Frame building may not be an Art per se, but a Hartley Cycles frame sure is nice to look at. Caren Hartley’s previous career as a jewelry designer is made dazzlingly evident by the purple road bike she made for Elle, an ex-pat Aussie now living in London.
Caren’s portfolio of custom bikes is growing by the month and while it may not yet equal that of her jewelry designs — a profession which spanned over ten years — they are equally fine examples of her passion for working with metals.
When she moved from Australia to London, Elle needed a bike that could transport her around the increasingly cycle-friendly city, a bike that she could ride with the club, and then take further afield on more adventurous rides.
Reynolds 853 Pro Team tubing was used for the front triangle, fillet brazed with a bi-laminate seat tube collar. The allure of those longer rides is built into this frame’s DNA, designed around an ENVE Gravel Road Fork, and with provisions for a rear rack.
The rear triangle shines like a wedding ring, exactly the sort of finish a customer could expect from a builder with Caren’s skills. The paint was also deftly designed: metallic purple with highlights are perfectly matched to the cherry red Chris King components.
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Massive thanks to Sebastein Klein for the photography.
