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TECH NEWS
J.Laverack launches disc-equipped all-road titanium road bike + video
J.Laverack is the latest name to add to the small pool of British-based titanium bicycle brands, and has launched the J.ACK, a disc-equipped titanium “all-road” model. It’s intended to be a four season road frame capable of dealing with rough roads, gravel paths and cobbles. J.Laverack has just informed us prices have been lowered, with a frame now costing £1,500 and a frame and Whisky No.7 QR fork £1,800.
Where does the name J.Laverack come from? Co-founder Oliver Laverack says the company, and the first model, is named after his grandad.
“We’ve named the company and first model after my grandad Jack, as it was his pioneering spirit to ride the road less travelled, exploring new landscapes, that fuelled my interest in cycling as a young lad,” says Oliver Laverack.
Adventure all-road bikes are gaining momentum at the moment, with the appeal of disc brakes and wider tyres winning a lot of fans. It’s also the capability of tackling any sort of rough road you want to ride down, and even gravel paths and dirt tracks.
- Buyer’s guide to gravel and adventure bikes plus 11 of the Best
J.Laverack’s says there are two things that have inspired the design of the J.ACK frame. Firstly, it’s tough one-day cycling events like Paris-Roubaix, Strade Bianche and the Tour of Flanders, where roads are rough and tyres need to be wide to provide comfort. And secondly, there’s the adventurous spirit of cyclists, including Jack, that during the early part of the 20th century would think nothing of cycling several hundred miles in a day, just for the thrill of it. Something perhaps best epitomised by Tommy Godwin who in 1939 cycled 75,065 miles.
“The spirit of cycling remains for us very much the same as it was back then, with the freedom to explore uncharted territory being the driving force behind our first frame,” adds the company. “We also believe that the road less travelled is more interesting, even if it has more potholes, bumps and stones along the way. Not every ride can be a voyage of discovery but we believe the journey is always more important than the destination (unless that destination is a coffee stop!).
So what is the J.ACK frame all about then? It’s made from 3Al-2.5V titanium and has space for up to 32mm tyres, 28mm with mudguards, with the mudguard and rack mounts entirely optional. The company is using a US sourced Whiskey No.7 carbon fibre fork. All cables are internally routed and of course it is only compatible with disc brakes. It has a PF30 bottom bracket and a tapered head tube and is compatible with electronic drivetrains upon request.
There are eight frame sizes from 48 to 62cm. Geometry for a size 56cm includes a 583.5mm stack and 382.1mm reach, 70mm bottom bracket drop, 1,010.4mm wheelbase, 560mm top tube and 420mm chainstays. The head angle, at 72 degrees, is a bit slacker than a conventional road racing bike.
The frame costs £1,500, or £1,800 for the frame and Whisky No.7 QR fork. If you want a complete bike the company offers a fully custom bike build service.
The first 50 frames will be individually numbered with a numbered stem cap, and there’s a choice of two head badge designs.
Check out the company’s website for more details www.jlaverack.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.
Latest Comments
- OnYerBike 0 sec ago
Wax tends to last longer than wet lube between applications (although varies depending on brand of wax/lube). So, however frequently (or...
- Steve Williams 5 min 31 sec ago
Personally I find have my arms wider just makes it that little bit easier to breathe - I wonder if others do too? Got to love the toe clips, 5mm...
- mattw 27 min ago
The road is an in-out No Motor Vehicles Except Access loop with no vehicle access in the middle of the loop ie effectively a crescent....
- cyclisto 45 min 10 sec ago
I understand that if it is on sale, most likely it will be sold. I am just trying to understand its benefits....
- DJameson 53 min 17 sec ago
My regular Aldi is urban, and the bike racks are heavily used and fantastic. I appreciate that they're right outside the plate glass, so any...
- Rendel Harris 1 hour 16 sec ago
So, just as an example, what had five-month-old twins Naeim and Wissam Abu Anza, killed in an Israeli airstrike on a civilian house, done in their...
- Rod Marton 1 hour 22 min ago
The good news is that GWR no longer insist on bike bookings. Though this doesn't solve all the other issues with carrying bikes on GWR trains....
