field

Field Owners Ride III

October 16th 2019

Looking back to a few weeks ago and our third annual Field Owners Ride. It’s so good to ride alongside and catch up with the very people that make our business what it is. Making the bikes is only half the story. Going to let the photos do the talking. Here’s to next year.

T.

More photos in the gallery

TIM'S FIELD WORKS

June 12th 2019

My journey with Field Cycles began at Lé Grand Depart in Leeds back in 2014, with Leeds Town Hall hosting a pop-up exhibition of cycling related small businesses. On entering the Hall, (as I remember it) front and centre of the space were Field Cycles with a selection of beautifully designed items and bikes. I was immediately struck by the combination of classic and contemporary that Field’s bicycles balanced so perfectly, through the use of varied tubes and the incredible paint design and finish. Three and a half years later, with the memory of that visit and probably three and a half years of staring at social media posts carrying #fieldcycles, I decided it was time for a new bicycle and to enquire with Field.

The inspiration behind the fork paint is a nod to my other mountain love, skiing. Following the consultation with Tom, I thought alot harder about my passions and influences more widely. I dug up some old photo’s taken from my ski seasons, and settled on a couple taken skiing in the trees of Val D’Isere; cycling is the only thing that gives me a feeling anything like dodging trees in fresh powder! The forks abstractly represent the trees, snow, undergrowth and sunlight as you flash through it.

In it’s first month I took FW15 to the Peaks and Mallorca and the bike was equally capable on the short, sharp of England or the long, steady in Mallorca. You can tell that the Field Works frame is a product of filtering every bike they’ve made and the lessons learnt into it. The ride is positive, planted and ready to go; the power transfer is incredible and the feedback is so encouraging it has me attacking everything.

Last September I had the pleasure of meeting many other Field owners at the annual Field Owners Ride. An incredible two days spent riding the perfect terrain around Sheffield with excellent company. I was quite anxious, not being used to riding in big groups, but also that the chat would be all about gear and groupsets. I love bicycles and cycling the same way I love beer and coffee, for it’s simplicity, taste and because I just do. I’m not interested how the coffee was roasted and I’m not interested in the density of my bartape! My fears were quickly allayed, the owners group is a mix of friendly, knowledgeable and interested people, and I think this is as much a credit to the Field Cycles team as the bikes are; the owners mirror the makers creating a fantastic community.

Tim.

More photos in the gallery

Field Owners Ride II

November 18th 2018

Shivering, dressed for a summer ride and blinded by the spray on the descent back into Sheffield, caught in a late summer shower with a wry grin on your face. Few things compare to that moment of pride and satisfaction after a weekend of riding around the Peaks, surrounded by the owners of bikes we’ve spent so many hours crafting.

That descent marked a fitting end to the second annual Field Owners social ride, a two day tour of some of our favourite local roads – welcoming owners new and old, and a chance catch up over plenty of Yorkshire Tea, cake, pizza, beer and many miles of quiet lanes.

Saturdays 50 miler saw us take the back roads out from the Workshop, climbing up through Dore to Ringinglow before heading out across towards The Strines. An early morning stop at our Cow Molly allowed for a top up of coffee and ice-cream before pushing on through Low Bradfield and then tackling ‘Deliverance’ on Mortimer Road. Looping back via Boldertsone gave the chance for a few people to test their legs on the short sharp climbs under the trees that climb back up from Broomhead Reservoir.

An obligatory pint and chips at High Bradfield marked the start of the return, then heading back across Strines and down past a very empty Ladybower following the scorching summer. The last climb of the day saw us head up Coggers Lane, bringing the group home below the stunning Stanage Egde, and then back across Burbage moor before the last drop into the city.

Sunday’s ride took us out West, into the Peaks, heading out via to Hathersage for a warming cup of tea at the Pools Café before heading up one of our favourite climbs to Abney and the gliding club. From there is was across towards Foolow and down Longstone edge to lead us to Monsal Head, to take in the stunning viaduct.

A little bit of racing up the Cresbrook climb through the woods then took us up and out along the tops before dropping back down into the back of Castleton, and onto the second café stop of the day in Hope. Refuelled, we headed back towards the city, with the last proper climb of the day up Higgor Tour, giving those with a little bit left in the legs the chance to wind it up. The the cold drop back into Sheffield caught in a sudden downpour ended things in typical Yorkshire style.

We’ve always been blown away by the support of our customers and their enthusiasm for what we’ve produced over the years, sharing the roads and hearing where peoples Field’s have taken them was a great fitting end another busy summer. A huge thanks to everyone who traveled from near and far to make it, and to Chris King for providing a few take-homes.

Here’s to the next one.

T.

More photos in the gallery

Marks disc road

August 30th 2018

“Having recently got into cycling, with my 40th birthday approaching and having a liking for something slightly different to the norm, the idea of a bespoke bike appealed. Despite a preference for dark chocolate digestives rather than fig rolls (though Harry is right, fig rolls go much better in a jersey pocket) after a visit to the Field Cycles workshop, and a chat over a brew, I put down my deposit and the wait began.

Harry patiently put up with my indecision over aspects of the build as my place in the queue approached. Once in production, it was Tom’s turn to cope with my fluctuating thoughts on the paintwork. We settled on a frame ideal for the bumpy roads of the Peak District the bike would mostly be ridden in and a paint design inspired by its colours; the differing shades of green throughout the year, the purple of the heather and the yellow of the gorse.

Whilst there’s more flashy elements, perhaps my favourite part is the top tube. Here John’s meticulous layering of paint produces a depth of colour that changes as light plays off it. The paint, along with Tom’s design, accentuate Harry’s craftsmanship as the tube tapers from being circular on leaving the seat tube to become oval as it perfectly blends into the head tube. For me it is a great example of how the teams individual skills and expertise combine beautifully to produce the unique finished item that is a Field.

Others who’ve grown up cycling are far more qualified than me to talk about the zingy ‘Field feel’ and how it compares to other bikes, but I love how it responds on the short steep slopes of the Peaks, and is equally at home cruising along flatter terrain. Maybe the best compliment, though, is that I’ve ridden it for 200+ km rides through wind and rain and still been smiling at the end.”

Mark

View more of Marks build in the gallery

Ash's Field Works - FW020

August 29th 2018

Ash kept things beautifully simple, deep olive green with piano black detailing and fork. A beautiful example of our Field Works calliper road frameset. #Canwekeepit

View more photos in the gallery

FIELD X ENVE & Chris King Show bike

August 17th 2018

An opportunity to own a very special show bike built for the 2018 Enve Eurobike booth. 

This unique frameset is built form a Mix of Columbus and Reynolds tubes and is finished in stunning example of our industry leading paint work. 
The frameset has bosses for mechanical groupset and calliper brakes and has a T47 threaded BB. 

• Oversized 44mm i.d head tube to suit a Chris King I8 headset 
• Columbus Spirt HSS 44mm o.d oversized down tube
• Columbus Life S bend chain stays with our exclusive no more off the shelf CNC machined dropouts. 
• Columbus Life seat stays 
• Reynolds 853 oval top tube 
• Custom made Reynolds 853 i.s.p seat tube
• Carbon i.s.p seatpost topper made in house (this can be tailored to the rider for a specific fit) 
• Fillet brazed construction with both silver and bronze filler 
• Stainless steel bosses, bridges and brazeons 
• Analogue Strava investment cast Bronze head badge 
• Enve 2.0 1 1/4” / 1 1/8” tapered steerer full carbon fork 
• Custom painted Enve Aero road stem with shim system to adjust angle and length 
• T47 BB - threaded and compatible with any crank 
• Tyre clearance up to 28 mm 
• Includes Chris King headset and T47 BB in limited edition Matte Mango colour
• View full geometry here

Frameset including Enve Aero road stem, Carbon i.s.p seat post topper, Chris King i8 headset and T47 BB – £3965 

Full build available on request £POA

Contact us for more information

View more photos in the gallery

Dan's disc road

July 8th 2018

When I took delivery in April 2016 of what turned out to be my ‘Mk 1 Field’ I was made up, it was my first taste of the world of custom bikes and frankly it was one of the most beautiful things i’d ever owned. I was looking forward to many years of amazing rides on my dream bike. 15 months later an altercation with a car on a descent in San Francisco put a premature end to that stunning bike and put me back in the market for a 2nd Field.

I reached out to Harry straight away, immediately agreeing to slot me into the queue and to try and sort me a replacement as quickly as he could. With a few months of recovery ahead of me and it was definitely something to look forward to.

