Titanium is what started us on our journey in the first place, and it continues to fuel our passion and everlasting quest for excellence. We believe it is the best material possible for making bicycles. It’s who we are; we wouldn’t exist without it.
Titanium is our inexhaustible source of inspiration, but we are also defined by innovation, evolution, ergonomics, technology, craftsmanship, passion, performance, pride and expertise. These are the foundations of our business, and like the Titanium we love, they serve us well and continue to endure.
It is not enough simply for our bikes to look beautiful, they must also perform exceptionally. And exceptional performance is wasted if our bikes cannot stand up to everyday use. This is the challenge that gets us out of bed every day. Our solution? Titanium. And experts who know their trade.
Dutch & Proud
We began life as a Dutch family company before becoming part of the famous Dutch bike brand Koga in 2012. Every member of our team is mindful of the proud tradition of cycling in Holland and shares a passion for this legacy of innovation in form and function. We are all united in our quest to achieve perfection in modern bicycle design; in constructing our bikes to the highest possible standard; in unparalleled customer service; in delivering the Van Nicholas experience with pride. We are dedicated to providing the ride of a lifetime, for a lifetime of riding, wherever you are in the world.
Technology & Craftsmanship
The central tenet of our philosophy is simple, old-fashioned craftsmanship. No one cares more about the finished product than the skilled workers who put their names to it. The designer, the fabricator, the mechanic. But believing in craftsmanship does not mean we ignore modern technologies. We are constantly seeking to evolve. For example, we created the first Seamless Hydroformed Titanium frame. And a divisible road handlebar, specifically designed for the Rohloff Speedhub. We also design and manufacture our own range of state-of-the-art apparel and components.
We believe that ‘Nothing Looks, Rides or Lasts like a Van Nicholas’. But don’t take our word for it, please see for yourself. We hope you’ll come to agree with us.
Why Titanium?
Our goal is to create the best frames possible for their intended application and to deliver the ultimate lifelong cycling experience for every customer. We believe that only Titanium possesses the unique blend of properties to enable us to achieve this objective.
Simply beautiful
The elegant lines of our frames accentuate the natural beauty of Titanium. The soft glow of lightly brushed and polished Titanium is unique. That’s why we choose not to paint our frames. It needs no embellishment; the timeless allure of naked Titanium is hard to resist, impossible to ignore.
Powerfully agile
A great ride lies in the perfect balance of lateral stiffness for power transfer, and vertical compliance to absorb feedback from the road surface. Titanium has an unparalleled strength-to-weight ratio which ensures rigidity, and just enough give to make you feel like you are floating on air.
Immutably though
Titanium won’t give up when you are depending on it. It boasts superior fatigue life and impact resistance, and a natural coating of Titanium Dioxide ensures that no matter how punishing the conditions, it will never succumb to rust, decay or corrosion.
Material Comparison
When trying to pick a material for a bike frame, there are many really important material considerations; weight, stiffness, strength, toughness, impact resistance, ride quality, corrosion. We’ll consider all of these issues in the context of choosing a bike.
Permanent deflection
Permanent deflection, or plastic deformation as it is also known, is much higher in Titanium than other materials and accounts for its fabled ‘spring’. This is why a Titanium ride is so much more comfortable than other frame building materials.
Fatigue resistance
The inherent flexibility and high tensile strength of Titanium allows the energy stresses of regular use to be effectively dissipated without degradation of the material, ensuring Titanium frames stay stronger for longer.
Impact resistance
The high tensile, or ultimate, strength and low elastic modulus of Titanium combine to create unparalleled impact resistance, meaning Titanium frames can soak up much harder punishment than frames built from other materials.
Corrosion resistance
Titanium’s natural coating of Titanium Dioxide prevents it from oxidising in the atmosphere, so it will never rust, unlike steel, and, unlike aluminium, it will not corrode when exposed to acidic or alkaline environments. So aesthetic and performance quality will never be compromised by the weather.
Strength to weight
The tensile strength to density ratio for Titanium outstrips every other frame building metal. Simply put, for the same weight frame, Titanium will be twice as strong as steel and three times as strong as aluminium.
Stiffness to weight
Rigidity is essential for efficient power transfer and Titanium’s stiffness to weight ratio is superior to all other metals. Titanium combines low weight for easy climbing, high rigidity for blistering performance in the sprint and the perfect balance of both to deliver Titanium’s legendary ride quality.
Design
At the heart of our design philosophy lie two basic requirements: our bikes must perform exceptionally well, and they must look exceptionally beautiful. The balance of these two informs our entire production process, from the first hand-drawn sketches, through to the hand assembly of our finished products.
Thoroughly tested
To ensure all our products perform at the highest possible level, they undergo rigorous testing. Using Finite Element Analysis, the initial Computer Aided Designs are scrutinized in minute detail to ensure viability. Once a product makes it to physical prototype stage, laboratory stress testing pushes it far beyond real-world tolerances so we can understand its capabilities and adjust accordingly. The testing even continues when the final product is prepared for sale, with quality control and workshop assembly providing a constant feedback loop to guarantee our fit-for-purpose mantra.
Van Nicholas at Pedal Barn
At Pedal Barn we have been an authorised UK partner of Van Nicholas for 8+ years. We know them. They know us. We work together to get the best titanium bike for you.
Choose from one of the preset options or configure your own from the frame to groupset to wheels and more – visit our showroom. Booking an appointment is advisable so call us on 01832 360015. We’re pretty much smack bang in the centre of England with easy road access and on site parking.
Go Titanium. Go Van Nicholas at Pedal Barn.