While at The Woods Cyclery last month, John documented a number of the shop’s employees’ builds. We’ve got a few to check out, beginning with Owen and his Rivendell Atlantis and Hannah and their Curve GXR4…
Owen’s Rivendell Atlantis
I’ll come right out and say it: Owen’s Rivendell Atlantis raised the bar for me. It’s a pristine, well-thought-out build spec with so many details that showcase his impeccable eye for style. I was first introduced to Owen’s craft when I spent nearly half an hour documenting Ron’s Bikes Alumax II build at Bespoked. He was the brainchild behind all the twine details you all loved so much.
As you can see, the twine motif was carried over throughout this frame. Twine and bikes date back to the 1800s. More recently, it’s been popularized by Sheldon Brown and Rivendell. But before we get to that level of minutiae, let’s check out some key component choices that made this bike my favorite of the bunch at The Woods.
For starters, this stem. It was Owen’s father’s track racing stem. Now, a track racing, drop stem, might seem out of place on a Rivendell, but Owen used the stem’s offset to dial in his bike fit, paired with the Moth Bar’s back and up-sweep to put his hands where he needs them for his bike fit. What I love about this is the patina and story. From the banked boards of the velodrome to the dusty tracks of the New Forest.
It warms the heart to see the small maker community in the States repped hard at The Woods. Owne’s Fab’s Chest pairs nicely with this Ron’s Tulip valve stem, and a mix of Paul, White Industries, and Velocity can be found throughout the build. It’s not just the selection of products here. It’s the totality of the curation that makes this build so tastefully done.
Owen’s DIY spirit and creative eye for detail continue with his self-bleached Neubaum’s bar tape, wooden chain slap pad, and he and Jack carved the spider for his Paul cranks. Seriously, there are so many details here to pore over. I spent a good amount of time documenting this build, so enjoy!
Thanks for the hangs and convos, Owen. I hope to see you next year!
@Ohazlewood
Hannah’s Curve GXR4
Having come on board at The Woods not even a year ago, Hannah has embedded themselves in the day-to-day operations and community at the shop. Their personality and friendliness are just one of many collective personalities that give The Woods such a warm and welcoming vibe. After the Curve Cycling crew swung through The Woods for a demo event last year, the Australia-based company set Hannah up with a Curve GXR4 titanium gravel bike. The lads at Curve gifted Hannah the frame, seatpost, and handlebars.
Hannah has worked in the bike industry for ten years, so with their collective experience along with The Woods’ “brand palette” of companies it likes working with, they’ve painted a stunning canvas of a bike. My eye was immediately drawn to the Cyber Cranks, which aren’t titanium; they’ve been cerakoted to match a titanium finish as close as possible. The honey Brooks B17S, which features copper rails, ties back to The Woods’s classic vibes, alongside cable-actuated Paul Klamper brakes.
The electronic Eagle GX mech, paired with hidden blips carved into the single-speed brake levers, gives Hannah the gear range they prefer for the hilly terrain of the New Forest while maintaining a much cleaner cockpit aesthetic. You can barely see the Blip hidden inside the lever in the photo on the right. What’s genius is the location is under the rubber hood bump, which makes shifting very easy. This is the sort of bike-hack wizardry I love seeing in builds!
While the profile of the Curve GXR4 is modern, its dressing is a mix of neoclassical and classic components. Take the vintage Ciussi Inox Bottle Cage and Ron’s Bikes Fab’s Clap Trap handlebar bag. When paired with the brass Woods Cyclery top cap, made by Bentley Components, are the quintessential cherry on top.
“What I like about this bike is, as a shorter rider, when I put the cranks down, the power transfer is immediate,” Hannah recalled as we were walking down the street from the shop to shoot their bike. Getting smaller riders dialed in on modern production bikes ain’t always easy, but props to Curve for dialing in the geo on the GXR4 for riders on both sides of the fit spectrum. Hannah, we had such a lovely time getting to hang out with you. Miss you loads!
@LittleHatch84
When you shop or visit The Woods Cyclery, it’s people like Hannah and Owen that make your experience so unique. Everyone at The Woods plays a role in working with customers to dial in their dream bike, offering options to fit any budget. Check out more at The Woods Cyclery.