When an email landed in my inbox from Ariel, the British sports car brand known for its Atom racing car and Nomad dune, I thought someone had mistaken me for another JC. Jeremy Clarkson and his Top Gear duo may have been the ones who introduced me to the Ariel brand, but this email was for me.
That’s because the English brand Somerset is returning to the world of bicycles after a 92-year hiatus.
Called the Dash, the motorcycle is being launched in part to celebrate Ariel’s first ever product, the Ariel Ordinary, a Penny Farthing, which the brand claims is the world’s first production vehicle, created in 1871.
The Ariel Dash comes in two separate guises: the Dash Urban with a belt and the Dash Adventure with Shimano gear. Both are built on a 1.3kg frame – although the geometry is different – ​​made from a combination of titanium and carbon fiber using 3D printed lugs that offer internal cable routing and a clean aesthetic.
The frames use Reynolds 6-4Ti Seamless ELI titanium tubing, which Ariel says is made by Reynolds specifically for the Dash. The tubes are joined with 3D-printed Ti-6AL-4V Grade 5 titanium using the same machines used to build combustion chamber components for space rockets and thrusters for satellites.
The seat tube and seatpost are carbon fiber, giving the aesthetic of a continuous tube that moves up from the center bracket to the seat post.
Specifications
Featuring Zipp’s Vuka tracks up front, the Dash Urban uses a Gates single-speed carbon belt drive. It weighs 10.9kg and uses the Mahle X35+ power system with a 250Wh battery and 250W rear hub motor. It promises a range of up to 45 miles, or up to 80 miles with an optional range extender.
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The Dash Adventure is equipped with a Shimano 1×12 GRX mechanical set, which offers a 2×12 Mahle X20 power system with a 236Wh battery and a 250W motor. The Adventure promises up to 50 miles of range, or 95 with the range extender.
Both bikes can be connected to the Mahle My Smartbike app, which allows the user to configure their bike, adjust power delivery settings, record activities and install firmware updates.
Both will feature Aero GR23 wheels built on Hope RS4 hubs, although there is an option to upgrade to Aero AR45 carbon wheels. Mudguards, Tailfin racks, Tailfin panniers, integrated Supernova lights and a Brooks C13 saddle can also be ordered as optional extras.
Price and availability
The standard Dash Urban will be priced at £8,320 plus VAT (20%), which equates to £9,984. The Dash Adventure gravel bike will be priced at £9,160 plus VAT, or £10,992. There is currently no pricing information available for optional extras.
Each bike will be custom-built at Ariel’s factory in Crewkerne, Somerset, by a single engineer whose name will be approved by the frame via nameplate on completion. The bikes will be available to order from June 10, 2024, although delivery times are yet to be confirmed.
Ariel’s history in cycling
After the Ordinary in 1871, the British brand continued to produce bicycles for more than 60 years until 1932, producing men’s, ladies’ and racing bicycles.
In 1873, James Moore used the Ordinary – or High Wheel as it became known – to set the first known hourly record. He covered 14.5 miles around the Molineux Grounds in Wolverhampton. In 1893 the record was pushed to 25 miles by JW Stocks, who later pushed it to 32.5 miles in 1897.
In 1932, Ariel’s attention turned to motorcycles and Ariel’s bicycle production ceased. Today’s launch marks the end of this 92-year hiatus.
