition version. These 20th Anniversary bikes will be made available in just 200 pieces per model, and will be available throughout 2015. The bikes get a unique top-of-the-line spec with some unique production parts such as Lightweight wheelsets.
The bikes come in a special edition black and white paint scheme with a 20th Anniversary headbadge and include several special finishing touches. Unique custom 20th-labeled Selle Italia saddles and Storck’s own carbon bar get the anniversary treatment. One standout bit from the 20th Anniversary edition is a new 12kg bike.guard curv case custom made by B&W that uses a new light weight and extremely durable ‘curv’ composite material that was developed as a cooperative project and will be available to customers who buy one of the special edition bikes.
The all new T.I.X. (This Is Cross) is a ground up passion project of one of Storck’s design engineers. After more than a year of R&D the Storck team decided to finally produce what was an internal project, their first ever cyclocross bike, bringing experience from both their road and mountain bike sides. The result is an entirely carbon fiber disc-brake cross frame weighing just 940g. The tubing design is a complete shirt from Storck’s other bikes, but incorporates a lot of technology from both their top road and off-road bikes
The T.I.X was designed with what Storck call Directional Depending Stiffness, some thing unique to the cross bike. This looks at tailoring the carbon layups specifically for cross to give the frame exceptional torsional rigidity and handling, while providing a great level of comfort for rough terrain. To add more control the frame and fork both feature through axle designs, adding stiffness and improving handling. Storck opted for a less-is-more aesthetic by pushing all cable routing internal for mechanical and electric shifting as well as hydraulic brake lines.
One key feature of the new fork is a significant amount of designed-in flex to boost not just ride comfort, but even more so for the added traction and control associated with bump absorption. The fork is designed to flex in response to ground-up forces, but has been optimized to remain stiff under disc braking forces. Lateral stiffness is designed in as a highest priority to keep knife-like precision steering.
The bike has uniquely designed geometry for Storck, with a significantly longer head tube for a more upright position and to minimize spacer stack. A sloping toptube lends more seatpost extension for greater comfort and better standover for technical terrain and safer remounts.
Design Features and Specs:
- Full carbon frameset including taper CX Disc fork, integrated headset, and seatpost clamp
- Sloping toptube geometry and Oversize tubing construction
- Full carbon bearing seats: bottom bracket shell and headtube headset seats
- Front and rear through axles
- Replaceable derailleur hanger
- Full internal cable routing for both braking and shifting
- Shimano standard integrated direct-mount rear brake
- PressFit 41 x 86.5mm BB
- Electronic and mechanical compatible routing
- Frame weight (small) from 940g
The T.I.X. will be available as a complete bike with Ultegra mechanical (€3698) or Di2(€4498), or as a frameset only (€1799).
Also of note, Storck has updated a lot more of their product line. The road line gets a new disc-brake version of their workhorse carbon endurance road bike – the Scenero Disc (€1700 framest), and a new lighter weight version of their entry-level carbon race bike the Visioner CSL (€2500 frameset). On the mountain bike side there is a new 120mm travel carbon 4-bar full suspension bike called the Adrenic (€2500 frameset), an evolved update of their Organic, and a new low-cost carbon hardtail called the Bandit 9 (€1200 frameset).
Storck also has a completely new website where you can see more info about the bikes and the brand behind them.
