The Angel Cycle Works Heaven is a titanium bike made with additive 3D printing, that is said to be suitable for road racing, sportives and “soft gravel”.
The Spanish brand, co-founded by architect and bicycle manufacturer José Angel Calabuig, and journalist and product developer Antonio del Pino, describes the Heaven as a “hyper bike”, with prices ranging from €9,600 to €17,300 through its customisation scheme.
Angel Cycle Works isn’t the first to make a titanium bike with additive 3D printing. 3D-printed dropouts were used in Charge’s 2013 race, but technology has been experiencing a revival since the release of the Reilly Fusion & Moots Vamoots CRD.
Manual welding, 3D printing
Angel Cycle Works used manual welding and 3D printers to create the Heaven.
According to the company, the combination of welded tubes and 3D-printed hubs allows it to reduce the material required for the bike.
Angel Cycle Works hasn’t provided exact claimed weights, but it does say it has shaved roughly 400g off a typical 1,600g titanium frame.
For better alignment, 3D printing can also improve contact between headset bearings and the frame.
This holds true for the bottom bracket as well. Angel Cycle Works says its 3D-printed titanium “will never budge a micron”, which enables it to use a press-fit bottom bracket without the risk of creaks developing.
If Angel Cycle Works is to be believed, then maybe 3D printing facilitates Simon von Bromley’s bottom bracket Platonic ideal.
Adjustable chainstays
Unusually, you can adjust the length of the Heaven’s chainstays via two thru-axle dropouts.
Called the HD adapter, or ‘Heaven Door adapter’, the design enables riders to vary the geometry of the bike, extending the chainstays from 400mm to 425mm.
This is done to improve tyre clearance. You can fit 700x30mm road bike tires or 700x38mm gravel bikes tyres depending on the setting.
Paired with the clearance in the fork, this is what enables the Heaven to be used as either a race bike or “soft gravel bike” (even if 38mm tyres on a gravel bike are conservative by today’s standards).
Angel Cycle Works claims that the HD adapter allows you to use disc brake rotors 140mm or 160mm in any position.
Angel Cycle Works Heaven geometry
Integration and hidden hardware
Angel Cycle Works uses a special stem for the Heaven that allows it to run cables or hoses internal.
The design claims to have a rigidity and resistance that is not often found in heavier designs.
The stem is offered in carbon or aluminium and is available in any custom length through Angel Cycle Works’ customisation programme.
Carbon seat mast
The Heaven uses 27.2mm carbon seatposts. These are held in place using a concealed seat clamp. This is held in place using a bolt attached to the underside the top tube.
Angel Cycle Works chose to install a titanium seatpost topper made from 3D-printed titanium instead of a carbon post with a saddle clamp. The topper allows for 5cm of adjustment.
Angel Cycle Works states that the seatpost can be swapped for a traditional one if needed.
Customization
Angel Cycle Works offers a customisation programme through its website, which has been updated to coincide with the Heaven’s launch.
The brand also offers cosmetic modifications such as anodisation or full paintjobs.
Any paintwork adds to the overall price of the Heaven, with component painting costing €100 and a fully painted frame €600.