Boris Johnson has ordered a custom tricycle for his son Wilfred, to match the Union Jack roadster that Joe Biden gifted him at their recent meeting at the G7 Summit in Cornwall. The Telegraph reports the PM immediately placed an order with renowned Philadelphia bike maker Stephen Bilenky to make a matching model for his son.
The ‘US-UK Friendship Bike’ and custom helmet was created by Bilenky and his staff at Bilenky Cycle Works in ten days, something the award-winning bike maker described as “chaos”.
Bilenky told the newspaper he usually takes six to 18 months to complete most of his orders but took the short-notice gig from the President because, “when your country calls, you answer”.
He revealed he had just ten days to complete the gift after receiving an email from the State Department on 23 May and has now got a repeat order for a three-wheeled model of the same style for the PM’s son.
Writing on Facebook, he said: “You may have seen that President Biden gifted the British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, an American made bicycle today. The bicycle was handmade and painted by none other than PBE Founder, Bilenky Cycle Works.
“A modern take on the Sterling Metro 5, which started Bilenky in his custom bike making career. The ‘Boris Bike’ comes full circle back to its British roots as Stephen Bilenky started his frame building skills with an English builder from Birmingham.”
In return for the bicycle, the PM gave Biden a picture of an anti-slavery campaigner, as the pair met in-person for the first time since taking office.
Not everyone was impressed by the bike, though. Some even suggested there could have been some gentle trolling going on from the US because of the size of the gears they thought Johnson needed. Others said it looked impractical and a bike to be presented, not ridden.
-1024x680.jpg "“Clear anti-cyclist bias”: Lawsuit filed against Toronto police after cop doored cyclist… before ticketing rider over incident")
12 thoughts on “Boris Johnson orders son Wilfred an identical tricycle to match Joe Biden’s G7 Summit gift”
For those lucky enough to
For those lucky enough to subscribe to the Telegraph, the link to the article is at https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/06/19/boris-get-custom-tricycle-wilfred-match-bike-biden/
According to the paper “The company is planning on building a limited run of 50 replicas (of the Boris gift), based on their classic ’80s “Clubsman” sport/touring model, priced from $5,500.”
I may order one if that comes to fruition, what an outstanding way to support both the country, our closest ally, and our cycling supporting one-nation leader ?!
(No subject)
Go on nige. Would love to see
Go on nige. Would love to see the picture on Bikes thread in 6 months time or whenever it comes.
Nigel Garrage wrote:
Nigel, as you know, luck does not come into it. If you can’t afford to subscribe to the Telegraph (Belfast?) then obviously you don’t work hard enough. Perhaps a feckless single parent, or someone who forgot to have an inheritance.
Clearly if you choose not to subscribe, despite having the means, you may have fallen for fake news about the odd behaviour of the proprietors in the Channel Islands, or find the political slant hard to swallow. More fool you.
I wonder who will be paying
I wonder who will be paying for it?
What about all his other kids
What about all his other kids? Not that good a parent if not also doing the same for them.
AlsoSomniloquism wrote:
Fack me, Also. We’ve already got a bike shortage, that’s the last thing we need…..
AlsoSomniloquism wrote:
Well, how many kids does he have?
From what I’ve heard I
From what I’ve heard I suspect the only way to really learn this is a nationwide DNA test. Not sure what women see in him!
Broke isn’t he?
Broke isn’t he?
….So, Bilenky is building
….So, Bilenky is building Boris a three-wheeled septandum? Interesting….
Good to see that Stephen
Good to see that Stephen Bilenky got the Union Flag the right way around on both the metal badge and the frame!