The independent bike brands at Rouleur Live 2023
A look at some of the bikes on display in the independent builders room at Rouleur Live
Bespoke bikes are the embodiment of individuality, with colours, components, materials, and a bike frame’s geometry all tailored to a rider’s individual needs and desires, making it a canvas for personal expression. Whether a rider likes to ride on the roughest terrain, commute daily to work, or sticks to smooth asphalt, custom-built bikes are meticulously crafted and available to suit all of a rider's needs.
From renowned Italian brands steeped in tradition to innovative artisans pushing the boundaries of design, custom-built, bespoke bikes represent the intersection of art and technology. And at this year’s Rouleur Live, we have several independent bike brands showcasing what they have to offer.
Velo Atelier x Meteor Works
Based in Warwick, Velo Atelier is owned by Lee Prescott, who is also the brains behind the bespoke bike brand Meteor Works. The bike manufacturer, which has been hand-building bikes for over 30 years, specialises in creating custom-built bikes in any style of frame, from road to mountain biking, working predominantly in steel. At Rouleur Live, Velo Atelier is set to showcase two exceptional custom-built Meteor Works bicycles. The first is the Stock geometry Æsir gravel framesets, thoughtfully assembled with ENVE wheels, demonstrating their versatility and adaptability to various terrains. The second is a lightweight rim brake road bike, meticulously constructed from a limited edition Cento tubing, weighing a total of just 7kg.
Learn more about Velo Atelier and Meteor Works
Gorilla Firm Cycling
Based in the historic market town of Oundle in Northamptonshire, Gorilla Firm Cycling has been sourcing beautiful and unique bike frames for its customers for over ten years. While the shop proudly stocks renowned giants of the cycling world, such as Cervélo, Bianchi, and Colnago, it goes the extra mile by offering its customers the opportunity to create truly bespoke bike builds. This is achieved by collaborating with independent brands like Passoni, FiftyOne, and Officine Mattio, adding a touch of uniqueness and individuality to each creation. Two bikes by FiftyOne and Officine Mattio will be on display at Rouleur Live with Gorilla Cycling Firm.
Learn more about Gorilla Firm Cycling
Passoni
Based outside Milan and in the shadow of the Alpine climbs made famous by the Giro d’Italia, Passoni is a bike maker specialising in titanium frames. It first exhibited a bike made from the material at the 1989 EICMA show in Milan, and its early frames snatched Grand Tour wins and gained a reputation of being some of the world’s most exclusive and bespoke bikes. With decades of expertise and knowledge, Passoni’s frame builders help to craft each bike specific to each rider, whether they are enthusiasts or pro cyclists. Showcasing its range of bespoke bikes, Passoni will be displaying its XXTi Disco, Prima, and Cicloprato bike at Rouleur Live.
Standert
Max and Anna von Senger first started Standert in 2012 when they opened a cafe and bike shop in Berlin. This marked the humble beginnings of the German-based bike brand, which has since gained a reputation for producing exquisitely crafted steel and aluminium bicycles. Anna and Max have steadfastly adhered to Standert's original ethos, focusing on the creation of bikes devoid of carbon and motors, crafting only the kind of bicycles they would love to ride.
While their initial focus was on single-speed bikes, Standert has since evolved and diversified, catering to a wide range of cycling disciplines, including road cycling, gravel riding, cyclocross, track cycling, and commuting. However, their commitment to quality and craftsmanship remains unwavering. To Rouleur Live, Standert will have three custom-painted bikes in Rouleur branding.
J Laverack
Oliver Lackerack is the co-founder of J Laverack Bikes, a distinguished British brand specialising in crafting custom titanium bikes. Inspired by his adventurous grandfather, Jack Laverack, who often explored less-travelled roads on his bicycle, J Laverack Bikes pays tribute to a bygone era of endurance cycling, where races exceeded 24 hours. Staying true to his grandfather's spirit, the brand encourages riders to venture into uncharted territories.
Each J Laverack bike is handcrafted to match the unique preferences of every rider, ensuring that no two frames are alike. Showcasing its bespoke bikes, J Laverack will have on display its art deco inspired R J.ACK Disc race bike in gloss Brevét black paint adorned with gold leaf inlay.
Enigma
Founded in 2006 within the picturesque South Downs National Park in Sussex, Enigma seamlessly combines a deep-seated passion for precision engineering with an unwavering love for cycling. The brand’s expertise lies in the creation of handcrafted titanium bikes, all manufactured in-house. Specialising in the art of titanium frame construction, Enigma firmly believes that a flawlessly designed and meticulously crafted titanium frame represents the epitome of cycling excellence, offering the perfect synergy of low weight, robust strength, peak performance, unparalleled comfort, exceptional rideability, and remarkable corrosion resistance, all embodied within a single bike frame.
On display at Rouleur Live will be Enigma’s flagship titanium Eikon model, made in collaboration with Reynolds Technology, showcasing the pinnacle of its craftsmanship and innovation.
Sarto
Sarto Bikes hails from Italy and is the brainchild of passionate founders and brothers Antonio, Mario and Giovanni Sarto, who have dedicated their lives to this art since the company was founded in 1959. Sarto has since garnered a reputation for producing finely crafted, bespoke carbon bicycles that cater to a range of cycling disciplines. Sarto will be displaying its Sarto Raso TC in a special edition. Its all-road aero endurance bike is formed from Tri-Composite tubing for elevated comfort and exceptional strength.
Tommasini
Handcrafted in Italy inside a small shop in Grosseto since 1957, Tommasini is rich in Italian heritage. Founder Irio Tommasini began his commercial endeavour by building beautiful steel road bikes that became known for their quality, performance and finish. Having expanded the Italian brand's range over the years, Tommasini now produces bikes with carbon, titanium, aluminium and stainless steel using Columbus XCR tuning. To Rouleur Live, the Italian bike builders will bring its lightweight titanium Mach bike and Fire Gravel.
