Brandon’s gravel bike
Brandon asked me to build him a capable drop-bar bike with modern features – an integrated seatmast, fully hidden hoses, wireless shifting, 1x drivetrain and one-piece bar-stem.
After working with a fitter locally, Brandon and I spent some time making sure we had his contact points precisely located (knowing we wouldn’t have any adjustment once the integrated front end was assembled!), then I created a design based on this fit and my understanding of how he wanted the bike to ride. With the fully internal brake hoses, there is a limited selection of forks built to accommodate this – we used the No.6 carbon gravel fork, which offered the largest tire clearance we could find. This pairs with the Enve headset and bar/stem.
To gain rear tire clearance whilst keeping the chainstays short, the seattube is offset forward on the T47 BB, and the seatmast cap is built with 20mm of rear offset. The seatmast is custom externally butted to tune the ride and reduce weight.
The frame has internally brazed bosses for the Kaibab Customs frame bag; this combined with the four bottle mounts allow for long rides with no support or stops required. The chainstays were carefully shaped to maximise tire clearance (700×50 fits fine) and chainring space.
Crisp white paint by Colorworks is accented by the colorful Industry 9 wheelset. The final weight complete as shown is 20.9lbs.
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Contact English Cycles
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Phone: 1-541-683-3556
Our sister business: Velo B and B
English Cycles is Rob English, 
winner of Best in Show at the 2013 North American Handmade Bike Show. Custom bicycles built in Eugene, Oregon, USA since 2009.
There’s not a right or wrong answer when considering a custom bicycle. Frame material, fit, geometry, components, cargo, etc… But, there’s a right answer for you specifically. There’s a lot of homework to be done whilst embarking on the adventure. The volume of information is literally endless. The bicycle as we know it today is in a state of evolution. One constant in the world of custom frame builders is Rob English. Rob’s modern design principles and classic aesthetics coupled with impeccable craftsmanship show in every build.
I can only speak of my experience; but I truly can’t say enough good things about Rob. From the first shared dialogue to the perfectly executed finished product, I felt Rob understood my vision, wants, and needs – completely. Questions were asked, discussed, and agreed on. Simple. As the process developed from concept to construction Rob updated me with timeframes, photos, and reassurance.
I personally picked up my bike from Rob at his shop outside of Eugene, Oregon early spring 2023. The first sight was utterly unbelievable. Rob was tinkering in his shop as my anticipated bike hung displayed on a nearby rack. Polished white pearl bike juxtaposed by the handshake of his charcoal stained hands of the many years of fabrication. We ventured out for our maiden voyage. I knew it was going to fit perfectly (and it did), but I wasn’t prepared for the pleasant ride characteristic that went beyond what I was seeking. The next couple of hours were absolute bliss. We had an agreed upon route, but the conversation went in a myriad of directions. When we returned, I asked Rob to go over the design in detail; offset externally butted seattube, bi-ovalized toptube, painstakingly shaped chainstays, the beautifully iconic seatstays, etc… Each tube carefully selected to accommodate my individual preferences. The interaction started with a handshake, and parted with a hug; a symbolism of two parties in agreement that the perfect collaboration was conceived and created.
Contact Rob and see if he has all the answers you’ve been looking for when it comes to creating a custom bicycle for you. As it most certainly was for me, English Cycles could be the right answer for you.
Cheers, Rob!
Brandon Jessop
Hey Brandon, thanks so much for taking the time to write about your experience. It was a pleasure to work with you and great to be able to accompany you on that first ride!
All the best, Rob.