On a mission to procure some of my favourite (and harder to find) organic cola, I happened upon this Holdsworth, which shows all the hallmarks of being from the same era as mine. Unable to contain my excitement I began taking a few select shots-albeit rather quickly so as not to attract unwelcome attention. It looks to be another Zephyr frameset complete with original, lived in livery and a hotchpotch of classic and modern parts suggesting it’s a much loved working bike and all the more beautiful for it. 
“Ninja Blue” is back in business courtesy of a new tube and compatible lock ring so we’ve been taking to the balmy spring roads-typically very early in the morning when the world and his wife are firmly tucked up in bed. Too stretched on the otherwise lovely aero bars, I’ve taken the decision to dial the reach in a bit. Cutting the protruding sections gives a sharper look to the cockpit while shaving a few grams into the bargain.
There’s a quaint English saying regarding busses-none for ages and then two come along at once. The same seems true of aero bars. Enter these Cinelli Sub 8 minis. As the name suggests they’re scaled down tri bars that look for all the world as if they’ve been shrunk in some 50’s mad scientist’s cartoon toy. However, for smaller riders and those like myself with proportionally shorter torsos they’re surprisingly comfortable. Objectively it’s disappointing to find an otherwise high end component is only compatible with standard diameter road bars (and fairly conservative designs at that) given oversized is increasingly the norm. 
Positioning them the optimum 150mm apart proved nigh on impossible thanks partially to the contours of the Salsa Bell-Lap that command the Teenage Dream and my own deceptively broad shoulder width. These factors demanded 180mm spacing, abandoning the polymer bridge in favour of traditional end plugs. As you’d expect at this end of the market, with comparable bars they contribute to a phenomenally rigid, dependable cockpit and the sandblasted finish provides adequate grip without recourse to tape-although this might be an option should the race day battle scars become too apparent. 
Another dandy piece of kit is this Altura bag. It affixes to the seat post courtesy of the legendary Rixen Kaul quick release bracket and swallows up to six litres and three kilos of stuff without flinching. The clever powder coated aluminium base keeps things rigid and means your minimalist road/track mount still handles as cleanly as it looks. Spare brackets mean it swaps between bikes in seconds but those of us nearer ninety kilos would be well advised to think twice about hauling anything close to the maximum payload. Although the stainless steel band is very nicely finished, put a slither of inner tube between bracket and post regardless-especially on carbon models.
Some of us run a fixed, often conversions as beasts of burden/hacks/working bikes whichever parlance you prefer and most of us will have encountered the anti bike contingent-they’re lurking around most office buildings and in my experience, there’s at least one in every firm. Regular readers will know I’ve no shame in looking like a refugee from the tour de France but my cycling wardrobe reflects a wider spectrum from the retro to the restrained and cycling kit that’s also wearable around town, for meeting clients, the bank manager or indeed friends after work without raising eyebrows or encouraging suspicious stares is worth it’s weight in gold.
The same applies to luggage. Most of the time, my waterproof expedition or smaller commuting panniers do just fine. However, sometimes you need something incognito for just the scenarios I’ve set here and in the main, this handy bike briefcase does just that. Again, those clever folk at Riken Kaul provide the fittings, angled in such a way as to give ample heel clearance.
There’s a clever zip-flap concealing these off the bike too, which is a real bonus but I had some initial reservations fearing it might interfere with the spokes given it doesn’t completely detach. In practice this isn’t a problem and adds to the appeal. Elsewhere we've a removable padded 17 inch laptop insert, internal drawstring to keep everything bone dry in a downpour (although nothing’s 100% waterproof and I’m still of the opinion that laptops are better carried in messenger bags simply because they’re unaffected by vibration, poor roads and the general hurdy gurdy of urban riding). 
We’re nearing election time here in the UK and politicians of various ideological colours are trying to capture our imaginations and ultimately our votes. None particularly inspire me it has to be said but raised with a very strong belief that voting is something of a right and equally an obligation, I will exercise this democratic right come May 8th. None of the main parties have any particularly constructive or inspirational cycling policies and some of the more lunatic fringe make my blood collegiate. One such group (who shall remain nameless) are insisting cyclists would have to dismount at roundabouts and junctions by law.
Demonstrating an elephantine ignorance of the taxation system, they’ve made the assertion that cars have greater rights to the highway as their drivers pay for the upkeep through “road tax”. Hmmm. Winston Churchill abolished road tax in 1936 with expansion, repair and moreover upkeep of our highways and byways through direct taxation so car ownership is a red herring, an urban myth. Car excise duty is a completely separate tax and does not (much as some are happy to retain this confusion) contribute to the infrastructures' well-being.
