We launched our SHIMANO CUES Polished Silver edition this summer as a callback to our ironworks heritage. The classic look with that durable twist our CUES family is known for, with a unique finish deserving a unique build.
Or two.
Meet Ted and Pi.
We set ourselves the task of finding two independent frame builders to translate the spirit of CUES Polished Silver into a beautiful build in time for BESPOKED Dresden. Ted James and Pi Manson came highly recommended, and when we did some research, we could see why.
In the world of cycling, independent frame builders represent a crossroads of the artist’s touch and the mechanic’s eye, where each build becomes its own celebration of the beautiful side of this basic joy shared around the world: riding bikes. And nowhere is this joy better expressed than at BESPOKED, Europe’s largest hand-made bicycle show.
We gave Ted and Pi their mission:
Translate the spirit of CUES Polished Silver into a beautiful build in time for BESPOKED Dresden.
They accepted. They built. And they nailed it.
How did you set about drafting a concept for your build?
So, my first thought was: how do I make the groupset the champion? I felt I needed to choose something that wasn't too wild. A simple steel frame, not too racy, not super high performance, but it’s still a decent road bike —more of a traditional bike with modern gearing, wide ratios, and a one-by setup. You can ride this one all day.
I chose Columbus steel for the frame. Finding the right geometry. Not high performance, but comfort, you know? For a color, I wanted something easy on the eyes. A classic look with a bit of an old-school feeling. Carbon felt suitable for the fork. 32mm tires. And the rest of the geometry kind of followed logically from the fork.
Classic, yes, with just a little more comfort.
And how do you get from concept to being ready for BESPOKED?
I make a lot of components myself. I machined the head tube, the brake, and bought a bottom bracket; welding up is a smaller part of the build process. Then the paint job, which I also do myself. I was looking for something that would go nicely with silver and be a bit different from the bikes you’d see in shops. So, a light yellow with a very light splatter effect, reminiscent of a lot of paint jobs on mountain bikes in the 90s—there’s a balance there in keeping the classic look when adding a bit of flair.
A few days of prep, machining, and cutting tubes; another day of welding; finishing up; then painting takes a few hours. Three coats of primer, three coats of the color, a paint flick, and three coats of lacquer. It was a week’s work from start to finish.
Tell us a bit about yourself.
I started this company in 2010. Building frames for two years before that. Doing repairs to start with. I’ve been doing it full-time since then, from road to touring gravel to BMX and mountain bikes. I ride BMX myself. I always wanted to build a BMX. That’s what got me started. Some bikes I rode broke, so I was looking to make a stronger one. Then I got some requests, from four-year-olds to professional riders. From 16” wheels to titanium BMXs. Working with steel and titanium.
So, finally, the big question: Is steel real?
Steel is a very good material for making bikes. You can have quite skinny tubes with ample stiffness, where carbon requires more width in the chainstay to achieve the same stiffness. Steel allows for vertical compliance, resulting in a more comfortable feel. There’s flexibility in the steel, which gives you comfort. It can get lost in some production bikes.
How did you set about drafting a concept for your build?
I had it in my mind that I’d build a bike that would be great for everyone. Having a good time would be the most important thing. Generally, I design bikes for people whose priority is not necessarily speed. Fun, safety, and comfort seem to be more important. So lighting. Rack mounts, so I built a rack that kind of hints at that.
In terms of geometry, I wanted it to prioritize comfort and stability over speed. So it’s got a high front end, a relatively long head tube, and a long fork, which helps raise the front end, allowing the drops to be positioned higher and the rider to reach them more easily. It’s so important to be able to use your drops accessibly when riding a gravel bike. The core is that someone can realistically sit in the drops all day. And the hoods are really upright; you can sit up and look at the view position rather than have that be the default—slack head angle. Relatively long chainstays —450, not like a super-tucked, racy gravel bike length. That extra length helps stabilize the bike. Combined with the long top tube and a short stem, you end up with a long wheelbase. That helps make it more stable, less twitchy, and more comfortable to ride off-road.
I build my own forks from steel as well, which keeps me from being constrained. It also helps me rake the fork blades for a classic look. Generally, I want my bikes to have a classic vibe. I take my design from the history of cycling, even from the safety bicycles: forks were raked, with a double-diamond frame. I want there to be a sense of connection to that cycling lineage; I don’t want that to get lost. I feel myself as part of a loose lineage of frame builders; it’s really a beautiful thing. I really think that’s worth preserving.
And how do you get from concept to being ready for BESPOKED?
I start with a box of tubes. I do all the measurements to ensure there aren’t any issues in manufacturing. Then I make sure all the tubes fit perfectly with the next one. With a milling machine. And an abrasive tube notcher. That’s how all the tubes get cut. I still hand-mitre the seat stays, for instance, it’s sort of quicker. They get assembled in a jig, or a fixture. I made mine myself. That holds to the geometry of the bicycle. Then it gets all tacked together in the jig. You braze it just enough to keep it together. Then it gets thoroughly brazed.
I usually let my customers choose the color. In this case, the choice was pretty easy. The shade was a bit more classic-looking. It photographs well. I get my bikes powder-coated at the end, once everything is built.
Tell us a bit about yourself.
I started Clandestine in 2017 in Devon, the far Southwest of the UK. Right on the edge of Dartmoor National Park. I was in Bristol before that. Bristol had this amazing cycling community. It was so easy to get to know the entire Bristol cycling scene. I met some other people who explored frame building. So, I started off building racks for me and my friends. Then friends of friends. Then friends of friends of friends. The racks really kicked it off. I was exploring different ways of carrying gear on your bicycles.
Having amazing racks on a bike changes your whole cycling experience. The rack on the Shimano bike is super rigid, really lightweight, and has integrated dynamo routing, so it’s super elegant. You can be playful with racks if you want to.
So, that steel question…
I chose steel because of cycling's heritage. In the community where I began doing this, everyone worked in steel. In the U.K., steel is very accessible. You can learn a lot from other frame builders. It’s very forgiving to work with. They make springs out of steel. That says it all for me. Super durable, but flexible. Very safe. Good fatigue life.
And it’s just elegant, you know?
SHIMANO CUES Polished Silver is a callback to our ironworks heritage. Classic. With a durable twist.
SHIMANO CUES Polished Silver is a callback to our ironworks heritage. Classic. With a durable twist.
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