It’s hard to stay on top of all the innovations the bike industry serves up. We are under constant pressure to integrate new developments, such as tapered steerer forks, or disc brakes for cross and road bikes. Not every idea that makes it to market really serves the rider though, and as a custom builder we have to pick and choose the trends we think have legs, the ones really worth pursuing.

Staying current, for us, isn’t always about offering the flavor of the month, even though some of those flavors are good. It’s about finding the sweet spot between classic and modern, identifying the trends that really enhance the riding experience. We have never wanted to be a retro bike builder, applying old techniques to old materials as a sort of homage to what bikes once were. Neither do we want to chase every new idea and try to convince people we’re reinventing two wheels.

To us, being current means using the best materials and techniques to build bikes that people love to ride.

Our good friend Mark at Sigma Sport in the UK treated himself to a new Axiom SL. He opted for an over-sized headtube (44mm) with an ENVE tapered road fork and a Shimano Dura Ace Di2 electronic shift set up. Race style decals complete the look.

Mark says:

Thanks to everyone at Seven! I finally have a road bike that I love as much as my Seven Sola SL mountain bike! As an American working in a British bike shop & Seven dealer, it’s so nice being able to sell such amazing examples of American craftsmanship.

This is Bill, at Cascade Bicycle Studio in Seattle, with his new Mudhoney SL.

Bill says:

My new Seven Mudhoney is truly a fantastic machine.  I love it.
 
Fits perfectly.
Very stable at high speeds.
So responsive I just think about a turn and it goes.
Handling is great at slow speeds.
Combination of weight and wheels helps in quick acceleration.
Really fast.  I need a longer commute to get more exercise.  Climbing hills easily. 

Feels great, and looks great too.
 
Perfect,
Thanks, and pass my complements to the factory for me.

Palo Alto Bicycles customer Kirk went all out on his new Axiom SL. 44mm headtube with tapered road fork, Campy Super Record EPS electronic shifting, carbon rims and cockpit. And, he was happy with the outcome.

Kirk says:

I got the Axiom SL together last Saturday and went on my first ride yesterday. The bike’s ride and feel is incredible. I have never experienced a bike that has such sure feel about it and holds the line going around curves and downhill. I can’t wait to get back on it again.

Mid-winter, Rob built himself a unique rando bike.  This was one in a long list of Seven project randonneuring bikes that we took on in 2012, an internal project to test a couple ideas. Due to the above-average snowfall here in New England, we did this as a speed project, one week from design to build.

This video was, in part, the inspiration for the design, hence the name Nella  Neve.

Highlights of the project included:

• Hot swappable between drop bar and Tiberius bar – actually a Stylerius(tm) bar
• Accommodate tires from 23c up to 2.3″ 29er.  Ideally designed around 33c tires.
• Race-worthy geometry, handling, and performance.
• Big fenders for optimized protection in the wettest and snowiest of days.  No ice buildup on theses beauts.
• Disc brakes for icy weather and easy wheel swap.
• Hot swapping studded tires for 28c tires depending on the weather

This is Mary’s 4th Continental Champion Title in the past 10 years riding a custom Seven.

Mary reported to us after her win saying:

“My IMX 29er was incredible once again… and especially fast as she lost a bit of weight (over a pound) when we installed SRAMs XX1 components…  It was surely a team effort!  THANK YOU all at Seven Cycles for your commitment to building the best bikes on the market!  We are honored to represent!”

For pictures check out their blog.

Congratulations to Mike and Mary for another amazing win. We are proud to have you as representatives of the Seven Cycles team.

Terry is a co-owner of Seattle’s Cascade Bicycle Studio. This is Terry’s new Resolute SLX. The custom paint scheme is designed by a good friend of the shop’s, Derek Blagg.

Terry says:

I wanted to keep a steel bike in my quiver as I really like the feel of a steel bike. The bike was designed to be road bike ready for fenders. As the project and the paint evolved I realized that steel bikes are really where my passion for bikes is. I truly believe a steel bike can ride beyond the expectations of any material. Now the bike is MY ROAD BIKE and might see fenders for a few months a year while my Mudhoney SL is devoted to cross season.

Can you please let everyone involved with my new bike it is the most wonderful bike I have ever owned. There is no reason in the world not to ride a Seven. You get just what you want. The welds and paint are so perfect. Thank you.

This is Ambi’s new 622 SLX with integrated seat post (ISP), 44mm headtube, and Di2 shifting perched against a guard rail in the Marin headlands looking down over the Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco. We built it with our friends at City Cycle.

Ambi says:

My bike is finally completed and she had her first 40+miles today up and down SF hills and the Marin Headlands, even saw family of deers too. She rides as mean as she looks, and as good, as fast…super stiff, awesome downhill, uphill, cutting corners..you name it! That over-sized head tube looks insane!

Effortless! Now i need to be in shape all the time to keep up with this bike.

Thanks again for all your help and please thank Jordan and all Seven crew who helped made my dream bike. Can’t wait to ride again. You guys are awesome! I am eyeing a Ti Axiom or Cafe Racer in the future. But in the meantime this bike is so awesome!

Another thing that has happened is that the basic constraints of traditional categories have broken down, so that today, even though we are still building traditional road and mountain bikes, a very high percentage of our work is on bikes that cross categories or even combine them. Cyclocross race bikes that convert to bad weather commuters are common. Road bikes that convert easily for touring. Monster cross machines.

What our riders are beginning to understand is that a custom bike can be designed to serve multiple purposes simply by incorporating some features not commonly available on production bikes. Often, when they are thinking of buying two bikes for two different aspects of their cycling life, we can build them just one.

Categorization can be a good way to understand a bike’s basic functionality, but it can also be a constraint, and when you’re in the business of building dream bikes, no one wants to be constrained. That’s why we do what we do.