Will the radical Morpheus Reppit change the direction of aero road bike design?

At the end of 2023, after seven years as a cyclist, Arne Peters decided to go all in on something new… Something that he had no experience in, but which addressed an issue that had frustrated him.

As a Dutch cyclist at UCI Continental level, Arne felt that his sponsored team bikes weren’t optimised for him and the flat terrain of his homeland. His aero bikes were very low at the front because conventional wisdom said that this was the fastest setup, but Arne found that by raising his handlebars, he was much more powerful and faster overall. 

Pic: Filippo Ganna. Picture by Zac Williams © SWpix.com

“I have tested the aerodynamics of many stack heights, using an adjustable stem and an Aerosensor,” says Arne. “After that, I tried to hold the fastest positions for at least 10 minutes and compared my power output. I found that a higher stack position was way easier to hold and more powerful while being only a little less aerodynamic. This made the higher stack much faster overall.

“Apart from my own findings, we have seen this trend in the past years in time trialling.”

> Is Aerosensor the best system for reducing drag without a wind tunnel? 

Early in 2024, Arne left his job with the intention of filling what he saw as the void in the aero road bike market. With no experience in designing and building a frame, he went to China Cycle 2024, a show in Shanghai, to find a suitable open mould frame. 

> What is an open mould bike frame?  

Unfortunately for Arne, the frame he was looking for didn’t yet exist, so he went to work. After China Cycle 2024, he visited five carbon frame factories to get the frameset he had dreamed up designed and built. 

“Several months later, the Morpheus Reppit was born,” says Arne. “The frame has all the modern aero features, but with a very different geometry. The frame is designed around the optimal position for the rider, to make it comfortable and fast.”

There will be only one size of Morpheus Reppit available in 2025, although Arne plans to add other sizes when possible. Here’s the frame geometry:

For comparison, a Giant Propel in a ML size has a reach of 393mm – just 3mm longer than that of the Morpheus Reppit – and a stack height of 562mm – a whopping 58mm shorter.

The Reppit’s stack/reach is 1.59 – compared with 1.43 for the Giant. Even a fairly upright endurance bike like a Specialized Roubaix SL8 has a stack/reach of 1.55 in a size 56.

“The position balances aerodynamics and power,” says Arne. “The higher front end allows me to stay in the tucked, horizontal arms, aero position for longer while being able to put out enough power. An aero position is only fast if you can sustain the power.

“My goal with Morpheus is to help cyclists who dream of getting faster on flat roads,” says Arne. “The Reppit is just the start of this pursuit and definitely not the end.

“The intention is for Morpheus to become a bike brand. I’m trying to build a brand that is fully focused on making road cyclists as fast as possible. I will stay independent for sure.”

The first Morpheus Reppit prototype is almost complete. Meanwhile, Arne is testing the frame, fork and seatpost at an independent test lab. When all parts are safe and strong – which is likely to take at least a few months – production can start. 

Price? We don’t know, unfortunately. It’ll be communicated only to customers. If you fancy finding out more, you can get on a mailing list called Morpheus Inner Circle and be alerted when the first Reppits are available. Arne also posts about project developments on Instagram.

Check out loads more Bikes at Bedtime here. 

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