"If you have even the slightest interest in cross bikes, you’ve absolutely got to read this."

"Asylum are back- with founder Chris Currie at the helm...the first product out of the gate (and over the barriers) is the Meuse ‘cross bike."

"... it will feel as at-home on paved or unpaved adventure rides or on a quick spin to the local public house for a pint of tasty Rogue Juniper Pale Ale as it does between course-marking tape."

"The Asylum Cycles Meuse is made with lightweight, high-modulus carbon, with reinforced dropouts (weighing in at 1120g for the 54cm) and an integrated headset, and has a molded-in chainstay disc brake mount"

"As fat as the down tube and chainstays are, the top tube slenders to an astonishing degree. I’ve never seen a waist like that outside of a corset factory."

Race-ready, full-carbon cyclocross bike with powerful disc brakes

Asylum Cycles is crowdfunding the ultimate race-ready carbon ‘cross bike in terms of terrain capabilities, weight, handling and value. With a Belgian river as its namesake, the Meuse brings all the best performance features together: a high-modulus carbon frame, stiff PF30 bottom bracket shell easily compatible with both geared and single-speed use, stiff tapered head tube, 135mm rear axle spacing, and molded-in chainstay disc brake mounts that actually strengthen the rear triangle. The geometry of the Meuse creates an incredibly fast racing bike that’s also at home on long distance adventure rides. Fast, durable and light, the Meuse goes anywhere.

Our mission is to build bikes that people love to ride. That means treating our customers like design partners, bringing riders and racers into the design process and listening to each piece of feedback. That’s our simple formula to create the best bikes for the best price. We’ve tested and refined our prototypes creating a great support-team for our customers in the process. Now we’re seeking funding to place a production order and pay for the tooling needed to make additional frame sizes.

What kind of bike is the Meuse?

What if you could have just one bike? The kind of bike that’s perfect for endless gravel roads, rolling hills in the countryside, commuting to work on crowded city-streets, suburban bike paths, misty mountain tops, picnics along a riverside path, muddy races in the fall, single-track trails in the woods, and quick enough to handle the Saturday morning world championship ride at your local bike shop.

The bike would need to be light and stiff, responsive and durable. It would need to be able to accommodate a variety of different tires: nobbies, slicks, fatties. It would need disc brakes for the best stopping power in all conditions. It would also need to be affordable.

Asylum Cycles is making this wünder-bike possible through the release of its Meuse on Crowd Supply.

What separates the Meuse from other bikes?

The Meuse combines all the features you would expect to find on a top-flight road bicycle with the added capabilities of a cyclocross bike.

For the uninitiated, cyclocross bikes are very similar in appearance to traditional road bicycles. Cyclocross bikes add a level of versatility usually associated with that of a mountain bike. The term “cyclocross” refers to a discipline of bicycle racing whereby participants complete circuits on mixed-terrain for 45 minutes to an hour. The racing is very fast-paced and usually takes place on farms, fairgrounds, schoolyards, virtually anywhere that organizers can draw-up a mile and a half lap with a mix of pavement, dirt, sand, mud, gravel, etc. At designated areas on the course, participants must dismount and clear a series of barriers on foot, carrying—or shouldering—their bicycle in the process. As a result, in addition to being stout enough to take the beating of off-road riding, cyclocross bikes must be incredibly light, helping reduce the toll of continued portage throughout the course of a race.

The sport has given birth to a classification of bicycle that utilizes drop-bar handlebars, 700c wheels, and enough clearance to handle larger-width tires with nobs/tread (usually measuring 700x28-35mm).

The bike’s geometry allows for more stable handling over rough-terrain and the bottom bracket sits slightly higher to prevent pedal strikes. Cyclocross bikes also make for great commuters as well. The frame’s tire clearance allows for the easy addition of clip-on fenders on those incredibly wet days.

The Asylum Meuse is a new-take on the Cyclocross platform. The frame is incredibly durable, yet light and stiff. Our Powerflow design strengthens the down-tube and increases overall rear-end stiffness.