- Steve K 1 hour 55 min ago
On the subject of other vehicles blocking cycle lanes, there is a point on the Croydon Tram between Waddon and West Croydon where it is designed in...
- daccordimark 2 hours 8 min ago
I've had one of these since November and agree it's good value for money. For me, the ride is a bit harsh and I can't really detect any comfort...
- mark1a 2 hours 39 min ago
I tried something similar with some timber and a pair of Delta hitches, with (unlike yourself) limited success, and so for people like myself with...
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20 comments
Go via Chris King, as Ciello is no more
Anyone know how to get in touch with Ciello Rosso? They seem to have let their domain name go...
Another vote for Ciello Rosso, TI double butted frame for £800 with internal routing for the Di2 and Shimano hydraulic discs, yours for about £3k,beautifully finished, got it about 3 months ago, Neil is still alive and kicking !
IMG_0701_4.JPG
Looks like cielo rosso bikes website no longer exists.
Looks like CX geo... Jack do you spec the geo your self or copy previous work? Looks unbelievably familiar...
So at exactly the same price and material, what're the key differences between this and a Kinesis GF Ti Disc?
...I can spot that the rear brake cable is internal on the J.ack chainstay, but apart from that they look identical - the seatstays had me confusing the two for a second before reading the headline.
but the J.ack is a PF30. Gnargh. That's going to lose points for many.
And my Cielo Rosso!
Mine was the same price as Bikejon's but has custom geometry (decided over many months with Neil from Cielo Rosso, discs with hidden hose routing, Di2 compatibility. Basically could have had what i wanted.
I'm sure the J Laverack is very nice, but what can that offer that Bikejon and myself have got from Cielo Rosso?
Simon
Lovely work. I've been riding titanium for 6 years (Condor Moda) and it it's so comfortable and responsive - especially on descents.
Still can't used to the gaping void on forks where the front brake should go when looking at disc brake bikes. Looks like a beauty queen with a tooth missing.
What, that gap where the decent size tyre should go ?
Metal frame - check
Disc brakes - check
"Wider" tyres - check
"Aspirational" price tag - check
Promo photos of rider in full Rapha - check
Mention of gravel / adventure / road less travelled - check (double points for the full house)
Some guff about "inspiration" and a Classic namecheck - check
Mention of some long-retired (preferably dead) cyclist - check
Mention coffee/cake stops so as not to alienate the fat/lazy customer base - check
That's framebuilderwang!
You're in a crowded market. Readers of Road.cc see a new framebuilder every week, quite a few of whom actually build the frames themselves: the omission of any details here suggests you don't but I'll be happy to find out otherwise. Saying that the price has been 'reduced', on your first model, is somewhat disingenuous also.
Don't get me wrong, it's a beautiful frame, I love those cable ports on the down tube and I genuinely wish you the best of luck with your venture.
Very nice. But it looks rather similar to my custom built double-butted Ti frame. I've got disc brakes, internal routing, Di2 compatible, over-sized tubes, tapered head tube, custom geometry, loads of room for big tyres and mudguard/rack mounts. This cost me £800 from www.cielorossobikes.com
It's brilliant (apart from my cheap chainset, which will get an upgrade and it's a borrowed saddle - it needs a black one).
IMG_5650.JPG
Am I right in thinking that the only finish is brushed? In some of the promo shots, it almost looks like bead blasted...
That's correct, it's a brushed finish only. The decals are bead blasted on however.
This looks like a beautiful frame. Genuinely, @J.Laverack well done!
No worries, I'm not questioning the overseas quality btw, they look great!
UK made or overseas?
Thanks for your comment Broady. The frames are produced to our specification and design in Asia. The craftsmanship, skill and attention to detail of the frame builders who hand make each of our frames is second to none.
At last a Ti frameset with fully integrated cables for disc brakes.
me knows what christmas is bringing
Based nr Stamford, so not too far from me when visiting relatives, might just need to arrange an over due family visit, for 1/2 hour
Adventure. So 32c or 28c with guards. Hmm. So, that means a restricted choice of 32c CX rubber. That seems, for the sake of 1c, unusual.
Shiny