The brief

Janet wanted a low-maintenance commuter bike with style, and we managed to create something very special just for her.

The bike

We started with a Surly Straggler frame for its incredible versatility. (The amazing paint job was an added bonus. You should see it in the sun!)

In addition to giving a classically pretty look to the bike, a mixture of black and polished alloy components gave a nice level of contrast -- check out the silver bars against the black stem. (Like the paint job, alloy also looks incredible in sunlight.)

For a low-maintenance drive train, we used a Shimano Alfine internal hub and a single chain ring -- no derailleurs, no derailleur hanger, nothing to get knocked around or damaged.

Although we chose black Alex rims to contrast against the hub, we stuck with the silver theme for the spokes to give the wheels a traditional look, especially when matched with Soma skinwall tyres.

One very special aspect of this build is the front hub. We couldn't find a polished silver hub at a sensible price-point (this is a daily commuter, after all) so we very carefully machined the original finish off a Shimano hub and hand-polished the hub shell. It was an extremely long process, but it's this level of detail that produces a bike which will be loved for many years to come.

How could we not complement such a classic beauty with a Brooks saddle?

Add in Ergon cork grips, tie it all together with orange chain ring bolts and pedals, and there you have it: the ultimate glitter-finish colour-coordinated commuter!

Want your own hand-built custom bike? Get in touch and we'll make it happen.

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