Ride the Canvas: LOOK Cycle Teams with Jay Kaes for 50 Limited-Edition 795 Blade RS Frames
LOOK Cycle unveils 50 hand-painted, limited-edition 795 Blade RS framesets by Glitch Pop artist Jay Kaes. Fusing WorldTour performance with unique street art, each €/£/$10,000 bundle is a collector's item.
In a fusion of high-performance cycling engineering and vibrant street art, LOOK Cycle has unveiled a truly unique offering: the limited-edition 795 Blade RS in collaboration with London Glitch Pop artist, Jay Kaes. This exclusive series, dubbed "The Art Of Cycling × Jay Kaes," transforms LOOK's flagship UCI WorldTour-proven road bike into a mobile masterpiece, with only 50 hand-painted framesets available worldwide.
This innovative partnership redefines the concept of a race bike, proving that the pursuit of speed and artistic expression are not mutually exclusive. As Federico Musi, CEO of LOOK Cycle, eloquently states, "Art is something you usually admire in a gallery or on a wall. With this project, we have moved that creativity onto a race-ready frame, so riders can take it out into the world and use it every day. It shows that performance engineering and artistic expression can share the same space."
A Carbon Canvas: The Genesis of the Collaboration
The inspiration for this striking collaboration first emerged at Rouleur Live 2024, where Jay Kaes captivated audiences by painting two frames live. This initial interaction sparked the idea of applying Kaes's distinctive "glitch-pop" aesthetic to LOOK's iconic Mondrian-inspired colors, a visual heritage deeply embedded in the brand's identity.
Each of the 50 production framesets undergoes a meticulous hand-finishing process in Nevers, France, ensuring that every piece is a unique work of art. The hand-painted nature means that while consistent in design, minor variations in brushwork guarantee that no two frames are identical, further enhancing their exclusivity. Each frameset is individually numbered, solidifying its status as a collector's item.
From Art to Performance: The Uncompromised Engineering
Beneath the captivating artwork lies the formidable 795 Blade RS platform, the very same model ridden by Team Cofidis in the demanding UCI WorldTour. This ensures that while the aesthetics are groundbreaking, the performance remains uncompromising. The 795 Blade RS is engineered for pure speed and efficiency, boasting:
- High-Modulus 1.5K Carbon Lay-up: This advanced carbon fiber construction provides an exceptional stiffness-to-weight ratio, crucial for transferring every watt of power to the road.
- Wind Tunnel-Tested Tube Profiles: The aerodynamic design, refined through extensive wind tunnel testing, minimizes drag, allowing riders to cut through the air with greater efficiency.
- Integrated Cockpit: The seamless integration of the handlebar and stem further enhances aerodynamic performance and contributes to the bike's sleek, uncluttered aesthetic.
Jay Kaes himself commented on the challenge and inspiration behind the design: "I aimed to translate the rhythm and movement of cycling into colour and shape. The result is a functional object that also stands as a piece of visual culture." This synthesis of motion and visual art is palpable in the final product.
The Exclusive Bundle: More Than Just a Frameset
Each of the 50 limited-edition bundles, priced at €/£/$10,000, offers a comprehensive package for the discerning cyclist and art enthusiast:
- Hand-Painted Frameset: The numbered 795 Blade RS frame and fork, each a unique piece of art.
- Integrated Cockpit: LOOK Carbon Aero Combo handlebar and stem, available in 90, 100, or 110 mm lengths, and a LOOK Aero Post 4 Carbon seatpost for optimal aerodynamic integration.
- Limited-Edition Pedals: A pair of Keo Blade Ceramic Ti pedals, featuring 16 Nm carbon blades, ceramic bearings, and titanium spindles, all adorned with Jay Kaes’ signature glitch-pop artwork.
- Commemorative Artwork: An A4 printed poster showcasing the frameset graphic, perfect for display.
This limited release, available from June 3, 2025, through select LOOK Cycle retailers and directly via lookcycle.com, represents a unique opportunity to own a piece of cycling history – a bike that is as much a performance machine as it is a testament to contemporary art. It's a statement that speed doesn't have to be sterile, and that personal expression can indeed ride at the forefront of innovation.
