‘Watching it go from a pile of loose tubes to a bike frame never ceases to be magic.’ Meet the maker of the Alfano Froad bike

Check out this impressive first effort at bike building!

This was originally the editorial piece in a Weekly Word Newsletter. When it went out, a few people suggested that it would make a great Forum discussion/reminiscing topic. So here it is for you to read, and then head to the comments to recall the people you’ve taught, or who…

Vee from Sideways makes custom carbon fibre bicycle frames. Mainly road and gravel and ‘single speed fun bikes’, but she also says there’s a ‘hardtail pending’. I spent a few minutes with her at Bespoked Manchester in order to find out a bit more about the path that brought her…

James from Creature Cycles had one of the more eye catching bikes on display at Bespoked Manchester. The pearlescent turquoise paint, the low offset stem, and the organic form of the bike were all likely to grab your attention, but there was plenty more going on once you got into…

Jonathan Thompson from Tomo bikes was at Bespoked Manchester with three very different creations. His Apocalypse build entry was pretty epic, while his mid-tall bike with giant hooter looked as refined as a Victorian penny farthing. And then, as if to prove he can be normal, there was a very…

Kata Rasch was at Bespoked Manchester with her steel brazed hardtail. As a new builder landing in a foreign land and having a whole bunch of people ask you about your frame in a second language, it must have been quite an intimidating experience. I persuaded her to submit to…

Rosa Ter Kuile, who works under the name RTiiiKA, was at Bespoked Manchester with her range of bike inspired art, and drawing bike portraits. I’m in awe of anyone who can draw, and I liked the punk attitude in her creations, so I took a moment to ask her a…