• For more information on how to avoid pop-up ads and still support SkiTalk click HERE.

Boris Johnson’s new bike

Wendy

Resurrecting the Oxford comma
Admin
Skier
SkiTalk Supporter
Joined
Mar 13, 2016
Posts
4,905
Location
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Did anyone see Joe Biden’s gift to Boris Johnson for the G7 summit? A custom bike from Bilenky Cycle Works in Philly built a cool bike in record time (like, a few days)!:

G7 summit: Joe Biden gifts Boris Johnson custom-made bike https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-57453840

E2788B60-F76B-47EF-A2B6-29513A9E2B84.jpeg


Looks like a TIG welded steel frame? Anyone know what those components are? The chainring/crankset is really cool.

Hopefully this creation will bring a lot of good publicity for that small (4-person) bike manufacturer!
 

scott43

So much better than a pro
Skier
Joined
Nov 12, 2015
Posts
13,552
Location
Great White North
I saw that...really cool! White Industries crankset, hubs headset; Velocity rims; SRAM drivetrain bits; Columbus steel frame; Selle Anatomica saddle. Looks great, hope BoJo appreciates it!
 

wiread

Out on the slopes
Skier
SkiTalk Supporter
Joined
Feb 1, 2021
Posts
487
Location
54942
it's not really a remake of a classic 3-speed is it?
 

wiread

Out on the slopes
Skier
SkiTalk Supporter
Joined
Feb 1, 2021
Posts
487
Location
54942
I wonder if people will start requesting that paint job.
both of my kids first bikes had the Union Jack paint job. 1 because they liked it, and 2, i'm a huge Iron Maiden fan so it was money well spent :)
 
Thread Starter
TS
Wendy

Wendy

Resurrecting the Oxford comma
Admin
Skier
SkiTalk Supporter
Joined
Mar 13, 2016
Posts
4,905
Location
Santa Fe, New Mexico
So can anyone calculate the gear-inch range on that bike?
Looks like a huge cassette in the back but the front chainring is kinda sorta big for a single?

Anyway, I think it was a genius gift. Boris can be seen riding around London, so clearly likes to bike. So does Joe. So it’s something they have in common. Then, create a useful machine handcrafted in the US, in an old-school shop in Philly, the City of Brotherly Love and the birthplace of our country, with a paint job that speaks to the relationship between the two countries. That it was pulled off in 4 days is remarkable. Which leads to another question: Why the short notice from the State Department?
 
Last edited:

Tony S

I have a confusion to make ...
Skier
Team Gathermeister
SkiTalk Supporter
Joined
Nov 14, 2015
Posts
12,630
Location
Maine
So can anyone calculate the gear-inch range on that bike?
Looks like a huge cassette in the back but the front chainring is kinda sorta big for a single?
Boris needs an extra-big helmet because of that hair. The extra windage requires very special ratios. :roflmao:
 

cantunamunch

Meh
Skier
Joined
Nov 17, 2015
Posts
21,907
Location
Behavioral sink
So can anyone calculate the gear-inch range on that bike?
Looks like a huge cassette in the back but the front chainring is kinda sorta big for a single?

You're just not used to seeing 1x on non-disc brake bikes. Cantilever brakes -> narrower rear -> more clearance for a bigger ring.

So - yeah, the chainring is a White Ind. TSR and three holes in the arms means 44-48T

(Which is actually totally in line with the chainring sizes we were using during the pre-disc fixie craze. Everyone had a 44x16 or similar ratio, the specific numbers being dependent on chainstay length)

The big cog in the back is bigger than the chainring, so let's call it a Sram Eagle which means it's highly likely to be an 11-50 PG-1210 https://www.sram.com/en/sram/models/cs-pg-1210-a1 on an old school CX or MTB hub.

Which, when plugged into bikecalc.com, gives us a nice little chart:
1623618521305.png
 
Last edited:

princo

Getting off the lift
Skier
Joined
Oct 30, 2017
Posts
263
Location
Denver
"One of the challenges of the State Department request was that the bike have as many U.S.-made components as possible.

