This fierce and sleek bike was designed and built by London-based Saffron Frameworks, an award-winning frame builder that makes custom bikes for its UK and international customers. The bike belongs to a friend of the workshop who moved recently to an area outside of London and needed a multipurpose bicycle that could handle asphalt, gravel and off-road sections on the daily commute.
The Spitfire Gravel Crusher features the light gray color of the WWII fighter plane and the iconic teeth, making a lasting impression wherever it goes. Maintaining some of the elements of a road bike in its geometry, this bicycle comes with a steep angle for the head tube and a road height for the bottom bracket, ensuring that it’s fun to ride at all times. The steel Columbus Life/Zona mix frame has a Whisky fork and an integrated seatpost. Other features include a 90mm saddle setback and a custom topper, 32c Challenge tires with mudguards, a SRAMs Force 1x groupset with an 11-42t cassette for all types of terrain, a T47 bottom bracket, and a second set of wheels for touring. Photo credits: Saffron Frameworks.