There’s been a high incidence of bikes on The Spoken lately with a naturally weathered finish, which is a striking and necessary contrast to to immaculate pinlined lugs we see on most of the custom frames featured here. They achieve the same effect: highlighting the components of the build and proudly accentuating the fact the frame is built from steel.
Nicholas Baxter was given an old Apollo frame and was intending to build it up as a rain bike. That’s when he was struck with the inspiration to administer a rusted effect to the frame. It was first coated with a rust-proof primer and then the rust paint was applied. An oxidising solution was used to speed up the process and overnight the frame took on the appearance of having been pulled from the ocean.
Velo Orange supplied the fenders and bars, and the original 27″ rims were polished with the rear laced to a coaster brake hub. The rust effect provides a wonderful backdrop to the polished components and also to the Brooks leather tape and saddle, which Nicholas took to with a wood burning tool to achieve the decorative scroll work. A fantastic result, a vast improvement, I should imagine, on the original.
All photography by Nicholas Baxter.
