Unless you’ve been tramping or have agricultural or equine experience, there’s a good chance you won’t have come across a bridle path. England and Wales have an extensive network of bridleways that are legally protected right of ways, as the horse has been an integral mode of transportation for centuries — but they virtually disappeared in urban centers. One of the most recent custom frames to emerge from the workshop of Tom Donhou was designed with bridle path riding in mind.
‘Gravel Grinder’ is an overused term these days, and it’s almost too simplistic for a bike that is designed to be a commuter, tourer and ‘bridle way’ rider’. The geometry is based around acceptance of the 700×33.3 Jack Brown tires with a Wound Up carbon fork up front. The rear triangle is built from Reynolds 931 with an 853 front end, built up with Sram Red WiFli drivetrain and Avid’s BB7 SL disc brakes. The paint will make you look twice, fading from a deep red to a dark plum.
See more of George Marshall’s photos on the Donhou Bicycles website.
