Alex has not had the best luck with bikes over the past few years but Chris Bishop was looking to change that. As a native Baltimoron (is that right?), Alex has always admired Chris’ handywork, prompting him to save some money for a frame and what a bike it is. This Keirin-influenced machine has aero stays and an aero 3 Rensho fork.
You’ve gotta check out more at the Bishop Flickr.
Yeah, I know, there’s already been a ton of Bishop NAHBS love here on the site but I was very impressed that with all the bikes Chris has been building, he brought two track bikes with him. My level of respect for Chris and Tommy only increases each year and I know the owner of this bike is beyond stoked on how it turned out. Full Campagnolo C-Record Pista, Cinelli heritage saddle with matching bar wrap and those fillets! This frame will be getting a coat of wet paint from Bryan Myers of Fresh Frame before it leaves for China. Have a napkin ready, this one’s a drooler.
It should be no surprise that Chris Bishop won an award at NAHBS with this bike. For the third year in a row, this full time framebuilder and part time bike messenger brought an incredible fleet of absolutely stunning bikes with him from Baltimore. I was able to shoot three out of the four bikes, the first of which being the Drillium Revival track and now, this reverse bi-lam road.
Originally conceived by Ian Sutton of Icarus Frames, the reverse bi-lam head tube was a show stopper. When the client requested the detail from Chris, he called Ian, asking permission to make it, something he didn’t have to do, but Chris is a true Southern gentlemen. The end result is a tri-color jade, emerald and turquoise road bike with a modern Dura Ace group and a custom 1″ quill stem. The stainless rear triangle and Bishop-standard thin lugwork set this apart from the playing field at NAHBS.
Michael from Brooks England is beyond stoked on his new ride and as a fellow Bishop owner, I can say for sure that this bike is a life-long companion. Yes, I am very partial to Chris’ work, so I took a little more time documenting this machine. Go on and let it marinate in the Gallery.
Chris Bishop‘s 2012 raw track bike returned for 2013 with a fresh coat of paint and a new, Italian component group. The razor sharp blue wet paint was supplied by Fresh Frame. The vintage Cinelli and Campagnolo components were drilled, shaped and milled by Drillium Revival. Bottom line is, this bike has sass and class (you either love or hate that tag line, don’t you?).
Little details like the etched Bishop logo on the fork crown and chainstays make this build for me…
This year, like before, I’ll be working hard and partying harder at the 2013 NAHBS. I’ll do my best to bring you the bikes with the most class and sass as well as something a little different. I’ll have Flag Hatchet stickers on me, as well as passes to the Outside is Free party, so come track me down. Bourbon sips are appreciated!
If you want some eye candy from last year, check out the 2012 NAHBS archives!
Usually when you see Campagnolo Pista hubs with drillium, chances are, they came from the Paramount facilities in the 70′s, complete with Paramount track bikes. Rumor has it that they misdrilled them too large for spoke holes and had to re-drill them, giving the flange a nice, light, facelift.*
While the technological advancements (i.e. weight) of hub designs have improved since then, there’s still that nostalgic allure of a classic Italian component with little circles cut out of it. As others have noted “nothing is lighter than a hole“. Drillium Revival are the minds behind this masterpiece hubset pictured here. Their holes were drilled intentionally and will be gracing one of Chris Bishop‘s 2013 NAHBS bikes.
Oh and they didn’t stop with the hubs. They kind of went all out! See more drilled, milled, profiled and polished Campagnolo Pista at the Bishop Flickr.
*source: Cicli Devotion
Last summer, Chris King gave me one of their soon-to-be-reissued purple NoThreadSets and all I could think was “this will be perfect on the Bishop”. For whatever reason, it sat on my desk, staring me down until the other day when I finally broke out my headset tools and installed it. This, along with the new Tune Skewers I ordered from Fairwheel Bikes (hey, no one could order them locally) brought just the right amount of purple to the already classy Bishop road.
See a few more shots below.
I used to drool all over myself when Aaron Hayes from Courage would post photos of his bikes, so it should come as no surprise that I’m doing the same now. Chris Bishop inherited these iconic track ends from a current client of his / ex client of Courage. It’s a long story, but I can’t wait to watch it unfold at the Bishop Flickr.
NAHBS bikes bring out the best in builders but like many of the greats, they never really have to do anything different. That’s the beauty of NAHBS. Little details like this one in particular really bring a bike to life… I can’t wait to see the Bishop offerings to the NAHBS gods.
Great paint makes beautiful frames absolutely stunning but I guess that hand carved head tube lug doesn’t hurt either. Matt’s CX frame is one of the nicest Bishops in recent months. Aside from the details, I like that he’s doing a steel and a carbon fork. Check out the full set here.
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