- A CONVERSATION WITH -
TEN STREET CYCLES
Oldfield was founded on a passion for exploring the worlds of fabrication and exploration. In discovering these worlds, we chose to found our range on designs chosen to support the refined traveller.
The Journal is a place for us to share stories from craftspeople and explorers alike. In our new addition to the journal we visited founder of bespoke bicycle brand Ten Street Cycles, Malcolm, at his workshop in the North Docks of Liverpool.
WHERE IT ALL BEGAN
Malcolm grew up in North Liverpool, and in later life moved across the UK & Europe to study and work for a handful of years. Whilst living in Brussels working on IT projects he starting fixing up bikes and doing custom builds as a hobby. Everybody there had old bikes filled with character, just gathering dust in storage, so it was easy to get ahold of nice bikes. When he moved back to Liverpool, he wanted to get into frame building, and so took a short course that taught him everything he needed to know about bike fitting, bicycle design, brazing, and how to build your first frame and fork.
It was with this learning, and some experimentation that Malcolm decided to set up his own bespoke bicycle brand, Ten Street Cycles, homed in the North dock area of Liverpool.
INSPIRATIONS
“I’m really into bikes that are used every day, so they have to be both great to ride and really practical. Naturally, I always aim to produce the perfect bike to suit how it’s going to be used.” Malcolm looks to bring together the best elements of classic vintage bicycles but in a modern context, embracing contemporary bespoke bicycle trends. “The town bikes we make are really classic looking, but extremely practical and timeless. While our road bikes and gravel bikes are more modern looking, fitted for their purpose.”
COMMUNITY IS HOME
Malcolm moved to Make Liverpool he was embraced be the great atmosphere, surrounded and supported by people with such a huge variety of skills, knowledge and experience. “The organisation itself is really positive and support start-up businesses and artists in many ways.” For example, the Ten Street Cycles logo was designed by a skilled sign writer based at Make, Harry Mytton.
“Over the last couple of months I’ve been finishing a couple of really nice projects. One of them is a bespoke gravel bike; I designed the frame made to measure for my customer. We added a great Lauf suspension fork, which looks a little our there, but we were really happy with the finish. Another bike just getting finished is a 36 inch wheel bike, it’s really strange to think about wheels that big on a bike, but in the end the bike looks great. We also take a lot of care choosing colourways of the bikes we produce, and on the 36er the colour scheme worked really well. Even though the hweels are so big, the bike still looks great.”
Malcolm appreciates that a bike will always ride better when the rider loves how it looks. It’s clear to us that using the skills he’s learnt, and his personal experiences, he’s been able to build a portfolio of bikes that are as beautiful as they are functional.
If you’re interested in learning more about Malcolm’s work at Ten Street Cycles, head on over to his website at tenstreetcycles.com or follow his bike building journey on his Instagram.
Malcolm wears the Farnborough in Moss & the Ashdown Weekender Vegan Edition in Sandstone.
