Bike Check: Amelia’s Titanium Weis
When you go to an event as big as “The Great Alleycat of London”, you know that you’ll find some gems between the hundreds of bikes present during this wild weekend.
And while I was aiming to photograph and shine light on the London scene, my favorite bike out there was straight off a seven hours flight from New York.
I first saw Amelia during the massive group ride preceding the event, and I remember really clearly being very intrigued by a bike that was so different from everything that’s usually ridden nowadays.
Partially anodized titanium frame from Weis, nice custom geometry, very cool build overall, my curiosity had the best of me and I had to know more.
It was also my first time seeing the Titanium variant of the Hammer Track, which is now apparently the only material Weis decided to pursue with. The original steel and aluminum Hammer being discontinued to focus solely on Ti, and to some extent… I get it.
I was surprise by the versatility of Weis in the first place. Being able to take orders for steel, aluminum, and titanium seemed like a huge task, as well as a tooling nightmare. So narrowing it down to only titanium does remove the more “affordable“ options, yes, but since you’re going with a custom build, you might as well going all in.
Being on the official Weis Factory Racing team , Amelia’s bike is everything we love to see on a truly fast bike. But to race criteriums and alleycats, you need something that strike that perfect balance between riding in the street and during official events. Exactly like this summer, when Amelia decided to race The Great Alleycat of London, and then shortly fly out to Switzerland for the 2023 Zuricrit.
But let’s get on with the build! As I mentioned before, the frame is of course a custom geometry Weis with this beautiful yet very subtle blue-purple anodizing. Probably the best way to show off that your bike is indeed Titanium without having the boring plain/un-painted/un-anodized Ti tubing. And to be fair, I think how Weis did it in the most recent builds by having frames only partially painted or anodized, might be my favorite way to finish a titanium frame so far.
Amelia decided on a geometry that was of course designed for racing, but also comfy enough for long days with twelve hours straight in the saddle.
I’m personally a big slopping top tube fan for some track bikes, and this one has definitely passed my aesthetic check.
Detailed Parts List
Frameset
Custom Weis Hammer Ti
Chainring and Cog Sugino Zen 49T, 17t EAI steel
Crank Sugino 75 DD2 165mm
Seatpost and Saddle
Thomson Elite, Specialized Power Comp
Stem and Handlebar
Thomson X2 100mm, Zipp SL70 Aero 40cm
Wheels WeisMFG Carbon Track
Tires Continental GP 5000 25c
Wheels are a collab between Weis and Raketa supplying the hubs laced on these carbon rims. Coming onto the drivetrain and we got the now classic Sugino 75 direct drive (second version, the one that doese’t crack…), paired with a 49T Sugino Zen. Finishing this fully Japanese transmission, is a Euro-Asia 17T cog, with an Izumi chain.
The rest of the build is a classic mix of great and reliable parts, that are a first and foremost a great fit. While I was photographing the bike, I remember Amelia telling me how much she loves the Zipp SL70 Aero. To which I couldn’t agree more since they are also my favorite drops (in the non-aero version). They are comfy, the right amount of reach, and just overall a great bar if you’re in the market for something that will fit almost any rider.
Overall, this is a perfect example of a simple yet very unique and beautiful bike. No extras, no flashy features, just a hand-made piece of craftsmanship that is put to good use. And you know who much I love that.
We’re just waiting for the Hotline now. (Looking at you, Terry)
🎞: Kodak Portra 800
📷: Nikon F100
📍: London