The rims came from Velocity USA in Michigan. The hubs, cranks, and headset are from White Industries in California. Sram, in Chicago, supplied the derailleurs and gear shift levers. The saddle came from Selle Anatomica, also in California."


Source: https://www.inquirer.com/business/b...is-johnson-bilenky-philadelphia-20210611.html
 
Thread Starter
TS
Wendy

Wendy

Resurrecting the Oxford comma
Admin
Skier
SkiTalk Supporter
Joined
Mar 13, 2016
Posts
4,905
Location
Santa Fe, New Mexico
You're just not used to seeing 1x on non-disc brake bikes. Cantilever brakes -> narrower rear -> more clearance for a bigger ring.

So - yeah, the chainring is a White Ind. TSR and three holes in the arms means 44-48T

(Which is actually totally in line with the chainring sizes we were using during the pre-disc fixie craze. Everyone had a 44x16 or similar ratio, the specific numbers being dependent on chainstay length)

The big cog in the back is bigger than the chainring, so let's call it a Sram Eagle which means it's highly likely to be an 11-50 PG-1210 https://www.sram.com/en/sram/models/cs-pg-1210-a1 on an old school CX or MTB hub.

Which, when plugged into bikecalc.com, gives us a nice little chart:
View attachment 135772
I knew I could count on your for providing this info! ogsmile
 
Thread Starter
TS
Wendy

Wendy

Resurrecting the Oxford comma
Admin
Skier
SkiTalk Supporter
Joined
Mar 13, 2016
Posts
4,905
Location
Santa Fe, New Mexico
That White Industries chainring is super cool.
I’d enjoy seeing a pic of Boris riding his new bike!
 

LiquidFeet

instructor
Instructor
Joined
Nov 12, 2015
Posts
6,697
Location
New England
Looks like a TIG welded steel frame? Anyone know what those components are? The chainring/crankset is really cool.

Hopefully this creation will bring a lot of good publicity for that small (4-person) bike manufacturer!
It's fillet brazed and hand-finished, and constructed with a mix of Columbus and Dedacciai tubing, according to the instagram caption for those photos. I don't know what that means, but the manufacturers are proud of doing it that way.
 

cantunamunch

Meh
Skier
Joined
Nov 17, 2015
Posts
21,907
Location
Behavioral sink
I don't know what that means, but the manufacturers are proud of doing it that way.

It means that they used a flame torch and a solder -like material to create the joints around where the tubes meet. It requires fairly precise mitering, and there's no external lug to hold things together and suck the brazing material into the joint. It's done at a lower temperature than welding, so you don't wreck the temper of the thinwall tubing. So, yeah, there is definitely skill there.
 

Tony S

I have a confusion to make ...
Skier
Team Gathermeister
SkiTalk Supporter
Joined
Nov 14, 2015
Posts
12,630
Location
Maine
It's fillet brazed and hand-finished, and constructed with a mix of Columbus and Dedacciai tubing, according to the instagram caption for those photos. I don't know what that means, but the manufacturers are proud of doing it that way.
I guess this bike is Italian American.
 

Dakine

Far Out
Inactive
Joined
Dec 21, 2015
Posts
1,155
Location
Tip of the Mitt
The only thing harder than fillet brazing chrome moly steel is oxy acetylene welding aluminum for car fenders and motorcycle tanks.
Lose temperature control by even a few degrees and your beautiful hand beaten parts become a puddle.
Oxyacetylene work is becoming a lost art.
 

scott43

So much better than a pro
Skier
Joined
Nov 12, 2015
Posts
13,552
Location
Great White North
I tried my hand at frame building years ago using oxy acetylene and lug brazing. Let's just say it weren't that good... :roflmao: it's a fine skill and I'll fight anyone that says otherwise!!:ogbiggrin:
 

Sponsor

Top