With just over a week before Bespoked 2017, the UK Handmade Bicycle Show, kicks off at Bristol’s Brunel’s Old Station, those involved are feverishly applying the finishing touches to the work they’ll proudly exhibit.
There’ll be plenty of familiar faces and brands represented, but there’ll be a few new ones too, like Verity Nichols and Matthew Stokes of London’s Nichols Frameworks, who’ll be showing off one of their new creations: this mysterious and sophisticated all-roader.
Verity has been working with Caren of Hartley Cycles, first as an apprentice, then as her first member of staff, before launching her own marque of bespoke frames. Like Caren, Verity has a background in Jewellery Design, working specifically with leather.
Verity discovered Caren’s name while studying a leather course and was happily surprised to discover the Hartley workshop was around the corner from her. She ambushed Caren at a talk and convinced her to take her on as an apprentice.
Caren taught her the fundamentals of framebuilding and running a workshop and, a year and a half later, the first Nichols frame was born: this graveleur built for Matthew, who has a great passion for cycling and a healthy appreciation for classic Sci-Fi.
The front triangle is fillet brazed from Reynolds 853 tubes, while the rear is a mix of 853 and 725 stays, with rack and pannier mounts, and fender mounts if required. While it has clearances for knobby 35C tyres, it’ll look just as handsome with smooth road tyres.
Verity selected a Whisky No7 CX fork, which she twinned with a stiff tapered head tube made by Solid BMX “to aid the natural compliance of the carbon fork”, Verity tells us, “and give improved stiffness in cornering.”
Shimano’s robust 105 group was applied, along with Avid BB5 brakes and a handbuilt pair of Hope Pro 4 hubs laced to DT Swiss R-460db rims. Cole Coatings laid down the paint, reminiscent of everything Rebel Alliance, Frank Herbert’s Dune, and Jean Giraud.