When I first laid eyes on No. 22 Bicycle Company’s new Reactor Aero prototype, unveiled at Portland’s MADE bike show late last month, I was at first stunned and then skeptical. Initial reaction: “Holy shit, a super-aero 3D-printed titanium roadie, that’s insane.” Secondary reaction: “Eh, this is just a concept, it’ll never be real.”
No. 22 put the new frame through numerous computational fluid dynamics simulations, achieving a whopping 30–40% drag reduction versus its predecessor. The development process also focused on drivetrain stiffness, which should make for hyper-efficient pedaling.
Thankfully, in a stunning development, I was dead wrong. Not only is the Reactor Aero very real, it’s coming at us fast. The brand has begun accepting pre-orders today, with a current lead time of 12 weeks. Here’s what you need to know.
No. 22 Bicycle CompanyNo. 22 Reactor Aero
Breaking the mold
Founded 13 years ago and now operating out of an old knitting mill in upstate New York (Johnstown, specifically), No. 22 has not wasted any time establishing a rep for excellent handmade titanium bikes. (The company is named, after all, for the atomic number of titanium.)
At the vaunted North American Handmade Bicycle Show in 2019, the brand was a finalist in three categories and won three others, including Best in Show, cementing its place as a truly top-notch boutique bike maker.
