Van Nicholas Yukon review
All in all, a thoroughly enjoyable ride that felt spot-on straight from the box, and at a very reasonable price for a quality titanium machine. Order through a UK dealer (see the Van Nicholas website for details) and the price quoted below comes down due to carriage charges and differences in tax. Well worth checking out by anyone seeking a durable all-dayer without breaking the bank.
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Van Nicholas produces a wide range of road and mtb models, all in titanium, available as frameset-only or complete builds via the company website and a network of UK dealerships.
Formerly known in Europe as Airborne, the Dutch company makes no attempts to branch out with alternative materials but sticks to the justifiably renowned ride qualities and durability of titanium.
Van Nicholas founder Jan-Willem Sintnicolaas has his designs built up in China — no bad thing nowadays.
Aimed at the fast-paced Audax or sportive rider, the neatly finished Yukon is built with 3Al/2.5V seamless titanium tubing. The 73deg seat tube and 72deg head tube angles on our 58cm model keep the ride perky without being twitchy, while pleasingly curved chainstays and generous clearances, plus the inherent comfort factor of titanium, make for a machine that felt good all day long.
The test model arrived with mudguards but we whipped them off to save for a rainy day. The Ultegra groupset and mostly own-branded finishing kit, including a smart-looking titanium seatpost, is all good. It’s always a pleasure to see Chris King components fitted and the hubs are a class piece of kit. A shame then, that the freehub makes such an irritating, high-pitched whine when freewheeling. But a minor quibble. The solution: keep pedalling!
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Founded in 1891, Cycling Weekly and its team of expert journalists brings cyclists in-depth reviews, extensive coverage of both professional and domestic racing, as well as fitness advice and 'brew a cuppa and put your feet up' features. Cycling Weekly serves its audience across a range of platforms, from good old-fashioned print to online journalism, and video.
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