NeilPryde Alize a move into the world of road bicycles

Unless you have an interest in windsurfing NeilPryde is probably a name that won’t be familiar to most of us, the sport in which the brand has been at the forefront for the past 20 years.

Now though the brand is making a move into the world of  Road Bike.Driven by a desire to offer its existing customers, whom it realised were partial to some road cycling when not windsurfing, a bike range with all the high performance traits familiar in its windsurfing products.

Brought in to offer expert design guidance, BMW Group DesignworksUSA, a company with experience in diverse industries from automotive and aircrafts to yachts or trains, was commissioned as design partner to push the bikes in the right direction and ensure they lived up to the company’s brief for the range.

The results of this collaboration are the Alize and Diablo. We’ve just received the Alize, a bike that has been designed on similar principles to that found on bikes like the Cervelo S3 and Felt AR in featuring an aerodynamic frame that trades a little weight for slipperiness through the air.

Designed and tested extensively in the wind tunnel, each tube profile has been shaped to manage the airflow. Airfoil cross sections are designed to extend the trailing edge of the air flow without increasing weight, the downtube featuring a Kamm tail profile section.

“Its clean design combines elegant, dynamic aesthetics with an aerodynamic performance reached by an optimized tube profiling and an extension of the Kamm tail. As evidenced through wind tunnel tests, the changing aerofoil profile along the length of the tubes manages the airflow specific to the aerodynamic characteristics of each element – frame, forks, wheels and components. The innovative airfoil cross sections are designed to extend the trailing edge of the air flow without increasing weight. The bike was created with controlled, fluid and refined surfacing using advanced 3D modeling techniques.”

The test bike in question is fitted with Shimano Dura-Ace components and Mavic
Kysrium wheels with FSA SLK finishing parts. Weight of the whole bicycle with this specification is 6.8 kg. Frame only weight is 1040g. We’ll get back with a first ride report soon.
The bike as pictured costs £3,499. There's an Ultegra build for £2,699 or you can buy just the frame for £1,699.

www.neilprydebikes.com

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