We immediately started talking about tweaks to the original frame and i quickly decided to pull the trigger on discs with internal routing and wireless shifting for that super clean look, Harry suggested a slight lengthening of the head tube too, removing the need for spacers to refine the front end.

Myself and Tom then began the conversation on the paint design. Whereas the original bike’s predominately orange paint scheme had been driven by my relocation to San Francisco and the sunny skies of California, Tom challenged me to come up with some new inspirations for the paint design for mk2.

I spent a few weeks trawling through photos of the amazing rides i’d been on since moving to CA, pulling together a collection of key photos to draw a palette from, I also felt strongly that we should nod back to the original frame in some way. Taking all this onboard, Tom spent a few weeks crafting away before coming back to me with a design that just exceeded my wildest expectations. I didn’t think my original orange road machine could be bettered but somehow I was looking at a new design that took elements of the original and built and improved on it in every way.

A long few final months followed, waiting for my frame to be built and painted with the teasers shared by John on Instagram in the final weeks only making the wait more unbearable.  But finally in mid April I got confirmation from Harry that the frame was shipping, I called my local bike shop to tell them the build was finally on! 

Unwrapping the frame for the first time it was like Christmas come early, the paintwork was truly as amazing as i’d hoped, the attention to detail was sublime, within a couple of days the bike was fully built up and ready to go.

The minute I set off on that first ride I found myself grinning like an idiot, that ‘Field feel’ was evident in every aspect of the bike and it’s just an absolute pleasure to ride. Everyone talks about that zingy feel but its difficult to truly understand until you ride a Field yourself. The geometry was spot on and with the updates to brakes and groupset I’m riding a truly modern custom road bike, I’m one very happy customer.

A few months on, I’ve logged quite a few miles and recently found myself moving back to the UK, i’m still grinning on every ride whether it’s a quick commute to work or exploring the country lanes around London at weekends. I’m looking forward to plenty more adventures on this beauty.

Dan

View more photos of Dan’s build in the gallery

Alex's Dura-Ace road

June 27th 2018

“I’ve wanted a tailor made bike for many years, one that fits both my physical frame while also being aesthetically pleasing and different.

Tailor made because my Grandfather would often talk to me as a child about bikes, he would explain how a bike made to your own specific measurements rides like no other. My wants, though, seemed to swim against the tide of now, that an off the peg bike and all things carbon being the way.

By chance happening I came across Field Cycles. They offered a combination of both, a nod to the historical benefits of tailor made while also being playful in their design and manufacturing process, of combining steel and carbon. My first conversation with Harry affirmed my gut feeling, that Field could design and make something unique and special for me.

The relationship that I built with Harry over time confirmed the same. I had my measurements taken, Harry listened, I told him that with my off the peg frames my feet always clipped the front wheel resulting in worn shoes, he made recommendations, extending the frame a bit to avoid ‘toe bash’, assuring me the ride would be ok.

Nearing the end of manufacturing process the next phase got under way - the design of the paint work. Tom listened to my wants and needs, a black bike, but different from the current de rigueur of everything being black. He produced a design that brought together important parts about me, my experiences and history - my time in Ghana, the unique qualities of Kente cloth, the subtle and tasteful use of gold to reference my time in the Ashanti region, but also a reference to my Great Grandfather, a craftsman of gold leaf.

Tom listened and clearly consolidated what I’d told him, I received the design proof, it wasn’t a paint job, it was a work of art, a story in the design. So with all things combined, Harry’s due diligence and skill in frame design, Tom’s skill in designing something beautiful for the eye, and John’s craftsmanship to translating the design onto the bike, Field Cycles has produced something that gives me great pleasure everyday.

I have a bike that’s beautiful to look at, which is an absolute pleasure to ride. It’s well balanced, as stable as hell and fits me like a glove; my shoes no longer have scuff marks as result of toe bash! My Grandfather was right, a tailor made bike rides like no other!”

Alex

View more photos of Alex’s build in the gallery


Field X Morvélo - Save upto 20%

March 28th 2018

Spring is finally here, make the most of warmer rides with upto 20% off Field X Morvélo race kit.

Shop now

Richard's disc road

January 2nd 2018

“I’m not usually one for ‘things’ but my fiftieth birthday was looming and I after seeing one of Field’s beautiful bikes out and about, I found them online and contacted Harry about a visit. Calling into the workshop, as soon as I walked in, I wanted to join the list and get my deposit down. Having been an engineer in a previous life I could see that here was something special that you can’t just have like most other things, and knew the wait was going to be a big part of the experience. 

After placing the deposit, began the process of getting the bike that I wanted, and after getting a bike fit and calling in to see Harry a few times over the preceding months a final design was drawn up and approved. 

Then the fun of choosing which parts and the look of the bike started to form. The brief was as I’m from sheffield, and the frame was being made in the city, to get the parts as locally as we could. But, they had to be good or wouldn’t make it to the bike. The wheels are hope hubs laced to knight composites rims whose owner is from sheffield and who’s dad and grandad where frame builders in the city.

The paint’s based around the purple colour, picked from the bike my dad bought me when I was a lad, he’d sadly passed away the year before and I wanted to think of him when I rode the bike. Then there’s the hidden nod at my fiftieth within the design, with Tom working up a series of intersecting lines that cross over in 5 places on frame and fork, that end with an ‘L’ on the top tube - the Roman numeral for fifty. The paint following my brief of subtle touches, anyone who’s seen a Field will know that there will be a story to every bike and it’s a pleasure to tell people the above when they inevitably come over at the cafe stop to ask about the beautiful bike. 

To top it all off, I picked up the bike the day before the 2017 Tour de Yorkshire final, riding the bike on the sportive the following morning which finished in my home town with thousands of fans all cheering us along the way.”

Richard.

View more photos or Richard’s build in the gallery



Atomic Apple Field Works

December 9th 2017

Field Works frameset in Atomic Apple, featuring Columbus Futura full carbon fork, Hope headset, seatpost clamp and custom painted Deda Superleggero stem. Very slightly used, with only 150 miles under it’s belt during the Field Owners ride (scroll down). A great chance to save 10% on a Field Works production frameset, available now, with zero waiting, except the agonising wait for the courier knocking at your door !

Find out more or view more photos in the gallery


Matt's prototype Field Works disk

December 9th 2017

Fabricated and painted in-house at our Sheffield workshop, Field Works frame sets share the same originality and passion as that of our bespoke frames, but with differing production methods, allowing for semi customisable frame sets without the agonising wait of our fully bespoke builds.

Matt’s is one such frame, built as one of a series of prototypes, allowing us to hone and refine our process and put the finishing touches to the semi customisable paint scheme - with crisp and original graphics making Field Works instantly identifiable as a Field.

The paint colours play reference homage to Porsche styling at Matt’s request - with a slate grey base coat and off black detailing. Shimano flat mount callipers we’re picked out in heat resistant Porsche yellow, the finishing touch, producing a classy and unique ride that stands out from the homogenous crowd of big brand bicycles 

Built with a mix of tubesets from Reynolds 853 Pro Team and Columbus Life with the excellent new Columbus Futura disk fork up front, these materials combine to produce a beautiful contemporary steel bicycles with the unmistakable zingy ride of a Field. 

We have stock in similar Field Works frames in both rim and flat mount disk calliper versions available on stock - drop us an email to discus details and the custom paint options available to make your Field Works one of one on planet earth.

 More photos in the gallery


Field Owners Ride

September 12th 2017

Meeting at the Field Cycles Workshop on a warm Saturday morning, the dawn of the late August bank holiday weekend provided the prefect start to the inaugural Field owners ride. An opportunity to catch up with owners, whilst showing off some of our incredible local roads in and around the Peak.

The long weekend saw us cover over 170 miles, and more than enough climbing to make people used to flatter roads a little sore in the legs

The ride also provided the ideal opportunity to reveal the first of our Field Works production frames. There’s a number of prototypes out in the world but this is the finalised version and the template for the Field Works framesets we will be producing out of our Sheffield workshop - designed and built to be a pleasure to ride on the testing roads of the Peak.

Saturday’s ride started off dipping below Stanage Edge and skirting Bamford, taking the quiet back way into Hope, from there onto Castleton via Pindale, and up Winnats - with an average gradient of 12% and with ramps of 20%, providing the steepest and most challenging climb of the day. A round of tea-cakes and Yorkshire tea soon followed, allowing everyone some rest-bite ahead of the impromptu race up the rather long, Long-hill on the way into Buxton. Then it was the back-roads across to Tideswell. Grindleford saw the last climb of the day, with everyone giving it one last push knowing pizzas weren’t too far away after the fast sweeping free-fall back into Sheffield once over the top.

