![\"Fairlight](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/UCWEFGdmuLnK9CNmJD8GQf.jpg\")
\n<\/p>\nFairlight Strael 4.0<\/p>\n
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(Image credit: Will Jones)<\/p>\n
Verdict<\/p>\n
While it may lack the racing prowess of a carbon race bike, I think the Fairlight Strael 4.0 is perfect. It handles beautifully, it’s as adaptable as you could ever wish for, it’s incredibly comfortable, easy to live with, and good looking too, all without costing an arm and a leg compared to the competition.<\/p>\n
For<\/p>\n
Beautiful looks
Delightful handling characteristics
Smooth comfort even over rough roads
All-road capabilities
Sensible standards everywhere<\/p>\n
Against <\/p>\n
Doesn’t have the stiffness of a carbon bike<\/p>\n
Score<\/p>\n
100%<\/p>\n
This may be a slightly more indulgent review than usual, so get ready. I spent a solid 18 months riding the old Fairlight Strael 3.0 and came to the conclusion that it was about as good as an off-the-peg steel bike could be, and well deserving of a place in our list of the best road bikes<\/a> on the market today. I rode it on beautiful, long summer miles in dusty sunshine, and through the gloom of winter decked out in lights and mudguards, and sort of wondered where the brand could take the bike next.<\/p>\n The Strael 4.0 is now officially an all-road bike, according to Fairlight at least, but when it was announced, it struck me as an ideal opportunity for me to create what I think of as the platonic ideal of a road bike for year-round British riding. Fortunately for me, Fairlight was on board with the plan and allowed me a blank slate to build a Strael 4.0 frameset up as I liked for a review.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I\u2019ll go into the build later, but the top line is that this new model is an improvement on the last, and fortunately without taking away any of what made the outgoing model so good, and so popular amongst my colleagues across the cycling media.<\/p>\n I\u2019ve done over 1500km on it so far and, all being well, I\u2019ll keep on with it and eventually bring you a long-term review as I did with the Fairlight Secan 2.5<\/a> gravel bike. Ultimately though, I think it\u2019s close to perfect. In fact, it might even be perfect, once you take into account the fact that all bike design involves some degree of compromise.<\/p>\n Image 1 of 5<\/p>\n If I showed you a photo of the Strael 4.0 next to the old 3.0 model, you\u2019d be forgiven for thinking the only difference was paint. Maybe if you were particularly eagle-eyed, you might notice a different shape to the rear stays, but the silhouette (and therefore the vibe) is consistent between the two. Madly though, with the exception of the head tube, every single tube is different, all with the goal of reducing weight while maintaining enough strength to pass ISO fatigue testing.<\/p>\n How this has been achieved has a lot to do with \u2018butting profiles\u2019, which for those of you who aren’t fluent in ferric means the internal thicknesses of the steel tubes. Usually tubing manufacturers (Reynolds in this case, but also the likes of Columbus, Dedacciai et. al.) make off-the-peg butting profiles for each of their tube sets (these being the various numbers for Reynolds \u2013 853, 725, 531 etc., where the larger the number the stronger the steel \u2013 and named tubes for Columbus, like Life, Zona, and Spirit).<\/p>\n In order to strip weight from the new Strael, Fairlight worked with Reynolds to create totally new butting profiles, adding thickness at the tube junctions for increased strength and allowing thickness to be removed from the longer centre sections, resulting in overall weight reduction. This was no doubt made easier by Fairlight being Reynolds biggest customer, but it shows what can be achieved with a mutually beneficial relationship.<\/p>\n The main triangle tube shapes are externally the same, with new internal profiles, but the stays (both seat and chain) are new all over. The greater tyre clearance requirements \u2013 officially 39mm, but with a bit of space, up from 36mm \u2013 required some new shaping. From the side they still appear wonderfully straight, and attaching at the same height as the top tube only helps the aesthetics in my eyes, but from the rear you can see how they\u2019ve been sculpted to allow more room for rubber, and are never closer than 41mm to account for modern, wider carbon rim shapes.