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I’m biased, but Helmut made some beautiful bikes. He built me a time trial frame to a design by Mike Burrows (compact frame, sloping back too tube, seat stays shot in about 5” below the seat clamp) and it won me a national record, and he went on to build loads of them. He was a great TT’er himself and finally beating him around Eastway was a real honour.
Such a shame he quit frame building, apparently he just got bored with it. No idea what he’s doing now, but I’m hoping there’ll be a goodbye party at Bikefix and we’ll manage to track him down for it. I’ll post details up on here if it happens so people can come along and give Stuart and co a proper send-off.
jj72-
Yes, at the time I formed a vague plan to at some point get a bike from him (I've never met him), but soon afterwards he stopped all that. Do you still have the bike?
I also hear that Bikefix will continue at the site, albeit in the back (over two storeys), going back to the origin of the business, i.e. fixing bikes. The front of the building will be let to someone else. It won't be gone completely, which is a relief.
Oliver Schick
The first time I saw a Sonic bike, at Critical Mass of all things, I thought it was one of the most beautiful bikes I'd ever seen.