Chris Bishop is a deft hand at creating frames that are deceptively simple until, upon closer inspection, wondrous details are revealed that demonstrate his superb technical skill and passion for creating beautiful bicycles.
This frame fulfills an order from Leigh, a friend of Chris’s who resides in England. This will be her second Bishop Bike, the first being a road frame Chris built for her a few years back. The brief was to create a classic ‘British’ looking track frame that summarized style cues from the golden era of Imperial racing such as clean, subtle details and nicely thinned lugs. Chris incorporated side-tack stays into the design and assembled the tubes with a traditional set of Llewellyn lugs and fork crown. Leigh had spotted the heart-shaped windows on another pair of forks in Chris’s work shop on a previous visit so they were also included. Bryan Myers at Fresh Frame completed the fabulous paint work, emphasizing the panels with contrasting earthy hues and hairline-fine gold pinstriping. Vintage Gipiemme cranks will provide the drive without detracting from the classic aesthetic. There’s no doubt this Bishop will feel right at home riding around the United Kingdom.
Special thanks to John Fabrizio for the photography. You can see more of his work, and Chris’s, on the Bishop Bikes flickr stream.
