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!
London's CycleFit and The USA's SICI (Serotta International Cycling Institute) opened Europe's first independent professional bike-fitting school with delegates drawn from the retailing, scientific and physical therapy communities.
The three-day course was held in Covent Garden and was an absorbing immersion into the up-to-date science of perfecting the human-to-bike relationship.
The UK education team comprised: CycleFit Directors Julian Wall and Philip Cavell, Dr David Hulse (Sports Physician to The Tour of Britain ) and Paraic McGlynn from the USA - (SICI's Director of Applied Cycling Science).
The UK school is certified and endorsed by SICI - the cycling industry's influential institute for applied cycling science and also the USA 's principal provider of fitting-related educactional courses.
Cycling Biomechanics - The Emerging Science
“Bike fitting is a relatively new phenomenon in the UK ,” commented CycleFit's Julian Wall. “Although worldwide, the UK is among the few markets where public appreciation of the sport of cycling is high, the general understanding of bicycle fitting is underdeveloped, similar to where the US was ten years ago. CycleFit, with the guidance of SICI, is changing that perception and other retailers are striving to follow suit.”
Currently in the UK, and throughout Europe, many bike shops, even at the high-end of the market take a somewhat haphazard approach to the vital task of fitting their clients on their bikes. This risks under-performance, lack of comfort or even injury for the cycling public. This can lead to cyclinglosing valued participants or even worse give a perception that our industry is uncaring or simply lacks professionalism.
“SICI education challenges the approach that cyclists are the sum of their body measurements,” says Paraic McGlynn, SICI's Director of Applied Cycling Science. “SICI upholds and teaches that cyclists have individual flexibility, posture, fitness, injury history and athletic aspirations. Body measurements and anecdotal bike fitting techniques overlook these factors —SICI is changing this outdated approach to fitting with every class offered, in the US and now in Europe".
Course Details and Graduation
The intensive three day CycleFit/SICI Personalised Class curriculum was split between hands-on practical fitting experience in CycleFit's industry-leading Studio One. Class-room sessions that covered subjects as diverse as:
functional anatomy, flexibility, cycling biomechanics, cycling injuries and common complaints, cleat-position, foot-structure, frame geometry and fit, triathlon/TT position and theories of aerodynamics and fit business fundamentals.
All delegates sat and passed a thorough examination on the afternoon of the last day.
The graduates have now returned to their businesses and practices to complete the SICI certification process that requires them to have ten well-documented and photographed fits assessed and passed by Julian and Phil from CycleFit.
Each graduate received a coveted SICI diploma and inclusion on the SICI Certified Fitter listing on the SICI website. Among the delegates was '80's Olympian and Tour De France rider Adrian Timmis , now a full-time coach.
Last word from Serotta's eponymous founder Ben Serotta:
“Teaching a class in the UK completes a long journey back to the root of my passion for building world class bicycles. CycleFit embodies that passion for excellence that Saville Row tailors have made famous worldwide. Phil and Julian carry on that bold spirit of fashioning a one of a kind creation that expresses the aesthetic and cycling desires of the owner".
“Bike fitting is a relatively new phenomenon in the UK ,” commented CycleFit's Julian Wall.