Custom ISP Road Bike

Sometimes a custom bike is the only way to get the actual fit you need – this customer was professionally fitted and found himself unable to achieve that position on his production bike. The tall headtube gets the bars where they are needed, whilst the dropped toptube keeps the frame compact for stiffness. The integrated seatmast with custom masthead allows for fine tuning of saddle height, and this is the first ENGLISH frame to feature Kent Eriksen hardware for the saddle clamp. The build kit is mostly SRAM Red with FSA K-Force Light cranks and TRP brakes. The complete bike as shown weighs in at right on 14lbs. Just waiting for bottle cages and ready to race! Rider’s initial comments (I delivered it early and he was rather surprised…):

“YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME! I just got home after a long day, I’m exhausted and have a thousand things to do for tomorrow, but I had to open the box. I’ve done nothing at this point but pull the frame out, and I can’t believe it. It’s gorgeous. It’s an order of magnitude nicer than I imagined it would be, and I had a pretty high estimation of your superpowers. Thank you, thank you, thank you. The shaped tubes, the elegant but assertive rear triangle, the proportions: on aesthetics alone, it’s the nicest frame I’ve ever put my hands on.”

And then after a few weeks of foul weather he finally got to ride it:

“Sunshine and hints of spring warmth inspired me to take the first ride on the English. In brief, the ride was astonishing, baffling, and wonderful. The handling is telepathic: In true Rob English inspired style, it wants to do everything — accelerate, turn, jump, carve, flick, ascend — nimbly and fast but it never not once became a handful or exhibited anything but impeccable manners. It’s a race bike with nothing harsh or uncouth or arrogant. Its style is willing collaboration with anything I ask of it. It’s the first bike I’ve been on where I am absolutely relaxed and comfortable in all three positions, and where the whole ensemble of dimensions is perfection. Alas, this reveals that my past bikes were sorry compromises. Really, I find this machine unbelievable. Perfection, and thank you!”

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