Quirk Cycles

FAQ

Reviews

• 

  Robin MacAndrew

  It’s been an all-consuming experience. I reached out to Rob for a bike that I could ride comfortably on any road. All roads. Patiently, he helped me through the choices step by step. The result… OVERWHELMING. I’ve been riding this beautiful machine for a month or so and there isn’t anything I’d change about it. I love this thing!

  27-04-2023
• 

  Joel Kemp

  Rob built me a Durmitor with the main goal of comfort what with my long legs and shorter torso and having had a serious spine injury. It's the most comfortable thing ive ever ridden with all internalised cabling and a Stayer wheelset. Rob was always helpful and determined to make sure the fit was spot on before proceeding. Cannot recommend enough. He's a good egg

  27-03-2023
• 

  nikoo h

  I’ve known Rob for over a decade, before he started Quirk Cycles. I was lucky enough to get the second ever frame he made all those years ago and am riding it to this day! He made me my dream bike with one of the most amazing finish paint jobs. He even helped me get it repainted when the old finish was looking a bit tired. I’ve seen him work hard and be so passionate about his business, going above and beyond to make his costumers happy. Cannot recommend him enough!!

  27-11-2022
• 

  joe slater

  I first met Rob at Bespoked the UK Handbuilt Bike Show. His bikes were just gorgeous but it was really Rob's enthusiasm and knowledge that made me order a bike from him. Throughout the process he was thoughtful, informative and patient, answering all my many many questions in careful detail. I have a back injury that had made riding my bike a trial, but with Rob's help, we've mange to eliminate my issues. The fit and ride quality of my bike is like nothing else I have ever owned. I can't recommend him more. The whole process was fascinating from start to finish. What a star! Can't recommend enough.

  27-11-2022
• 

  Rob Neil

  Great bikes and great builder. Repaired a frame of mine and lent me his bike while he did it. I’m now saving up for one of his bikes. They are awesome!

  27-11-2022
• 

  Frank Yang

  This Quirk Cycles frame set was made during the 2020 pandemic. Despite being local to the workshop our communication was 100% via email. I reached out to Rob with a simple brief: a rim brake steel frame that I could blast around on my local lanes -- 100 emails later is the result you see in the pictures. Having never gone custom before, it can be a leap of faith at some points during the build process. For me, it was deciding on the paint scheme, and this felt like the hardest part of the entire experience. I remember changing my mind at least 3 times before going with the Quirk Paint-Haus Nant I scheme. Rob and the painters were (very) patient to ensure I was involved at the design stage to make sure I was happy with the end product. I even added a personal touch on the down tube. Pandemic restrictions had eased by the time the frame was ready for collection, so I was able to visit the workshop, and finally meet Rob in person for the first time; this is an experience in itself. I had opted to build up the bike myself, but when things did not go to plan, Rob was happy to lend a hand. Fast forward a year, 11000kms, Yorkshire's hardest climbs, TTs, fast pace lines, 1000s of cafe rides, this bike can do it all! Thanks to Rob, and everyone who made this project come to life!

  27-11-2022
• 

  BarraquitoRide

  Update: I also ordered rims from Stayer via Rob. These are also not as ordered! I can really advise anyone not to order here, simply unprofessional! Of course Rob doesn't think it's his fault as always... I thought about doing this and would like to share my experience with you as a seller in order to give other buyers who are not from the UK the chance to weigh up the risks beforehand. The ordering process went very well at the beginning, after a while it got slow and then unfortunately I had to ask again and again what the status was. Although I sent all the data to you, you asked the same question several times, which was a bit annoying and led to a sprawling email flow. After a year, I was able to pick up my frame in person. At first, I had planned to have it assembled on site, but the costs were not related to the work that would have been involved. When picking it up, I unfortunately made the mistake of not checking exactly what I ordered, as I was full of anticipation for the new bike. (Now I also understand why I didn't get the requested pictures) Unfortunately, the carbon suspension fork wasn't as ordered. Since you simply painted them according to your taste without sending me an email, apart from the quality, as confirmed by several people, is lousy. In any case, I wrote you another email the same evening that I was not happy with it and that I would prefer either the money or a new unpainted NEW fork. The only thing you've offered me is to repaint them. Since I didn't have time for it and you didn't want to pay me the postage/taxes, I turned down this offer. After that, you kept arguing that it was my fault and came at me zero. I wanted to make a phone call with you too, it wasn't accepted either. All in all, you were not customer-oriented, even though I spent more than £4700 with you, terrifying! The frame itself is ok, but if you look at the complete package with a fork, it is simply overpriced, especially if you still have to pay tax on it, as you will no longer be reimbursed due to Brexit. (UK tax 20% + 19% GER + variable duty rate%) Now I'm curious how the whole thing works out in practice, because unfortunately not everything looks like. Since I have legal expenses insurance that is also valid abroad, I wanted to use it first. But I decided not to because a friend of mine is now painting the fork. For me, it means effort and money, but I really know that it fits afterwards. The lettering and emblem will also be replaced, as I'm certainly not advertising Quirk Cycles. Conclusion: Rob certainly makes nice bikes, but customer friendliness is certainly not one of his strong points. I also had the feeling that my project wasn't as profitable for him and was therefore not that much priority. All in all, it's a disappointment in the end, especially when you invest so much money and time. Can advise anyone not to order from there, if you have problems, you have to rely on British law and enforce it there too. Who wants that good luck!

  27-11-2022
• 

  Charles Nicholson

  Rob's knowledge and interest in tackling a challenge is nothing short of astounding. I am fortunate to have just finished building my third Quirk Cycles bike and each time the experience has been great. The process begins with a conversation that outlines what the purpose of the frame is and then the finer details. The first frameset was a fixed gear criterium specific geo and Rob researched and composed a dissertation about what characteristics were currently being used within the niche before determining what would be the best for our purposes. This combined with his expert choice of tubing made a frame that boosted my confidence and performance far beyond what I thought was possible. The second frameset was designed as a do it all road and gravel bike that would fit a tyre up to 700 x 40c and 650b x 47c. I have used this bike in different iterations to both cross the Pyrenees on road with a 700 x 32mm set up, and cross the length of Spain following an infamously tough Montañas Vacias route, meaning a tonne of technical singletrack and gravel, with a 650b x 47c set up. This bike never fails to impress me and with the diversity of terrain and roads available here in Catalunya, I know that if I am ever unsure of what to expect, this bike will be able to handle it. The most recent frameset is a pure road bike with caliper brakes and skinny tubes throughout. My main aims were for a comfortable but nimble frame that was incredibly light, and Rob more than met the challenge. With a full custom geo it fits better than any frame before, it handles above and beyond my expectations, and coming in at 7.24kg for a full build it has more than met the lightweight category. Each time working with Rob (because it is a collaborative process) has been great. From working on geometry to me obsessing over paint and details (graphic designer woes), Rob has always been exceptionally professional and offered input and advice wherever necessary without steering away from the concepts I was so eager to fulfil. I am from London but no longer live in the UK, thus everything has been done via email with no problems in communication. With regards to collecting the frame, I did so in person and flew with the frame checking it into the hold as a bicycle. I hope this review can help persuade anybody on the fence, because I have never enjoyed riding my bikes so much as I do now. Thanks again Rob!

  27-11-2022
• 

  Amanda Sunmann

  27-11-2022
• 

  Max Geddes

  Rob built me a track/fixedgear criterium frame a few years back that I used to race the Red Hook Crit series. I recently took it back to him to have some dents removed from the top tube following a nasty crash. Great follow up service and Impeccable craftsmanship from a master framebuilder.

  27-11-2022