So which hand built bike frame builders were up for our Alpe d’Huez framebuilders Challenge:
Ricky Feather (Feather Cycles)
Among British framebuilders Ricky Feather needs little introduction. Founder of Feather Cycles and based in North Yorkshire Ricky has been building exquisite head turning frames for a number of years. As well as framebuilding he is co-author of Made in England a celebration of British framebuilders, and now racing as part of the Feather Racing race team.
Phil Taylor (Libertine)
Phil quite simply loves bikes, having ridden bicycles all his life it was while commuting by bike that the idea of building bicycles came about and he decided to learn how to make one for himself. Phil founded Simple Cycles from which evolved Libertine. Phil tig welds his bicycles working with complete freedom to ensure that each joint fits the riders bespoke specification.
Phil also set up Bespoked – The UK Handmade Bicycle Show which has become the place to showcase for some of the best framebuilders in the world.
Jake Rusby (Rusby Cycles)
Jake is a sculptor turned bicycle frame builder and officially opened Rusby Cycles for business at the Bespoked Bike Show in 2013. The one man operation means all Rusby frames are hand built by Jake in his London workshop. Each frame is different with its own subtle detailing and each one “an understated, classy aesthic”.
Richard Craddock (Craddock Cycles)
Making the first commercial custom carbon fibre frames in the UK, Craddock operates from its own composites production facility in Worcestershire. Their frames are designed, engineered and fabricated by Richard Craddock, a former international road racer with a depth of experience in design and manufacturing in the bike industry.
Join us next week at More Than 21 Bends as the Alpe d’Huez challenge gets underway