<\/p>\n The final bit of gram shaving I want to point out happens at the bottom bracket. As with the old model it still uses a BSA threaded shell (praise the Lord), but unlike the old model, which utilised a model with threads pre-cut before welding, the Strael 4.0 is fabricated with a blank shell devoid of threads. After welding the whole frame is then placed into a lathe, centred around the BB, and excess material is machined out from the central portion of the shell and threads cut behind in one move. This takes half an hour per frame, but results in a 67g saving.<\/p>\n If you want a really deep dive, then I implore you to have a pore over Fairlight’s design notes<\/a> that goes with each of its models, not just the Strael; meticulous doesn\u2019t quite cover it. All in all this marginal gains approach to gram shaving of 282 grams in the frame, from a base that was already svelte by steel road bike standards. You could probably go lighter, but for an all-road bike that ISO certification is important in my eyes.<\/p>\n Image 1 of 6<\/p>\n Hardware aside there are a few geometry tweaks. The Strael 3.0 handled beautifully but did have a relatively high bottom bracket, but this has been dropped 4mm for the 4.0 and makes things feel a little more sure-footed. The chainstays are a full millimeter longer to allow for bigger tyres, and the fork is brand new too to match the tyre capacity.<\/p>\n All the good stuff in terms of mounts, modularity and adaptability remains and has been iterated. The dropouts at the rear are modular to allow for all manner of setups, both mechanical and electronic. Dynamo routing is internal through the frame and the fork, the hose clips on the downtube are now CNC machined for security and longevity, and even the bottom bracket cable\/hose guides are setup specific so there are no redundant slots \u2013 a SRAM electronic setup has a single hose guide and dynamo cable loop, whereas a 2x mechanical setup from shimano has a brake hose, a dynamo loop, and two channels for the front and rear derailleur cables. It\u2019s all incredibly well thought out.<\/p>\n Image 1 of 5<\/p>\n There are no top tube bosses (no bother for me as I think they tend to be quite ugly) but there are mounts for two bottles in the main triangle, and one under the downtube as before, along with the same mudguard and pannier mounts, which I have already made use of.<\/p>\n From a design point of view this really is the gold standard that I judge other bikes by, but aesthetically, especially in this all-black version (aided and abetted by a litany of black parts it must be said), it\u2019s a truly beautiful bike. It tends to live in the kitchen and I do find myself just looking at it absentmindedly without noticing. It looks great, and it will look great in 30 years time I promise you that.<\/p>\n \n (Image credit: Will Jones)The build<\/p>\n Fairlight offers a load of stock builds, but on this rare occasion, I took the opportunity to build up a bike from a frameset as I wanted it. The reasons for this are twofold: The first is that it makes for a slightly more interesting and unique review bike, and gives a flavour of what\u2019s possible if you go your own way, and the second is that I loved the previous model so much there\u2019s a strong chance I\u2019ll end up buying this after its long-term tenure is up.<\/p>\n The inspiration for this goes back to the days of peak Rapha in 2012. I lapped up the Rapha Continental films, but also got quite obsessed with the bikes that were made by various independent builders specifically for the Continental. Fortuitously and to my great excitement I happened upon one, the one actually \u2013 an Ira Ryan with baby pink hubs \u2013 on an audax recently so I can just show you what I was aiming for.<\/p>\n Given that it\u2019s now an all-road bike I started with the tyres. I wanted a bike that I could leave, unchanged, year round, so I opted for 35c Continental GP5000 AS TR tyres. The size will still (just) fit with my favoured Kenesis Fend-Off mudguards, the grip is superb, and the extra cush is a delight when smashing about backlanes with broken surfaces in search of adventure. The reflective side panels help in winter too I\u2019d imagine, but we haven\u2019t got there yet.