Life In The Saddle

A single speed bike is a beautiful thing: as simplistic and straightforward as they come. Every pedal stroke equates to the same distance travelled; every revolution turning a single chainring and a single cog that moves two wheels forwards. The Steed Bikes Thoroughbred Single Speed bike is one of the most stylish and well-built single-speeds that I have ridden to date. Ian Steed set up Steed Bikes fuelled by a passion for superior design and faultless functionality. He wanted to create a bike that could nip through the city streets every day of the week, while looking and feeling like a premium steed. The Steed Thoroughbred is an affordable but first-class level single speed bike. Based around a steel frame, and with a strong choice of components; it is a real pleasure to ride. The ultimate single speed bike Many single speed bikes you find in the city will be worn-out 'spares bin' bikes, formed of cast offs from other bikes, or bodged together with random parts. The St...

There is a beautiful Zen-like feeling to riding a single speed bicycle. The Quella Varsity Single Speed is a British designed and built single speed / fixed gear bike; perfect for city life or running errands around countryside lanes. My Quella Varisty Cambridge has just clocked over 5000 kilometres — so it seemed timely to write a review of the ride. My first road bike was a steel framed Peugeot, for which I paid £50 to a family friend. I have a great emotional connection to that bike and frame — to the simplicity and retro looks that it has, and the adventures that it has taken me on. Yet, when the bottom bracket seized in its shell and the forks were mangled by a white van man, I decided it was time to look for another classic looking steel frame commuter bike that would uphold the Zen and do the 'Steel is Real' club proud. My search led me to the London based company Quella Bicycle. Their range of urban inspired single speed bikes came to my attention because of thei...

The Neil Pryde Bura SL is made to climb. The super lightweight 750 gram frame delivers that golden balance of being stiff and strong in the fore-triangle and bottom bracket; yet surprisingly forgiving on the rear seatstays, to aid long ride comfort. This season, I have two fairly mammoth climbing challenges: my #EquinoxEversting and the '5 Maratonas Challenge' . Ahead of the first of these, later this month, I wanted to share my current build set-up on the Neil Pryde Bura SL. Bike Specification: Frameset:   Neil Pryde Bura SL (56cm) Bike weight: 7.3kg Wheelset: Mavic R SYS SLR Wheels Groupset: Campagnolo Record (mechanical) Crankset: Rotor 3D24 52-34T Cassette size: Campagnolo Chorus 12-29 Handlebars: Fi'zi:k Cyrano R3 42cm Bar Tape: Lizard Skins DSP 1.8mm Handlebar Tape Stem: Fi'zi:k Cyrano R1 120mm Seatpost: Fi'zi:k Cyrano R3 Saddle: Fi'zi:k Arione VS with K:IUM rails Tyres: Mavic Pedals: Shimano Dura Ace 9000 Bottle Cages...

The Planet X Pro Carbon is my 'wet roads bike'; a.k.a my 'winter bike', or 'training bike'. It has done more miles than most road bikes will do in their lifetime (around 25,000km to date), and it is still going strong. Admittedly, there isn't an original part left on it; except for the rear derailleur, shifters and handlebars; but that is testament to the number of miles that it has been ridden, often in inclement weather. The build is centred around reliability and comfort, as well as an effort to minimise expensive maintenance. As you'll see from the photos below, it's a heavily modified bike; with tweaks, bodges and customisations galore. It also has numerous scars and knocks; alluding to its lifetime of use and abuse. The set-up in terms of geometry, is almost identical to my Eastway Emitter R0 . Because I am doing endurance miles in the winter and summer, it doesn't make sense to have a more relaxed geometry on my winter bike; which w...

My Eastway Emitter R0 is a truly custom build. At the start of 2016, we decided to do something a bit different with Team Wiggle bikes; rather than have identical loan bikes for the year, we would each have a frameset, and be responsible for building it up ourselves. The idea allowed us to choose parts that truly fitted our style of riding, and that were optimal for purpose. My Eastway Emitter is built up for endurance road riding, and has a distinctly Italian theme. The build kit features a Campagnolo Record mechanical groupset; as well as Campagnolo Zonda 2-way Fit wheels, fitted with Hutchinson tubeless road tyres (Read my blog on ' Going Tubeless on Road Tyres '). The finishing kit comes from fi'zi:k; whilst accessories come from LifeLine, Scicon Bags and Bar Fly. It might not be the lightest or most high-tech build, but it is comfortable and reliable. You need good reliable kit when you're riding  200 mile unsupported missions , and travelling abroad for ...