The 'Vergine' by Zullo of Italy. Built with Columbus XCr stainless steel tubing
The latest masterpiece from San Diego, California legend Brian Baylis.
A 2006 're-working' of a 1961 Masi, by Californian master Rob Roberson.
Close-up of the Masi 'Clone Project'; stunning from any angle.
Frameforum's 'Bike Of The Year': the minimalist beauty of Fixie Inc's 'Five Star'.
Superb in every detail; nothing is left to the ordinary on Fixie Inc's 'Five Star'.
Frameforum is a site dedicated to the art and craft of the handmade bicycle. It’s about the people who make them; it’s about the people who ride them. Frameforum is the place to be if you’re considering the 'custom alternative' – a bike that gives you everything 'off-the-shelf ' bikes don’t.
It’s about you - not Mr or Ms. Average. A custom bike is more than just a paint job. A custom bike isn't about shaving grams for bragging rights either. It’s about you and your builder considering every aspect of the bike. The process starts with finding the best dimensions, followed by designing and building the frame, then deciding on each and every component part of the bike - your bike.
A bike that's been custom-built for you will fit you better than a stock bike ever could. It can be as individual as you are; it can suit your particular style of riding, your particular needs and be built from a material that suits you ... not the coffee stop crew.
Frameforum is also a great place those who build, or aspire to build, custom bikes. In the forum section, you’ll find members embarking on their first steps in framebuilding as well as some of the greats of the framebuilding game; iconic builders making iconic bikes. If you want to ask questions and get answers on frame building from the folks who actually build them, this is the place.
In short; if handmade bicycles are your thing - whether rider, collector or creator - make Frameforum your first port of call!
Alistair Gow has been a stalwart of the West of Scotland cycling community for more years than he cares to remember (or admit!).
He’s the archetypal ‘clubman’; a tireless worker for his club Glasgow Nightingale CC and a font of knowledge on all things cycling.
Over the years, he’s helped literally hundreds of Scottish cyclists find their feet when they first enter the sport; just read the chapter of Graeme Obree’s autobiography on his formative years in the bike game to find out the part "Big Al" played in Graeme’s transition from 'gringo’' to world beater.
As if that wasn’t enough, he’s also a first-rate wheelbuilder and mechanic.
With his encyclopaedic knowledge of hubs, rim types and spoke lengths, he’s the man Scottish bikies go to when they need ‘real’ wheels. The West of Scotland is hard on riders and hard on equipment. In this age of boutique, factory-built hoops with exotic lacing patterns, he’s as busy now as he ever was. Gram-shaving ‘for racing only’ stuff doesn’t really cut it around here.
Alistair’s talent for building wheels means his small but well-stocked shop, Wheelcraft, in the picture-postcard village of Clachan of Campsie, is a magnet for local riders. Pick up your wheels from Alistair, and he’ll tell you to drop them back for a quick check-over after a few hundred miles. Chances are they’ll need no adjustment, thanks to Alistair’s ability to get it right first time and his good judgement in applying just the right number of turns on the nipples.
For this set of wheels, only one requirement was made – silver rims. Alistair settled on the Ambrosio Evolution for their consistent quality, their resilience, and importantly, the cost of replacement if a rim gets pretzelled. Like I said, the roads round here are hard on equipment and no rim is invulnerable to Scottish pot holes.
If you’re ever close by, pop in and say hello. You’re sure of a warm welcome, a hot coffee or a cold beer. Oh, and a disapproving glance at your boutique wheels.....
Alistair after all, knows best!
It may be December - but 11 is still the magic number!
The first batch of mouth-watering 11-speed groups have left the Campagnolo dolcieria, destined for a bike shop near you. Meanwhile, heading your way from London is the latest brain candyfrom Rouleur; by way of coincidence, Issue 11.
With its informed, intelligent writing mixed with atmospheric, deep-contrast photography, Rouleur changed forever our expectations of how a cycling publication should read and look.
There are no press-release prompted bike tests, no redundant (in the age of instant news) race reports.
Instead, Rouleur offers the reader a heady mix of premium ingredients. There are character-revealing, in-depth interviews; racing is covered with fan's-eye views from the roadside. The bike trade coverage leans more on heratige and craftsmanship than widgetry, while the whole package is rounded off with considered, industry-outsider opinion.
All this is accompanied with Photographers Gallery-quality visuals, wrapped up in an elegant, pixel-perfect layout.
Every now and then a new cycling magazine will appear, brimming with promise. It's only natural its editor, writers and photographers will bring their A-game to the table for the debut issue. But all too often, the creativity and drive brought into play for the first edition loses momentum. Promise turns to disappointment - and a once-exciting project disappears from the shelves.
Not so with Rouleur.
When Rouleur made its debut in 2006, it broke the mold for bicycling-specific periodicals.
The promise contained in that landmark first edition has been fully realised.
While the rest may try to emulate its style, Rouleur is a true original; one the others will find hard to better. With the release of each new issue, Rouleur pulls farther ahead of the field. Rouleur is out there on its own - and looks strong enough to stay away.
This latest instalment of Rouleur has reports of two contrasting cyclocross events; there's a look at the ultimate 'cross challenge in the UK's doyenneThree Peaks race plus the sand, frites and cowbells of Koksijde - around of the UCI World Cup held on the dunes of the Flanders coast.
There's a 'day-in-the-life' interview featuring those Kings of Commentary Sherwen and Liggett; a look at the handiwork of the Moa clothing factory in Italy, plus much, much more. There's even a bonus CD insert from Bianchi.
In short; one holiday treat not to be missed ... who needs an extra sprocket anyway?
If you don't already subscribe, get into Rouleur now.
There's still time to add it to the top of your Christmas wish-list and some back-copies are available.
It may be December - but 11 is still the magic number! 
Every now and then a new cycling magazine will appear, brimming with promise. It's only natural its editor, writers and photographers will bring their A-game to the table for the debut issue. But all too often, the creativity and drive brought into play for the first edition loses momentum. Promise turns to disappointment - and a once-exciting project disappears from the shelves.