The UK Handmade Bicycle Show, Bespoked Bristol, is being held this weekend. Another positive indicator that interest in cycling, and especially the boutique bicycle market, is generally increasing, the second show is proving to be even bigger than the inaugural event in 2011. Argos Cycles‘s a Bristol local who will be proudly presented, has been serving the region and the UK for over 35 years.
Argos Cycles was established by Arthur Needham in 1974 specifically to produce custom bicycle frames. They began exporting to the USA and gained a strong reputation among local pro riders for the quality of their builds, constructed primarily from Reynolds tubes. Renovations, resprays and repairs also kept the business buoyant over the turbulent 80s, becoming a mainstay of the business. Argos Cycles were also well represented among the time trial community, which was a very popular style of local cycling. Here is an example from that era and genre, photographed by Andy Matthews, store manager of Cycle EXIF’s primary sponsor, Tokyo Fixed. It’s definitely in a ‘how you find them’ condition, but the potential for a sympathetic restoration is enormous.
Tokyo Fixed will have also have a stand at Bespoked Bristol, along with Argos Cycles. If you have any opportunity, please check out the show and tell me how it went. For more information, have a look at the Bespoked Bristol website.
