We’re apparently living in an age of growing mass personalisation, with everything from food packaging to cars open to a level of personalisation never seen before. And it’s been happening in the bike industry for some time, only at the fringes, in a space occupied by independent bespoke frame builders.
The North American Handmade Bicycle Show in the US, and Bespoked UK Handbuilt Show closer to home in Bristol, are two shows that for the last decade or so have shone a spotlight on the resurgence of custom made-to-measure bicycles, personalised to the exact requirements of each customer, from the lugs, tube dimensions and paint scheme.
Bespoke frame builders have embraced the changing consumer attitudes in cycling (they were some of the first to developed disc brake road bikes as one example) and desire for personalisation with open arms, which stands in stark contrast to the volume focused manufacturing models of the big mainstream brands. Self-expression is a key part of cycling and nowhere do you see this than in the bespoke world.
- Great custom handbuilt frames — from makers who can craft your dream frame
In a way it’s really nothing new, merely reinvigorating the lost tradition of getting your local frame builder to make you a road bike to order, only now it’s social media that acts as the main channel between customer and maker. While mass manufacturing has made bikes cheaper and more accessible, it’s clear that price isn’t a barrier in the bespoke world, with many customers willing to pay a premium.
To find out a bit more about this rise of custom bespoke bikes and why a show like Bespoked UK has become as popular as it evidently is, as anyone that has attended it knows, we sat down with Phil Taylor, organiser of the show and himself a frame builder.
Obviously it means 'springing out of the bunch' on a critical sector. Or maybe it's referring to the time of year.
Car crashes through garden wall for second time in 18 months https://www.wiltshire999s.co.uk/car-crashes-garden-second-time/
Woman taken to hospital after flipping car onto roof in Trowbridge...
Its blindingly obvious from the image that the DKE of the buses include the mirrors which extend to nearly reach the edge of the tarmac pavement on...
It's sad when being very good at your job - any job - isn't enough to earn a decent living. It shouldn't be that way....
Bont double wide wearer here. Even Lake, for me, are too narrow in the toebox and midfoot, but Lake work for a lot of people....
Bigly!
I seem to recall saint Chris being more on recent BBC road cycling coverage rather than less.
I never heard of anyone having their leg sliced off / unexpectedly wiping out using a spoon brake, but discs...
Meanwhile, in the Netherlands... (cycling to hospital, s''Hertogenbosch, Utrecht. Cycling to hospital and cycle parking, Assen)....