If you've been following our Built in Britain series with Muc-Off, you'll know that back in May we raffled off what is going to be one very nice bike indeed, raising £3,764 for the mental health charity CALM. A Rourke handbuilt frame, Pacenti Cycle Design wheels and a very special paintjob from Gun Control Custom Paint are all part of the prize, and it's the latter British brand who we're checking in on for this final stop on our Built in Britain Tour.
> Grounded in innovation: a Q+A with Muc-Off
> Built in Britain: Behind the scenes at Pacenti Cycle Design
In the video we catch up with Andy Carr, the owner of Gun Control, who has been pushing the boundaries of what's possible when it comes to custom-painted bikes with his talented team for a number of years:
"Gun Control Paint came out of a need for me to fid somebody to paint our bicycles to the standard that we needed to paint them", says Andy.
"I think businesses like ours only really exist because people get excited about what we do.
"When we produce really beautiful work, take a great picture and share it here - we're in a barn in Surrey, very few people come to visit us, but we can share that with the world instantly.
"Sometimes these things just set fire. You put something out into the world and you think it's kind of cool but then the response is one of the best parts of the job."
"Generally brands like Muc-Off are those who've now become halo brands, but started in a shed and did good! Now we're five years in, we look to Muc-Off for inspiration.
"When we're having a tough day we can see what's possible in Britain and beyond from brands like Muc-Off."
> Built in Britain: Behind the scenes at Rourke Handbuilt Cycles
"Everyone that we work with is passionate about what they do and they love cycling. When they bring us a project they're really trusting us to bring that project to life.
"Most of the customers we work with really understand that the process is long and involved, and they want to be involved at every stage, we spend a lot of time talking to them about the finish, the techniques that we're using and the work that's going in."
"They really seem to enjoy that part of the process, and I think ultimately helps them value that product they take away at the end of the day. They can see the effort that's gone in and the finish and the paint, but they know what's behind it because they've been involved in the process from the very start to the very end."
Check back for the next video in our Built In Britain series this weekend over on our YouTube channel.
In a better world, sure, it could be a good thing. But this is Britain, and our "leaders" from either side of house can't balance the books, keep a...
And a heads up that just clicking on someone's name sends them a notification.
Of course bikers are going to object how dare people think they have the right to be kept safe from law breakers on bikes . One way system , well I...
Unfortunately too many British motorists believe that this white line is a de facto cycle lane rather than the boundary of the carriageway. Had a...
Gosh, Maida Vale into the centre - a real toughie.
Thanks Ian. Sounds like devolution toward a system destined to create civil disobedience. It would certainly encourage my rebellious Yankee soul to...
Correcto. Ffs, how many people in the whole of the UK actually have enough private land that they can need/use an unregistered vehicle which never...
As ever, don't know why wild bikes (go outdoors etc) are always missed off these lists. The equivalent of the frog 61 (identical in almost every...
There was a time when I would eagerly open up my Campag' levers to fix a problem with easily obtainable spare parts, using little more than a...
More chicken and egg problems / self-reinforcing systems....