AquaBlue Academy rider Ronan McLaughlin is set to race the 65th edition of the An Post Rás from May 21st to May 28th on a one-off concept bike from the Irish custom handcrafted carbon fibre racing bike manufacturer FiftyOne Bikes.
With the frame bearing the names of past Irish An Post Rás winners and incorporating the colours of the Northern Lights as seen from Malin Head, Co. Donegal, McLaughlin’s bike is a one-of-a-kind, concept bike.
The bike celebrates 65 years of Irelands most prestigious cycling race and it has been handmade to McLaughlin’s exact measurements and riding preferences by the team at Dublin-based FiftyOne Bikes.
FiftyOne Bikes were founded by former Irish International rider Aidan Duff who raced in France for many years for Jean-René Bernaudeau’s Vendée U squad. Duff raced all over the world, and won stages of the Tour de Bretagne and Australia’s Herald Sun Tour.
“When I was a pro I always got the latest and finest bicycles to ride, from the world’s biggest companies,” explains Duff. “They were great. But they were never quite what I wanted.
“When I decided to create my own bicycles I had a clear and simple vision. I wanted to build unique machines, tailored to express the passion, the personality and the tastes of each individual rider.
“It used to drive me crazy that I could never get a frame that looked the way I wanted it. I couldn’t even always get the colour I wanted. So I decided every one of my bicycles would be painted and finished by hand to its owner’s chosen design. Even the logos: no stickers.
“But besides making it look good, tailoring a bicycle means allowing its rider to explore his or her full performance potential. And that’s only possible with the latest technology. So – of course – I had to offer the finest componentry, in whatever combination suited my customers best. And – of course – I had to apply the latest developments in the art and science of bike-fitting and frame geometry. But most of all, it had to be carbon.”
You can find out more about FiftyOne Bikes here: https://fiftyonebikes.com/
Brian Byrne
Savage
Looks a bit like mine Vic ??
Nice (y)