Three years ago we first took a look at Fixie Inc’s Betty Leeds, a steel framed bicycle designed for the racing cyclist. For 2011 the frame has been updated so we popped along to Mosquito Cycles to take a closer look at the latest incarnation.
First things first, it’s a stunning looking bike with the steel frame wrapped in a luscious white paint job, with elaborate decals and script logos. Look closer and you’ll spot the swirly details on the inside of the fork legs, the star shape cut-out of the chainstay brake bridge. All details that help the Fixie stand out from the crowd.
The frame is a finely TIG welded collection of 4130 double butted tubes, and the tube profiles are shaped for optimum stiffness. The top tube for example is flattened horizontally at the seat tube but twists to be taller at the head tube.
As for updates over the previous frame, it’s a case of subtle refinements to make a good frame even better rather than anything drastic. Updates include teardrop shaped seatstays to offer a little more ride comfort. Cable routing has been cleaned up with new cable stops and the dropouts are CNC machined to reduce weight.
It’s a fine looking bike propped up against the wall here, but its home is the open road, quiet country lanes and being pushed along at a decent lick of speed where the resilient ride of the steel frame will reward. It’s not a bike for posers, though you will be turning heads at the café stop before the club run gets underway on Sunday morning, you have been warned.
The Betty Leeds is available as a frame and fork package costing £949. Mosquito Bikes will build you a Betty Leeds to any spec, but to highlight this new frame a SRAM Force groupset upgrade with RED levers worked alongside DT Classic wheels – in fetching white to match the frame no less – and Fizik and Rotor finishing parts.
Betty Leeds, odd name for a bicycle…