Sunday followed in a similar vein, albeit a little slower after a night of pizza and a little too much ale. The first climb saw some escapee sheep start a sprint to the sign before giving up and scaling a wall. On the quiet roads across to Beeley moor we we’re briefly joined by local pro Tom Stewart for a few miles and soon dropped down into Chatsworth and then onto Bakewell for a well earnt coffee and cake stop. A steady ride through Monsal Dale towards Cresbrook started our return leg, looping back through Stoney Middleton, with the long and draggy Froggat climb topping up the tiredness levels on the return.

Monday didn’t disappoint, with a loop out across and around Strines moor, outward through High Bradfield towards Mortimer road to start the day with a brief stop at the Strines Inn for a re-fuel. From there it was onto Edale, and the Mam Nick climb at it’s head, a nice breather at the top admiring the view down Hope Valley. Little Hucklow, Grindlow and Eyam set the tone for the return route, with quiet lanes and beautiful views on the way back into Sheffield before taking on Froggat, one last time.

A fantastic weekend, and certainly the first of many. A huge thank you to everyone who made the weekend, it’s incredible to build bikes for and share our Peak roads with such a fantastic group of people.

Special thanks to Morvélo and ENVE for providing a few bits and pieces to keep both body and feet in fine form during the weekend and bring some strong sock game to the party.

Bring on 2018!

More photos in the gallery

Mark's Road

September 3rd 2017

“What bike would you get if you could have any bike in the world?” Mark’s Field in his own words…

It all started with an innocent question from a friend on a Japanese cycling web forum. “What bike would you get if money was no object and you could have any bike in the world?”

The seed was planted. I thought long and hard about my answer. Probably a lot longer and harder than any normal person would. Obviously, I would go custom. Money is no object, right? Would it be carbon? Steel? A mix of the two? I must admit that at the time, I hadn’t heard of Field Cycles. A fellow cycling friend, Dom, responded in the thread, saying he would choose a Field. Field Cycles? Who are they? A quick google search later and I was staring at “Robert’s Dura-Ace road bike”. My mind was made up. Handmade in Sheffield, England by three stupidly meticulous guys. Their skills amalgamate to create one of a kind, instantly recognisable bikes. Fast forward a few months and I don’t how it happened but I suddenly found my name at the bottom of the Field Cycles waiting list. The waiting game began. This time was spent annoying the hell out of my cycling friends, discussing the details of the bike.

I love to climb on the bike so I decided to have the bike built up with that in mind. Rim brakes would save a little weight and Harry recommended some lightweight steel tubing that would help me (at least mentally) in the mountains. After what felt like 25 years (OK, so I’m not the most patient of people), I was contacted by the designer, Tom.  We spoke at length about what makes me tick. I’ve always loved the mountains, especially the Japanese mountains. I also like to take photos of them and develop the film in my darkroom (aka “the toilet”). We talked about exploring trying to incorporate the Japanese mountain ridge lines that I so often see, into the bike’s design. I sent some photos over that I had taken with my Tachihara 4x5 film camera, a beautiful large format camera made from the wood of 400 year old Japanese cherry trees.

I try to make a habit of visiting the old city of Kanazawa once a year. This city, located on the Sea of Japan, is famous for its Gold leaf. The literal translation of Kanazawa is “Marsh of Gold”. I asked Harry if it would be possible to use some of the gold leaf produced in Kanazawa on my Field. Harry was very receptive to the idea. While I was back in the UK visiting family, I met up with Harry for a pub lunch and gave him the gold leaf. The frame was due to be painted soon and the gold leaf would be applied before a final clear coat saw the frame finished.

If “bike wrapping” were an Olympic event, Field Cycles would quite comfortably win the gold medal every four years. Around an hour after first opening the box, I was finally getting the odd glimpse of blues and gold. A little while later, with a spare bedroom full to the brim with discarded bubble wrap, the frame and fork were fully revealed. I sat back and looked them in awe. The frameset met and far exceeded my expectations. All I needed to do now was build her up and take her out for our maiden ride.

I’ve read a lot of opinions online regarding steel frames. It seemed that people who ride them, love them. However, there was a small army of haters who thought steel was just a returning fad and took great pleasure in dissing the material. Having only ridden carbon road bikes previously, I wasn’t too sure what to expect. I had heard people speak of how zingy and compliant steel was. If I’m being totally honest, I didn’t really know what that meant.

So, what is it like to ride a custom steel bike? Absolutely freakin’ incredible. The frame is super smooth and provides a firmly planted riding experience. Riding over the same patches of asphalt, the steel frame soaks up the small chatter much better than my carbon framed bike. The biggest difference I found was on the descents. The sure footed Field gave me confidence and went around the tight twisty Japanese mountain roads like it was on rails. I swear I can’t stop smiling whenever I throw my leg over the Field. I couldn’t be any happier with my Field. The guys at Field have created a unique piece of art that comes alive on the road.”

Mark.

Follow Mark on his InstagramMore photos in the gallery

Dom's Disc road

June 27th 2017

Dom’s Field, in his own words…

Those considering going custom don’t often consider ‘need’ and, in all truth, there is almost always an ‘off the peg’ option that would be suitable for any cyclist. So, why custom? Why Field?

Having only ever ridden ‘off the peg’ frames, predominantly carbon or alloy, I saw the work of a number of different framebuilders as an opportunity to tune something to my own personal goals and needs as a cyclist, together with supporting craftsmanship and a resurgent art. Having decided to go custom, it had to be British and, if ‘buying British’, it had to be Field.

You only have to look at a Field and read about peoples’ experiences to know why. Collaboration, fastidiousness, design, respect for heritage, uniqueness, are all things that spring to mind when thinking of Field and, having had my initial consultation with Harry, I had no hesitation about putting down my deposit and securing my place in the build queue.

STAGE 1 – FABRICATION

Speaking via Skype, given that I live in Japan, Harry wanted to know a number of things but, most importantly, what qualities I was looking for from my bike and what type of riding I usually  do.

My riding since moving to Japan has almost always been along the same lines; going long, climbing the wealth of mountains throughout Japan, and descending fast. With that in mind, my question to Harry was, how do we best achieve that with steel and geometry? We quickly established that a mix of stainless and non-stainless (Reynolds and Columbus) was the way forward, used throughout the frame to be compliant, responsive and ‘zingy’, yet comfortable over distance.

With that, my frame geometry was finalised and fabrication began. Unfortunately, it was well into the fabrication process that I was the victim of a hit-and-run whilst cycling and spent around a month in hospital. Yet this was where the personal approach intrinsic in Field’s process showed through. I received a number of photographs of my near-complete frame during my hospitalisation, which only served to make me resolute to recover and get to riding the final product as soon as possible.

STAGE 2 — DESIGN

The frame in the latter stages of fabrication, design was the next step. This is where Tom and his inimitable eye for design came in.

Again, we spoke via Skype, but Tom’s questions were a little different to what I would’ve expected. Far from the usual queries about personal taste in colours, the question was more about what other passions I had, together with my design leanings and my family background. Being involved in the speciality coffee industry, the aesthetic involved in coffee equipment has always appealed to me, from the perfectly uniformed holes at the bottom of the Aeropress to the lines etched into my favourite coffee dripper, so Tom ran with my input and produced the initial design package with this in mind.

Through a collaborative process and a number of iterations, the final design package was born. A perfect mix of design elements that were inherently personal to me, coupled with a combination of colours perfectly complimenting one another, left me in no doubt that the end product would be both a true one-off and would endure a lifetime of whims as to aesthetic.

STAGE 3 – PAINT

Having seen a number of examples of John’s work, the physical imagining of Tom’s design was never in doubt.

John set to work on masking and layering Tom’s design onto the frame, a task I didn’t envy given the relatively complex elements that parts of my design entailed, and, a few weeks later, the final frame and forks was ready to make their way to me in Tokyo.

STAGE 4 – THE BUILD / THE SHAKEDOWN

I’d already amassed the parts I would use on my custom with the mantra that it’s a custom and, regardless of the parts perhaps being a little on the pricey side, this frameset was deserving of quality. My preparation of what parts would adorn the frameset, together with having purchased them all in advance, spoke to my eagerness to get this thing on the road. After all, what’s the use of the thing being beautiful if it doesn’t ride well?