This design feature gives the Meuse an incredibly efficient power-transfer and means you get the most out of each pedal stroke. We’ve made the bike as fast as possible without compromising comfort. That’s really the beauty of carbon fiber. You get the best of both worlds: extremely lightweight and stiff, yet incredibly comfortable and durable.

The Meuse makes great use of the best braking system possible: disc brakes.

Since the world-governing body of professional cycling—the UCI—allowed the introduction of disc brakes on cyclocross bikes, the industry has gone rabid with excitement. Nothing else comes close the sheer stopping-power, modulation ability, and overall performance of discs. This performance advantage is particularly noticeable in wet conditions and on loose surfaces.

The rear-hub spacing on the Meuse is 135mm, the standard measurement for most mountain bike hubs.

Because disc-brakes are a relatively new addition to road “styled” bikes, we opted for mountain spacing (135mm) in the rear to give you the most wheel build options possible.

Discs also mean that the Meuse is future-proofed. Since the introduction of disc brakes to the international cyclocross racing circuit, industry players have stepped up their designs. While most “road-style” disc brake bikes are limited to cable-pull set-ups, a number of component manufacturers are developing hydraulic systems for production release in the near future.

With the bicycle industry’s adoption of disc brakes, traditional cable-pull disc brakes have gotten better as well. We’re offering the Meuse with three different types of cable-pull disc brakes, each of which is a superior to the highest-grade caliper/cantilever brake you would find on traditional road/cyclocross bikes. From the Avid BB5s we’ve spec’ed on the SSCX to the Avid BB7SLs on the Rogue Team edition, you’ll have enough stopping power for whatever riding you’re looking to do.

The Meuse works perfectly as a geared bike or as a single-speed. Our oversized bottom bracket shell allows you to choose either way. Utilizing a Problem Solvers bottom bracket, you can set the Meuse up as the ultimate disc brake single-speed bike. Similarly, if you opt to buy the bike built up with gears, you can always switch to a single-speed geared setup down the road, or vice versa.

Our complete build options come equipped with a Stan’s No Tubes ZTR Iron Cross wheelset. You will not find a better tubeless wheelset on the market. Tubeless wheels allow you to play with tire-pressure more, which improves overall grip and handling. Tubeless wheelsets are also considerably lighter and accelerate quickly with less rotational weight. You might be wondering, “what about flats?” A properly set-up tubless wheelset has a “self-healing” system whereby the sealant fills any and all punctures. Of course, it’s always good to ride with an extra tube in case something unexpected happens. While we’re shipping the bike with a set of tubes equipped, you can easily convert to tubeless. Remove the tubes and add some sealant.

Whether you’re looking to get a new bike to ride on the weekends, commute to work on an incredibly light bike, or planning on racing in your local cyclocross series, the Meuse will prove a trusty companion.

Why are you offering the bike on Crowd Supply?

Asylum Cycles is using Crowd Supply to provide a more collaborative approach to the introduction of new bikes, involving racers, cycling enthusiasts and other potential customers in the design process from the very beginning. Using input from those riders and racers, Asylum Cycles has refined and tested prototypes of the Meuse.

Now that the Meuse is ready for release to production, Asylum is seeking backers to aggregate a large order so it can deliver its first bikes at the lowest possible prices. Our mission is to welcome customers into the design process to help us create the best bikes at the best prices. Crowd Supply is the perfect partner to create long-term relationships with the people riding

Premiums & Pledge Levels

Asylum is offering the Meuse in four configurations. Our Frame Only option is most attractive to experienced cyclists who already have a component group set for use on a new frame or want the freedom of customizing their own specification. The Single Speed edition is the perfect combination of simplicity and high performance and is ideal for the rider looking for a bike with minimal maintenance. The Geared edition with SRAM Force is race-ready for a season full of mud and cowbells. Finally, our Rogue Team Edition is the most premium offering of the Meuse: a complete SRAM Force component group with upgraded brakes and an upgraded cockpit.

