Weâre all used to seeing the bikes that custom builders create for their customers but what do they build for themselves? In this new series on BikeRadar, we take a look at what these artisans create for themselves, free from the restrictions of client requests, budgets, and time constraints. Forget that old saying â the cobblerâs shoes are mighty dapper indeed.
Ballerâs Ride is an annual invitation-only gathering in Virginiaâs Blue Ridge Mountains where several custom builders (and some of their customers) exchange ideas, share a few laughs and beers, and, most importantly, ride bikes â preferably quickly.
The routes are also far from easy. Day one comprises a mix of surfaced road, dirt, and rough gravel over 82 miles and more than 8,000ft of elevation gain. Day two is slightly shorter and wholly paved but the entire weekend still presents the riders with an unrelentingly undulating landscape.
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Itâs the high point of the year for many attendees but for the builders, itâs also a condensed test session. Equipment failures are common, thereâs almost no cellular service or shops to replenish food and water anyone on course, and little chance of outside help in the event of a major breakdown. Ideally, builders are supposed to use the same bike, tires, and wheelset for the whole weekend.
For this yearâs Ballerâs Ride, Nate Zukas of Zukas Cycles brought a stunning steel cyclocross bike that deftly blended traditional construction techniques and materials with modern features and aesthetics.
You can read more at BikeRadar.com