Race. Ready. Road. That’s what Isen Workshop’s R3 model designation stands for, and it’s an acute definition. There’s no variation on purpose here, the R3 is built to single-mindedly go fast, in a shimmering black and candy-fade blur.
Isen Workshop is the combined forces of Hartley Cycles‘ Caren Hartley and Talbot Frameworks‘ Matt McDonough — two accomplished builders in their own right with vastly different styles, and the bikes they make together are something else entirely.
While the first model from the Isen Workshop was a versatile All-Season Road bike, the new R3 is stripped back to the basics required for rapid and constant acceleration. The All-Season could do everything, but the R3 is most definitely a specialist in speed.
There’re no mudguard mounts, no rack mounts, the rear brake is mounted behind the bottom bracket for clean, fast lines, and the seat mast is a custom rolled carbon tube with an internal seat post and topper.
The prototypes were given to local elite riders who have repeatedly ridden it to the top of podiums at the Crystal Palace Crits, and the 2018 OVO Energy Tour Series with a considerable amount of success.
The stock frame sizes are a TIG-welded mix of Columbus Spirit, Max and Life tubes with a custom carbon seat tube and a handmade seat topper, available in 0mm or 20mm offset. Other lengths are available upon request.
You can choose to run a BSA or T47 threaded BB, and any combination of mechanical 1x/2x drivetrains, Di2/EPS, and wireless groupsets. There’s a 44mm head tube and a Columbus Futura tapered steerer carbon fork up front.
More details are available on the Isen Workshop website, but our favorite is Caren’s hand-cut head badge and the choice of four hand-sprayed fadez — especially this gold/pink/purple combination of Rhubarb & Custard. Delicious.
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