Dream Bike - From Britain

Tiesetrotter

I have been on the long time drool of planning my ultimate bike. Well for me it is always going to be Italian ...... but that got me thinking. Us Brit's are bloody useless at supporting our own country and artisans. I am talking carbon road bike, not artisan here

First I thought I'll stop looking at mail order German and high cost Italian brands, therefore I got to:
Orro
Moda
Ribble
Planet x
Raleigh
Windimilla
sure there is a few more.

So then I thought a project on UK manufactured only ...... and it is quite a difficult task:

Frame - Dassi (Cradock)
Components - Use
Wheels - Use
Saddle - Brooks CAMBIUM C13
Cranks - Middleburn

That's it.

0ced0

http://www.rourke.biz/index.shtml

http://www.royceuk.co.uk/Hubs/
http://www.hopetech.com/

Garry H

There are now loads of uk based frame builders, especially of the high end variety. However, most of the ones you mention, ribble, planet x etc are just re-badged foreign manufactured frames.

Ber Nard

Tiesetrotter wrote:

I have been on the long time drool of planning my ultimate bike. Well for me it is always going to be Italian ...... but that got me thinking. Us Brit's are bloody useless at supporting our own country and artisans. I am talking carbon road bike, not artisan here

First I thought I'll stop looking at mail order German and high cost Italian brands, therefore I got to:
Orro
Moda
Ribble
Planet x
Raleigh
Windimilla
sure there is a few more.

So then I thought a project on UK manufactured only ...... and it is quite a difficult task:

Frame - Dassi (Cradock)
Components - Use
Wheels - Use
Saddle - Brooks CAMBIUM C13
Cranks - Middleburn

That's it.

Sadly an impossible task. I think the best you can do is keep it European. Even the Cambium range of saddles are Italian made.

iPete

Hope Tech

I believe the bulk of their stuff is manufactured and CNC machined at their UK mill.
That covers wheels/hubs/QR, if you go disc then brakes, headset, bottom bracket, seatpost and clamp.

simon_masterson

Track bike would be easiest. Good excuse to go for Royce everything.

ovi

http://dassi.com/

Camcycle1974

Custom built Enigma. Hand built in Eastbourne.

iron-clover

I've been into Windymilla a few times now and always drool over their bikes. If I had more money than sense I would go for a custom painted Massive Attack- they look like formidable bikes to ride!

proto

iron-clover wrote:

I've been into Windymilla a few times now and always drool over their bikes. If I had more money than sense I would go for a custom painted Massive Attack- they look like formidable bikes to ride!

Made in Italy, painted in England, I believe.

ugo.santalucia

The Darwinian natural selection decided that only three makes of drivetrains survived to these days... I am not quite sure why, given there is an equal amount of technology in brakes, yet many more manufacturers.

The result is a cartel: all on 11 speed, all with an electric option, all work more or less in the same way

Probably easiest to build a fully English tandem or touring bike with flat bars, using Sturmy Archer componentry, although you can't go down to the last detail, as no spokes and rims are made in England, I believe, but you can go areasonably long way and with nice results (Hope vented rotor system is the dogs).

rolf_f

ugo.santalucia wrote:

Probably easiest to build a fully English tandem or touring bike with flat bars, using Sturmy Archer componentry,

That would need checking - afaik, Sturmey Archer hubs are not UK made anymore but I could be wrong.

As I see it, with this sort of thing there is a hierarchy of self interest (self interest equalling supporting the local economy so other people don't lose their jobs and so, eventually, I don't lose my job as well); so UK made first, then EU made, then US (possibly) and finally Far Eastern; the same hierarchy for bike assembly and company base.

ugo.santalucia

Rolf F wrote:

ugo.santalucia wrote:

Probably easiest to build a fully English tandem or touring bike with flat bars, using Sturmy Archer componentry,

That would need checking - afaik, Sturmey Archer hubs are not UK made anymore but I could be wrong.

As I see it, with this sort of thing there is a hierarchy of self interest (self interest equalling supporting the local economy so other people don't lose their jobs and so, eventually, I don't lose my job as well); so UK made first, then EU made, then US (possibly) and finally Far Eastern; the same hierarchy for bike assembly and company base.

You are right, made in Taiwan... what a disappointment...

Maybe a single speed elegant commuter with Hope hubs/brakes?

veronese68

Rolf F wrote:

That would need checking - afaik, Sturmey Archer hubs are not UK made anymore but I could be wrong.

Yes, they were bought by a company in the far East as far as I recall. I was looking at compatability with the 3 speed on my wife's bike and the article was saying how quality dropped off in the latter years of UK manufacture, improved when it moved to the East (further than Belgium).
Found it, a Sheldon Brown article.
Edit: In looking for the article Ugo beat me to it.

markyone

Camcycle1974 wrote:

Custom built Enigma. Hand built in Eastbourne.

Agree with this

morstar

I'm keen on the idea of UK manufacture. Generally buying Hope stuff wherever applicable.
I buy plenty of Far East stuff so can't say I'm on a crusade but I figure if you value a diverse economy and you're financially able, you should support domestic businesses (if the product quality and service warrants purchase).