English designer Paul Smith has teamed up with bespoke cycling workshop Mercian Cycles to realize this incredibly sleek fixed-gear road bike.
Sir Paul Smith had dreams of becoming a professional cyclist before he turned his hand to design, so he’s something of an expert when it comes to picking out a pair of wheels.
“Mercian are a fantastic company from Derby, working with them has been amazing. Mercian are one of the last bespoke bike makers in Britain. The bikes are all hand made and this is such a joy to witness in this world of mass production”, said Sir Paul Smith recently.
The Mercian fixed-gear bike has been built in collaboration with British bespoke brand Mercian Cycles. It has been hand-crafted in matte-black, lightweight steel and fitted with a range of custom high-end kit including a handmade Fizik saddle and Continental tyres; the result is in few words nothing less than a dream ride.
The bike forms the centerpiece of Paul Smith 531, a capsule collection that’s designed for city cycling. The name pays homage to Reynolds 531, a lightweight bike tubing that was popular before the advent of aluminium and carbon-fibre composites.
This masterpiece is now available one Mr Porter.
Remember: This is not the first collaboration between Paul Smith and Mercian Cycles, though. Back in the autumn of 2007 they produced two unique bikes, one tour and one track bike in a selection of colourful custom made frames.
