Acol’s story began in 2023 at Bike Europe when WiaWis, a world leader in the production and sales of archery products and leading expert in graphene, design and development, was looking to expand their bicycle business. They were in need of a suitable contact in Europe who had international experience.

Family-owned

Alex describes their meeting as somewhat serendipitous: “I was also looking for a partnership; one that upheld the values of my family business. I wanted to find a company that was family-owned, able to develop quality technology with an international vision, and one that also owned their own production sites and produced their components internally. When I met WiaWis, I felt they were the perfect match.”

Upon leaving Colnago after a change in ownership, Alex was ready to develop Acol in collaboration with WiaWis by combining their expertise in carbon fibre materials with his background in design. They came up with a formula for lightweight bicycle frames.

Graphene composites

The Acol brand adopts WiaWis’ signature graphene-reinforced composites to be able to make frames that are lightweight, durable and comfortable. This makes them ideal for competitive cyclists who want to increase speed without compromising structural integrity. The carbon fibre and graphene are also strong enough to resist impact making them both suitable for road and off-road biking. It also dampens vibrations, which is important for endurance cyclists who encounter rough terrain.

Additionally, their premium bicycle frames go through stringent quality and safety testing before they make it into the hands of their customers. Their production and testing facilities are both in Korea and Myanmar where each bicycle has to pass specific control testing.

“Our new products are all high-end and cover road, gravel and track. We aren’t offering e-bikes, they just aren’t in my DNA,” explains Alex. “I come from a background in bikes specially made for racing. This doesn’t align with e-bikes; they serve a different purpose in the cycling industry. WiaWis and Acol are more focused on competitions, where an e-bike would defeat the purpose.”

A glance at their models

Acol offers a wide range of bike frames designed to meet the diverse needs of cyclists. Their SL model is an superlight frame, weighing approximately 700 grams, specifically engineered to minimize resistance. The Divinus, a modern aerodynamic frame, is ideal for competitive cycling, prioritizing speed and performance. Two additional models are soon to be released: the Impero, an all-rounder that combines lightness and aerodynamics with geometry suited for long rides, launching in spring 2025, and the Tuscia, a gravel bike built to conquer rugged terrains, which will begin production in December 2024.

Whilst WiaWis already has an international presence with thriving markets in Asia and Europe, and plans to expand to the United States, they want to remain a family-oriented company with modest facilities, focusing on premium quality rather than mass production.

This article is sponsored by WiaWis.