The frameset arrived with my mechanic Nocchi at Effect Cycle (the best mechanic in Tokyo, in my opinion), and I was like a child at Christmas. Removing the abundant layers of wrapping protecting the frame, I was left doe-eyed and giddy with the final product. Ultimately, photos, regardless of how well they were taken, could never do the frameset justice.

Having built the bike up, including dialling in the disc brakes and Di2, I was ready to get the bike out there on the road and, before long, I was joined by Sawa (Japan’s first owner of a Field) and a group of fellow cyclists for my shakedown ride.

Taking in a number of challenging climbs (long and short, shallow and steep), technical descents and fast straights, all whilst being surrounded by offerings from Speedvagen, Field Cycles, Independent Fabrication, Soulcraft and Stoemper, the realisation of the goals I had spoken to Harry about on that first call became very clear. The ride was compliant and gave that ‘zing’ synonymous with a Field, yet offered comfort, dancing up climbs and remaining composed when power increased on the flats.

The final proof of what a triumph this bike truly is was provided shortly after when my disc road machine carried me comfortably, yet speedily, across the entire breadth of Japan in a 370km, 17 hour ride (more details here).

To anyone thinking of investing in a Field I would say only this, you won’t regret it. Dom.

Check out Dom’s journeys on his Instagram or Strava.

More photos in the gallery

Field X Morvélo

February 27th 2017

Designed in collaboration with Morvélo, bringing together the finest fabrics, cut and design across five key pieces, in two colourways.

The Field X Morvélo SS17 Nth series kit continues our on-going exploration of movement and form from our recent bikes. Hand-drawn details flow and dance across the kit, with two carefully crafted colourways referencing the raw materials and future progression of Field.

Available to now.

Rory's disc road

February 16th 2017

The second Field to feature our proprietary flat mount dropout. We invest a lot of time developing frame parts at the Field Cycles Workshop, firmly believing bespoke frames should have unique parts. It’s a huge undertaking designing and manufacturing parts with countless hours spent prototyping, testing and refining - that’s why most frame builders buy off the shelf items. But this undertaking is worth the effort - both in terms of function and aesthetic, this extra endeavour is instrumental to the unique and extraordinary aesthetic we strive for at Field.

Rory wanted something timeless with a distinct flair, subtly shaped tubes from Reynolds and Columbus were selected - a tapered top tube moving from a classic round section at the seat tube to a large oval profile that blends smoothly into the oversized 44 mm i.d head tube.

Short taper Columbus Life chainstays filleted into our flat mount dropout are a superb lightweight option for disc road frames, oversized throughout their length, building in that ‘zingy’ ride quality. Custom shaped seatstays produced in house in specific dies maintain lateral stiffness but allow a degree of vertical flex, providing a super thin side profile. All finished in a subtly elaborate paint scheme, with layers of detail that reveal themselves the more you look and above all make you want to jump on and ride.

Enve finishing kit and fork match the SES 5.4 Disk wheelset, alongside Shimano Di2 all hidden away internally and hydro callipers complete this exceptional build, offering a beautifully responsive and zingy ride of steel with electronic shifting and disc brake confidence. Pro peloton tech but in a timeless package that’s uniquely Field.

More photos in the gallery

Harry's Ultegra Road

January 1st 2017

In the relatively short amount of time we’ve been building frames, the hardest part has always been handing over finished bikes, wanting to keep hold of every bike we’ve built without exception! a good indicator of the passion that goes into all of our bikes. This one however, is different, built by and for our frame builder Harry, it gets to stay in Sheffield and get ridden on the fantastic roads around the Peak District.

The frame was built with an integrated seat post and a ‘normal’ oversized head tube to suit an external Chris King 1 1/8” No Threadset, keeping the frameset well proportioned and at the slim end of ‘oversized’. A selection of top flight tubes from Italian manufacturers - Columbus XCr and Dedacciai DR-Zero XL - all selected for their profile, weight and butt length to give the right balance between weight, stiffness and ‘zing’. Striking the right balance is essential to capitalise on the rewarding ride and feel of steel.

Our functional and beautiful Field Cycles dropouts are immaculately fillet brazed to Columbus Life short taper chainstays and are a big factor in the unique ride and feel of a Field frameset, designed to be super stiff and provide a flex free connection between chainstays and the rear wheel to get all the watts out on to the road.

A detailed and timeless paint design finished off the build, echoing the flow of air across the integrated bars and fork, the frame itself finished with a subtle pinstripe detail against an off-black base coat. Those dropouts are of course picked out in colour, we can’t resist a bit of pop.

More photos in the gallery

Jonathan's Road

January 1st 2017

Lots of details reveal themselves as you cast your eye over Jonathan’s road bike - subtly shaped tubes from Dedacciai, further shaped in our own specific dies to produce exactly the profile we need. The chainstays are from the Dedacciai DR-Zero Adamantis set and with some extra shaping shadow the profile of the rear tyre and rim perfectly.

Our bespoke plate dropouts are unique to us, the are designed and machined to offer a slightly more traditional option when the build doesn’t call for our beautiful hooded dropouts that have become the new standard for contemporary steel race frames, these are the kind of details that we love to invest time and effort in at the Field Cycles Workshop - we are not satisfied with ‘off the shelf’ details

The frameset is immaculately fillet brazed and painstakingly finished to look like the various tubes have ‘grown’ together rather than fabricated, this is a hallmark of a bespoke Field and one that provides the foundation and a great start to the extraordinary finish we achieve on all of our bicycles. It’s this commitment to craft, carried throughout our process from beginning to end that results in a truly unique bicycle. Reflected non more so than in the complex and multilayered paint scheme on Jonathan’s build.

Stella build with Enve, Chris King and Ritchy components with the Ultegra Di2 integrated into the frame through stainless steel reinforced entry points for a robust, tidy and corrosion free set up. Rolling on the super stiff and responsive Enve SES 4.5’s for that beautiful ‘road feel’ - paired with a steel frame the Enve carbon rims lets you experience a fantastic ride quality that has all the ‘zing’ of steel with the power transfer that a quality carbon wheelset can provides.

More photos in the gallery

Made in Sheffield

December 12th 2016

We had the great privilege of working with Shaun Bloodworth before he sadly past away - this film was finished to Shaun’s direction by his collaborator and friend Alan Silvester. Under very sad and difficult circumstances a beautiful thing came out - a fitting tribute to an extraordinarily creative, charming and energetic man.

The film is part of the current exhibition in Museum Sheffield’s Millennium Gallery, alongside another of Shaun’s films, which runs until the 8th of January.

FRASER'S CX MACHINE

December 11th 2016

Frasers vibrant cross machine is built around the ‘future proof’ Paragon Machine Work’s Polly Drops, allowing you to run post or flat mount disks with the choice of 12 x 142 bolt through axel or QR wheelsets. Up front sits the TRP bolt through Cross fork, probably the brightest example around - business on the outside and a three day 90’s techno rave on the inside.

The fillet brazed frameset is built from a mix of Reynolds 853 and Columbus Life tubing, with each fillet painstakingly finished to give immaculate and fluid transitions from tube to tube. The integrated seatpost reinforced with a silver brazed collar at the top tube junction provides a sensibly robust frame. The 853 down tube with internal routing for the disk hose keep things tidy and out of the way of the mud, whilst the rear mech cables run along the top tube - letting Fraser shoulder the bike with comfort. Columbus Life long taper S bend chainstays add great shape to the rear and provide plenty of clearance for a muddy cross tyre and a fantastically alive ‘zingy’ ride.

Meticulously applied 24 carat gold leaf details give an incredible visual ‘pop’ and texture to the detailing of the frame - we can’t wait to see pictures of this bike fully built up and out and about in the landscape around Dublin.

See more photos in the gallery

Made in sheffield

September 27th 2016

We get a huge amount of satisfaction in confidently stating ‘Handmade in Sheffield’ on our framesets. We are honoured to have this example of our work included in the current exhibition in Museum Sheffield’s Millennium Gallery, sharing the space with some exceptional objects all made within Sheffield. Well worth a visit if you find yourself in Sheffield.

The first bike to featuring our new ‘plate’ dropouts, designed to complement our builds where the tubing profiles and ‘feel’ of the frameset call for something with a nod to tradition, as opposed to the aesthetic of our #nomoreofftheshelf dropout specced for oversized contemporary race frames.

Built with a mix of tube sets from XCr / Spirt / Dedacciai Zero, with the XCr stainless down tube brushed and exposed through our ‘Field’ logo on the down tube - coming from the home of stainless steel it seemed appropriate.