Asylum Meuse Frameset

Crowdfunding Price- $895 (valid until May 18th)

Pre-Order Price- $995 (May 19th until Product Delivery in October)

MSRP- $1495 (subject to change from October delivery onwards)

Already have a gruppo set aside for a new ‘Cross bike? Great. We’re offering the Asylum Meuse as a frame only as one of the pledge levels. Receive an Asylum Meuse Cyclocross frame, fork and headset.

Lightweight, high-modulus carbon frame with reinforced dropouts (1120g for the 54cm)

Molded-in chainstay disc brake mount for a stiff and strong rear triangle

135mm rear hub spacing

Oversized bottom bracket shell with PF30 system for increased stiffness and power-transfer

Tapered 1-1/8” to 1.5” head tube for steering precision

Full-carbon, Columbus fork with tapered steerer

Vibration damping Flatbottom seatstay design for a smoother ride

Massive Powerflow downtube and oversized chainstays resist flex

Replaceable threaded disc mount inserts and a replaceable derailleur hanger

Internal shift-cable routing

External brake cable routing for hydraulic lines

Exceptional mud clearance

Simple and light-weight integrated headset

Crash replacement policy and 3-year warranty against defects in manufacturing

Asylum Meuse Single Speed Build (SSCX)

Crowdfunding Price- $1,595 (valid until May 18th)

Pre-Order Price- $1,795 (May 19th until Product Delivery in October)

MSRP- $2395 (subject to change from October delivery onwards)

Utilizing the versatility of a PF30 bottom bracket shell, we’ve installed a Problem Solvers BB and set the bike up as a single speed. This is the ultimate bike for beginners and experts alike. With only one gear, single speed ‘cross bikes require little maintenance and keep the bike’s weight incredibly low. Whether you’re looking for a stylish and quick do anything bike, or looking to get into a more budget-friendly, high-performance cyclocross racing bike, the Meuse SSCX is a fantastic option. By funding our project at this level, you will receive an Asylum Meuse Single speed equipped racing bike equipped with the following kit:

FSA OS-190 Stem

Salsa Cowbell 3 bars

FSA SL-280 Seatpost

Selle Italia SL XC Saddle

Stan's Iron Cross Wheelset with Michelin MUD 2 tires

42 tooth FSA Omega Crankset

Singleworks SS 22 tooth cog

Cane Creek SCR-5 Brake Levers

Avid BB5 w/ 160mm Rotors

Asylum Meuse Geared Cyclocross Bike w/SRAM Force

Crowdfunding Price- $2,095 (valid until May 18th)

Pre-Order Price- $2,295 (May 19th until Product Delivery in October)

MSRP- $2995 (subject to change from October delivery onwards)

We’ve put-together a thoughtful build for our race ready, SRAM Force version of the Meuse. SRAM Force is an incredibly high-performance gruppo. Combined with our Meuse’s low-weight and paired with a set of Stan’s Iron Cross wheels, you’ll have a bike that is excellent for sprinting up hills, shredding gravel roads for hours, and unbeatable on the race-circuit. This bike’s build-kit was dreamed up by the ‘Cross racers in our development team and it’s the ultimate combination of value and performance. Whether you’re going to spend the majority of your time on- or off-road, this bike will allow you to conquer whatever comes your way. At this pledge level, you will receive an Asylum Meuse that is race ready with the following kit:

FSA OS-190 Stem

Easton EA50 Road Handlebar

FSA SL-280 Seatpost

Selle Italia SL XC Saddle

Stan's Iron Cross Wheelset with Michelin MUD 2 tires

FSA Gossamer Crankset 46/36

SRAM Force Gruppo

Avid BB7 w/ 160mm Rotors

Rogue Team Edition

Crowdfunding Price- $2,495 (valid until May 18th)

Pre-Order Price- $2,795 (May 19th until Product Delivery in October)

