Who are you and what do you do?
I’m Jon and I’m a Graphic Designer based in Witney, Oxfordshire.
What bike(s) do you ride?
My main stable is three bikes:
Colnago CLX 3
I picked up this lovely carbon bike in a Wiggle sale a few years ago and it’s lovely. The fit is perfect and its light and well balanced. I have plans to get the frame drilled so that I can run Di2 on it, but at the moment its SRAM Force which is probably sacrilegious for a Colnago, but I like SRAM. It tends to be my summer ride for when conditions are good. The rest of the time I ride my…
Bowman Pilgrims
This is my all-rounder bike. The Pilgrims is an aluminium frame from a small independent British company and is designed to tackle a bit of rough stuff as well as tarmac. Hydraulic disc brakes mean it always stops in the wet, and it also has Shimano Di2 which is a joy to use. Dependable and only needs charging about twice a year. The Hunt wheels are shod with Challenge 27mm Roubaix gumwall tyres, which I find to be the best balance of speed and bump-soaking comfort. Not as light as my Colnago, but tends to be go-to bike most of the time now.
Pashley Guvnor
I’ll be honest and say this doesn’t get as much use as the other bikes. With, 531 steel, 3 gears and almost 15kg of weight it’s not the nippiest. However, when the sun is shining and I’m not in a rush (or tackling crazy hills) I’ll take this out for a spin. It’s classic style is gorgeous and feels like riding an elegant steamroller.
Favourite route to ride?
My favourite route is a loop from Witney via Churchill. It’s a lovely spin through Cotswold Villages with some hard hills but great views. Its just under 38 miles and I can fit it in morning, afternoon or summery evening. Its the ride that gives me a good stretch and is great for the soul.
What was your first bike?
My first ever bike was a blue Raleigh 3 speed model when I was about 8, but coming back to cycling in my 30’s I bought a late 90’s steel Peugeot with Campagnolo Veloce from ebay and it was enough to get me started. It didn’t quite fit me properly so I bought a base model Specialized Allez a few months later and I’ve not looked back since.
Best bit of kit and why?
Apart from my love for Di2 mentioned above, I also love my Lezyne Roll Caddy. I spent ages trying to find my perfect tool bag and this holds everything in smallest and most secure way of all. It can go under my saddle, in a bottle cage or in my back pocket easily.
What’s your dream bike?
My dream bike at this point would be the Canyon Endurace CF SLX. It would combine everything I like about the Colnago and Bowman into one package! They do sell just the frameset, so I am hopeful!
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