Chas Roberts - Roughstuff

Built: 2001

The bike we went around the world with. It was a custom build by Chas Roberts in Croydon. Special features include the 26" 36 spoke triple crossed wheels, which even after the world trip and many more years of use were still perfectly true.

The Master

Built: December 2006

In my opinion the finest bike frame ever. Classic geometry, beautiful Columbus tubing, and just fun to ride.

The components changed a lot over the years. My favourite look is with the Michelin Pro 3 tyres with the light blue side walls that pick up the details around the lugs. (Other than that, they are not great tyres - Continental GP5000 are much nicer to ride and more durable - but hey, looks matter)

C60

Built: December 2024

The logical procession of the Master. Same lugged tubing, same tube shape, just with carbon instead of steel. Not easy finding a 60cm frame online. This one was perfect. Originally I was looking for disk brakes. This one has rim brakes and it is amazing how quickly you can persuade yourself that this is what you really wanted after all (and YouTube is great at reinforcing such niche convictions).

All components were sources via the Cycle to Work Scheme from Bike Zone in Oxford. On receipt of the final part (the stem), Neil told me that Bike Zone would you out of business within two days. A tragic loss to Oxford and the shop shall live on in spirit with this bike.

By the way, I took advantage of the Cycle to Work Scheme, even though I fundamentally disapprove of its evil and regressive nature. Why should high income / high tax rate people save more on a bike than people on a low income? Why new stuff only? Don’t they know that second hand bikes are really good for cycling to work? And more affordable! If this really was about getting people to cycle to work, they got this badly wrong.

Dave Ferguson

Built: July 2024

What is blue and not very heavy?

Light blue - and so is this bike.

Not sure if Dave Ferguson is even a brand. There is a bike shop under that name in London, so I better find out if they made frames back in the day. This was a find on eBay. The paintwork wasn’t great, but the tubing underneath absolutely stunning. The paint is based on a Mercedes colour code. I saw a car with a pretty light and slightly sparkly blue. Enter the registration number into a colour matching website and you get pointed to the right primer, base coat, top coat and varnish. Very pleased with the results.

It is my first bike with downtube shifters - ever since I was a kid I aspired to downtube shifters. By the time I could afford my first road bike in 1995, Shimano STI was standard even on basic models, so I never had the chance - until now.

This only gets out on sunny days.

Stevens

My first road bike, bought from the ‘compensation’ the Navy paid me. The original frame was blue and developed a crack after a few months. They replaced it under warranty. When they asked what colour I wanted the replacement to be, I said ‘anything but red’ - oh well, I learned to love it.

Oriel College Cylce Club

Not really a club - more an occasional group ride.