Once upon a time pretty much everything was painstakingly made by hand until the Industrial Revolution and the rise of mass production. Economies of scale meant that manufacturing vast quantities of identical goods was good for the pockets of both the producer and the consumer. But there still remain a few outposts where individualization and quality are possible, such as tailored clothing. Of course, we have to include bicycles in the short list because this simple machine, as shown in “Handcrafted Bicycles,” a beautiful new book, offers builders a remarkably adaptive canvas on which to exercise their creativity.
Australia-based authors Christine Elliott and David Jablonka have been down this road before as in 2009 we reviewed their book “Custom Bicycles: A Passionate Pursuit” here and this new book follows a similar format. The authors contacted a considerable number of framebuilders around the world and the final selection presents the reader with 32 of them, from 13 different countries. Stefan Sueess, a contributor from Zurich, comments “Before I built my first frame, design wasn’t a big concern because everything has been invented already. A bicycle is simply two frame triangles joined together.” Well, maybe so but this could just be Swiss reductionism at work as leafing through the pages of “Handcrafted Bicycles” there is impressive variety on display. The people profiled here are not just whaling away at chunks of metal but are a diverse group coming to the business in some surprising ways.
The working method that the authors have appeared to use is in contacting the builders with a list of specific questions that would include their background, how they got into making bicycles, their favourite tools and their interests outside of the shop, along with supplying appropriate photographs of their work. There are some builders who have made a second appearance, having featured in the 2009 book, including Darren Baum from Australia, American counterparts Stephen Bilenky, Craig Calfee and Richard Sachs, and Canada’s own Sam Whittingham of Naked Bicycles. (Incidentally, while there is no reference this in the Naked chapter, Whittingham has held numerous human-powered speed records, including covering over 90 kms in an hour, as well as reaching a speed of 132 km/h, a velocity not surpassed for 13 years). From that first book, Guru Bikes in Montreal is gone, and Bruce Gordon and Dario Pegoretti are no longer with us, although the latter’s shop is featured in “Handcrafted Bicycles” as it is run by his successors.
Alphabetically arranged, the format of the book and how the material was sourced means that each chapter is unique as each builder expresses him- or herself in their own way and have selected different photographs to illustrate their building philosophy. We are now used to mass production of carbon frames in Asia, which is labour-intensive to be sure but lacks the intense personal imprint of the featured framebuilders here. There is a reason that 17 of these companies are named for the individual who founded it and, in many cases, remain the primary employee. Even the biggest operation does not seem to exceed a dozen personnel which is impressive when you consider that the variety of materials used is so diverse—steel, carbon, bamboo, ash, and titanium.
It is interesting to me that ti is so favoured as it is a difficult (and expensive) material to work with but offers advantages, including longevity. And this is a theme that resonates in the book: these are not disposable items but carefully constructed and probably built to outlast the owner. They are not antique throwbacks to the quaint days of bicycle construction (after all, Raleigh or Schwinn, for example, were as much focused on mass production back in the day as Taiwanese giants like Merida and, well, Giant, are today). These bikes can feature modern components such as disc brakes, theadless headsets and electronic shifting, as desired by the customer. However, with these small production runs there is a definite trend towards taking advantage of 3-D printing to produce components. My favourite example in the book has to be the VRZ track bike, the world’s first bicycle to be made using 3-D-printed lugs. This bike came from another lone craftsman, industrial designer Ralf Holleis, operating as Huhn Cycles. (“Huhn” being the German word for “chicken!”). Holleis writes: “This fusion of the traditional and contemporary not only defines my workspace but also reflects the essence of my craft—a harmonious blend of time-honoured techniques and cutting-edge innovation.”
The cover image of the book shows a fine picture of a Richard Sachs bicycle and the chapter about Sachs is one of the best in the book. Perhaps he might be considered custom framebuilding’s own Philosopher-King and is certainly the only builder who comes to mind having entered the field via creative writing! As is related, a course he wanted to enter was fully subscribed so he turned his efforts elsewhere, becoming an apprentice at what he has described as a “Dickensian” shop in England. He continues to write, happily, but it is his truly painstaking approach to frame construction, to the extent of designing his own lugs, that is so noteworthy. A Sachs frame just looks so right, everything in proportion when you closely examine the details.
Of course, the build quality is the first thing that is apparent in all these examples. None of them are inexpensive, obviously, but are truly beautiful objects. Two of my favourites in the book have to be the Cycles Alex Singer chromed frame, and the frame, with its stainless steel seat stays, that won David Wages of Ellis Cycles the “Best Lugged Frame” award at the 2009 NAHBS show.
Through the course of the book we are reminded that these little shops are capable of stunning finishes, whether in chrome, paint or even anodized titanium. While Canyon, Trek and Pinarello make a big show of custom finishes, this has been a long-standing feature of handcrafted bicycles.
What kind of bicycles are to be found in this somewhat counterculture world? There are mountain bikes, utility bikes, track bikes, and road racers. Parlee and Argonaut produce state-of-the-art carbon frames, although one suspects that there may not be much in the way of the wind tunnel testing trumpeted by big producers, but at the end of the day does this matter to the customer?
Rather it is a matter of getting something different from the mass market, something that appeals specifically to your desires as a cyclist. Some of the builders here do indeed look backwards but this does nothing to take away from the style and quality of their bikes. In Kyoto, Japan a three-man team produces Grand Bois touring bicycles, clearly inspired by traditional French designs of the 1950s and not by the matte-finish carbon racing bicycles of today. The Grand Bois bikes look timeless in their environment:
And because this is a book about individualism and a fair bit of quirkiness (yes, there is a London framebuilder featured named Rob Quirk, of course) we cannot overlook TJ Cycles, which is run by a former farmer and blacksmith, Chris Yeomans, who began building bikes in 2016 before meeting Trevor Jarvis. This octogenarian had in 1979 revived the Baines Flying Gate frame, originally conceived in 1935 and produced until 1958, but was looking to retire. Emboldened by the enthusiasm of Flying Gate owners, he took over ownership of TJ Cycles in 2021. The Flying Gate, with its distinctive vertical tube frame, was conceived as a way to shorten chainstays and improve responsiveness, which made it quite successful in British time trialling and track racing, even into the 1980s. You would certainly get noticed at a cafe stop with one of these!
I will admit that of the dozen bikes I own, the two that were custom made for me have a special place. Going to the Tommasini workshop in Tuscany (which is also featured in the book) in 2014, I was measured up by the late Irio Tommasini, then in his 80s, and I met the craftsmen who would actually build and finish my bicycle. Almost a dozen years later whenever I ride this wonderful bike, which attracts a lot of attention, I still think of that connection with the man whose name is on the frame and what is the Italian artisan tradition.
“Handcrafted Bicycles” is a gorgeous book that any cycling enthusiast would enjoy. The individual stories of all the framebuilders are genuinely interesting and their philosophies of building, of what it is they actually seek to accomplish, are refreshing in our mass-production world. All of them are passionate about what they do and in riding one of these special bicycles you share in the meaning they bring to the craft as the rider is the missing element that makes the bicycle complete.
“Handcrafted Bicycles: Builders, Frame Design and Innovation”
by Christine Elliott and David Jablonka
256 pp., profusely illustrated, hardbound
Schiffer Publishing, Atglen, Pennsylvania, USA, 2025
ISBN 978-0-7643-6974-2
Suggested Price: US$49.99/C$72.00
*All photos are from the book.*
Please note that the book will be released on September 28, 2025 but may be pre-ordered via Amazon HERE.
Like PEZ? Why not subscribe to our weekly newsletter to receive updates and reminders on what’s cool in road cycling?
