I
had my hand built bike stolen after giving me 10 years dutiful
service round the mean streets of London, that's a long time
in bike years, also I'd recently got some Mavic Ksyrium super
light wheels, and it wasn't insured... I was gutted.
So
it was, with feelings of revenge and loss that I started the
process of looking around for another steel frame builder, when
by chance I came across Justin's site, and pictures of his own
road bike, with those rather nice wheels that I'd just lost
with my machine.
I
rang him up and had a chat about frames and how I was looking
for a replacement road bike for getting about in London, one
that would withstand the rigours of city life and would look
as good, if not better than my stolen machine... he suggested
I come and see his workshop and try his bike out for size...
I wasn't disappointed.
I
was really impressed with his road bike and decided then and
there that I wanted a frame built for me, and after the measuring
process, and a look around his workshop, we got chatting about
group-sets, forks and the other equipment I would need.
Having
never needed to do this myself, he was really helpful with suggestions
of where to get all the stuff I would need, I left there feeling
really positive about my future bike, and less bitter about
losing my old one!
During
the build Justin sent me picture after picture of the build,
as my new frame took shape, documenting the process, which was
really exciting, I was really impatient to pick up the frame
and forks, when it was ready, even though he offered to put
it together at a later date, for a reasonable price, I had no
money and I just wanted to get it home...
When
I did, finally get all the bits together, realising the seat
pin i bought was a really tight fit, I wanted him to open out
the seat tube a bit more so it fitted just right, and I thought
he might as well put most of my group-set on while we were at
it, but what I didn't realise was that he'd broken his foot
and was on crutches, but he said he'd be happy to do it for
me if I fetched him tools and I offered to cook him lunch, what
a guy! I realise this makes me look a bit bad... so I took the
frame and and my group-set and bars and went back to Harwich.
I
did help a bit, but Justin got most of the major parts on the
bike in an afternoon...it was almost done... the cables and
bar tape were finished by a bike shop in London, and it was
complete by the next day... I really love this bike, the frames
finish is just superb (as you can see in the pictures), its
light and really responsive, and it just feels great to be back
on the road.
I
was really happy to do business with Justin, because he finishes
a frame like it was for himself, and when I've taken it into
any bike shop in London, people have asked me where its from...
I just hope I hang on to this one long enough that I don't have
to ask him to make me another one too soon!
Mind
you those titanium frames look rather nice...
Mark
Surrey
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