Johan Museeuw has witnessed first-hand the evolution of the race bicycles in the last 25 years from from the best vantage point – a the head of the race. His illustrious career as a professional started aboard steel-framed bikes in the 80’s, followed by alloy frames in the 90’s and ending the decade and starting the next astride carbon-framed machines.

A great champion understands the importance of paying attention to the finer details; of leaving nothing to chance. None more so than Johan.

“I always wanted to feel as one with the bike”

By always paying special attention to the design and dimensions of the frame, Museeuw ensured his performance had the best possible stage: “I always wanted to feel as one with the bike”.

It is in the Spring Classics, one-day races like the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix where the strength and character of both man and machine are put to the test. The advantages of carbon (stiffness, weight, strength) are important, but for Johan, comfort was paramount.

When he first tested a flax/carbon composite frame back in 2004 he was amazed at its performance and immediately convinced of the beneficial characteristics of flax as a frame material.

This new composite – never before used by any other frame manufacturer- absorbed the shocks and vibration so much better then the all-carbon frame he had been racing for the last 5 years. His immediate thought was: “if only I had a frame as good as this five years ago for taking on the Classics”.

The trend followed by other manufacturers recent years was to focus on low weight and ultra-stiffness. But don't forget, that behind every great champion is thousands upon thousand kilometres of training, without the benefit of race service, over rough roads and in the worst conditions. Johan believed that comfort was often disregarded for both competitive and recreational cyclists.

All too often he would meet cyclists asking for him advice about their bike set-up or about physical discomforts: “it should not be like this, that people go cycling in order to feel better, yet return home with aches and pains”.

Today, Museeuw uses his vast experience alongside legendary framebuilder and designer Roberto Billato at Museeuw Bikes.

He emphasizes the importance of geometry and design: “you not only have to feel good on your bike, the bike must perform well.

As a competitive cyclist you want not only comfort, but also have a frame stiff enough to transfer all your effort into forward motion. The skill is in finding the perfect balance between comfort and rigidity, something not easily accomplished and something other manufacturers fail to achieve”.

At Museeuw, they've found this balance; 

Johan is the first to road-test test the prototypes coming out of the Museeuw laboratory. He takes the bikes to the Flemish Ardennes, the Alps, into the fields (cyclocross) and on the track. Nothing is left to chance; no stone unturned.