Dream build with Enve, Columbus, Chris King, Campagnolo and Brooks makes for a lightweight bicycle with the unmistakable ‘zingy’ ride you enjoy on a contemporary steel bicycle.

This is available to purchase as a frameset or complete build when the show is over (January 2017 - considerably less time than our build list) contact us for more details.

More photos in the gallery

James's Di2 Road Machine

September 26th 2016

James came to us with a desire for something responsive, racy and robust, the ultimate crit machine. We built his frame with oversized tubing centred around a Columbus HSS down tube and oversized short taper life chainstays. Married with custom shaped seatstays, seamlessly brazed to our functional and sculptural dropouts. This makes for a elegant but engineered rear triangle with our #nomoreofftheshelf CNC turned and milled dropout at the heart of this race frames zingy ride. Our unique dropouts are super stiff and robust with superb crisp lines just inviting the sharp addition of a bit of exuberant colour.

The integrated Pro bars are a great surface to extend the paint work of the frame set - The pink details so vibrant that they are actually ‘out popping’ the Fox Gloves that provide the backdrop to the shots of this beautiful machine, very definitely one of the ones we all wanted to keep! A great example of the style of bike we love to build, functional and vibrant, a real head turner and joy to ride.

Built to fit Shimano Di2 electronic shifting, with internal wiring,  entering the frame through stainless Di2 ports where small rubber grommets give a watertight corrosion free fit. The Di2 battery is hidden away in to the top of the i.s.p seat tube making for a super clean and tidy frameset.

More photos in the gallery

ANDREW’S 29ER

April 11th 2016

The temptation to take Andrews 29er for a quick spin round the woods was huge - but that just wouldn’t be right, Instead we shouldered it to this beautiful spot being careful not to get his new bike muddy. The pedals left off just incase we got carried away. 

This 29er has been built to be a nimble, lightweight and zingy ride, perfect for covering miles quickly and efficiently. The tight rear triangle is built with Dedacciai tubes, and the front triangle from Reynolds 853. Paragon Polydrop dropouts with a 142/12mm bolt through insert take care of wheel holding duties at the back.

The oversized 44 mm i.d head tube lets us fit the ENVE 29er tapered fork, making for a sharp agile bike. We protected all of the bosses and vulnerable places in stainless steel to keep this bike looking sharp for years to come, with a subtle ‘Field’ signature detail on the seat stay bridge.

A subtle but sharp design finishing this build off, with crosses on the top tube fading away as they move further away from the business end of the ENVE Mtn fork.

More photos in the gallery

DAN’S DURA ACE ROAD MACHINE

March 29th 2016

This will be the second Field in San Francisco, joining Guilliame’s Dazzle forked road bike on the West Coast as #FieldCyclesTeamSF begins to develop! 

Dan wanted a fast and race-worthy road bike to explore and enjoy the fantastic roads in and around San Fransisco. We built a lightweight and responsive road bike in a mix of tubesets from different manufacturers. At the heart of the bike is the huge (by steel standards) HSS Spirit down tube and the super stiff short taper Columbus Life chainstays, fitted up to our very own #nomoreofftheshelf CNC machined dropouts - providing a flex free ride amplifying the ‘zingy’ feel of steel. The head tube is 44mm i.d to fit an ENVE composites tapered fork with a Chris King i8 headset fitted. 

Tom brought some Californian sunshine (and oranges) to the design of this one with a detailed paint scheme that ebs and flows across the top tube, hinting at the race character this frame possesses, in a bright two-tone orange to keep things fresh and the sun beaming no matter what the weather.

This classy build was shown on the ENVE European Builders booth at the Berlin Fahrradschau, we’d highly recommend a visit to the bike show - it’s a vibrant celebration of bicycles and cycling. 

More photos in the gallery

PAUL'S CLASSIC ROAD

March 27th 2016

Paul wanted a contemporary steel road bike but with a nod to the classic. We selected a tubeset that by 80’s / 90’s standards would be considered oversized but by contemporary steel tube sets is relatively slim, paired with a standard 1 1/8” straight steerer and external Chris King headset, holding the slimline and suitably proportioned Columbus Minimal fork. Tube sets are a mix of Columbus Life and Reynolds 853 with all the contact points in stainless steel to keep everything looking fresh for many years to come.

Built up with Dura Ace mechanical groupset this Field is lightweight with the unmistakable ‘zingy’ ride of steel that really encourages you to push on the pedals. Paul let us know he immediately broke some of his Strava times on his new Field - bettering the times he’d set on his modern carbon bike. 

Borne from the tones of the fleeting summer heather flowering in the Peaks, we kept the paint of Paul’s build classically simple. With small pops of detail working against the darker olive grey and rich off-black base tones. 

More photos in the gallery

TAKASHI’S LET’S START

March 27th 2016

Takshi’s asked us to give his Field a new lease of life following a pretty bad crash descending at speed in the mountains. 

Takashi’s was the first of our bikes in Japan so we wanted to produce something a little bit bonkers if we were to cover over our previous design. Tom delivered a design that stitched together Takashi’s love of op-art and the complexities of Nakajimi Kiyoshi’s 1975 ‘Bamboo Breeze’. The super complex design is brought to life with careful application of gold leaf, combined with laser sharp masking and meticulous layering of paint to create a frame rich with depth and texture.

We can’t wait to see how this frame looks when it’s built back up in Japan, ready for the summer season and many more miles of mountainous rides. Be sure to keep an eye out on his friends fantastic blog.

More photos in the gallery

Philip's CX / Gravel bike

February 12th 2016

Philip approached us to build him a versatile cross machine, something which kept his options open for future upgrades and tweaks throughout coming seasons. We set about a build based on a carbon TRP bolt through fork and the ‘future proof’ Paragon Machine Work’s Polly Drops, allowing for various different inserts to run post or flat mount disks and 12 x 142 bolt through axel or QR wheelsets with ease.

With a life set squarely on tracks of rutted mud and loose sand, we kept external mud-catching cabling to a minimum choosing to internally run the disc hose and Di2 cabling inside the 853 down tube, tucking the battery snugly inside the seat post. Putting opinions of mechanical vs electronic gearing aside, electronic groupsets make for a very clean and tidy frameset and gives little for the mud to cling to.

Indulging in a little creative detail, our etched stainless steel ‘Field’ logo bridges the seat stays. The oval 853 top tube is comfortable on the shoulder and with very careful cutting, brazing and finishing work lets us keep the seat stay cluster beautifully smooth, also a great canvas for another of our vibrant paint designs. We can’t wait to see pictures of this bike fully built up and covered in mud as it was made for. 

More photos in the gallery

Bjorn's race bike

February 12th 2016

When Bjorn came to us with a collection of references including some incredible Porsche’s built by a Sheffield man living in LA, we knew we were in for something special. 

We began Bjorn’s build with a clean and beautifully simple frameset in mind. To really exploit the ride characteristics at the heart of a steel bike we started with oversized round profile Reynolds 853 tubing and paired it to the fantastic Columbus Life short taper chainstays. The ENVE 1 1/4” tapered fork and a Chris King i8 headset makes for a stiff and lightweight front end that is well matched to the 44 mm i.d headtube.  

Our own custom shaped seat stays at the back offer vertical flex whilst firming up the lateral stiffness of the rear triangle, pencil thin from the side and flat from the rear view, flowing seamlessly into our ’no more off the shelf’ dropouts with the faces protected by stainless inserts for years to come. Running all cables except the rear brake internally through our stainless Di2 bosses kept the frame as simple and clean as possible.

With a subtle nod to the vintage Porche that caught Bjorn’s eye originally, this Field is a great example of the unique custom build that our customers are passionate about. 

More photos in the gallery

FIELD – FF031 PROTOTYPE

September 1st 2015

This bikes palette and motifs share an aesthetic with our new Field Cycles race kit which we’ve just released  – we’re well known for the innovation and clear thinking design that we bring to the bespoke bicycle industry and we’re very excited to translate this unique style and confidence to our clothing

As one of the bikes we presented on our stand at Bristol Bespoked earlier this year it helped us to win the Peer award, it’s a great example of the kind of modern steel frameset we can, and love to build - something contemporary and individual with the fantastic ride quality of steel that will be uniquely yours.

At first glance the frameset could be mistaken for a carbon frame - but on closer inspection the various materials used reveal themselves - the brushed stainless surface of the down tube is exposed through the ‘Field’ logo, the super clean stainless Di2 bosses that provide a robust and corrosion free solution for EPS or Di2 groupset and the carbon weave of the seat tube that’s left visible.

