Perhaps the highlight of this year’s Cycle Show was a stunningly realised retro-styled touring cycle from Carmarthenshire-based handbuilt specialists Paulus Quiros. Built using polished stainless steel lugs, the frame is silver-brazed with Reynolds 953 tubing throughout including the 953 fork blades that complete the specification.
The lugwork is exquisite, with fine details such as the hanger for the rear cantilever brake cable set off by polished aluminium mudguards and the natural tan shades of the Brooks saddle and leather handlebar tape.
The transmission is Campagnolo’s Comp triple with a 13-29 cassette while the pedals are an interesting CNC-machined replica of an old Lyotard platform design. Perhaps the only detail we might quibble is the fitment of a threadless handlebar stem. Quill stems may be inferior in performance and increasingly hard to find, but using one would surely add to the aesthetic appeal of this delightful machine.
