The Radavist

Chris Blandford ponders the significance of Reynolds, the legendary manufacturer behind some of the most iconic bicycle tubesets in history. From its invention of butted tubing in the 1890s to its steady evolution into modern materials and techniques, Reynolds has never stopped crafting the structural foundation of the bikes that move us. What follows is a first-hand look inside the factory, the people who keep it humming, and the future they’re building one tube at a time…

Brooks England opened the doors of their Birmingham workshop to host the first Open Factory in over a century. Our European correspondent, and gonzo journo, Petor Georgallou, seized the opportunity to explore their archive of historic designs dating back more than 150 years. Join us for a rare look behind the scenes at one of the longest-running brands in cycling. Enjoy the show…

As part of their Open Factory event, Brooks England invited a selection of builders and small British bike brands. Some of the longest-running brands in cycling had the opportunity to show alongside relative newcomers. Buckle up for another ride with our European correspondent, Petor Georgallou, and enjoy the show…

Last week, John scoped the Sentient Workshop Project Stepping Stone full suspension cargo bike on the Welsh brand’s Instagram. He immediately reached out to Tullen and James to see if they’d send in a write-up on this very unique project. Below you’ll find a special Readers’ Rides, from the minds of two tinkerers with a lot of talent and vision. Let’s check it out!

A few weeks ago, our European correspondent Petor headed into London to ride at the 8th edition of annual fundraiser North London Dirt. He ended up riding off-road with rad people in the rain, exploring London’s hidden dirt shortcuts and side quests.

Earlier this week, we looked inside Hope Tech, a leader in UK manufacturing. While visiting the shop, John spent some time documenting the Hope HB.T track bike…

John and Petor took off on a whirlwind tour to visit framebuilders and manufacturers after the 2025 Bespoked UK. One of those stops was Hope Tech, and their afternoon left a lasting impression on John. Read on for what makes Hope Tech so special and why he wants to put Hope on all his bikes from here on out…

While at FForest Ffondo last month, John linked up with Rob from Quirk Cycles, who had a production sample of the brand’s new stock sizing Kegety gravel bike. Over the years, we’ve featured many builds from Quirk Cycles, but this one marks a new turning point for the brand, as it is the first of the brand’s new set-sized models and features new branding. Let’s check it out in detail below…

Perhaps the most paradigm-shifting bike for John was the Starling Cycles Murmur, which he often refers to as the best full-suspension bike he’s ridden. Yet, he’d never met the people behind the Bristol-based brand until a recent road trip following Bespoked UK.

John had built up the brand to be mountain bike royalty – but after hanging out with the team Inside / Out of their Bristol-based shop, he realized that their m.o. is less royalty and more serf. The folks behind Starling are working-class, core mountain bikers, who love nothing more than a rip in the woods.

Read on for a look inside and out of Starling Cycles and what John thought of the makers of his all-time favorite full-suspension mountain bike…

When it comes to experimentation spanning British framebuilding, the Flying Gate is one of the more iconic designs. Brands like Hetchins, Bates, and Jack Taylor stuck to the fundamental look of a classic road bike. Outliers like Paris, with its Galibier, and Baines, with its Flying Gate, took an entirely different approach to the classic triangle and rhombus silhouette.

While at the Fforest Fondo, John met up with Chris, the current torch holder of the TJ Cycles Flying Gate, one of the original short wheelbase British TT bike designs. Read on for a brief history of the model and a detail-rich Beautiful Bicycles gallery below…

After a busy travel schedule to Bespoked UK and a few post-showcase Shop Visits, John and Cari found respite at the Fforest Ffondo. Read on for a springtime sampling of Wales and a look into Welsh hospitality…

There’s no doubt people comb through our seventeen years of Beautiful Bicycles over here at The Radavist for inspiration. This week’s Readers’ Rides takes it to another level. Chris Hargreaves from Manchester, England, was inspired by Chris’s Independent Fabrication ‘cross bike we featured twelve years ago, and had a new-to-him Indy Fab painted to match. Let’s check it out!