About

With Vulcan Bicycle Works, we are bringing back local bike production Birmingham was for many years the centre of the world’s bicycle industry – we are building on this historical legacy to make state-of-the-art modern bikes.

We love bikes that are functional, versatile, durable and beautiful.

Each bike is deeply individual and tuned to suit the rider’s aspirations and preferences. Each bike is made one-at-a-time by a single pair of hands. And with the option of discounted bike builds via the Cycle to Work scheme, a custom bike is now affordable for many keen cyclists for the first time.

As much as we love building new bikes, we also adore keeping vintage bikes running – whether that means fixing frame damage, updating them with modern standards, or upgrading them to suit changing rider requirements.

For the past decade, Birmingham Bike Foundry has been a pillar of the city’s cycling industry. We provide high quality repairs, refurbished bikes and training – as a worker co-op, we are committed to doing useful work and showing the power of cooperation and democratic management. Now we have branched out into making our own handmade bikes, inspired by Birmingham’s industrial heritage, past golden ages of cycling, and the latest developments which make bikes higher-performing, comfortable and exciting.

Our framebuilder Ben has been building frames since 2015. As an experienced endurance cyclist he has completed multi-day unsupported bikepacking rides on three continents. This means he has an in-depth knowledge of how to design and build a bike to survive years of punishing riding.

The project is named after Vulcan, Roman god of the forge, echoing the heritage of Birmingham and the thousand trades it has become known for.

A Vulcan Bicycle Works bike will become a cherished possession in the decades to come, a shared participant in your adventures and achievements.

Builds

After discussions with dozens of local cyclists, we have developed a process which allows a full collaboration between the rider and the maker of their dream bike. This is a unique experience for anyone who needs (or simply wants) a bike developed from the ground up to suit their requirements.

If production bikes are the wrong shape for your body, lack the features you need, or don’t suit your ethical and aesthetic standards, then we’d like to hear from you.

Every bike is designed from scratch around their future rider. The process begins with a thorough fit session at Birmingham Bike Foundry. The frames are individually designed and handmade here in Birmingham, using processes that ensure an enduring and beautiful frame.

Most production bikes are made in Asia (with standards ranging from superb to barely-safe) then shipped half way round the world, creating a carbon debt that may take the bike’s entire lifespan to pay off. Product managers might tweak a few aesthetic details on a catalogue model so the sticker can say ‘Designed in the UK’, or get the assembly finished in Europe or the USA, but you basically get what you’re given. For people who care about local and sustainable production with a human touch, a bespoke bike made in the UK is the way to go.

The use of high strength steel alloys lets us use tubes with thin walls, resulting in a lightweight and supple frame which lets the rider go faster and further with less tiredness.

Steel is the only frame material which is capable of generations of use in normal riding conditions, and which can be easily repaired if ever damaged by accidents.

We particularly love Reynolds’ modern steel tubesets for their superb strength and wide range of dimensions. From time to time we draw on other manufacturers, including deadstock tubing no longer in production.

Frame materials, fit and handling characteristics are carefully selected to enable the rider’s adventures, whether that’s daily use, weekend trips or non-stop races across continents. 

We prefer to supply complete bikes including groupset and handbuilt wheels that are laced and tensioned by hand for long term durability. By having a clear vision from the outset of the finished product, we can choose components that work together perfectly. Every detail is chosen in discussion with the rider. 

There is a 10% discount on the frameset-only price when we are supplying all the parts fitted.

Bespoke possibilities

To inspire the imagination, here are a few examples of options featured on our past custom bikes:

• Dynamo hub, lights and USB charging with fully internal and connectorless wire routing
• Handmade steel stems
• Custom stainless steel racks
• Boutique UK-made components from Hope Tech and Burgtec – cranks, seatposts, rotors, brakes…
• Eccentric bottom brackets for single speed transmissions or geometry adjustment
• Custom painted frame pumps
• Onyx hubs for infinite points of engagement and silent coasting
• Internal cable and hose routing
• Dropper posts with stealth internal cable routing
• S&S couplers to facilitate disassembling bikes for air travel

Frameset only options

For riders who have already collected their desired build components, or who need a basic frame for use on the track or the polo court, we now offer frame (or frame and fork) only options – ask for more details. 

Handmade racks

Our custom stainless steel racks are the perfect addition to a bike designed for utility or travel. By designing the rack to perfectly suit the frame/fork we can eliminate the weight, inelegance and inconvenience of adjustable commercial racks. We mainly work with stainless steel – its all-weather durability makes it ideal for UK conditions without relying on delicate paint or powdercoat, and its massive strength advantage over aluminium means that thin and lightweight tubes can be used. 

Frame repairs and modifications

Many of our customers have steel frames that need some alterations or upgrades to make them suitable for their riding needs, or repairs to keep them on the road after crashes. We love how a cherished steel frame can last for a lifetime or more, being altered and repaired as needed. You can contact us for a quote for:

• Adding or removing bottle cage bosses, rack mounts and other braze-ons
• Filling dents
• Replacing damaged tubes
• Fixing cracked dropouts
• Upgrading to thru-axles
• Adding disc brake mounts

Adding S&S Bicycle Torque Couplings is a particular speciality. These couplers can be retrofitted to almost any steel frame with round section tubes, allowing the bike to be packed in a 26″ square box for safe and cheap international transit – a popular option for cycle tourists and international bikepacking racers.

Cycle to work scheme

We are excited to be one of only a handful of custom framebuilders selling bikes under the Cycle to Work scheme. The scheme allows customers to pay for a bike via a salary sacrifice scheme, saving 28-47% on the price of the bike and spreading out payments over many months. The previous £1,000 limit has been removed which means that vouchers are now available for the full cost of a bike and accessories bought at the same time. 

We accept vouchers from the Green Commute Initiative, Cyclescheme and Vivup.

Our favourite is GCI; they actively support small bike shops like ourselves, and make it very easy for the customer to get their voucher. If your employer doesn’t offer a Cycle to Work scheme, it’s extremely easy for them to use GCI for a one-off. You can find out more about the GCI scheme here, and find a savings calculator here. 

Quality and warranty

Ben has been professionally trained by acclaimed instructors and master framebuilders, and continues to invest in training and education to improve the quality of the product. Consequently we provide a limited lifetime warranty to the original owner against structural defects in material or workmanship on all frames and forks. As a professional bike shop the original manufacturer’s warranty is also applicable on all parts fitted.

Enquiries

For more information or to begin the process of designing your dream bike, please contact us using the form below. You can also email us at ben@vulcanbicycle.works