So I'm in the market for a Ti or Reynolds 953 frame

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midlife

Guru
I have heard of his frames, but not a great deal of activity about him on the 'tinternet that I can find anyhow?


I'd have mine made by Kevin Sayles at Woodrup if steel and not Ti.......................that's one of his bottom bracket cutouts in my avatar :smile:

Shaun
 

vickster

Legendary Member
P clips ;)

It's the only Ti frame I've seen to make me part with my cash. Couldn't justify it at full price

I keep an eye on fleabay just in case...
 
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AlanW

AlanW

Guru
Location
Not to sure?
I'm In the early stages of looking at something similar to what you describe and called into Condor Cycles in London a couple of weeks ago. I was very impressed with their staff, they were happy to talk to me at length and offered a test ride there and then. Not sure where they build their frames though?

I had a good chat with the guy from Condor at the show and was also very impressed with both his knowledge and the bikes that were on show. The only issue for me is the time spent travelling to and from Condor from home for the bike fit, if they were more local to me they would be on my short list or prehaps I'm just making excuses?
 

vickster

Legendary Member
I had a good chat with the guy from Condor at the show and was also very impressed with both his knowledge and the bikes that were on show. The only issue for me is the time spent travelling to and from Condor from home for the bike fit, if they were more local to me they would be on my short list or prehaps I'm just making excuses?
They are in central London, pretty accessible really :smile:. Where are you based? They also sell through other shops, there's one in York IIRC
 

vickster

Legendary Member
So Birmingham way? Euston is not far at all from Condor, Marylebone not too hard either on the tube :smile: I'd say it's more accessible than Enigma in Sussex

I'm guessing these bespoke manufacturers are dotted around the country
 

simon.r

Person
Location
Nottingham
I'm guessing these bespoke manufacturers are dotted around the country

Spending around £2k on a frameset should be an enjoyable experience and not a rushed decision. If that involves a few days out (generally combined with doing other things) then so be it. I'm in no rush and was in London for reasons not connected with bicycles when I took the opportunity to call into Condor. I dare say that over the next few months I'll find a reason / excuse to be elsewhere in the country where there happen to be frame builders I want to talk to :whistle:
 

srw

It's a bit more complicated than that...
For the record, Enigma seem to make some of their bespoke frames in the UK and some in the Far East - I think their website is pretty open about which is which. But one thing that struck me on our visit was their attention to detail and very high quality standards. Describing their foreign maker as a "sweatshop" seems a little unfair - welding titanium is a technologically challenging job, and creating the precise bike that their designer specifies a highly skilled artisanal job.
 
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AlanW

AlanW

Guru
Location
Not to sure?
Describing their foreign maker as a "sweatshop" seems a little unfair

To be fair, I wasn't implying or singling out that the Engima frames made overseas were made in "sweat shop", my comment was more of a sweeping generalising statement.

But why do they need to be made overseas, when we have the skill set in the UK?
 

srw

It's a bit more complicated than that...
To be fair, I wasn't implying or singling out that the Engima frames made overseas were made in "sweat shop", my comment was more of a sweeping generalising statement.

But why do they need to be made overseas, when we have the skill set in the UK?
Cost. If you can pay the craftsperson £2 an hour in Asia rather than £10 an hour in the UK it makes sense.
 

vickster

Legendary Member
Cheaper. Condor are stopping their Ti frame as has got too costly for a niche product . They are experimenting with lighter steels apparently
 
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