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FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Where do all the components come from?

We have hand-picked our own set of components from manufacturers all over the world, carefully matching performance with reliability and longevity. Where necessary we have tested the components ourselves, or had them independently tested to ensure compliance.

Real-world testing is sometimes best of all, and our experience at Jake's Bikes of repairing and servicing thousands of customers' bikes has provided us with a good understanding of exactly which components are the best quality and will stand the test of time.

The devil is in the detail when it comes to bike components, and it is our attention to detail when specifying components that makes the difference between an average bike and a truly practical, reliable, long-lasting one.

How come Bristol Bicycles are so affordable?

We want to make cycling a viable alternative to driving for as many people as possible, so the bikes are priced very affordably, undercutting directly comparable models from big-name brands by as much as £50. We can achieve this because we do everything ourselves in Bristol, from designing the frames and sourcing and importing the components, to building and retailing the bikes, thereby cutting out two or three middle-men. The savings can be passed on to our customers.

Do Bristol Bicycles manufacture frames and forks in the UK?

We design our own frames and forks here in Bristol, but in common with all other aluminium bike frames produced in any significant volume, we currently get them manufactured by specialist contractors in China and Taiwan.

Interestingly there are recent moves in the bike industry to bring manufacturing capability back to Europe or even the UK, so we hope in a couple of years to be able to get our frames made much closer to home. We have made enquiries with potential manufacturers in Stratford-Upon-Avon and even Bristol, and a new manufacturer in Leamington Spa who are not ready to produce bike frames yet, but are aiming to be up and running by 2018.

Wherever possible we source various other components from Europe - our wheel rims are made in France and the wheels are then built in the UK, and our tyres and inner tubes are made in the Czech Republic. Seatposts, stems and handlebars are made in Germany. As with the frames and forks, if these components ever become available in the UK at viable prices we will certainly start sourcing them here.

Why are Bristol Bicycles black?

Quite simply, because black is the most practical colour. It's less flashy and eye-catching as a theft-prevention measure. It shows the dirt less. Matching the paint colour is easier if it gets scratched or chipped and needs touching-up. And we think black looks quite smart and sleek, in a classy understated kind of way.

Why no disc brakes?

We have no problem with disc brakes - in fact for mountain biking and even touring we recommend discs. What we say is no cheap disc brakes. To get even basic disc brakes of reasonable quality you have to spend £40 or £50 per brake. A complete bike equipped with good disc brakes is likely to cost £600 or more. Below this price, you are better off with V-brakes. Our philosophy is that good quality V-brakes are better than cheap disc brakes.

Why no suspension?

Suspension adds weight and cost, and creates additional servicing costs for the future too. Suspension compresses and bounces as you pedal, making the bike less efficient to ride, especially uphill. As with disc brakes (above), we recommend suspension for mountain biking, but you have to pay a lot to get reasonable quality suspension forks - £100 or more for even basic ones. On a £300 or £400 commuting bike we think it's more important to have useful things like good strong wheels, puncture-resistant tyres and good brakes. If a bike in this price range comes with suspension forks, they will by definition be fairly cheap, nasty ones - and probably mean that corners have been cut elsewhere on the bike's component specification to save money too.

What do the names of each bike model mean?

We have named each of our bikes after a different hill in central Bristol - and being a hilly city, there are plenty of names to choose from. All Bristol Bicycles are designed to excel on hilly terrain, having plenty of gears and good brakes and being pretty lightweight, so we thought it was a fitting tribute to their home city to name them after local hills.

Why no rack or mudguards?

Bristol Bicycles frames are all designed for fitment of pannier racks and mudguards. They do not come fitted as standard to keep the price of the bike down, and because some customers like to choose a specific type of rack, or mudguards of a particular colour, or may even have their own already. But rest assured all Bristol Bicycles will accept a pannier rack and full-length mudguards - as we firmly believe all practical bikes should.

Why do some models have smaller wheels?

Conventional 700c hybrid wheels are approximately 28" in diameter. Smaller 26" wheels are ideal on bikes with smaller frame sizes because they allow the bike to be better proportioned for riders below about 5'6" tall, where a larger wheel would mean that the front of the bike had to be positioned too high and too far from the saddle for comfort simply to make room for the wheel. So on all our models with frame sizes below 17" we exclusively use 26" wheels.

But smaller wheels also have other advantages. They are a little lighter, not only making the bike slightly lighter overall, but also meaning it accelerates more quickly and feels slightly more nimble or responsive to ride. They are also inherently stronger, so for heavier or taller riders they can provide an advantage too.

Are there any disadvantages?

In theory a smaller wheel rolls less well on rough terrain (i.e. the same size of bump in the road surface will stop a tiny wheel, where a huge wheel would roll over it). However in reality the difference in size between a 26" and 28" wheel so insignificant it would be almost impossible to notice - the choice of tyre, and pressure it is inflated to, makes much more of a difference.

Another difference between the wheel sizes is that they will slightly effect the gearing - a bike with small wheels effectively has slightly lower gears than a bike with larger wheels. This can be an advantage for the steepest uphill slope, where a very low gear is a good thing. It could be a disadvantage for the fastest downhills, but in practice all Bristol Bicycles have more than enough of a gear range to cope with this - on a bike with smaller wheels you simply select the appropriate gear without thinking about it, and don't even notice the wheel size.

In summary, smaller wheels have several advantages without any real disadvantages. Bristol Bicycles with larger 700c hybrid wheels are available in the larger frame sizes for those who prefer large wheels (the Park Street model). The models with smaller 26" wheels, but otherwise identical components (Stokes Croft and Whiteladies models) are available in a full range of frame sizes from XS to XL. So you can take your pick.

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Bristol Bicycles is a trading name of Jake's Bikes Ltd.

All images are for illustrative purposes only and may not represent the exact models and specifications currently available. Specifications, prices and availability subject to change without notice.