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Craddock Custom Carbon frames

Craddock Cycles offer made in the UK carbon fibre frames

New British company offers custom carbon frames made in the UK
by David Arthur @davearthur
Thu, Dec 19, 2013 11:23
34

How many British carbon fibre frame manufacturers can you name? You might struggle to name any at all, but newly launched Craddock Cycles aims to change that.

The new company has its own composite production facility in Worcestershire and can produce a bespoke carbon frame, with a maximum production run of 50 frames a year. They’re not cheap, at £3,100 each, but remember these are frames manufactured right here in the UK.

The brand is named after founder Richard Craddock. He has loads of experience in the cycle industry with a composites research, engineering and fabrication background. He’s just complete the research and development on the laminates and joining methods for the frames, and says that the first test batch have passed rig stress testing and been ridden hard on the road. 

Craddock construct each frame with precisely mitred roll wrapped carbon tubes before wrapping the joints with pre-impregnated carbon fibre, and then curing the frame under pressure in an oven, much the same process as many top-end carbon frames. The process allows for custom geometry, as well as being able to optimise the frame for its intended use and rider weight through tube choice. The fitting process involves using body dimensions, weight, agility, handling preference, required stiffness and compliance, and colour choice, to create a fully custom frame.

The frame, based on the photos we’ve been sent, certainly look the business, with smooth lines and a clean finish. Attention to detail extends to moulded carbon cable stops, bonded to the tube to avoid the use of drilled holes and rivets, along with carbon dropouts and bottle cage mounts bonded to the tube, rather than drilling the tube. You can choose any colour paint you want as well.

We’re going to work on getting a closer look and hopefully a ride on one next year. In the meantime, head over to the website for a closer look www.craddockcycles.co.uk

The only other example of a UK built carbon frames is Moda with their development of a carbon frame made by an automotive company. That has yet to see the light of day though. 

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David Arthur @davearthur

David worked on the road.cc tech team from 2012-2020. Previously he was editor of Bikemagic.com and before that staff writer at RCUK. He's a seasoned cyclist of all disciplines, from road to mountain biking, touring to cyclo-cross, he only wishes he had time to ride them all. He's mildly competitive, though he'll never admit it, and is a frequent road racer but is too lazy to do really well. He currently resides in the Cotswolds, and you can now find him over on his own YouTube channel David Arthur - Just Ride Bikes. 

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34 comments

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PRINCIPIA PHIL | 10 years ago
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I have to say that this is one of the few carbon fibre frames that i'd be interested in - no riveted cable stops so no holes in the tubing makes me think they've really thought about the construction.
In a way they sound like a UK version of Parlee and this one is also built in the UK which impresses me even more rather than being farmed out to Asia for higher profits - we really should be supporting our own manufacturing industry.
Can't believe some of the ill informed comments above though, that's the problem with forums i suppose but i expected more of Road.cc readers.

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Bike Science | 10 years ago
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We're Legend dealers and I'm lucky enough to have been to the Legend factory and seen the process, craftsmanship and time taken to build a frame in this way. It takes a long time, a lot of skill and a lot more equipment than "just a jig" to make a frame like this well.

There really is no comparison between a frame like this and a Chinese off the peg. I've not looked at detail at the Craddock bikes yet (but certainly will as they look like a real quality product), but I'd imagine that (like Legend) the building process is totally bespoke. With Legend you can select either internal or external or Di2 specific cable routing, integrated or standard seat post, any type of bottom bracket you want, a vast choice of colours and finishes (all hand painted) and can even request changes to the stiffness, ride and handling of a frame. Think buying a Saville Row bespoke suit rather than something from Burton. I've often spent 20 hours or so working with a customer before we even send the fitting geometry off to the factory, plus another 2 or 3 hours in a final fitting session.

I wouldn't suggest that everyone should be riding a frame like this, as clearly they're beyond the budget of a lot of people. Having said that, there's certainly a market for them as there is also a market for Chinese frames (and Burton suits) that cost much less.

It's great to see Craddock for manufacturing in the UK. Looking forward to seeing a few out on the road.

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mythbuster replied to Neil753 | 10 years ago
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Neil753 wrote:

The input price of carbon is surprisingly low, as evidenced by FOB prices of eastern frames (as I write this the cheapest one I can find is $19), and at least part of the manufacturing process appears to be cutting and mitering tubes, and mounting them in a jig, similar to the method used by steel frame builders.

A custom frame sounds great, but I was merely expressing surprise at the price being asked.

Where did you find frames for $19 each? Do you have a link or some more information?

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james-o replied to Neil753 | 10 years ago
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Neil753 wrote:

With the "factory gate" price of a Chinese carbon frame rumoured to be just 17 (yes, seventeen) dollars,

For some open-mould end of line junk, possibly once, ie on alibaba where they cleared out those old fake things that looked a bit weird : )

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