Hands up if you’ve been inspired by the Olympics to get on your bike. If you’re one of the people fuelling the reported boost in bicycle sales since the Games, you’ve probably had at least one “blimey, road bikes aren’t cheap are they?!” moment.
Once a certain model has caught your eye, however, and you’ve taken it for a bit of a test ride, suddenly forking out something in the region of £500 at the lower end of the scale doesn’t seem like such a stretch.
But what if the price tag was closer to £25,000? Nope, that’s not a typo – Aston Martin, famous for making cars for the likes of James Bond, have teamed up with Factor Bikes to create a two-wheeled version of their One-77 Coupe.
The One-77 Cycle has a price tag of $39,000 and has been described as “the world’s most technologically advanced road bicycle”.
The frame is made of lightweight carbon fibre, but that’s about where the similarities with a normal road bike end, because the One-77 is accessorized with a high-tech computer system and a complex set of sensors.
These provide the rider with over 100 specific measurements, ranging from crank torque and force to sub-divided leg power data to tell you where you’re wasting energy.
And just in case you want to keep all your friends updated on your rate of ascent or your rear wheel speed, the bike also offers a Bluetooth connection to sync it with your smartphone.
Factor Bikes have boasted that the One-77 “represents the pinnacle of British engineering prowess”. If the bike’s spec isn’t tempting enough, only 77 will be made, adding an extra element of exclusivity into the mix. They will also be custom-made, with each client’s measurements integrated into the construction process – practically a bargain then!