Gav Buxton is quickly determining a distinct style for his August Bicycles workshop, one that’s finished with clean lines, smooth curves, a limited palette and bold typography. A new Di2-equipped frame has just hit the road, and it’s the slickest August yet.
Of course, fancy branding does not a frame builder make. Gavin’s 16-year career as an engineer helps, though, as does his XC and Grass Track national titles. Building wheels as August Wheelworks was a result of racing for the UK at the downhill World Champs…
Gav’s catalog is diverse, including big tyre road bikes, gentlemen’s bikes and the odd mixte; now this strict road-faring vehicle has ben added to the list. It was built for a local Norfolk rider as a 50th birthday present to himself, and was stringent with his brief.
It had to be comfortable, reliable and fast. And black. To make sure it was comfortable, Tony Corke from Torke Cycling performed a bike fitting — Tony is also Head of Bike Fitting and Design at The Bicycle Academy and has designed more than 100 frames.
The geometry was developed around the ENVE forks and cockpit so that it was suitable for fast all-day riding — qualities which affected the tubing choice too. All Columbus tubes were used, from their Life, Spirit and Spirit HSS families.
The Ultegra groupset abates any concerns for reliability, along with its corresponding hydraulic disc brakes, which will come in handy during the owner’s occasional riding trips in the French Alps. Di2 geeks will have fun figuring out how Gav routed the wiring.
August’s painter, Tom Armstrong, did an amazing job of laying down the paint, retaining their signature color in keyline logos on the 38mm carbon August rims and ENVE logos. Orange polkadots have also found their way inside the fork legs and chain stays.
The final touch is the frame number, hand-stamped on a stainless plaque and brazed underneath the bottom bracket shell. What will we see next from August Bicycles? Big thanks to Jim Holland for the photography.
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