This week’s Readers’ Rides comes from Chris Hargreaves, the mind behind the Cyclespeak podcast. Read on as he shares his Onguza Bicycles hardtail from the streets of Manchester, UK…

Nudging 8,000 miles and a crossing of the Earth’s equator apart, on the surface there might seem little that connects my home city of Manchester, England, and the town of Omaruru in Namibia. But a desire to innovate runs deep in both localities: the former acknowledged as the world’s first industrial city, and the latter the home of Onguza Bicycles, the handmade bike brand that former professional racer Dan Craven founded a handful of years back.

From my own perspective I was instantly intrigued when ripples of global interest greeted Onguza Bicycles’ first post on social media (scroll through their Instagram feed to that iconic image and see for yourself). Featuring a brightly colored frame—casually slung over the shoulder of a Namibian cyclist—and set against the rocky backdrop of the world’s oldest desert, there was an immediate sense of exciting things to come.

And they did. Road and gravel plus offerings: all painstakingly crafted and with a lustrous finish complemented by splashes of vibrant color. Beautiful, bold designs that vindicated Dan’s decision to start a business at the end of the longest, most convoluted, supply chain you can
perhaps imagine.

But what I’d really set my heart on was a hardtail. And getting to know Dan as I charted his journey with Onguza, I understood that one was in the pipeline. Until it duly appeared on this very platform in the reportage from the 2023 MADE bike show. And then another came along at MADE the following year. Which prompted me to seriously consider whether an Onguza frame could find its way to Manchester; swapping southern for northern hemispheres, sand and dust for rain soaked, leaden skies.

But that in itself posed other questions. Would it work, relocating such a rarified bicycle, to my own tracks and trails? After all, as Dan is fond of mentioning, in Namibia they have lions. Whereas Manchester? Saturday night can get a little lively—especially if both City and United are playing—but generally speaking you’re usually safe, strolling the streets, from predatory animals.

Setting these concerns aside, I decided to initiate the process in much the same way as the vast majority of Dan’s customers. With a conversation. We discussed fit, color and the componentry standards that would inform my final build. We talked over the fabrication process—I know who built my frame because their initials are recorded on a brass plate underneath the bottom bracket—and that they now have their own inhouse paint booth under the watchful eye of Elvis Presley Sageus (I kid you not). And then a couple of months later a box arrived, wrapped in funky cow parcel tape, and with the usual patchwork of flight labels attesting to its long, long journey.

Lifting the frame out of its box, cocooned in layers of bubble wrap, the first thing that struck me was the beautiful sage green paint and bold black lettering adorning the downtube. Next was how little it weighed as I held it up to the light. And then to the details: the twin curves connecting the chainstays, the inlaid headtube badge of polished brass, the seamlessly smooth juncture of tubes, the way the hydraulic hoses effortlessly entered and then reappeared through the internal guides.

And how does it ride? Very fortunately, I started with a well-specced donor bike so I will admit to setting off with high expectations. But marry all those components with a frame of such evident quality and the result has been simply sublime. Yes, it’s a headturner and garners compliments wherever I stop for a mid-ride coffee; whether that’s in the urban heart of Manchester or out exploring the extensive network of pathways and trails that radiate from the city centre. But it’s the quality of the ride that is first and foremost the standout feature of the bike; supple but at the same time reassuringly planted without feeling in any way harsh.

I’ve yet to encounter any lions but it doesn’t feel out of place to be riding such an exotic beast in and around the world’s first industrial city; continuing a journey that started thousands of miles away with a tubeset and a desire to fabricate something truly special. And with that being said, it seems only fair to leave the last word to Dan. Especially considering he’s put his heart and soul into building a brand that embodies all that is special about the country of his birth.

“There’s a certain type of individual who wants a bicycle to mean something on an emotional level; a bicycle they are really proud of and gives them a vested interest in keeping it long term. A bicycle that in three, five, ten years from now, is not going to look outdated because fashions have changed. So I guess it comes down to mindset. A lot of people, looking to purchase a new bicycle, are probably not going to even think about us. But if you yearn for something that’s handmade, that has a real story to it; then I truly believe that what we offer is really quite special. And I see that as a good basis for us sitting down and starting a conversation.”

Build Spec:

• Onguza Bicycles Hardtail 29er
• Fox 32 Rhythm Float GRIP Boost 100mm MTB Fork
• Hunt XC Race Wheels
• Schwalbe Smart Sam Performance MTB Tyres 29 x 2.1 inch
• USE Carbon Bars
• Hope Brake Levers and Calipers
• ESI Grips
• Zipp 100mm Service Course 6 Degree Stem (funky cow paint by Untitled Custom Paint)
• Xcadey Power Meter
• Stylo DUB Carbon Cranks
• Hope 34t Chainring
• Garbaruk 10-50 Cassette
• SRAM AXS GX Rear Mech
• USE Carbon Seatpost
• Arundel Stainless Steel Bottle Cage
• Brooks Cambium C13 Carved Saddle

Words and bike photos: Chris Hargreaves / @openautograph
Manchester riding photos: Jason Bennett / @untitled_custom_paint

We’d like to thank all of you who submitted Readers Rides builds to be shared here at The Radavist. The response has been incredible and we have so many to share over the next few months. Feel free to submit your bike, listing details, components, and other information. You can also include a portrait of yourself with your bike and your Instagram account! Please, shoot landscape-orientation photos, not portrait. Thanks!