The Tweed Run 2014 - London's stylish cyclists on display

The Tweed Run took place yesterday in weather  hardly conducive to the wearing of tweed, a cloth more suited to the cold and drizzle of the grouse moor than a baking central London. However, over 500 cyclists persevered, looking very stylish in everything from tweed to cotton and linen and riding all sort of machines, from vintage to modern. The women stole the show for me, looking beautiful and elegant in fifties floral dresses or tweeds and breeches, riding elegant town bikes with baskets full of flowers.

Tweed cap from Cambridge Cycle Company

I wore the top half of my Susannah Hall suit, an old pair of Yorkshire-made cycling breeches, Cordings long socks, a Harris tweed tie and English-made Barker brogues. My Tweed Run was unfortunately curtailed by a recurrence of a wretched 11 day-old viral infection which saw me retire half way through. Hopefully I can return next year - it's a wonderful event for sartorialist and cyclist alike.

Ian Covey and his beautiful Roadster from his Vickers Bicycle Company. 
One day I hope to own one. My 1956 Claud Butler is in the foreground.

Tea was served at the first stop at The Guildhall - in proper cups and saucers of course.

This stylish couple was typical of the range of looks on the ride.

Mark Jones who is a cycling artist - to have your machine immortalised, see Velo Art.

Gemma's dad - and his beautiful and totally original Sunbeam machine.

Even woolly cycling jerseys put in an appearance, here with a gorgeous Cinelli

Straight out of WW2 - Woodbine and all.

The irrepressible Guy Hills of Dashing Tweeds.

Vickers Bicycle Company - a stylish new classic British roadster bicycle

I sometimes wonder if the many non-UK readers of this blog get tired of my search for British products for men of style. On the other hand, I know that many of you appreciate high-quality products from these islands.

There is, after all, a long heritage of manufacturing here - Britain was in the vanguard of the industrial revolution in the eighteenth century. Engineering skills were evolved out of which came industries like cycle manufacture, which has a long tradition here and is still practised by highly-skilled frame-builders around the country, fuelled by a new enthusiasm for steel-framed bikes and craftsmanship.

The Vickers Bicycle Company built on those skills to produce an outstanding modern classic roadster.

Ian Covey and his Vickers Bicycle Company New Classic Roadster

I'd heard about the Vickers Bicycle Co on Twitter and, being curious and a keen cyclist, arranged to meet the founder, Ian Covey. We met in the Rapha Cafe in London, a great place to meet and talk bikes.

Ian has been a cycle fan for most of his life and is passionate about it as a sport, form of transport and a science. Brought up near Canterbury, he joined Thanet Road Club at 14, inspired by the feats of heroes of he road such as Miguel Indurain, five times winner of the Tour de France. He owned an array of road machines and dabbled in building up fixed and single-speed bikes for use around town (where a drop-handlebar racer is unsuitable as a commuter bike). It's this depth of experience that has led to the design and production of Vickers Bicycle Company's first bike - The New Classic Roadster.

The bike is an update, using modern construction, materials and components, of the traditional roadster - the 'sit up and beg' bikes that provided comfortable, reliable transport for most British people for much of the first half of the last century. Those bikes were heavy and ponderous, lacking acceleration and nimbleness. On the other hand they were excellent load carriers and would keep going through months and years of neglect.

Ian's challenge was to design a lightweight, agile machine, that could be used to carry shopping, briefcase or piles of books and yet was reliable and required minimal maintenance. This requires the best of modern materials, Reynolds steel tubing, SRAM automatic gears, coaster brakes and lightweight components such as mudguards (fenders) and chain guard. The result and the level of finish are very impressive. The bespoke nature of the machine allows owners, at an initial consultation, to select their own component preferences.

The frame is made by one of the most highly respected builders in the country, Lee Cooper, based near Coventry. He and Ian have designed and produced a beautiful and light lugged frame from Reynolds tubing (in a variety of specifications) that forms a superb basis for this lovely machine.

If you're looking for an immaculately-made (in Britain) bespoke bicycle for city and local journeys, you couldn't do better that this modern classic. Prices are from £1899 and are very reasonable when compared to prices of mass-produced foreign-built machines available in the shops.

Visit the Vickers Bicycle Company website for more information. More images below -

Grey Fox tries out the Vickers roadster for size