Bespoked - The UK Handmade Bicycle Show is only a few weeks away and we can't wait. We've been looking back at some previous shows and remembering some of the awesome award winning bicycles and builders that have links to The Bicycle Academy. It's really nice to look back and remember that Bespoked always boasts a high level of achievement from former students. We also take pride in the fact that some of the best frame builders in the country trust our tools, we can't wait to see this years exhibitors.
Follow the links in each heading to find out more about each of the builders and their bicycles.
Toad - Geoff's Road Bike picked up a Road.cc choice Road Bike Award. Toby Gallagher studied a Fillet Brazing masterclass here at TBA.
'We build anything as long as it is steel; from tough go-anywhere mountain bikes, to simple and sleek commuter bikes.'
Dear Susan - Cthulu won a The Singletrack Magazine Choice Mountain Bike award. Petor Georgallou has built several bikes in The Bicycle Academy workshop.
'This bike is based on the somehow unsung hero of British off-road cycling, the Cleland, designed by Geoff Apps. i'm really interested in this design as a completely different attitude towards ridingand a completely separate design evolution for an off-road bike to what is now considered the normal mountain bike.'
Ted James Design - 953 CX won a Grit CX Choice Cross/Gravel Bicycle. Ted is a former teacher and friend of The Bicycle Academy. Ted also builds bikes on an Academy Tools frame fixture.
'Ted’s frames are designed with unique ideas and are engineered as much as they are handmade – if he can machine a part for your frame on one of his manual machines, he will.'
Rowan Frameworks - Paul Z's Fast Tourer won a Brooks Choice Award. Timmy Rowan is a former student of The Bicycle Academy and studied a frame building course in 2015.
Photography by Ben Broomfield and Jim Holland