Gavin requested his build to be suitable for riding very long distances day after day in his record breaking attempts and with all forms of racing there needs to be hours and hours of preparation in the saddle. The immediate choice of tubing we turned to was Columbus XCR for its strength and durability.
Our principal is always picking the best tubes for the job and this build illustrates that well. The seat tube takes a 27.2mm seat post for flexibility and thus comfort. The down tube is 35mm in diameter this allows for the right amount of flexibility for Gavin’s weight and height The frame geometry has slack angles and low BB giving the bike a sturdy and steadfast feel. The frame is designed to take 32mm tyres and mudguards.
For an ultra endurance bike it turned out to be quite a light weight build. The idea of the build was to keep it as simple and understated as possible
The dropouts are flat mount thru-axle which are machined out of 17/3 stainless steel by Paragon Machine Works. The internal routing enters the top of the down tube and runs through the T47 BB shell and exits at the brake mount in the chain stay. There is a dynamo lighting system with a front and two rear lights that are powered from the hub. The hidden wiring paired to a wireless groupset makes it a very clean build!
The concept for Gavin’s paint stems from Taoist symbology and an ideology with which he aligns himself.
The design uses a Taijitu which is a traditional Chinese symbol used in Taoist philosophy and which represents how opposing or contrary forces may actually be complementary. Gavin has taken inspiration from this ancient symbol and given it new meaning, its three concentric circles representing the Pupil, Iris and Sclera as well as the challenges that Gavin has set himself.
The symbol has been expanded and laid out over the frame’s tubes. This gives an interesting and almost abstract effect without it being clear what the overall represents. Gavin put this like the foundations of a building or the geometric structure of a roof, holding everything together yet unseen.