MSRP- $3395 (subject to change from October delivery onwards)

Cyclocross and beer go virtually hand in hand. We knew that if we were going to do a brewery-themed bike, there was only one company for us to work with on this project: Rogue Ales of Newport, OR. Paying homage to a brewery as legendary as Rogue meant that we needed to step-up the build-kit on this edition of the Meuse. Complete with a custom Rogue team paint job, we set the bike up with a full-compliment of SRAM Force components, upgraded the cockpit and seat post and gave it the best disc-brakes available to date: the Avid BB7SLs. At this pledge level, you will receive an Asylum Meuse Rogue Team Edition equipped with the following kit:

Ritchey WCS Logic Curve Handlebars

Thomson Elite X2 Road Stem

Thomson Elite Seatpost

Selle Italia SL XC Saddle

Stan's Iron Cross Wheelset with Michelin MUD 2 tires

SRAM Force 46/36 Crankset

SRAM Force Gruppo

Avid BB7SL w/ 160mm Rotors

Manufacturing Plan

We created a partnership with suppliers and manufacturers that have demonstrated the ability to consistently delivery high-quality product who were eager and open to helping us launch Asylum. Utilizing our own concept and list of features, we received our first prototypes. From these initial prototypes, we gathered input from our test-team to make needed adjustments to the frame’s design. This was conducted both on- and off-road, in competitive/racing environments, and long-hours in the saddle. Through this process we finalized the Meuse’s design and are now awaiting the delivery of our first production models. These frames are scheduled to arrive in October.

Shipping

Shipping is free within the US. For international shipping options, e-mail us your location and the pledge level you are interested in.

From Australia to Finland, we have you covered.

How does it work?

Select the Asylum Meuse variant you want to fund and receive. Go through the required checkout process. Once that is completed, email us your shipping address. We’ll confirm the shipping price with you and have you make a general pledge to the campaign in the amount that you owe for shipping.

It’s that simple.

If you’d like to find out how much it would cost to ship your Meuse, send us an email through the "Ask a Question" button. We’ll confirm the rate with you asap.

Risks & Challenges

The challenges are distinguishing the product’s quality to deliver something high-performance and unique. There already exists a crowded cyclocross market with established brands, but we have developed a list of features not easily found or combined among the current offerings. Asylum is focused and dedicated to using disc-brakes. We have put a priority on creating a bike that allows for options, both in terms of specification (single-speed or geared) and intended use (on- or off-road riding).

Questons & Answers

Q. Can I test-ride a Meuse?

A. Yes. You can test ride the Meuse during the crowdfunding campaign at Western Bikeworks at 1015 NW 17th Ave. in Portland (corner of Lovejoy and NW 17th).

Q. Will you sell Asylum Bikes to local bike shops?

A. Yes. Asylum will be available at the Western Bikeworks store in Portland, OR as well as online at Cyclocross.com. We are interested in adding other dealers , please contact us at sales@asylumcycles.com.

Q. Will the Meuse be available in any other build options?

A. During the crowdfunding campaign, if you select the pledge level for the frame and fork only, Western Bikeworks can build your Meuse to order once your frame is available.

Q. I live outside of the United Sates. Can you ship me a Meuse?

A. Yes. From Australia to Finland, we have you covered. Select the Asylum Meuse variant you want to fund and receive. Go through the required checkout process. Once that is completed, email us your shipping address. We’ll confirm the shipping price with you and have you make a general pledge to the campaign in the amount that you owe for shipping. It’s that simple. If you’d like to find out how much it would cost to ship your Meuse, send us an email through the "Ask a Question" button. We’ll confirm the rate with you asap.

Geometry Chart

Size A B C D E F M G S 525 470 525 100 71.5° 74° 513 60 M 540 486 540 120 71.5° 73.5° 527 60 L 560 505 560 140 72° 73.5° 547 60 XL 580 525 580 160 72° 73° 566 60