The 2013 Bespoked Bristol Show has finished for another year, after profiling a varied range of exhibitors intrinsic to the UK scene. There were some well-placed bets on a few of the award winners, while others were pleasant surprises, especially the award given for Best Off Road: a heavily modified version of Shand Cycles‘ ‘all-road’ bike, the Stoater.
There’s plenty of terrain to be explored by bicycle in Scotland, home to Steven Shand, his business partner Russell Stout and some of the world’s most rugged and breathtaking landscape. Steven started Shand Cycles in 2003 and was joined by Russell in 2011—as much to help with the business as to get him away from a strong interest in fell running.
For those unfamiliar with the term, a stoater can mean “Anything that is exceptional in quality, or a person who is a bit of a fool or a chancer”. An apt title for Shand’s all-roader. Built from Reynolds 853, it’s a capable machine built with serious bike packing in mind. It’s offered as a production model, but this one features a 73mm bottom bracket shell and clearance for 2.2″ tires.
With increasing interest in bikes that can handle tarmac and fire roads equally well, it’s no wonder the Stoater was smiled upon by the judges. See more of their bikes from the Bespoked show on the Shand Cycles flickr stream, and you can contact Steven and Russell via their website. Special thanks to Gold Seal Photography for the shots.
