Igleheart Custom at the Bespoked handbuilt bike show in the UK. © Ben Broomfield
North America isn’t the only place with a handbuilt bike show, and this week, the UK proved that with Bespoked.
An international line-up featuring many of the greatest artisan bicycle builders in the world gathered together under one exceptional roof as Bespoked. The Bespoked UK Handmade Bicycle Show made a fine London debut at the Lee Valley Velopark last month, with an impressive attendance of 6,500 people.
This year’s event has firmly established Bespoked as the largest gathering of handmade bicycle skill and passion outside of North America. Over 120 exhibitors from as far afield as the USA, Australia and Taiwan gathered together in this iconic cycling venue, all sharing a simple yet singular mission: to create the bicycle of your dreams.
Darren Baum from Australia, Chris King and Jay Cycip from the USA, Italian legends Tommasini, Daccordi, Faggin, De Rosa, Pegoretti and Zullo and more joined a flourishing array of British handmade bicycle makers. Esteemed names like Briain Rourke, Roberts, Condor and Swallow mingled with young talent like Feather, Rusby, Oak, Saffron, and new builders to create a thriving, accessible, unique event.
Award winners included Saffron Frameworks, Best in Show for a fully stainless steel road bike; while Swarf Cycles, hailing from Dorset with full suspension mountain bikes won Best New Framebuilder. Check out all of the winners here:
The sheer diversity of bicycles on show surpassed all previous years, with road, track, mountain, cyclocross, commuter, cargo, recumbent, touring and randonneur bikes all being well represented (with the odd unicycle and penny farthing bicycle for good measure) in wood, bamboo, carbon, titanium and stainless steel. Veloboo design exhibited a €38,000 bamboo bike with 24-carat gold plating, Moulton launched a folding track bike with a spin around the Olympic track, and teenagers from Shropshire arrived with bikes they had built themselves in Design and Technology lessons—an innovative project that won Andrew Jones from Moss Bikes the Spirit of Cycling Award.
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2014 Award Winners
- Saffron Frameworks- Best in Show Supported by Reynolds
- Baum – Best Road Bicycle – Supported by Columbus
- Titchmarch Cycles – Best Off Road Bicycle – Supported by Middleburn
- Sven Cycles – Best Touring/randonneur – Supported by Reynolds
- Winter Bicycles – Best Track Bicycle – Supported by Columbus
- Swarf Cycles – Best New Framebuilder – Supported by Brooks
- Donhou Bicycles Best Utility Bicycle – Supported by Brooks
- Talbot Frameworks – The Steve Worland Innovation Award – Supported by Hope Technology
- Moss Bikes – Spirit of Cycling – Supported by Brooks
- Woodelo – Best Alternative (non steel) Material
- Woodelo – Public Vote – Supported by Vulpine
