Bespoked – London – Page 2 – Bike Forum – Singletrack World Magazine Forum

bikebouy · 2014-04-12T19:29:11Z

Well I know some of you are a bit sniffy at this show coming to London. However put your hankies down for just a second. It was bloody good. I have been surprised more times today than in the last 6mths. Some stunning bikes, but more importantly, some amazing attitudes towards bikes and building bikes. Lets not be overly angsty about the location, if you can get there to Lee Valley CP then I can highly recommend making the effort. You may all think it would be full of fixie fakes and wobbly looking right leg jean folding, but it isn't. Some very serious craftsmen adorn the velodrome. Favorites like Condor are there, but hey blokes who've just started out on the fillet brazed eyebrow singeing triangles. I have two favourites, well to be truthful I have about 7, but 2 really stuck out, Sparrow Cycles form Liverpool. You have to see the etched Sparrows in the tubes and antique finish this guy achieved on a sublime elegant work of art. Then there was the Mawis uber Southern German handcrafted piece of art. He'd managed to combine a simplistic view with ingenious front twist grip disk brake. But there are so many exceptional bikes, passionate craftsmen and enough to keep the most disinterest, interested. For a first time in London, I think it's a massive hit. There were so many folks bumbling and meandering ooohing and aaaahing that I truly hope all that made the effort to show their craft have a successful show. And don't worry sniffy Bristolians, it's returning back there next year (so I was informed) As for the velodrome, it's really rather good, come see what your taxes paid for.

simonbowns

Posts: 0

Free Member

totally agree - having riders on track for most of the day was superb, even better seeing kids riding! Impressive that it seemed to be clubs training, rather than 1 off beginner sessions.

Posted : 14/04/2014 8:23 pm

bikebouy

Posts: 0

Full Member

Topic starter

This is a pic of the Sparrow, etched steel frame, salt eroded then antiqued... Impressive.

This Pic has been nabbed off the LFGForum so it maybe blocked soon, who knows... 😕

[img] [/img]

Posted : 14/04/2014 8:26 pm

drlex

Posts: 2423

Free Member

I'm still chuckling over the bamboo & carbon Chopper homage with disks and eAlfine stick shift.
Don't know whether it's "because we can" or the answer to "what would Nathan Barley ride this year"?
[img] [/img]

Posted : 14/04/2014 8:38 pm

nedrapier

Posts: 12529

Full Member

rather nice set of photos from a Mr Ian Barrington wot he posted on the twitter:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/15512491@N08/sets/72157643815428375/

There's a lot of detail I missed!

Posted : 15/04/2014 4:50 pm

corroded

Posts: 2628

Free Member

That Sparrow was the bike I'd have gone home with, given the choice!

Posted : 15/04/2014 6:13 pm

bencooper

Posts: 0

Free Member

I built the forks for that chopper - he phoned up in a panic, wanting them in a hurry. I didn't really understand what they were for 😉

Posted : 15/04/2014 8:00 pm

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