<\/p>\n I paired these with Hunt\u2019s new Limitless 34_34 wheels. These are shallower than I\u2019d ride normally, but having spent a lot of time using deep, very stiff race wheels on the old version I think something shallower and more responsive suits the bike a lot better, especially given it has little in the way of aero aspirations. Plus, when I\u2019m home in Cornwall, the winter crosswinds can be brutal as storms lash in off the Atlantic.<\/p>\n Image 1 of 4<\/p>\n I am a die hard 2x evangelist, and so it had to be Shimano. I\u2019ll concede that SRAM now has better braking and is more user-friendly, but Shimano has the lead on shifting for me. I initially had an 11-30 block at the back, but I revised this to 11-34 when I felt a touch overgeared, partially I think to do with the increased radius of the rear wheel with blogger tyres from how it felt with 28mm rubber fitted. Ultegra is amazing, and much as Dura-Ace is better, I also think it\u2019s perhaps too much for a bike that is quite\u2026 sensible, for want of a better word.<\/p>\n Thomson stuff is stiff and quite unforgiving on the wrong bike as I have found to my cost in the past, but as well as for aesthetic reasons I thought the 35c rubber and frame compliance would cope with it well enough. Atop the seatpost initially went a beautiful Berk saddle, kindly donated by my colleague, Tom, but it wasn\u2019t the right shape for my tush so I reverted to the ol\u2019 faithful Selle Italia SLR Superflow. It\u2019s never let me down, and if I had enough of them I\u2019d run it on every bike I test.<\/p>\n I spent weeks (this really isn\u2019t an exaggeration) trying to find The Perfect Handlebar\u2122. Naturally, what I wanted didn\u2019t exist, but at least here I am not bound to an integrated cockpit. I wanted something 38cm wide, with a slim, round profile all over, a relatively roomy curve without going for a full classic drop shape, and a long section to the bottom of the drops; this is where I like to hang out most. What I landed on was a set of ControlTech One FL0 Round bars, paired with the brand\u2019s Terminator extender plugs that add a short length to the end of the drops.<\/p>\n All this was then wrapped in Brooks leather bar tape, which, although expensive, is beautiful if you aren\u2019t going to touch it again for ages. It\u2019s a nightmare to wrap though, but I\u2019m hoping it\u2019ll wear in rather than wear out. In an ideal world I’d also have a Black Brooks Swallow leather saddle<\/a>, but one can’t have it all.<\/p>\n To round out a sensible build a K-Edge out front mount holds my Wahoo Roam V3<\/a>, and slung underneath is the mighty Exposure Strada<\/a> front light. While the guards and lights are an autumnal addition I think it\u2019s key to the bike\u2019s identity; it\u2019s a year round machine. The final cherry on top \u2013 to the point it’s literally something small and red atop the rear mudguard \u2013 is a custom 3D printed mount for my Exposure Boost-R<\/a> rear light from Jaggers at 3bits.cc<\/a>. I like to run a big Carradice bag at times which usually obscures the rear light, so this was an extremely neat and secure solution to a niche problem.<\/p>\n My own build aside, what this really highlights to me is what a joy building up a \u2018normal\u2019 bike is. One of the great delights in cycling is swapping parts; a lighter seatpost here, a narrower set of bars there. In a world of increasing integration, even at the mid-range and entry level, this is becoming harder and more expensive to achieve and with a narrower range of parts. Yes, it\u2019s less aero to do it this way, but from a bike ownership point of view the Strael knocks most modern bikes into a cocked hat.<\/p>\n Image 1 of 5<\/p>\n I\u2019m afraid I don\u2019t buy into the \u2018steel is real\u2019 fantasy. Steel is a material like any other, and it\u2019s what you do with it that matters. Carbon bikes are light and incredibly stiff because they are designed to be so, and it would be possible to make a super stiff steel bike but it would be extremely heavy. The Strael 4.0 has been designed to be light, and that results in a ride feel that is wonderfully pliant. This is what steel fetishists love, but it\u2019s more an accidental function of not making a bike that weighs the same as a battleship rather than an end goal in and of itself.