Inspired by the work of Tom Ritchey and the very first production mountain bikes in California, the Stayer Cycles stAyTB project is a collaborative effort with 2nd Life Bikes. The stAyTB project consists of a frame, fork, bullmoose bars, day rack, wheels, headbadge and other bits and bobs all beautifully and somewhat singularly fillet brazed and fashioned in Leytonstone, East London. Let’s check it out.
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Radar
The All-New Brompton G Line: First Ride Review
The G Line is the first Brompton to ride like a full-size bike across multiple types of terrain—from the city to gravel tracks and beyond. And it’s still designed around the folding chassis that made Brompton famous. This line of Brompton features new geometry, 20” wheels fitted with custom-made Schwalbe tires, hydraulic disc brakes, and an internally geared Shimano 8-speed hub.
Petor Georgallou got his hands on a new G Line ahead of today’s launch and, today, offers all the details of the versatile folding bike. Check it out below!
Reportage
Sturdy Cycles Cilla Gravel Bike Review: Living with an X-Wing
What makes you smile while riding a bike? This question, and many more, brought our European correspondent – and big-time Star Wars aficionado – Petor Georgallou to purchase a Sturdy Cycles Cilla gravel bike (£8000) last year that he’s now dubbed an X-Wing. Did this futuristic titanium rebel alliance fighter-of-choice live up to his expectations? Read on to find out…
Radar
Starling Cycles Announces Complete Builds and GIVE IT THE BEANS!
John and Josh love their Mumurs and others here at The Radavist have lauded Starling’s steel single pivots. To help get ya rollin’ on bikes, the UK framebuilders just announced complete bikes. To commemorate these slick builds, Triscombe local Toby Downs takes the Mega Twist on a proper flogging. Check out more info below!
Radar
Wizard Works Forres Full Frame Bag
Wizard Works’ latest release, the Forres Full Frame Bag, was just announced this morning. It’s hard to go past your frame triangle as an ideal place to carry stuff; heavy things don’t alter your bike’s center of gravity, and there’s no need to fuss about with racks. No bottle cages? No worries! Forres is bladder compatible with hydration hose port on the non-drive side.
Radar
Saffron Frameworks Announces the Custom Collection Grāvā
Established in 2012 by framebuilder Matthew Sowter in London, England, Saffron Frameworks just announced the launch of its Custom Collection, offering four fully custom, made-to-measure models, covering road and gravel. Today we’re looking at the Grāvā, the gravel model. Find out more below…
Radar
Have Some Colour With Your Tailfin Bags
Tailfin Graphic Designer Claire Cartwright brought her creative flair to a brand-new custom pack designed especially for her. Originally a personal project, Claire’s unique designs were so eye-catching that the Tailfin team agreed they deserved to be showcased properly.
And who knows, maybe they’ll make it into production one day… Check out Tailfin’s Bristol office and discover how Claire’s vision came to life and why Tailfin couldn’t resist sharing them at the Bespoked Show in Manchester.
Reportage
2024 Bespoked UK Handmade Bicycle Show Part 02: Alfano, Assembly, Atherton, Drust, Medusa, Reilly, 18 Bikes, SON, Wizard Works, and Uber Gallery
With both 2024 Bespoked UK and MADE Australia taking place over the same weekend, we’ve got an action-packed week of event recaps ahead.
First up, Josh is in Manchester, UK, reporting from the historic Victoria Baths with the second group of stunning bikes and products from Alfano, Assembly, Atherton, Olsen Bikes, Medusa, Reilly, Eighteen Bikes, SON, and Wizard Works
Let’s dive right in below!
Reportage
2024 Bespoked UK Handmade Bicycle Show Part 01: BTR Fabrications, Clandestine, Condor, Craft Bikes, Sour, Sturdy, Ted James Design, Hex Components, Tailfin, and Buxumbox
With both 2024 Bespoked UK and MADE Australia taking place over the same weekend, we’ve got an action-packed week of event recaps ahead. First up, Josh is in Manchester, England, reporting from the historic Victoria Baths with the first group of stunning bikes and products from BTR Fabrications, Clandestine, Condor, Craft Bikes, Sour, Sturdy, Ted James Design, Hex Components, Tailfin, and Buxumbox. Let’s dive right in below!