Built from a mix of tubes from various manufacturers - Reynolds stainless down tube and custom made 50x27 oval top tube give a laterally stiff frame but allows the unmistakable ride quality of steel to resonate through the frame. The oversized Life chain stays provide a responsive rear triangle when paired to our unique CNC machined dropout, machined from Fermium S53 a super steel that’s normally used on A-10 jet fighters landing gear and arrestor hooks, making for an incredibly robust and flex free dropout which allows the chainstays to do the job they were designed to do.

Documented on a beautiful summers evening above Stanage Edge in our local Peak District by our resident designer Tom Smith on behalf of Brooks - you might also see these images on their blog featuring the Cambium saddle.

More photos in the gallery

FIELD X ENVE RACE BIKE

September 1st 2015

** FOR SALE **

After recently being included on the ENVE builders page - we’re very happy to get the nod of approval from ENVE and extremely proud to be the only UK brand included in the who’s who directory of some of the most exciting independent bicycle companies in the world.

There’s not many better ways for follow that up than sharing the ENVE show stand at Eurobike 2015, with our Field X ENVE Race Bike providing a welcome deflection from the sea of mass produced big brand models, we were told by the ENVE guys that it was the most photographed bike at Eurobike!

The Frameset is a mixture of tubes from various manufacturers. Not restricting ourselves to one tube set allows the freedom to build frames that exploit the unique ‘zingy’ ride of a steel bicycle frame.

A Columbus Spirit HSS down tube sits at the heart of the frame - it’s a massive oversized tube in steel terms but the weight is kept very low because of the extremely thin wall. A super robust and dent resistant oval profiled Reynolds 853 top tube gives us room to indulge ourselves in the paint. Custom re-shaped Dedacciai Adamantis chain stays give us a little more clearance and compatibility with our unique CNC machined dropouts, their elegant shape translates into a satisfying and responsive ride. We custom shape our seat stays between dies to produce a flattened / oval profile, which provides vertical compliance and increases the lateral stiffness of the rear triangle to counteract pedalling forces and adds to the elegant nature of the frameset.

The paint designed as always by our own Tom Smith, features a crisp motif on the top tube reminiscent of the cobble stones of the spring classics, picked out in vibrant turquoise that really pops against the stealthy black and metallic grey of the frameset - immaculately rendered in paint with a perfectly smooth luscious final layer of clear coat.

The eagle eyed will have noticed the unsightly stack of spacers above the stem - this is not an oversight, this show bike is available for sale as a frameset or complete bike. We thought it was a good idea to leave a bit of movement in stem height!

Frameset – £3890
ENVE 2.0 Fork, Chris King i7 headset, ENVE second generation seatpost, ENVE stem, ENVE Smart system Aero bar and custom painted ALM Fabric saddle -

Complete bike – £7348
As above, with Dura Ace / Ultegra groupset, Chris King ceramic BB, Chris King R45 hubs laced to ENVE SES 45 rims -

Email us here for enquires
For full geometry, click here

Head tube length – 140mm (effective length is 154 mm when the external CK i7 cup is included)
Reach – 380mm
Stack – 552mm
Top tube effective C-C – 545mm
Seat tube C-T – 534mm
Stem length – 100mm
Bar width C-C – 420mm

More photos in the gallery

Robert's Dura-Ace Road

August 20th 2015

Robert’s super fresh road bike. Built with a mix of tube sets, with Reynolds 853, Columbus Life and featuring our first use of a Dedacciai DR-Zero rear triangle. These shaped tubes provide a fantastically zingy ride and refined aesthetic to the frame. With the chain-stay’s particularly functional profile hugging the rear rim and tyre to produce a wide flat tube that counteracts pedalling forces, but allows some vertical compliance.

An oversized 44 mm i.d head tube and fantastic Chris King i7 headset up front let us use the excellent ENVE 2.0 1 1/4” tapered fork for a classy, light weight and precise handling front end. An i.s.p seat post and the integrated bar and stem allow us to keep the zingy blue flowing across the frameset, making for a clean and contemporary modern steel road bike.

A top drawer build around a Dura-Ace mechanical groupset alongside the industry leader in terms of strength to weigh ratio in carbon rims - the ENVE SES 6.7, laced to the fantastic Chris King r45 hubs. The Chris King ‘Buzz’ resonates through the ENVE rim’s for that unmistakable quality hub sound.

Robert’s a happy man - ‘So so pleased with the Field. First ride was a joy. So much going on, the forgiving nature of the tubes, the drone from the carbon rims, the lightness of the gear change. One thing’s for sure, you’re never alone with a Chris King hub, #lovethatsound. Geometry is spot on, this is definitely my bike’

More photos in the gallery

GUILLAUME'S DAZZLE FORKED ROAD

April 30th 2015

This frameset was built to test the first incarnation of our new road dropouts, we produce a handful of prototypes every year to help us develop and design the various parts that go into a Field frameset so we can build truly bespoke bicycles unique to the Field brand. It’s little details like this that we love.

The frameset is built from a mix of Reynolds and Columbus tubes - the fantastic Columbus HSS Spirit down tube and Life short taper chainstays give this bike an unmistakable zing, whilst the seat and top tubes are super robust Reynolds 853. Custom made subtly shaped s bend seatstays tie in the rear triangle, ending at our brand custom new road drop outs. We use pencil, paper, CAD design and 3D printing to prototype our parts, but you can never really assess something until it’s properly made out of the correct material and built in to a frameset.

The dropouts do the talking on this frame, but we have really indulged ourselves on the fork with a dazzle camouflage inspired motif and pallet. Dazzle camouflage was not simply black and white - the vast majority of photographs are in black and white hence the misinterpretation, but dazzle motif was an extremely vibrant collection of colours which inspired this fork. 

This Field found its way to the US and can be spotted on the fantastic roads around the San Fransisco area by Guillaume who kindly sent over this first ride report…

‘It feels incredibly light and lively. It’s got such great response to putting the power down, and the road feel is pure butter.

The chap at my local bike shop who cut my steerer tube for me was blown away by the detailing on the frame, I told him a bit more about you and the work you’ve been doing. Needless to say, I think he was impressed. The bronze head tube badge, by the way, is a stunning finishing touch.

Thank you for building such a wonderful machine, you’ve certainly made me very proud to own this rare and distinguished piece of art.’ GG

More photos in the gallery

Lomas's 2015 season re-spray

January 26th 2015

After a really successful 2014, junior racer Lomas Wefing provided us with a great personal insight in to owning, riding and racing one of our framesets. We’ve refreshed his frame for the coming 2015 season with a fresh paint design - focusing mainly on the rear triangle – the view most people have of him! Here are his thoughts -

“First of all, it’s not just a steel a bike; it’s a hand-made, custom, Field Cycles 29er. Made in Sheffield. The Sheffield connection was decisive. I was born in Sheffield, my grandfather was a steel worker in the city and I’m named after him. I race for a Sheffield club but live in Germany. You see, it’s more than a steel bike, it’s not one thing, it’s part of a story.

The bike gets a lot of attention at races, before, during and after. Before the races, the riders in my age category look at her (bikes are always female) sideways, they can’t work it out. ‘Why isn’t he riding a shredded wheat (the weave and the hollow sound and of course when you’ve seen one shredded wheat, you’ve seen em’ all) like me?’ The fathers come over and just want to touch and ask about her. The fathers fall in love with her instantly. But mostly they don’t take her seriously as a race bike, for them it’s more nostalgic.

After the race the fathers come over to our van and want to know more technical stuff and of course prices. They’ve just seen this bike finish in front of at least 97% of the field and sometimes win. You know that feeling when people look at you as they realise you know something important that they don’t – we love that look.

I come from a family which has always stuck to the moto: if you going to do something, do it right or don’t bother. We don’t settle for mediocre, standard fair or compromises. This reflects in the choice of frame and the way I train and race.

How does it feel to be the only junior rider racing on steel in a sea of carbon? It feels absolutely great. You know that feeling when you turn up at a party with the best looking girl in town?

The bike has incredible acceleration, it’s incredibly responsive, meaning she climbs like she means it. It’s also easy to throw around underneath me on the technical descents, the weight distribution is perfect. She also absorbs sufficient shock to allow you to recover slightly on the downhills. This might sound odd, but she’s really quiet. I love the silence, the stealth of the attack is vital. In contrast, I can hear every gear change and every creek as carbon frame riders start their attacks, I hear them way before I see them, that’s not clever for racing.”

