“There is a saying among cyclists that the correct number of bikes to own is n+1, or one more than you own currently” says Ventum co-founder Diaa Nour. “It’s a joke, but there is some truth to it. Many cyclists own one ultra lightweight bike, one aerodynamic bike, and maybe a gravel bike. We designed the NS1 to be both as aerodynamic and as lightweight as possible. ”

Fully configured and ready to race, the NS1 weighs 6.9 kilograms, approximately 15 pounds, just above the minimum allowed by the UCI. Ventum manufactures the NS1 carbon fiber frame using an advanced silicon EPS technique.

Ventum hid all of the cables within the bars and frame, which further improves aerodynamic performance and gives the Ventum NS1 its signature “clean” look.

Nour added, "The NS1 is capable of fitting tires up to 30 mm wide, and it’s so tough that we conducted some of the testing on gravel tracks, but make no mistake, this is a road racing bike."

“Working within the UCI rules can be restrictive, but we still found room for innovation", said Seears. "For example, conventional wisdom says that “narrow is aero”, so many bike designers make the downtubes on their bikes as thin as possible. That might make sense on paper, but we design Ventum bikes for real-world race conditions. Cyclists need water, and once you add a big, round water bottle to a narrow downtube it acts like a parachute, catching wind and adding drag. So we gave the Ventum NS1 a wider, aerodynamically-shaped downtube that shields the water bottle from the wind and makes the bike stiffer and lighter at the same time.”

The Ventum NS1 will be available as a frameset, or a complete bike featuring disc brakes, a choice of Shimano Dura Ace Di2 or Ultegra Di2 components, Pioneer power meters, Ceramic Speed bearings, and wheels from Vision, FLO, and ENVE. Ventum is manufacturing the NS1 in six frame sizes and four stem lengths to accommodate a wide range of riders and positions. Pricing starts at $5,000 for a frameset and $6,900 for complete bike with Shimano Ultegra Di2 components.

Ventum is currently taking preorders for the NS1 which will begin shipping in March 2019.