Road CC Exclusive! Flandria release 50th anniversary frameset

Road.cc reader Geoff Turner contacted us this week to let us know about Flandria's 50th anniversary frameset, only 20 of which will be available in the UK. Flandria are of course a huge name in Belgian cycling history, boasting no less than three World Road Race champions: Rik Van Looy, Jean-Pierre Monsere and Freddy Maertens.

As well as the infamous red jersey with a white band across the chest, Flandria are closely associated with the Belgian Classics, and have notched up wins in the Tour of Flanders, Ghent-Wevelgem, Paris-Roubaix, Fleche-Wallone, Liege-Bastogne-Liege and the Amstel Gold. Formed in the 1950s by two brothers, Flandria first sponsored a professional team in 1959 and had its heyday in the 1970s at which point it was running four factories across Europe. Flandria, notably, were the first pro team to use Shimano gearing on their race bikes. However, by 1980 the brand had fallen on hard times and in 1981 was declared bankrupt.

Help to revive the brand came not from the low countries but from Kirkham, near Preston: passionate enthusiast Adam Longworth bought the rights to the name after dealings in Belgium revealed it was a possibility, and since 2002 he's been busy reviving the brand in Belgium and the UK. Keeping true to the heritage, every Flandria frame is designed in Flanders, Belgium. The Flandria 50th anniversary model is a tribute to the 1959 team, and the company's first full Carbon frameset. Only 50 will be produced, with 30 reserved for the Belgian market and 20 being sold in the UK, so you can pretty much guarantee you'll have a unique bike at any event!

The framest itself features a Colnago C50-esque top weave and a high gloss finish, as well as World Championship stripes and the original Flandria Eagle headbadge. It's mated with a Deda fork with an anti-vibration insert, which should be just right for the Roubaix cobbles.

If you're looking for an exclusive new frame and you've got £1500 burning a hole in your pocket then you might want to contact the Flandria chaps directly. The frame is so exclusive it isn’t even on the www.flandriabikes.com website...