Kú Cycle founders Richard McAinsh and Alex Bok have brought together a combination of Formula 1 engineering expertise – winning seven world championships (Ferrari and Benetton) – and managing a professional triathlon team that produced 49 IRONMAN wins and 5 world champions (TEAMTBB).
A release from the company noted that ‘Together, they set out on a mission to design bikes and performance solutions that will change the sport forever.’
In May 2019 McAinsh and Bok founded the Kú Cycle company in the Netherlands. The private equity funded brand has ‘a vision to inspire a different ride, a different production process and a different sales model.’
The start-up team developed, patented, prototyped, tested and produced what it claims is ‘a truly innovative triathlon bike’, with a new business concept that has now officially launched.
The company notes that its new Kú TF1 triathlon bike introduces innovations in three main areas.
Product innovation: ‘disruptive and patented new design’
The Kú TF1 introduces a series of industry-first technical features such as the Fork Air Stream Technology (FAST), inspired by F1 racing cars. This fork reduces airflow blockage on the front of the bike, lowering overall bike and rider drag by ‘manipulating and improving downstream airflow control’.
Kú Cycle has also introduced a rethinking of the head tube frame section called the Steerer Pivot Box (SPB), eliminating the traditional fork and steerer tube. This results in a ‘much-improved front-of-bike stiffness and a more direct steering response.’
Meanwhile, the new Hydraulic Advanced System (HAS) with smart uncoupling and recoupling features of the brake lines makes travel with the Kú TF1 more convenient.
Process innovation: built-to-order
The Kú TF1 is built-to-order and tailored to each individual customer. The company adds that it is delivering a ‘rider specific geometry completed with a personalised paint scheme based on a kit based modular construction.’
Sales model innovation: Kú authorised fitter
Customers will be professionally measured through a network of authorised fitters qualified to establish a rider specific geometry. Based on the fitter’s prescription, the athlete’s position is optimised to their Kú TF1 bike for aerodynamics, performance stability and bike handling skills.
‘Kú Cycle commits to spend more than half of its yearly marketing budget on scientific research executed by independent parties with a clear objective to stay away from conventional marketing slogans, but instead to be committed to solid data-driven research with our main goal: athlete performance delivered. All research will be published on www.ku-cycle.com to provide full disclosure and let the numbers tell the true story.’
