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Mosquito Bikes unveil new The Escapist steel frame

London-based Mosquito Bikes close to launching new steel frame, here's a first look at it on its maiden voyage

London-based bike shop Mosquito Bikes, purveyors of some fine brands like Moots, Pegoretti, Zullo and Independent Fabrication, have been busy working on their own steel frameset, The Escapist. The new frame is intended to be an ideal UK bike, happy doing a sportive, Audax or club ride, with a good level of comfort.

The new frame was first revealed at the London Bike Show in its prototype guise, allowing the high craftsmanship of the welding work to be inspected. Mosquito plan to fully launch the new frameset at the upcoming Bespoked Handbuilt Bicycle Show, but this prototype has been getting an outing in the Surrey Hills this week, with Mosquito’s Phil Burnett testing it and sending us some photos and first impressions on its maiden voyage.

Following his first ride, we asked Phil, as someone who has ridden and raced many high-end road bikes and has a 2.5 hour commute which takes in Box Hill, for some early feedback on the performance of the new frameset. The frame has been cobbled together with a used Shimano 105 groupset for the purposes of testing, final bikes will likely include a 105 option with Mosquito handbuilt wheels and special Velo Orange finishing kit.

“The idea behind the bike it to produce a bike which is ideal for UK riding conditions and roads - Audax, sportives, light touring etc,” says Phil. “Riding the bike on my extended 2.5 hour commute yesterday (Boxhill, a few fast descents, cobbles, London roads) I was really struck by the smoothness of the ride even compared to my usual winter bike which is an IF Steel Club Racer.

“Over the cobbled sections and infamous Surrey potholes it really helped smooth things out - it would be great for a long day without feeling beaten up. Power transfer felt good, I think aided by the chunkier rear chainstays (the frameset is Columbus Life, Roger has selected the tubing in conjunction with the framebuilder Jon Chicken).”

The final details of the frame are yet to be fully revealed. It’s going to be built from Columbus Life tubing, and they’ll offer stock and custom geometry for the same price, with a bike fit included in the process. The frame is currently on its way to the paint shop, and you'll be able to see the finished frame at the Bespoked show in a couple of weeks time.

This isn’t the first time Mosquito Bikes have produced an own-brand frame. Some 20 years ago they offered their own frame, but it faded into the history books when the framebuilder they were then working with stopped working.

With the resurgence of interest in framebuilding in the UK, Mosquito have decided the time is right to bring their own frame back, and have partnered with Jon Chickens, a well renowned framebuilder based just outside of Brighton, to produce the new frame.

We'll keep you posted on this new frame, and of course you can see it first at Bespoked.

http://mosquito-bikes.co.uk

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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10 comments

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pablo skils | 9 years ago
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It takes more skill and confidence than perhaps many people would know to show an unpainted frame. But even from the distance so generously volunteered by these photographs, the fillets look very competent. Perhaps not up to the remarkable standard De Nucci showed at NAHBS this year, but then who is? (And on a strictly practical level, does such fine brass work make the bike ride better or last longer?) I think it's great that Mosquito are offering an in-house frame again, and throwing in a free bike fit makes their deal on a new frame very difficult to pass up. I'll admit a bias though. We produced the first ever issue of Moving Target magazine in the basement of that shop, so of course I like them!

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jollygoodvelo | 9 years ago
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I think the naked look with visible welding looks amazing. It'll be above what my wife considers a reasonable price but I'd happily have one.

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jacknorell | 9 years ago
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Quote:

“The idea behind the bike it to produce a bike which is ideal for UK riding conditions and roads - Audax, sportives, light touring etc,” says Phil.

So, for all conditions, yet no disc brake mounts? That's proper big touring tyres out then, as is horrid wet weather commuting...

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Simmo72 | 9 years ago
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Chickens is an excellent frame builder, this will be a good frame

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crikey | 9 years ago
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Thanks for editing my comment out, I'm sure it's the most offensive thing on the site at the moment.....

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Kadinkski replied to crikey | 9 years ago
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crikey wrote:

Thanks for editing my comment out, I'm sure it's the most offensive thing on the site at the moment.....

Thats just bizarre. Maybe you should have thrown around a few 'fucks' and 'whores' because thats okay apparently.

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arrieredupeleton | 9 years ago
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I'm not sure it'll work with out any wheels either...  4

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Skynet | 9 years ago
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Just don't like the unfinished look, hipster I suppose coming from them.

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David Arthur @d... replied to Skynet | 9 years ago
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Skynet wrote:

Just don't like the unfinished look, hipster I suppose coming from them.

It's a prototype. It's getting painted for the Bespoked show

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Skynet replied to David Arthur @davearthur | 9 years ago
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David Arthur @davearthur wrote:
Skynet wrote:

Just don't like the unfinished look, hipster I suppose coming from them.

It's a prototype. It's getting painted for the Bespoked show

Makes sense, just hope it's not black on black!

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