Boris Johnson Gets a Custom Bilenky!
 

Apologies for the typo in the title.

Story here: https://theweek.com/boris-johnson/10...-boris-johnson

The bike:

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...3217ca8693.png

Sweet ride! I would love one of Stephen's custom creations!

Typo fixed

Bilenky used to have a band. Steve’s daughter was in it.

I visited the shop back in 2008 to have them enlarge some rack holes so I could retrofit it to a new touring bike. Great group of guys at the time, although I know one left to start his own business. They gave me a tour of the shop and offered me a pastry. At first they refused money for the one minute of work they performed. I insisted, so one of them said “Give me $9.” I opened up my wallet to discover in contained exactly nine one dollar bills.

Since then I have always wondered if anyone would pass on one of their bikes if they saw the building and where it’s located. It’s literally up against the tracks next to an old junk yard.

in all seriousness, what’s so special about it? Unlikely to be “custom” geometry-wise. Looks to me like a rim-braked hybrid with a funky USA❤️UK paint job. Is it the paint job that makes it special? The drivetrain looks interesting

Awesome story! I follow Bilenky on Instagram -- there's always something cool happening in that shop. Would love to visit someday. Legendary torch!

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...7bd6925809.png


https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...a5c5f4bb4a.png

Apparently not the first tool he put on a bike.

Hand built by a fine frame maker in less that two weeks. I’m assuming someone gave them some approximate fitting data for Boris. IIRC, Bilenky put in its own paint shop in 2008, so the paint job is unique as well.

nice gift.

How big is that big ring in the rear? That's insane!

I'd guess a 9-50 Sram cassette, as it looks like an AXS derailleur. Looks to be 26" wheels, brakes with cantis. Quite the combo.

Perfect for the hills (?) of London? :)

BoJo likes a high cadence :roflmao2:

Not a fan of BJ or JB but love Bilenky and love the concept of the bike, could have gone a bit more "Murican on some parts but pretty neat and way better than a box of chocolates or a photo or something like that. Plus good publicity for Bilenky and hope they see some extra business. They makes some really top notch frames and the fact this was pulled off so quickly and looks so good is a testament to the shops skill.

It may have some older standards and such and may not be ultra flashy high end everything but in the end if you know Bilenky and know some of those parts you have a pretty rad bike that any of us would love to have especially if we could get it for $1500. That is a high dollar bike even if it may not immediately look like it at first glance.

I read on Bilenky's website that it is SRAM AXS, but they don't say what size the cartridge is. HUGE!!!!

Bilenky is probably best know for its touring and tandem frames, which are both designed for cantis.

It was (and may still be) also known for these:

Viewpoint Semi-Recumbent Tandem (bilenky.com)

I think that’s a pretty ugly bike. Single chainring and gigantic rear gears. I suppose some people think that’s the latest in cool and I guess it does eliminate the need for a dork disk but yuck.

Bike scandal hits. Boris owes big time on his gifts, but the photo accompanying the article shows a different bike and helmet than what he received from Biden.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/boris-joh...153648589.html

https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/ct...add784598b272a

Jeez, people need to pull a stick out of the butt and stop the gotcha politics.

Thumbs up here, most awesomest thought of the day/week/month/year!

Very nice bike, how many guys are left who can hand torch like that?

Still quite a few ‘most excellent’ USA builders welding frames. (And so many around the globe.)

​​​​​​…..and some fine carbon frames made, too.

big big

I personally think the bike coloring is meh. Not a fan of the silver rims or components, but, not my bike, and I was not asked to make the bike, so whom am I to complain.

That cassette size is insane.

Yes I started a thread about this a few weeks ago. I see it has been completely erased it from the website, it's not even in my search results.