Radar
Starling Cycles Mini Murmur
The mad lads at Starling Cycles in the UK just announced an all-new short travel Murmur cleverly dubbed the Mini Murmur. This new chassis is a 120mm rear-travel Trail/XC/Down Country/do-whatever bike that’s really fun and fast. Let’s check it out.
Radar
Tickets are On Sale For Bespoke Film Night and a Sneak Peek at The Radavist’s New Documentary!
At BESPOKED 13 (and in just over two weeks’ time!) the custom bicycle showcase be hosting its first cycling film night with the support of @condorcycles on Saturday, June 29th, from 18:00 to 22:00. You can catch a sneak peek at our new Radavist documentary there!
Radar
Starling Cycles Relaunches and Redefines Its Framesets
Framesets are Starling Cycles’ frame-only collection. They’re the roots of what the UK makers create as a custom, handmade framebuilder and the best-selling side of its business. Sure, they offer custom builds, too, but the framesets keep the lights on at Starling, so to speak.
This caused a moment of pause with how they market these bikes. The frameset relaunch’s intent is to create a clear and concise purpose for each frameset, let’s check out where they landed…
Radar
Recovery: India Landy
In this short film, Fairlight team rider India Landy talks about how ultra-distance cycling helped her to heal and recover. Beautifully honest and insightful and highlights, how on some level, cycling is medicine for all of us; mindfulness, routine, ups and downs, highs and lows, escapism.
Radar
The Cotic FlareMAX Gen5 John Reviewed is For Sale
John here. You can buy the FlareMAX I reviewed from Cotic if you ride a C5. The price is more than reasonable for a made in the UK chassis with XT. Both Cy and myself feel it’s better that it stays in the States now, as shipping it back to the UK doesn’t make sense and is expensive.
If you’re interested, contact me at The Rad Bazaar listing and I’ll connect you to Cotic. I’ll include the Wolf Tooth B-Rad but am keeping the bottle cage! I cleaned it up real nice and it’s boxed and ready to roll.
I really really love this bike, and if money wasn’t so tight right now, I’d buy it.
Radar
Restrap Solstice Century 2024
Restrap is inviting its followers in a worldwide effort to make the most out of the long days coming from June 17th through the 23rd with its Solstice Century. The challenge is to ride 100 miles on any bike and any terrain over that time, giving you a full week to complete the century.
You can register at Restrap where you’ll be provided with a link to upload your route in order to receive your Solstice Century 2024 patch!
Radar
Starling Cycles Tackles Pedal Kickback
Is mountain bike pedal kickback a load of rubbish…? Good question. It’s a hot topic in mountain biking, and everyone is obsessed with the idea that our feet are getting blown off the pedals. A lot of bike media will tell you that single pivot bikes are THE WORST for pedal kickback. But is it actually true? Or is pedal kickback something people are worrying about for nothing? Joe from Starling Cycles tackles it all in this informative video.
Reportage
Singular Cycles Swift MK5 Review: 29+ Ain’t Dead
Initially released in the mid-aughts, the Singular Cycles Swift was one of the first bikes to embrace 29-inch wheels, which, as we now know, became a highly popular size during the proceeding decades. Still, nearly twenty years later, the Swift endures. The frameset has undergone multiple updates over the years, with the most recent incarnation featuring elements true to its roots, like thin steel frame tubing, eccentric bottom bracket, thicc tire clearance, and reasonable pricing. Yet the MK5 version, launched in late 2023, finally gets internal dropper routing, tapered headtube, boost spacing, and thru axles.
When Josh swung through Portland, Oregon, earlier this year, he picked up a Swift test frameset from US distributor Biciclista and outfitted it with choice parts from generous partners like Ingrid, Chris King, and Paul. A longtime fan of plus tire bikes, Josh reviews the Swift after a few months of riding on his home trails in southern Arizona. Is this 29+ suspension-corrected rigid bike still relevant in 2024? Read on to find out…
Radar
Wizard Works and Get Mild Matty Lil Presto Barrel Bags
London-based bag maker Wizard Works have teamed up with York-based maker-of-things Matty Waudby (Get Mild Matty) for the brand’s fourth collaboration; a limited run of hand-embroidered bags celebrating the lazy days of summer…