<\/p>\n Comfort is sometimes used as a dirty word in cycling, and while the Strael 4.0 is comfortable (both due to the properties of the frame and the 35c tyres) it\u2019s not in a puddingly, lolloping way. It\u2019s serene, composed, and swapping from a carbon race bike to this on the same roads is a little the difference between trying to read a book on the tube at rush hour or listening to the audiobook in noise-cancelling headphones while a chauffeur delivers you to your destination. The tube is quicker, the words the same, but they\u2019re very different experiences.<\/p>\n For an all-day ride, I can\u2019t think of any bike I\u2019d rather reach for. Comfort is a factor, but the handling characteristics make sure it never feels dull. The lower bottom bracket has improved things in terms of stability, and while I felt I was sitting on a bike with the old one, by comparison this one feels more like you\u2019re in the bike.<\/p>\n Cornering is sure-footed and precise, and with big tyres like these you can hammer descents on some pretty filthy tarmac before you need to think about backing off. A 73.5 degree head angle is half a degree steeper and still the right side of being too steep.<\/p>\n The 300g or so weight saving has resulted in a frame that is slightly less stiff than the outgoing model. It\u2019s not anything to be concerned about really, and it\u2019s stood up well enough to some max-effort sprints both on the flat and on sharp, punchy climbs, but out on the road if you yank the bars from side to side \u2013 something you\u2019d never really do unless you were trying to see how stiff a frame was \u2013 you can feel the frame springing under torsional loading.<\/p>\n It\u2019s not a problem, more of a result of the material and a focus on low weight, and is something that both the Strael 3.0 and Secan 2.5 had in common. Just be aware of it and you\u2019ll be grand – I had one rare incidence of a scary speed wobble on the old model, imparted by a large unexpected bump on a descent, but that was quite a freak occurrence. And something that hasn\u2019t happened again on the old model or this one thus far, and in truth I think it could have happened with a fair few other bikes too.<\/p>\n Once you know the feeling of the frame and how it moves underneath you you can account for it, but it\u2019s the trade-off that comes with making a lightweight, \u2018springy\u2019 steel frame. While it can take a pannier rack I\u2019d be wary of loading it up with a full touring load – I tried bikepacking with the Secan 2.5 and a Tailfin rear rack and you need a bit of weight on the front of the bike (bars or forks, or both) to balance the loads.<\/p>\n Now, it may sound like I\u2019m describing a wet noodle but that\u2019s not the case. It\u2019s never going to compete with something like the Pinarello Dogma F<\/a> for stiffness but you\u2019re not comparing apples and oranges. It\u2019s plenty stiff enough for even very hard riding if that takes your fancy, and I\u2019ve got PR\u2019s on some local sprints and short, punchy climbs aboard it.<\/p>\n Image 1 of 4<\/p>\n Climbing has certainly not been hindered by removing just shy of 300g from the frame, and I\u2019d happily ride it even in the high mountains. Yes, if you\u2019re eyeing up something like the Marmotte then a lower weight may be a priority and you should be looking at the best lightweight bikes<\/a> perhaps, but if you\u2019re only going to go on holiday to Mallorca once a year then I\u2019d not fret; prioritise the riding you do the other 51 weeks of the year. In fact I\u2019ve even got a PR up several of my local climbs aboard it. Would I have gone faster on a carbon race bike? Probably, but that\u2019s besides the point.<\/p>\n It handles beautifully, it\u2019s comfortable enough to ride for 12 hours and far beyond, but I think the real party piece comes in terms of the adaptability it offers. If you want a bike you can commute on and still have a joyous Sunday club ride on then it absolutely fits that bill, whether you\u2019re a pannier<\/a> user or a cycling backpack<\/a> kind of person. I\u2019ve ridden to the office countless times and I feel a lot less beat up than when I\u2019m dropping a WorldTour race bike off let me tell you. If you want a classic, summer best road bike then it can absolutely be that too with the right build.