Karis' No.22 Aurora

When it comes to Titanium bikes, No.22 is always one of the brands that spruce up in mind. The New York-based company has been producing high quality titanium bikes since 2011 and has never disappointed.

Karis first dropped by our space to check out the America- made frames, and the Great Divide and Aurora caught his eye. He was hunting for a new bike and was intrigued by some of the bespoke brands we are a stockist for.

We caught up with Karis on his experience with his No.22 to find out what made him pull the trigger on his Aurora.

CPS : Hello Karis! It's been a while since your Aurora build was completed. How do you feel about the ride so far?

KARIS : It indeed is stiff and responsive. The Aurora holds speed well. It delivers a comfortable ride. And to top it off, I think the bike looks stunning!

CPS : We think it is aesthetically pleasing besides the ride quality as well! Would you be able to share the reason behind your choice of No.22 and particularly the Aurora? 

KARIS : I looked into different brands. Yet I kept going back to No 22. The frames and finishes are gorgeous. And then I saw the Aurora - “high stiffness, crisp handling with all-day comfort”.

I called you guys and made an appointment thereafter. Sherwin patiently walked me through the ins and outs. The Aurora was an easy choice. But I spent a lot of time contemplating the finish. It was during this period that No22 introduced new anodized and cerakote finishes. In the end, I stuck with the classic raw finish but with high polish for contrast and to make the graphics pop.

CPS :  Raw and polished finish is a great choice. Was there a strong reason behind the decision of a titanium bike?

KARIS : Having only owned aluminium and carbon bikes, I knew nothing about titanium frames except that they are supposedly comfortable and last a lifetime. One day I was cycling and saw one zip by. It immediately caught my eye. That encounter was enough to make me find out about the so-called “forever bike”. 

CPS : Seems like it was destined! Was there much consideration towards how the bike was set up?

KARIS : It was intended to replace my carbon road bike, which was slightly aero. Thus I went for the integrated cockpit and Enve 4.5s. I have only used Shimano - so I stuck with what I’m comfortable with. You can never go wrong with that.

CPS : Shimano is very reliable. How has the ride on the bike been thus far?

KARIS : I use the Aurora solely as a road bike. I took it to a recent event in Malaysia - it was surprisingly fun to race with. Thanks for the superb build guys!

WORK WITH US FOR YOUR NO22!

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