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The Custom Bikes of Grinduro Scotland: Clandestine, Ted James, Spoon Customs, and The Bicycle Academy

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The Custom Bikes of Grinduro Scotland: Clandestine, Ted James, Spoon Customs, and The Bicycle Academy

Words by Jack Watney, photos by Adam Gasson

Grinduro Frame Builder Event Format

The Bicycle Academy (TBA) put the Grinduro Scotland frame builder competition format together 3 years ago as a way of creating a platform for frame builders to showcase what they do. It’s an opportunity for builders to work to a tight brief, but at the same time to be playful and creative with bike design. They get to make their own idea of a perfect bike, to keep for themselves, something that doesn’t happen as often as you might think.

Hope’s RX4 Flat Mount Disc Calipers

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Hope’s RX4 Flat Mount Disc Calipers

While these aren’t necessarily a new product in Hope’s expansive line of brake calipers and components but it’s new to me. I didn’t get a chance to shoot the Hope booth at Sea Otter, but I did see these Rx4 brake calipers, compatible with SRAM and Shimano brake levers. Have you used these yet? Are they as amazing as their MTB brakes?

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Just Like Flying

Hope takes us for a ride with Gavin Stanton (11 years old) and Brooke Anderson (12 years old), from Portland, Oregon as they shred their local trails.

2018 NAHBS: TORESVELO OD Green Rigid MTB with Hope

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2018 NAHBS: TORESVELO OD Green Rigid MTB with Hope

Last year at NAHBS, I documented a rigid mountain bike from the Russian framebuilder TORESVELO. This year, Anton from TORESVELO couldn’t make it to the show himself, due to visa issues, but his friends brought this rigid mountain bike for him. It was commissioned by someone who saw last year’s bike and wanted one just like it. I love little stories like that because ultimately, that’s what NAHBS is for – showcasing bikes for builders to grow their audience – and it’s why I love documenting NAHBS.

This frame has a beautiful olive drab finish with orange Hope parts, and a Bjorn, handmade in Russia carbon saddle. I’m really glad the Russian contingency showed up this year and brought such great bikes!

Hope Tech: New Carbon Seatpost

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Hope Tech: New Carbon Seatpost

This week Hope announced their new made in the UK carbon seatpost which touts the weight (195g) for a road or XC rig, but is strong enough for DH riding. Hope can do no wrong in my opinion and I can’t wait to see one of these in person, late March. For now, check out more information at Hope!

My Geekhouse Woodville Update: Handsome Mud Butler Fenders and Compass Barlow Pass Tires

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My Geekhouse Woodville Update: Handsome Mud Butler Fenders and Compass Barlow Pass Tires

Fenders aren’t exactly my favorite bicycle accessory. Granted I live in Texas where it “never rains” or so it didn’t really until this year. We’ve had a very wet spring and summer, resulting in a lot of unexpected rain riding. So much so that I finally broke down and decided to ditch the big, plump tread of my Bruce Gordon Rock n Roads for some fenders and the biggest tire I could find that would fit…

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Hope Tech: It’s Grim Up North – Showcases New Cranks

Hope’s made in the UK products are top notch and to help create a buzz around their new cranks, they went up North to ride in what many would consider grim conditions with team riders Craig Evans and Sam Flanagan. I’m liking what I see with those cranks, and everything in Hope’s catalog these days. They really are putting in solid work.

Check out a great feature on the Hope Cranks at their site. Availability is slated for late January.

Whisky Parts Surly Krampus MTB

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Whisky Parts Surly Krampus MTB

I love how you can take a frame that’s very accessible and affordable, strip it, then paint or powdercoat it. From there, you can either rebuild the stock kit, or build it up with choice components. For Matt at Whisky Parts, he did the latter.

Matt put a Whisky fork, bars on the front, a Whisky seatpost, Chromag stem, saddle, Industry Nine wheels, Middleburn cranks, HOPE pedals, Hope brakes and a Chris King bottom bracket. The all black component list just makes that gold powdercoat pop! I think this bike was my favorite at Frostbike and I gotta tell ya, it makes me want to do something rad with my Pugs…

See more in the Gallery!