Velo City: Bicycle Culture and City Life

Rusby Cycles 953 Road

Rusby Cycles 953 Road

Holdsworth, the esteemed British bicycle manufacturer — founded in 1933, has just relaunched their catalog of Reynolds-tubed frames. Comparing them with today’s road weapon, also built from Reynolds tubes and brazed together by London’s Jake Rusby, reveals just how much the English custom bicycle has grown up.

Which is not to say one is more or less evolved: both are professionally competitive bikes. In fact, the Holdsworth Professional was the choice of the Holdsworth-Campagnolo team who raced them to victory in six British Road Race Championships during the 70s. The Rusby is a handmade steel frame, capable of the same and as fast as any contemporary — designed around a modern group.

Pardon the pun, but Reynolds tubing is the mainstay of the English custom bicycle industry, an age-old tradition that traces back to 1889 when the Reynolds Cycle Technology business was founded. 953 tubing is the flagship set, a maraging steel well known for its light weight, high strength and fickle usability. Jake Rusby, however, obviously has the situation in hand.

Before turning towards a career in framebuilding, Jake Rusby was an accomplished fine art sculptor, which doesn’t come as too much of a surprise. He was given free rein for this frame, opting for a fillet brazed method and a considered paint design that reveals more upon investigation. From all reports, and despite the large size, it’s as fast as it looks.

For more information, contact Jake via his website.

Rusby Cycles 953 Road
Rusby Cycles 953 Road
Rusby Cycles 953 Road
Rusby Cycles 953 Road
Rusby Cycles 953 Road
Rusby Cycles 953 Road
Rusby Cycles 953 Road
Rusby Cycles 953 Road