PEDALING PERFECTION KNICKMAN AIMS HIGH IN BIKE DESIGN.

Byline: BILL BECHER

WESTLAKE VILLAGE - Roy Knickman is passionate about cycling, as you'd expect from a former Olympic medalist in the sport.

Now he is translating that passion (and 25 years of bike-racing experience) into building and selling state-of-the-art bicycles.

Knickman won a bronze medal at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics as a member of the U.S. time trial team. He and his business partner Clark Metcalfe, also a former competitive cyclist, started the Abici Bicycle Company in Westlake Village three years ago. Now they have a line of bikes they say can challenge the performance of the world's best road bicycles.

The Abici bikes cost less than their European and high-end American competition, but the partners claim they ride as well or better. Knickman thinks other bike builders have chased fads and forgotten basic design concepts that are key to a bicycle that handles well.

``You shouldn't have to turn a bike,'' Knickman said. ``You should be able to lean and look through the corner and the bike should follow naturally.

``I once had a custom-built bike by (five-time Tour de France winner) Eddie Merckx,'' said Knickman, who twice raced in the Tour de France. ``I couldn't take my hands off the bike. If I was trying to put on a raincoat in a race, the bike would just want to fall over. It's as if people have stopped paying attention to how a bike should be done.''

Knickman was approached by Metcalfe several years ago to start a different sort of bike company.

``Clarke's concept when he came to me was 'let's have every bike in our line handle and ride to the best they are capable of,' '' Knickman said.

By making only road and track bikes, the two are part of a trend away from mountain bikes. In the 1990s, mountain bikes made up about 60 percent of the U.S. market, but now account for only 37 percent of bike sales.

The Abici road and track bikes are designed by Metcalfe - the creative one, according to Knickman, who concentrates on business and marketing.

The frames are manufactured in Taiwan and shipped to San Diego where they are painted to customers' specifications. Potential buyers can use the `` Paintalator'' to try out colors on virtual bike frames at the company's Web site at www.abicibikes.com. The company is primarily relying on the Web site and word-of-mouth for sales. The four models in the company's lineup are designed for road, track and triathlon riders.

The bikes are assembled in Westlake, allowing buyers to specify the components they want.

I took a test ride on the V1, Abici's top-of-the-line bike with a frame that combines aluminum and carbon fiber.

This is a snazzy bicycle, with the kind of slick paint job that could turn heads at a drag strip. The frame is nicely joined with double-pass welds and then hand finished. A complete V1 with 10-speed Dura-Ace costs about $3,400, much less than most high-end road bikes with similar components. Other Abici bicycles start at about $2,300.

I was prepared not to like this bike. My previous experience on aluminum road frames was a bone-jarring ride that only your chiropractor would like. I've tried all carbon fiber bikes, too. They dampened road shock, but handled like a dead fish.

The V1 combines the best qualities of both materials without the liabilities. The compact aluminum frame is stiff and translates pedal effort into forward motion without any energy-wasting frame flex. The carbon composite front fork and stays (the tubes that connect the rear wheel to the top and bottom of the frame) soak up bumps - especially the high-frequency vibrations that can wear you out on a long ride.

I pedaled up Mulholland past the Rock Store, a favorite road bikers' climb in the Santa Monica Mountains. The V1 with top-of-the-line Shimano Dura-Ace components and wheels weigh in at a very svelte 16.5 pounds without pedals. That definitely makes the uphill seem easier.

To test out the bike's handling, I descended Westlake Boulevard from Mulholland Drive, a fast and gnarly downhill with more twists than a Chubby Checker revival.

The V1 went where I pointed it, carving turns without a hint of wobble, encouraging me to hang it out a bit farther than I should.

I felt comfortable on the bike. Knickman had taken pains to adjust the stem and seat to fit me. He says a well-designed bike and proper fit are the keys to a good ride.

The Abici is a sweet bike. I will never ride one in the Tour de France, but I can dream.

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(1 -- 2) Bicycle designer Roy Knickman (top) is a former Olympian has 25 years of experience in cycling and plenty of hardware (above) to prove it.

Photos by Bill Becher/Special to the Daily News