Velo City: Bicycle Culture and City Life

Blue Brains: Prova Cycles Razzo Road

Blue Brains: Prova Cycles Razzo Road

Building a custom bicycle frame requires not a small amount of engineering prowess. Metallurgy notwithstanding, there’s stress and fatigue testing, and ergonomics. On top of all that, a frame builder also needs to be able to make a frame look good, and Prova Cycles’ Mark Hester has all of these skills in spades.

Blue Brains: Prova Cycles Razzo Road

Previously based in Australia’s capital, Canberra, Mark has just relocated his workshop to Australia’s capital of cycling, Melbourne, where he has a new space next door to Bastion Cycles and their innovative 3D-printed frames. The combined energy of their engineering ingenuity must be creating a localised electrical storm.

Blue Brains: Prova Cycles Razzo Road

Given his background of designing and manufacturing chassis for the motor racing industry, it’s no surprise to learn that Mark is a details man. His Instagram process reportage gives an insight into the consideration he gives to every minute of the frame, from the 3D-printed seat binders and cable routing bosses to the custom 4130 dropouts.

Blue Brains: Prova Cycles Razzo Road

Mark fillet brazed a Columbus Spirit HSS down tube and a triple butted Life seat tube to an ovalized Reynolds 853 top tube for a customer who was a seasoned road rider but was “steel curious”, so his new Prova will prove to be a comfortable all-day rider. An AX Lightness wheel set and carbon Curve Cycling fork will only improve the situation.

Blue Brains: Prova Cycles Razzo Road

Inside the steerer tube are 3D-printed clips to prevent the Campagnolo EPS cable from rubbing, and he wasn’t too forward-thinking to neglect the addition of a chain catcher. A matching saddle and bar tape by another Melbourne local, Busyman Bicycles, is the only way to top off a bike like this.

Prova Cycles Website | Facebook | Instagram

Massive thanks to Andy ‘FYXO’ White for the great photography — head to his site for more.

Blue Brains: Prova Cycles Razzo Road