Best hand-built road frame

[Nicensleazy]

With so many good road frames on the market now, what do you think is the best hand-made road frame out there? Taking into consideration workmanship, paintwork, design and overall finish etc.

 

[wafflycat]

Recent experience of having a frameset refurbished at Mercian, I no longer hanker after a custom-made Mercian.

 

[mr-marty-martin]

well kevin winter frames look the bee's knee's...


there's one of his carbon tt frames in my lbs and the paint work on it is unreal...

 

[Nicensleazy]

well kevin winter frames look the bee's knee's...


there's one of his carbon tt frames in my lbs and the paint work on it is unreal...

Got to say, they look very nice. Is he easy to contact?

 

[mr-marty-martin]

you have to give him a ring i think, if you tyoe his name in google his number should be somewhere

 

[vernon]

With so many good road frames on the market now, what do you think is the best hand-made road frame out there? Taking into consideration workmanship, paintwork, design and overall finish etc.

I'm very pleased with my Dave Yates frame.

 

[BAGBOG]

With so many good road frames on the market now, what do you think is the best hand-made road frame out there? Taking into consideration workmanship, paintwork, design and overall finish etc.

In my opinion it is almost impossible to beat Chas Roberts.

My wife and I have had 4 between us and they have been fantastic. Great looking bikes well built and finished.

Four PBP is the proof and they are as good as the day built them.

I am new to the forum but will submit a photo when I discover how.

 

[GrahamG]

I think it's safe to say that Chas Roberts, Dave Yates, Mercian etc. are well regarded. I'd mention Paul Hewitt too as I have one of his custom frames (can't remember the name of his frame builder but it's a good quality frame).

Following a look through his website, I really like the look of Villiers Velo (Paul Villiers) - doesn't seem to be wedded to traditional frame designs (like Mercian) and the prices really are unbelievable, possibly that low until he's established more of a reputation?

 

[Landslide]

Robin Mather's developed such a good reputation that he's stopped taking orders (or he just fancies a rest).

 

[asterix]

In my opinion it is almost impossible to beat Chas Roberts.

My wife and I have had 4 between us and they have been fantastic. Great looking bikes well built and finished.

Four PBP is the proof and they are as good as the day built them.

I am new to the forum but will submit a photo when I discover how.

Agreed. My audax bike from them is brilliant.

Re posting photos - I use a free account on photobucket to upload then cut and paste the link they show beneath the picture into the 'insert image' facility provided in this 'reply to thread' box.

Can't find a pic of the Roberts right now, but as an example here is my brand new off-the-peg Ellis Briggs..

Very nicely put together but haven't been on a ride of any duration yet.

 

[GrahamG]

Robin Mather's developed such a good reputation that he's stopped taking orders (or he just fancies a rest).

I did make enquiries (which were never answered - although I was tyre kicking a bit), but then discovered his waiting list was at 12-18 months so when I went for a bike fitting at Hewitt's and discovered that I could have a frame in just over 2 months I soon abandoned ideas of going elsewhere.

 

[jimboalee]

Friend at Venom, years ago, and LA Cycles in Coventry said "Don't bother with a hand-built if an off-the-peg is the right fit".

"We get lots of people coming in wanting a hand-built when they would be just as satisfied with a 74/74 stock frame".

 

[Randochap]

Here's a few that fell out of my bookmarks:

http://www.cycles-alex-singer.fr/index.php

http://www.cyclesgrandbois.com/

http://www.bobjacksoncycles.co.uk/default.php

http://www.marinoni.qc.ca/

http://www.bilenky.com/Home.html

http://www.rivbike.com/

http://www.pereiracycles.com/

http://www.rebolledocycles.com/index.php

http://rexcycles.com/

http://www.merciancycles.com/index.asp

http://www.robertscycles.com/

http://www.davidsonbicycles.com/

http://vanillabicycles.com/

http://waterfordbikes.com/

http://www.ifbikes.com/

http://www.jonnycycles.com/index.php

 

[amrushton]

Are we talking UK or World? if the latter, then Richard Sachs or Sacha White have to be up there. Any of the builders Rapha used for their 'Continental' bikes would be good. Serotta are prob.it for me (we currently own 3 here). Their paintwork is superb (play with their paint programme on their w/site) and quality of bike outstanding. Then there is Waterford and IF,Guru,Pegoretti,Parlee and the Calfree bamboo bike plus others I've forgotten about. Funds and space allowing, i would love to commission a bike from each and all of these artisans

So what is the best bicycle in the world? It’s the bike that makes you want to ride more, the one that makes you a better cyclist, the one that speaks to you when you are in another inane, insane, redundant meeting, the one that you’ll still be riding fast ten (or twenty) years from now, the one that delivers the opportunity for you to achieve your personal best…performance you can count on! The bike that understands, no defines WHY YOU RIDE.

This last paragraph are the words of Ben Serotta (owner/magician of Serotta Cycles)

 

[Randochap]

Yep. Serotta good.

Sachs stopped taking orders for new clients last August.