<\/p>\n The old version had all this, but now the Strael has what I like to think of as \u2018mischief factor\u2019. In my view, all-road bikes that are optimised for the road, as is the case here, are brilliant. You can spend most of your time on tarmac but that dirt diversion is now just about possible, enjoyable even. It was the same feeling I had with the Standert Pfadfinder<\/a>, though that was more fun set up primarily as a gravel bike for strategic under-biking. Realistically, if you need bigger tyres than 40mm you\u2019re looking at a gravel bike, but as long as the gravel is smooth there isn\u2019t much a 40c tyre can\u2019t handle.<\/p>\n All in all there isn\u2019t much I wouldn\u2019t be happy sending the Strael 4.0 over.<\/p>\n \n![\"Fairlight](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/f6P5BAemkrtfmK2NCAbNUT.jpg\")
Visually it’s a classic looking machine, and one I’m sure will age far better than the current crop of race bikes. (Image credit: Will Jones)![\"Fairlight](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/VseMxCEMuqxJ4VHDddwE98.jpg\")
While all-road bikes often come setup 1x nowadays, I’m a staunch 2x guy, and Ultegra is the real sweet spot of high performance and not having to pay through the nose for titanium sprockets. (Image credit: Will Jones)![\"Fairlight](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/acSeNQU7E3qZ4JqLqTvrNU.jpg\")
I initially ran an 11-30 at the back, but the additional tyre volume made it feel a little over-geared. An 11-34 suits it a lot better. (Image credit: Will Jones)![\"Fairlight](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/8qovPTXLUELprbaKALDzEU.jpg\")
All-season tyres that will cope with just about any paved road, and a bit of light gravel too. (Image credit: Will Jones)![\"Fairlight](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/oZBwanp2CdPJZyogWDPaTQ.jpg\")
Praise be for a normal cockpit and external cables. (Image credit: Will Jones)Design and aesthetics<\/p>\n![\"Fairlight](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/r55iQdPj93vAbhmQEnP3RN.jpg\")
Lightweight Hunt Limitless 34_34 wheels suit it a lot better than deep carbon aero wheels. (Image credit: Will Jones)![\"Fairlight](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/sFCJZAALpd7khgedK8YknS.jpg\")
(Image credit: Will Jones)![\"Fairlight](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/ucqfzXd5jV42aBwhdStUnW.jpg\")
Thomson finishing kit can be quite unforgiving on a super-stiff crit bike, but on such a comfortable machine they’re no bother at all. (Image credit: Will Jones)![\"Fairlight](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/cMy6JL52GQSZcTTgupYote.jpg\")
The steel tubes are custom made for Fairlight by Reynolds just for this machine. (Image credit: Will Jones)![\"Fairlight](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/GitJtcdSaf7k57T7iNHWZj.jpg\")
Three bottle cages is always my preference. Two to hold my drinks, and one under the downtube for a tool canister. (Image credit: Will Jones)![\"Fairlight](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/P9b5Bg2Q4vrp2j46D2AD96.jpg\")
Even the hose guides are CNC machined and modular, depending on the setup you spec at point of sale. (Image credit: Will Jones)<\/p>\n![\"Fairlight](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/BsJQ8qspyNZ3ZBa3BZU8tL.jpg\")
A standard front end means I can (and have several times) mess around with the fit and stem length in a matter of minutes. (Image credit: Will Jones)![\"Fairlight](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/KXmw9BvKJdZW36HN8TuSCS.jpg\")
There’s (just) enough room for 35c tyres and full fenders with a Shimano Di2 front derailleur. If you want to max out the tyre capacity then you’d be better off going 1x. (Image credit: Will Jones)![\"Fairlight](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/sE3jRXzWr5W5HZ4vUZi3sg.jpg\")
The dropout plates and derailleur hanger are all machined in Yorkshire. (Image credit: Will Jones)![\"Fairlight](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/LyHSC7nXqitkjDwbs5qoFH.jpg\")
This rear light mount though I got made just for me by Jaggers at 3bits.cc. (Image credit: Will Jones)![\"Fairlight](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Mh9WimWDueyk9bCnBYMEbL.jpg\")
Proper lighting is also a must for a bike like this that will see year-round use outside. (Image credit: Will Jones)<\/p>\n![\"Fairlight](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/rAaqSmnkkeejE9iZMmtUY5.jpg\")
