To create Damon’s all-season road bike, we started with Columbus’ XCR tube set. It’s light, strong and durable on account of the chromium content in the steel which means it won’t rust, no matter how many Essex winters are thrown at it.
We opted to use a carbon integrated seat post which not only reduces the weight of the frame but also adds a degree of comfort back into the frame as it is designed to flex a little to absorb road buzz. The carbon tube is manufactured to our exact design specifications so we have been able to tune the characteristics of how it rides.
We increased the seat tube angle a little to fit the saddle without setback and this has the benefit of gaining us a little extra clearance around the tyre meaning we can keep the chainstays nice and short whilst still accommodating the full fenders. This makes the bike feel a little more agile when climbing and out of the saddle. The mudguards frequently come off Damon’s bike in good weather so we wanted to keep the clearances as tight as we could get away with so it sits right in Summer mode too.
When speaking to Damon about the inspiration for his colour choice, he told us how he remembers fondly this colour from his childhood. His father owned a plant hire company and all of their cranes and machinery were painted in the same pale blue. They had so much of the blue paint that much of the house Damon grew up in adorned the same colours, the doors, windows, anything that needed painting. He sent us a grainy still from a tape video, the only remaining snapshot of the original paint but the bike serves as a perfect reminder of his father and that blue painted house.
Campagnolo Super Record Disc
Rideworks T47
Kinesis Tracer
Campagnolo Bora WTO
3T Superergo Pro, Deda Zero 100, Brooks Cambium tape
Fizik Vento Argo R1
Chris King Inset 7
Velo Orange smooth 38mm, colour matched
Silca Impero, colour matched