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Today Ventum is launching an update to the brand’s NS1 aero road bike. This marks the biggest update since its introduction back in 2019 and a lot has changed in the cycling world since then. What hasn’t changed is that Ventum is inherently an aero focused company that’s made the shift from time trial bikes.
That history matters to this update because just as Ventum was once on the forefront of taking triathlon aero technology and moving it to road bikes, the brand is now following the trend of higher stack height for aero gains. The new Ventum NS1 has all the usual trappings of lighter and stiffer but that’s not the real news here.
Taller is faster
For most of the history of cyclists caring about aerodynamics the trend was lower in the front. No spacers and a negative stem was the name of the game. It didn’t matter that not many people could actually hold that position or generate power in it. A smaller frontal area obviously translated to being lower at the front of the bike so that was what bikes, and riders, gravitated to.
That trend is changing. Triathlon was an early leader here with a shift to a praying mantis style position that was much taller. The idea is an aero position you can hold, while also getting as narrow as possible, is faster than a long and low position.
The taller position takes into account more than a simple frontal area calculation. Going taller means getting the back flatter and the forearms more comfortable in a “parallel to the ground” position. Both details make for a faster position overall while at the same time the taller position opens the hip angle for better breathing and power development in the legs.
The new Ventum NS1 is picking up on these trends by going taller, not shorter for the new NS1. If you compare the old bike to the new bike there’s essentially a 20mm stack of spacers now built into the head tube. At the same there is also an extra 13mm of reach which, again, helps with holding an aero position comfortably.
Given that comfort is a big part of this shift, Ventum has also added a few other comfort details. The max tire clearance jumps to one of the largest, for a road bike, at 35mm. Certainly there’s other competitors in this space that have similar clearance but for a true road race bike this is on the larger end of things and it also tracks with the heavier slope in the top tube. More slope means more exposed seatpost and that in turn means more comfort.
| SIZE | XS | S | M | M/L | L | XL |
| FRAME STACK | 493 MM | 515 MM | 541 MM | 565 MM | 590 MM | 615 MM |
| FRAME REACH | 370 MM | 378 MM | 388 MM | 397 MM | 405 MM | 413 MM |
| HEAD TUBE LENGTH | 90 MM | 110 MM | 133 MM | 158 MM | 185 MM | 211 MM |
| HEAD TUBE ANGLE | 70.5° | 71.5° | 72.5° | 73.0° | 73.0° | 73.0° |
| SEAT TUBE ANGLE | 74.5° | 74.0° | 73.5° | 73.0° | 73.0° | 73.0° |
| WHEELBASE | 968 MM | 974 MM | 984 MM | 1000 MM | 1015 MM | 1031 MM |
| FRONT CENTER | 569 MM | 575 MM | 585 MM | 601 MM | 615 MM | 631 MM |
| CHAINSTAY LENGTH | 410 MM | 410 MM | 410 MM | 410 MM | 410 MM | 410 MM |
| BB DROP | 72 MM | 72 MM | 72 MM | 70 MM | 70 MM | 70 MM |
| TOP TUBE LENGTH (HORIZONTAL) | 517 MM | 534 MM | 554 MM | 571 MM | 587 MM | 603 MM |
| SEAT TUBE LENGTH (PHYSICAL) | 439 MM | 448 MM | 473 MM | 490 MM | 527 MM | 543 MM |
| STAND OVER HEIGHT | 744 MM | 756 MM | 783 MM | 801 MM | 833 MM | 849 MM |
| FORK RAKE | 51 MM | 47 MM | 43 MM | 43 MM | 43 MM | 43 MM |
| FORK LENGTH, FULL | 373 MM | 373 MM | 373 MM | 373 MM | 373 MM | 373 MM |
| TRAIL | 68.9 MM | 68.4 MM | 64.1 MM | 60.8 MM | 60.8 MM | 60.8 MM |
| TIRE CLEARANCE (MAX) | 35 MM | 35 MM | 35 MM | 35 MM | 35 MM | 35 MM |
The expected changes
If the move towards more comfort was the unexpected change, then the rest of the changes are the expected changes. This is a new bike so it’s obviously more aero, lighter, and stiffer.
On the aero front, it’s all about the… well the front. According to Ventum “the leading edge of the bike has been extended forward of the steerer, creating space for a cleaner, more efficient airfoil where the wind hits first.” You could also read between the lines there and call that a “Speed Sniffer” like Specialized does but this one is a bit different. Both Specialized and Bianchi have a similar sort of bump that extends past the front of the fork. Ventum is leaning towards something that looks closer to a Ridley, or perhaps the other tall aero bike the Morpheus, where there’s a very deep head tube shape and the steerer tube isn’t at the front.
The transition to the fork looks quite smooth and the fork is new as well. Ventum claims “deeper airfoils on the fork legs extend down from the new head tube, improving airflow management while also increasing front-end stiffness.”
Despite this new, larger, head tube, the latest bike is quite a bit lighter. With an 852g claimed weight for a M/L (size 56) the new bike is 203 grams lighter than before. Ventum claims this comes from “a new carbon layup, refinements to the production process, and by shaving mass from the front-end and seat stays.”
And no new bike launch would be complete without claims of increased stiffness. Ventum holds that tradition and claims “7.7% stiffer at the head tube” and “11.9% stiffer at the bottom bracket.”
As is customary in 2026 Ventum has also added UDH compatibility and the bottom bracket is a T47 standard.
Ventum NS1 pricing and availability
The latest update is available today through the Ventum Website. Pricing for a frameset is set at $3,599 and includes a proprietary D-shaped seat post. Colors available are Onyx, Aerochrome, and Limoncello. Prices for full builds start at $5,499 and range up to $11,299.
| Drivetrain | Wheels | Cockpit | Price |
| SRAM Rival AXS (48/35T) | Zipp 303 S | Zipp Service Course | $5,499.00 |
| SRAM Force AXS (48/35T, Power Meter) | Zipp 303 SW | Ventum CR2 Carbon One-Piece | $7,599.00 |
| Shimano Ultegra Di2 (52/36T, Power Meter) | Zipp 303 SW | Ventum CR2 Carbon One-Piece | $7,899.00 |
| SRAM Red AXS (48/35T, Power Meter) | Zipp 353 NSW | Ventum CR2 Carbon One-Piece | $10,999.00 |
| Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 (52/36T, Power Meter) | Zipp 353 NSW | Ventum CR2 Carbon One-Piece | $11,299.00 |
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