Now what better thing to be seen on than this 15lb titanium Burls? (Aside from a sub 15lb titanium Burls fixed of course.) The eagle eyed amongst you will not a semi sloping Colnago esque top-tube, aero down tube and the prevalence of KCNC components but being bespoke, you can have pretty much anything your little heart desires. Smitten? Get in touch with Justin (Justin@burls.com)
“Ninja Blue” is back in business courtesy of a new tube and compatible lock ring so we’ve been taking to the balmy spring roads-typically very early in the morning when the world and his wife are firmly tucked up in bed. Too stretched on the otherwise lovely aero bars, I’ve taken the decision to dial the reach in a bit. Cutting the protruding sections gives a sharper look to the cockpit while shaving a few grams into the bargain. There’s a quaint English saying regarding busses-none for ages and then two come along at once. The same seems true of aero bars. Enter these Cinelli Sub 8 minis. As the name suggests they’re scaled down tri bars that look for all the world as if they’ve been shrunk in some 50’s mad scientist’s cartoon toy. However, for smaller riders and those like myself with proportionally shorter torsos they’re surprisingly comfortable. Objectively it’s disappointing to find an otherwise high end component is only compatible with standard diameter road bars (and fairly conservative designs at that) given oversized is increasingly the norm. Positioning them the optimum 150mm apart proved nigh on impossible thanks partially to the contours of the Salsa Bell-Lap that command the Teenage Dream and my own deceptively broad shoulder width. These factors demanded 180mm spacing, abandoning the polymer bridge in favour of traditional end plugs. As you’d expect at this end of the market, with comparable bars they contribute to a phenomenally rigid, dependable cockpit and the sandblasted finish provides adequate grip without recourse to tape-although this might be an option should the race day battle scars become too apparent. Another dandy piece of kit is this Altura bag. It affixes to the seat post courtesy of the legendary Rixen Kaul quick release bracket and swallows up to six litres and three kilos of stuff without flinching. The clever powder coated aluminium base keeps things rigid and means your minimalist road/track mount still handles as cleanly as it looks. Spare brackets mean it swaps between bikes in seconds but those of us nearer ninety kilos would be well advised to think twice about hauling anything close to the maximum payload. Although the stainless steel band is very nicely finished, put a slither of inner tube between bracket and post regardless-especially on carbon models. Some of us run a fixed, often conversions as beasts of burden/hacks/working bikes whichever parlance you prefer and most of us will have encountered the anti bike contingent-they’re lurking around most office buildings and in my experience, there’s at least one in every firm. Regular readers will know I’ve no shame in looking like a refugee from the tour de France but my cycling wardrobe reflects a wider spectrum from the retro to the restrained and cycling kit that’s also wearable around town, for meeting clients, the bank manager or indeed friends after work without raising eyebrows or encouraging suspicious stares is worth it’s weight in gold.The same applies to luggage. Most of the time, my waterproof expedition or smaller commuting panniers do just fine. However, sometimes you need something incognito for just the scenarios I’ve set here and in the main, this handy bike briefcase does just that. Again, those clever folk at Riken Kaul provide the fittings, angled in such a way as to give ample heel clearance.
There’s a clever zip-flap concealing these off the bike too, which is a real bonus but I had some initial reservations fearing it might interfere with the spokes given it doesn’t completely detach. In practice this isn’t a problem and adds to the appeal. Elsewhere we've a removable padded 17 inch laptop insert, internal drawstring to keep everything bone dry in a downpour (although nothing’s 100% waterproof and I’m still of the opinion that laptops are better carried in messenger bags simply because they’re unaffected by vibration, poor roads and the general hurdy gurdy of urban riding). We’re nearing election time here in the UK and politicians of various ideological colours are trying to capture our imaginations and ultimately our votes. None particularly inspire me it has to be said but raised with a very strong belief that voting is something of a right and equally an obligation, I will exercise this democratic right come May 8th. None of the main parties have any particularly constructive or inspirational cycling policies and some of the more lunatic fringe make my blood collegiate. One such group (who shall remain nameless) are insisting cyclists would have to dismount at roundabouts and junctions by law.Demonstrating an elephantine ignorance of the taxation system, they’ve made the assertion that cars have greater rights to the highway as their drivers pay for the upkeep through “road tax”. Hmmm. Winston Churchill abolished road tax in 1936 with expansion, repair and moreover upkeep of our highways and byways through direct taxation so car ownership is a red herring, an urban myth. Car excise duty is a completely separate tax and does not (much as some are happy to retain this confusion) contribute to the infrastructures' well-being.
Now what better thing to be seen on than this 15lb titanium Burls? (Aside from a sub 15lb titanium Burls fixed of course.) The eagle eyed amongst you will not a semi sloping Colnago esque top-tube, aero down tube and the prevalence of KCNC components but being bespoke, you can have pretty much anything your little heart desires. Smitten? Get in touch with Justin (Justin@burls.com) 
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