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What a design and colour! Check out this Australian Cobrarace 111 racing bike infused with 24k gold leaf

This exclusive handmade carbon frame from Vasili Design is certainly unique, with a particularly head-turning head tube

Vasili Design is a studio based in Sydney, Australia founded in 2020 by Vasil Zygouris. The brand is no strangers to creating concept bikes, but Cobrarace 111 is its first limited edition, handmade racing bike with top-of-the-range parts and "aggressive yet elegant lines"... oh, and 24k gold leaf details. 

2022 Cobrarace 111 Vasili Design front end
@vasili_design

Zygouris has expertise in research, aesthetics, ergonomics, mechanical engineering and concept visualisation, which has been utilised to create different types of products in different industries.  

After launching Vasili Design in 2020, Zygouris worked during the pandemic developing bike concepts inspired by car manufacturers such as Alfa Romeo, Tesla and McLaren, and shared them with the public on Instagram

2022 Cobrarace 111 Vasili Design cockpit

@vasili_design

Cobrarace 111 is Vasili Design's first limited-edition carbon racing bike, and it wants it to have a unique place in the bicycle industry. It says the Cobrarace 111 is defined by "aggressive yet elegant lines, speed and uniqueness." What are your thoughts on the head tube with gold detailing?

This whole bike has been designed as a racing bike, and Zygouris says if you're a speed lover then this bike is for you. It features integrated cabling, "aerodynamism and lightness" and top-of-the-range components including a Campagnolo Super Record EPS 12-Speed groupset (apart from the crankset, which is from Campag's second-tier Record line), and a set of Quarq Powertap P2 pedals. 

2022 Cobrarace 111 Vasili Design groupset

@vasili_design

The Cobrarace 111 also features the Campagnolo Bora WTO 60 Disc wheelset. We've had these in to test, with our reviewer Liam said that they are super fast and superb to ride... and they better be, costing a cool £1,928.99. 

> Are expensive carbon road bike wheels worth the money?

They weighed in at 1,590g on the road.cc scales of truth which is low for their depth. Campagnolo says it has focussed on producing the most efficient wheels possible in terms of decreasing rolling resistance and maximising aerodynamic efficiency. 

2022 Cobrarace 111 Vasili Design headtube

@vasili_design

> Check out the best winter road bike tyres 2023

The ​WTO 60s feature Campagnolo's 2-way fit technology, which is the company's way of saying that the wheels are tubeless-ready and can also be used with standard clincher tyres.

The Cobrarace 111 has been set-up with Continental Grand Prix 5000 Special Edition Tour de France 2020 tyres. Continental introduced the tyre in a limited number but they proved so popular, they are now here to stay.

> Continental relaunches GP5000 Special Edition tyres with tan sidewalls for the Tour de France

2022 Cobrarace 111 Vasili Design bike

@vasili_design

Moving on to the cockpit, you will notice that the Cobrarace 111 has a futuristic look featuring the Pro Vibe Evo integrated handlebar. This has an RRP of £600 and claimed weight of 390g. 

> Fabio Jakobsen spotted with ‘new Specialized aero handlebars and saddle'

One of the most noticeable features is the grips on the tops. Pro says it wanted to offer comfort and control on the top section of the aero bar. On these bars, the flat top section is designed to be left unwrapped in an effort to get those aero benefits.

As well as this, around the shifter clamp area, the top grips extend a little way to allow you to smooth the transition from the bar to the shifter body. 

2022 Cobrarace 111 Vasili Design bike

@vasili_design

> Check out the best bike saddles 2022 

The final part of the bike to talk about is the saddle, which appears to be the Fizik Antares R1 Versus Evo Adaptive saddle. It's 3D-printed with a carbon-reinforced nylon shell and carbon rails, costing £300. 

And before we forget, the gold details on the frame are 24k gold leaf. Vasili Design boasts: "This is one of the greatest handmade Australian made frames." 

> Check out the best road bikes 2023 

However, this carbon frame is only available in two sizes, 54 and 56cm, with a claimed weight of 970g (size 54). Let's hope one of these sizes is for you!

What do you think of the design, particularly the aggressive lines? Let us know in the comments section below...

Emily is our track and road racing specialist, having represented Great Britain at the World and European Track Championships. With a National Title up her sleeve, Emily has just completed her Master’s in Sports Psychology at Loughborough University where she raced for Elite Development Team, Loughborough Lightning.

Emily is our go-to for all things training and when not riding or racing bikes, you can find her online shopping or booking flights…the rest of the office is now considering painting their nails to see if that’s the secret to going fast…

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7 comments

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rdaddict | 1 year ago
0 likes

It's a total cheese fest, I bet they do a matching Helmet.

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mikecassie | 1 year ago
0 likes

That is, errr, not my thing. 

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kil0ran | 1 year ago
0 likes

Personally, I'm looking forward to Audi incorporating bike design concepts into their cars. Automotive styling cues have no place in bike design.

It all comes across as a bit of a mishmash. That HT is quite art deco but the rest of the bike isn't so it doesn't feel integrated. Pinstriping evokes coachbuilt lines but that doesn't go with the futuristic look of the rest of the bike.

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ChasP | 1 year ago
0 likes

The seatstays are reminiscent of a teenager adding a spoiler to a hot hatch.. look silly and slow it down.

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Rendel Harris | 1 year ago
1 like

Love the deep burgundy colour, gold leaf detailing is what Andrew Tate would have in the unlikely event that he rode a bike and the overall design is deeply fugly.

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Secret_squirrel | 1 year ago
0 likes

Meh 🫤 

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Freddy56 | 1 year ago
2 likes

A mess.

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