We love getting these emails. Every now and then, someone lets us know they have created a new bike company. Whether the end result is a bike that we’d like to call our own or not (and in this case, we are very tempted), it’s just good to see new options and designs hit the market.
This particular message popped into the GritCX inbox this week, “Hello, I’m Andrew and I’ve been running Spanner Bike for just over a year now.“ His business model is getting riders to commission him to create the custom titanium frame of their dreams. He aims to do this while providing the very best ordering experience and value, acting as a middle man. Andrew is based in the UK and the frames are fabricated by established OEM manufacturers in China.
Andrew’s also got an interesting history in the bike industry, spending some time in the early 90s working as half of Quasar Racing (manufacturers of funky linkage suspension forks several decades before they’ve made a recent resurgence).
Commissions
Spanner’s commissions range from a full custom hardtail to something gravel, adventure or road orientated. Ultimately the final cost will depend on the design but frames start from £1200 including UK delivery. Recent Spanner projects have included a titanium version of a pro triathlete’s time trial frame for training rides, a long, low and slack 29er hardtail and a ‘significant birthday present’ lightweight road machine.
Spanner Bike Inspiration
Spanner got in touch with us because while Andrew doesn’t have standard models as such, he has created some machines for inspiration. He wanted to show off his Project Haute Gravel: the Spanner take on the gravel/adventure/monstercross world. His plan was to create a drop bar off road machine that would give a compliant ride without the need for suspension. It also had to look unique, so Andrew started out with a twin tube theme and then ran with it…
Why Spanner Bike?
Given that there is no reason why you can’t just go and speak to a fabricator directly and get them to make you a frame, why would you use Spanner? As well as the obvious design work that Andrew does, he also will do all the liaison with the builder.
Then there is the worrying about customs and taxes and quality control. Spanner Bike offers full UK support and a lifetime warranty. It’s an approach that we can see being popular – particularly if you are an unusual body shape, or simply must have that 29+ suspension-corrected drop-bar frame…
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That hardtail looks spot on.
Why think you sir – it’s a popular choice, often tweaked into various different styles..
very stooge
Yes! Although surprisingly more by accident than design…
Like the look of that frame.
Clever use of a piece of tube to create the chainstay yoke, and with a segment removed to clear the rear tyre.
I do like to see the welding.