Some of Lomas’s Results from 2014 season -
— 2014 Nordrhein Westfallen XC Series overall winner U17
— Bullau Bike Marathon 1st place overall, 1st place U17 (youngest ever winner, the first British winner and the only steel bike in the race of 275 entries)
— Rodenbach MTB Time Trial – 1st place U17
— Eifel Mosel Cup MTB Marathon, 2nd pace U17, 23rd  overall from 160 (pros filled top ten places)

More photos in the gallery

David's Campagnolo Road

January 22nd 2015

David placed his deposit with us after reading Robert Penn’s book - Its All About the Bike : The Pursuit of Happiness on Two Wheels. Asking us to fill the bicycle shaped space in his imagination with a beautifully unique and personal bike. He wanted to experience that invigorating feeling of riding something beautifully crafted just for him.

We built David a well balanced bike, both in terms of the shape of the frame and the scrutiny we have paid to the aesthetic and finish of the bike - the paint design was drawn up with a nod to the classic, we wanted to produce something that touched on a retro quality without indulging in nostalgia.

The paint is immaculately rendered with a sharp metallic in the dark blue of the front triangle and graphite grey through the rear stays. The super fine metallic ‘pops’ beautifully in sunlight, contrasting nicely with the super saturated flat orange. 

Underneath, the frameset is a mix of Columbus and Reynolds tubing with a 44mm i.d head tube flowing into the ENVE fork to keep the smooth lines going. The dropouts, brazeons and bosses are all in stainless steel, to escape the problem of corrosion and keep the frame looking fresh for many years.

This elegant build is completed with a 2015 11 speed Campagnolo Athena groupset with Thompson and Ritchey finishing kit all in silver. With contact points taken care of with the excellent Brooks Cambium C15 saddle and black leather bar tape for an all round classy and functional machine.

More photos in the gallery

Richard's Campagnolo Super Record road bike

December 20th 2014

Richard came to us for his bespoke build knowing he wanted something very special. Familiar with our past work he was very excited about what we could create him, referring to our workshop as the ‘dream factory’, set the tone and his expectation for this bike.

We built him a lively contemporary steel race bike that’s both comfortable and robust with a beautiful paint design and finish - the references for the design came from a range of sources from his own album cover - ‘Keane’s Perfect Symmetry’ right through to digital pixel camo. 

The paint work is a fantastic example of our desire to really push the aesthetic of our bikes, culminating on this build with a 50 hour process in our paintshop. We create these paint finishes using only masks, paint and patience, using absolutely no decals or transfers - stickers are for fruit, fridge doors and welding helmets, not beautiful bicycles.

On super close inspection there’s the evidence of a human hand present at every stage of production, the satisfying sight of a faint hairline paint bleed, or the brushed bronze of the head badge adding a unique identity and authenticity to each bike we build, small markers of the time and effort dedicated to our craft.

Around six months ago we received an email from Campagnolo, expressing their support and shared passion for our approach to the craft and passion evident in our beautiful framesets. This alliance meant we we’re able to source one of the first production runs of their fantastic 2015 Super Record 11 speed groupsets. On this build it was paired with Chris King and ENVE composites finishing kit which results in a full-on ‘dream factory’ build. 

Built with a mix of Reynolds and Columbus tubes with stainless steel dropouts and bosses, this bike will be enjoyed for thousands of satisfying miles. For the weight conscious, it tips the scales at a very respectable 7.5kg, but vitally it retains the beautifully balanced characteristics and ride quality unique to steel bicycles.

More photos in the gallery

Mr Tom Smith's road bike

December 3rd 2014

Tom is Field Cycle’s resident designer, creative, photographer and hawk-eyed ‘details’ man. He is responsible for the unique aesthetic of our bikes and all of the exceptional photography you see across the website.

His is one of the first bikes we built, shot on a moody autumn day out in the Peak District. It’s such an uplifting place to design, build and test our bikes. These photographs are a reminder of the absolute joy of riding a beautiful machine through the landscape on our doorstep.

Over the past 18 months this bike has been ridden around the Peak, the head badge has developed a beautiful verdigris patina as a result of the sweat, moisture and oxygen all acting on the investment cast bronze: a sure sign that Tom and his bike are regularly out in the elements. The unique way the patina acts on the bronze is nature’s own measurement of the miles covered, instead of relying on the number crunching digital total on Strava.

More photos in the gallery

Sheffield Steel Peloton

July 19th 2014

We wanted to build something special that Sheffield could be proud of to celebrate our part in the Yorkshire Festival leading upto the Tour de France in Yorkshire. This bike is the culmination of our involvement in the ’Sheffield Steel Peloton’ - part of the 100 days of Culture leading upto the Grand Depart.

We set about building a Contemporary Steel race bike, Tom drew up a fantastically celebratory paint design which John applied flawlessly, using only paint and masking. We never use any stickers and it allows us total freedom to create a vibrant, original and unique paint finishes.

The frameset uses a range of tubing from three different manufacturers. Reynolds 853 front triangle and a Columbus Life chainstays, we love these, the shape and ride quality are spot on for a bike like this. Seatstays are taken care of using S-bend Dedaccia tubes, they are made even more elegant with some additional bending and shaping. The frame uses a 44mm i.d oversized headtube, which allows the use of the curvy Whiskey Parts Co 1.125 - 1.25 tapered fork - this really complements the curves at the rear end of the frame.

The frame is fillet brazed with the fillets flawlessly polished back to give a seamless transition from tube to tube, this starts with putting a smooth neat fillet down from the torch and then carefully filing, sanding and polishing them out to an immaculately smooth seamless joint.

HED Uk kindly supplied a pair of Stinger race wheels which finish off the build of this bike beautifully. The weight of these things is incredible. We’re really pleased with this bike, its the result of each of us doing our particular bit as well as we possibly can – each taking on our own part of the process with the collective pursuit of building a beautiful object. It was great to see our hard work being noticed when we won ‘best bicycle’ at the Yorkshire Bike show held at Leeds Town Hall just hours before the peloton embarked on the Tour De France just outside.

More photos in the gallery

Ben's single speed commuter

July 15th 2014

Ben got in touch with us wanting a single speed commuter after spotting our prototype winter trainer locked up outside Bespoked Bristol. He wanted something quick and nimble that could take the abuse of a daily London commute but also serve as a sure footed winter trainer. We drew up a simple, clean and functional frameset, featuring Paragon Rockers stainless steel rear dropouts for post mount disks, and the versatility to run an internal hub gear in the future.

The tapered Whiskey Parts Co disk forks - paired to the compact Whiskey carbon bars provide a lightweight, precise and stiff front end. The forks have plenty of clearance and have very well placed bosses to neatly fit the front mudguard.

With an eye on visibility and safety we created a super bright neon paint design that’s both practical and is distinctly recognisable as a Field  

We built the frame with an I.S.P using a Ritchey seatpost topper that has been painstakingly painted along with the colour matched mudguards and a fillet brazed integrated stem. These bespoke details let’s us flow the colour all over the bike, creating a distinctive and coordinated tailored bicycle, this is a perfect example of what you get when you choose a bespoke bicycle from us - built by three humans you can talk to – each of us doing our particular part of the process as well as we possibly can.

More photos in the gallery shot on location in one of Meadowhall’s endless car parks – we couldn’t find the Meadow. Luckily the super vivid paint really pops against the grey concrete.

Dave’s road frame

April 28th 2014

Dave’s road frameset was the first frame built in our new workshop made with a mix of Reynolds 853 and Columbus Life tubing. Every contact point is stainless steel and this allows us to leave the dropouts, bosses and the front mech hanger paint free: ensuring longevity and ultimate functionality.

The frameset uses an ENVE carbon fork and a pair of Integrated Cinelli Ram bars, these handlebars give us a great opportunity to work some custom paint details into the build. The headtube is oversized 44mm and has been C.N.C machined by us to be exactly the length we need. The front end is finished off with our investment cast bronze headbadge - this will gradually develop a verdigris patina as the miles accumulate and the bronze weathers.

Finished with a suitably understated paint finish inspired by an RAF training aircraft (a DHC-1 Chipmunk to be precise), with the colour scheme complimenting the elegance of the Campagnolo Record 11 groupset.

We had the pleasure of riding with Dave on the bikes first proper miles on our local roads in the Peak – it’s always a great pleasure handing a completed bike to a customer, that pleasure is magnified when you can experience the look of satisfaction on their face as they ride their dream bike.

