Project: Burls
6th September 2011
It’s here – and it looks good!
Spec
Frame – Burls custom titanium
Fork – Reynolds Ouzo Criterium
Headset – FSA Orbit
Bar – FSA Wing Pro
Stem – FSA OS 150
Seatpost – FSA SL-280
Saddle – Fizik Arione CX Garmin Cervelo Team Issue
Seat Clamp – Hope
Rims – Mavic Open Pro (Black)
Hubs – Hope Pro3
Shifters – SRAM Rival carbon
Front Mech – SRAM Rival
Rear Mech – SRAM Rival
Cranks – SRAM Apex
BB – SRAM Rival
Brakes – SRAM Rival
Pedals – Look Keo Sprint
5th September 2011
Picked up the rebuilt Burls from Bicycle Repair Man! It looks amazing – just need to put the decals on now!
23th August 2011
Starting to get excited now. The seatpost is out (BRM are clever), and the parts are pretty much all available, apart from the Rival chainset in my size. Unfortunately, we’re going to have to downgrade the chainset to SRAM Apex, Force is just too expensive right now. The plus side is, that frees up the budget for a Garmin Cervelo team issue Fizik Arione saddle – in black and red!
20th August 2011 – update
The frame and forks is now in Bicycle Repair Man in Prudhoe ready for the rebuild. It looks like it will be a full SRAM Rival groupset, Mavic Open Pro rims on Hope Pro3 hubs, FSA bars/stem/seatpost (again), Schalbe rubber, and a Fizik Arione saddle. Here’s Rob @ BRM with the stripped down, cleaned, decal free frame (that’s Mark the boss in the background).
20th August 2011
Time to strip down the Burls ready for Bicycle Repair Man in Prudhoe. It took literally half an hour to strip down all the old Campagnolo Veloce kit off the bike. Unfortunately, the seatpost is seized, and the bike shop will need to sort that one out! I also didn’t have the tools to remove the bottom bracket or cranks, but with it being Campag, it would have been a right clart on anyway!
18th August 2011
When I first started losing weight, it was on a cheap and cheerful Orbea Fleche on a CycleOps turbo trainer. Whilst I still have the turbo and use it for most of my training, the Orbea went the distance a long time ago to fund a holiday to the USA.
In order to facilitate me going outside on the bike, I needed something strong and heavy. It ended up being a titanium frame from Burls Bicycles. Justin Burls from Burls Bicycles is a master frame builder himself, and hand builds some stunning steel frames for customers who don’t want off-the-peg carbon or aluminium.
Originally, my Burls was built up using a Campagnolo Veloce groupset, FSA bars, stem and seatpost, Prologo Choice saddle, hand built Mavic CXP33s on Campagnolo Mirage hubs, and a whole range of blue anodized bits and pieces. I’m sure you’ll agree, it’s a pretty looking thing.
That was in 2008. At the time of writing, it’s 2011, and the Burls has been used and abused something wrotten. It’s done 10 mile time trials. It’s done Coast and Castles with a pannier rack on. It’s been all around Northumberland in all sorts of weather. It’s been used as a commuter. It’s been left to rot and seize until it was unrecognisable.
The bike needed some TLC. Cue Bicycle Repair Man in Prudhoe for a complete rebuild.
16th November 2008 – First ride of the Burls
The original frame when it arrived from Justin Burls late in 2008…
