I can't believe it's not carbon, awesome integration and a subtle Shand rebrand: Five Cool Things from Bespoked Handmade Bike Show 2024

The 2024 edition of the Bespoked Handmade Bike Show made its return to the UK this year after it went on holiday to Dresden in 2023, popping up at the iconic Victoria Baths in Manchester. Luckily the pools weren't filled (believe it or not it has been a couple of times in the past 20 years for very special events) or else a lot of the custom steel beauties on show could have got very rusty indeed... 

Below we've picked five of our highlights, and right at the deep end of the article you'll find a bonus gallery with some more bikes, kit and curiosities.

The Reap Vekta 019 is a British-made carbon speed machine

Reap doesn't beat about the bush when trying to describe the difference between its Formula 1-inspired, high performance carbon road and tri bikes and "generic" bikes from other brands. On the first page of Reap's website, the brand says: "Something went wrong with carbon bikes over the past decade.

"The majority of the world's 'high-end' carbon-fibre bikes are made in just four factories in Asia. How can brands claim to have revolutionary technology in their bike when it is manufactured by the same people, in the same factory, in the same way as maybe five other brands' bikes? Generic production techniques create generic bikes. Do you want generic?" 

If the answer is "no" and you have some money to spend, Reap claims its Vekta 019 will do the job and then some of getting you to the finish line faster, in a more sustainable fashion than most carbon bike manufacturers. 

The frame uses natural fibres and bioresins which provide "phenomenal damping properties", which also takes the bike industry "one, albeit small, step closer to a sustainable future", claims Reap. 

Reap admits the finish on this prototype isn't perfect, but the purpose is "to demonstrate what a British carbon manufacturer can do." 

reapbikes.com

This custom Condor shows off the smart Columbus Trittico integration system

Condor was showcasing numerous bikes at Bespoked, but it was this custom collaboration with Columbus that caught our eye the most. 

Making use of the Columbus Trittico carbon fibre cockpit, the system allows for full integrated cable routing with custom bike builds; even if the frame doesn't strictly support full internal cable routing according to the folks we spoke to at Condor. 

Columbus promises improved ergonomics from the handlebar thanks to a crescent-shaped incision below the brake levers, and micro-tuning is possible with the stem to give -5°, 0 or +5mm positions. 

To show it off, this custom-painted bike has Columbus livery and high-end components courtesy of Shimano and Chris King. 

condorcycles.com

Leuven's custom creations are made from repurposed women's city bikes 

The enthusiastic chap on this stand was keen to tell us the benefits of transforming old beaters into functional fixies and even drop bar road bikes. 

We were told the above bike, that was originally a small ladies urban bike, has a unique and very lively ride quality that beats any modern carbon or steel frame for speedy city riding. Those are some big claims and without having a go on it we can't be sure, but whatever floats your boat... 

Twmpa's high-end painted road bike is for wooden bike fans after something a bit more subtle

Twmpa Cycles has been showcasing its high-end wooden bikes at Bespoked for a few years, and now it's decided to add some colour to its AR1.1 all-road bike. And what a lovely paint job it is. 

You might be thinking: surely anyone looking to invest in a bespoke wooden bicycle would want natural colours, so everyone knows what a rare beast they're riding? Apparently not, according to Twmpa, who told us that some customers simply want a wooden frame for its superior ride quality, and would rather not get all the attention while out on their serene rides in the countryside. 

The Twmpa AR1.1 starts from £3,490 for the frameset. 

twmpacycles.co.uk

Shand is now 'Born in Scotland', not 'made in Scotland'

This is not exactly a 'cool' thing, more of a public service announcement on behalf of custom steel bike brand Shand: but anyway, we were told that Shand's bike frames and various custom parts are now made in Coventry and Wednesbury in the West Midlands, rather than Scotland. 

This follows the announcement that the brand is now part of mountain bike components manufacturer Rideworks, who purchased Shand from Liberty House recently. Feedback has been mixed on Shand's social media, but TL/DR, the brand is alive and well and now based in Coventry. 

Some of the bikes on show included the Stoater flat bar hybrid, the Rizello road bike and the Stooshie gravel bike. 

shandcycles.com

Check out more of our highlights in the gallery below...