More photos in the gallery shot on a fantastic spring day around Derwent Reservoir. We always feel slightly uneasy saying ‘Reservoir’ with a northern accent…

John B’s road climber

April 25th 2014

This frame was built for our super talented frame painter. Built with a fillet brazed construction with a mix of Reynolds 853 and Columbus Life tubes, with an i.s.p and custom seat post topper. The frame isa compact, light and responsive, a match for John’s natural talent for climbing steep roads – something we have in abundance in the Peak. The custom stem is built with a stainless steel bearing top cap, integrating smoothly with the headset and headtube, lettings us flow the colour from stem to frame – this is part of our eye on details where we look to simplify & tidy up rather than complicate.

A rich & classy paint design inspired by Dazzle Camouflage, with neon stripes and accents popping against the deep rich purple of the frame. Every Field Cycles frame is painted with the same fastidious attention to detail as this one John has painted for himself.

More photos in the gallery, shot at the top of a Peak District climb on a particularly windy day back in December.

Field X ENVE Track bike

March 22nd 2014

It’s not everyday you’re asked by ENVE Composites to build something special for their show stand at the Berliner Fahrradschau. With a shared passion for absolute quality and attention to detail, it’s exactly the kind of project we love to take on. The bike we created puts Field in the company of some of the most unique, beautiful and sort after bicycle makers in the world that ENVE have chosen to promote on their show stands in the past. We jumped at the chance to make something that shows off the unique frames we build.

With a similar build to Garreth’s Single fixed, but with an ENVE carbon seat post replacing the i.s.p this super stiff frame is built for performance, it excels racing through the city or around the steep banks of the track. Materials are a mix of Reynolds 853/631 and Columbus Life, with the use of a Tandem ‘boom-tube’ as the top tube to create a super stiff and precise handling frameset. The profile of this tube requires painstaking mitering and faultless fillet brazing to produce the sculpted and seamless transitions we craft. The oversized tubes provide us with a perfect canvas to indulge ourselves with another of the vibrant paint designs we’re known for.

Built up using ENVE’s incredible carbon rims and a unique Goldtec prototype stainless hub set, the super stiff ride qualities of the frame translate through the whole bike and leave nothing but a grin on your face.

More photos in the gallery, shot on location in one of Sheffield’s more eccentric landmarks.

XC 29er

January 16th 2014

This XC 29er was designed and built for a customer who wanted to make local trails interesting again. After a good few years of ploughing through obstacles on a full sus trail bike, there was a desire to return to the simplicity of a fully rigid bike and rediscover the skill of picking lines through the Peak. The first ride report was ‘fully rigid makes you pay attention!’

At the heart of the bike is a fast and zingy steel frame paired with a tapered full carbon fork. The simplicity of a fully rigid bike gives you direct and precise handling and the result is a compact, light and nimble XC bike.

The frame is fillet brazed with a Reynolds 853 front triangle, 44 mm i.d head tube. The Deddiccaiccai 9er Sero Uno chain stays with their new, more bendy shape, provide more clearance and work beautifully alongside custom bent Columbus Life seatstays. Stainless steel paragon machine works dropouts and a fillet brazed stem bring the frame together.

We went for a matte clear coat, making the frameset colours super saturated and vibrant on even the dullest of Yorkshire days.

More photos in the gallery

Garreth’s Single fixed bike

January 1st 2014

Garreth’s bike is a really good example of the unique contemporary steel bikes we love to build. He encouraged us to exercise our collective skill and imagination across the design, fabrication and paintwork of his frameset. He left us to create something bespoke to his needs, trusting that what he got back would be his go to bike for the streets of Bristol.

We worked some unique features into this build; the most inventive is the top tube, starting life as a Reynolds oval Tandem boom tube, calling for some tricky mitering. The fillets were painstakingly filed and polished giving the frame seamless and sculpted tube junctions. At first glance looking more like a carbon frameset, but on closer inspection the lustre of the brushed stainless details confirm the frame’s steel heart.

We shot this bike on the road that bisects the huge Forgemasters site. A Sheffield company in its third century, regarded as the oldest steel business in the world. They still remain at the forefront of casting and forging steel for heavy engineering… producing the heaviest castings on Earth up to 350 tonnes!

We’re proud to play a lightweight part in Sheffield’s innovative steel working legacy.

More photos in the gallery

Takashi's frameset
a modern steel race bike

August 21st 2013

This is the first of our bikes in Japan, built up as a fast race bike for Takashi’s local mountainous roads. It features a compact reynolds 853 front triangle, Columbus Life chainstays and our custom shaped S bend seatstays. Up front the oversized 44mm i.d headtube with our investment cast bronze headbadge makes a seamless front end when married to the ENVE composites 1.0 fork.

The paint is our most complex to date, Immaculately and painstakingly applied across the frame, fork and Cinelli integrated bars and it’s come out a treat. Inspired by snow capped peaks and alpine landscape, with a nod to the dazzle camouflage.

More photos in the gallery

Cross/Classics Frame Set

June 17th 2013

Inspired by the functional ‘specials’ that get invented for the unique conditions of Paris Roubaix, this frame features a mix of cross and road geometry, with clearances for 35mm cross tyres. It comes into it’s own on the poorly maintained, rough potholed surfaces which punctuate our roads. The unique ride of steel combined with large volume tyres make for a fast, durable and comfortable bike.

Built with an integrated seatpost with a simple seatpost topper which gives +/- 30mm saddle height adjustment. the seat tube / top tube joint is sleeved for extra reinforcement over the rough terrain, and built to stand up to cyclocross use.

This bike also featured in issue 10 of Cyclist magazine.

More photos in the gallery

The fillet brazed stem is painted to match the frameset, the machined steerer collar flairs on the bottom edge so the stem fits up nicely to the headset, a small example of the attention to detail that goes in to all of our bikes. On the front of the stem is the luxurious detail of a highly polished stainless steel ‘field’ braze-on.

DETAILS 
— Fillet brazed construction
— Reynolds 853 down tube and top tube
— 4130 Chromoly seat tube, seat post top and stem 
— Columbus Life S bend chain stays
— Custom Zona seat stays, custom shaped with a fabricated ‘x’ seat stay bridge
— C.N.C machined 44 mm i.d head tube made by us from Reynolds 631

Finished with a vibrant and extensive paint job designed by Tom our go-to graphics guy and painstakingly applied for another immaculate finish by Cromaworks.

The seat stays have been custom shaped and tied together with a fabricated ‘X’ bridge, made up from 4130 chromoly tubing

Prototype 29er frameset

May 21st 2013

I am not sure if it’s my imagination or the brain region that deals with marketing kicking in, but it is the best riding and handling Mountain Bike I have thrown my leg over. It might just be the re invigoration that a new bike brings, or the fact that it has been built to fit me like a glove but I am really enjoying the fast and light steering on my local Peak District trails. It really helps when you’re picking your way up a rocky climb or through twisty single track - I am returning from my rides wearing a broader smile than usual!

GEOMETRY
 — Head angle 70
— Seat angle 73
— Fork length 450mm offset 54mm [trail 76mm]
— Chain stay length 440mm
— B.B height 300mm

More photos in the gallery

The frame is fillet-brazed construction, with a Reynolds 853 down tube and top tube. The integrated seat tube is plain gauge 0.8 wall 4130 Chromoly with a custom made seat post topper. The stem is fillet braze using 4130 Chromoly.

Rear triangle is made up of Columbus S bend chain stays and custom bent 4130 Chromoly seat stays.

The fork is built from 4130 Chromoly tubing; the custom made front and rear dropouts are C.N.C machined from 4130 Chromoly.

A little bit extravagant for a prototype but Cromaworks applied Tom’s design immaculately and we fitted one of our investment cast head badges on the headtube, the flecks of green on the bronze are verdigris patina. This is encouraged to develop in the traditional method with a certain bodily fluid!

Mario's cyclocross

January 29th 2013

Mario’s new disk equipped frame set. Reynolds 853 with a tapered 1/8″ – 1.5″ ENVE cross fork which looks huge when you get it out of the box, but it works well with one of our 44mm i.d head tubes, made from raw Reynolds 631 seamless Air hardening hot finished tube. we C.N.C machine them to the exact length we need.

The frame features immaculate paint work as always, by our in-house paint department CROMAWORKS with the ENVE cross fork painted up to match. We took care to include a few little finishing touches to complete this frame including a little scoop out of the seat stay bridge to trace the cyclocross tyre neatly, between custom shaped S – bend seat stays. An of course, one of our ‘Handmade in Sheffield’ bronze cast head badges took pride of place, mounted to the custom machined head tube.

More photos and images of the build in the gallery

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