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The cable guides under the bottom bracket are also setup-specific so they always look neat. (Image credit: Will Jones)![\"Fairlight](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/dC2pFTSQUWEiCRzAYu9k7g.jpg\")
Everything gets reamed, faced and chased before building. (Image credit: Will Jones)![\"Fairlight](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/bgnT494iybFmwHSTr8Qwp.jpg\")
Even the brake pads get bedded in before the bike is packed up for shipping. (Image credit: Will Jones)![\"Fairlight](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/257zQSUxfNHK3nw2WEs6D9.jpg\")
I spent forever trying to find the perfect handlebar, and eventually had to make my own using some bar end extenders. (Image credit: Will Jones)<\/p>\n![\"Fairlight](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/WN7dj83bD52ZoRPeLAuyhF.jpg\")
Here’s a raw direct mount derailleur hanger fresh from the mill. (Image credit: Will Jones)![\"Fairlight](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/EsmPVteyH7MYnC4YBVv7dJ.jpg\")
I once bumped into an ex fairlight mechanic at a trade show who told me of a time she had to remove and refit the headset several times because the ‘KING’ text wasn’t perfectly centred. (Image credit: Will Jones)![\"Fairlight](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/hfazy2biMUGH5gG9X3yznL.jpg\")
Some raw tubes – The shaping of the stays in particular is quite extreme. (Image credit: Will Jones)![\"Fairlight](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/gEvJde2drDPvysRJGNUrSQ.jpg\")
Leather bar tape is quite hard to wrap well, so I was glad it was left in the hands of a professional. (Image credit: Will Jones)![\"Fairlight](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/pSnkKtR8uxdFLp8z2mHYDT.jpg\")
Here’s the other dropout plate, which has been machined out to save a gram or two of system weight. (Image credit: Will Jones)Performance<\/p>\n![\"Fairlight](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/HPhb5hYUqaQKFxjDPqwgXa.jpg\")
I like having a long section to the end of my drops. (Image credit: Will Jones)![\"Fairlight](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/oKW69S3PdjdZ3K78k2Lyyd.jpg\")
I also hate having elastic bands holding my lights on. Permanent solutions are always neater. (Image credit: Will Jones)![\"Fairlight](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/4NoNxLFcBD29Qcf3N9Zf2i.jpg\")
A round bar also means a more sensible computer mount can be used that doesn’t involve piggy-backing off the stem faceplate bolts. (Image credit: Will Jones)![\"Fairlight](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/BiJppJBCLqtjgYRxhhBL9m.jpg\")
These seat clamps are custom made by Hope for Fairlight as the outer diameter of the top of the seat tube is a little narrower than standard, again to save grams. (Image credit: Will Jones)<\/p>\n![\"Fairlight](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Vt3yMatFxeVPw94iUpcqxW.jpg\")
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![\"Fairlight](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/f2kePYaVhwNrY2L7dWM8Xj.jpg\")
Torrential rides are taken in its stride. (Image credit: Will Jones)![\"Fairlight](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/aRdNyxo8a6iCMh4B4p8dzJ.jpg\")
As are my commutes, where I stop on my way in to get a bacon roll. (Image credit: Will Jones)![\"Fairlight](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/BHeZUHaM7Mgqb6R7pBXEYa.jpg\")
By a beautiful coincidence I stumbled upon the inspiration for this build, a lovely Ira Ryan, on an Audax over the summer. I tried to get Chris King to do another run of pale pink hubs but no joy sadly. (Image credit: Will Jones)![\"Fairlight](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/XCebAZzu3g78dxDT37qxNh.jpg\")
I’ve ridden it to the pub, and used it as a dry weather road bike. (Image credit: Will Jones)![\"Fairlight](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/u8xyCFBzcgM5FFwxQezyEk.jpg\")
And it’s turned its hand to audax duties too with ease.(Image credit: Will Jones)Swipe to scroll horizontallyTesting scorecard and notes<\/p>\n![\"Fairlight](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/ANJLQrZVrNnwa9KfwhQEoK.jpg\")
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