Baldwin Titanium

Beverley salesman Richard Baldwin has turned what was once a hobby into a home business, making titanium bikes.

For the last 15 years he has had a passion for cycling and serviced his own, and friends’, bikes on many occasions, so decided to take it a step further and set himself up a workshop.

“I am currently employed as a sales rep, so I am away early and back late at night. However, framebuilding is something I can do to spend more time with my family, help my wife with the kids and do the school run,” Richard said.

Richard chose to work with titanium because of its lasting qualities. It is stronger than steel, but half the weight. It is almost as light as carbon fibre, but it is very difficult to break a titanium frame. Whereas, with carbon fibre, people can often find themselves having to replace a frame after a crash or an accidental knock in the wrong place.

“It is very difficult to work with titanium,” Richard added. “It is very aggressive to the tools and when you are welding it you have to make sure that it is filled with an inert gas so that oxygen doesn’t get into the weld. Heat management is very important.

“But it is worth the downsides, as you get a light bike which doesn’t rust or corrode, with great riding characteristics. You could buy a titanium bike now, at 30, and still be riding it when you draw your pension.”

Quality is the main watchword when it comes to Baldwin Bikes, with it being a running theme through everything they do. They attract the higher end of the market, with one of their bikes being a considered purchase, not an impulse buy.

All the bikes are hand-built to order, with riders’ measurements being taken by York Cycleworks who offer a bespoke fitting service. Measurements are then transferred onto Richard to create the perfect bike for that individual.

“York Cycle Works do an appraisal of what type of cycling the rider enjoys, how flexible the rider is, body discrepancies that the rider may not be aware of and then fit a bike to the rider.”

“York Cycle works provide me with the correct saddle height, saddle set back, handle bar reach and drop.”

“I then make the perfect bike with these details of points and space and design the frame around that, using industry specific software that allows me to tweak angles and tube lengths.”

“As a bespoke service, we even offer our own brand of hand-built carbon wheels. Actif wheels, which are made of carbon rims in depths of 38/50/60&88mm are also hand-built to order, with a British made Hope hub. I can fit the wheels to any bike, it doesn’t have to be a Baldwin bike.”

Although the business is still very much in its infancy, and runs alongside Richard’s part-time job, he is keen to raise enough money from it to put his three young children through university when the time comes.

“I want it to grow at a comfortable rate,” Richard said. “I know why I am doing it. And the B in our logo looks like a number three, to represent my three children.”

With the Tour de France coming to Yorkshire in a couple of days’ time and the Elite Circuit race in Beverley later in July, cycling is very much to the fore in this area at the moment.

Richard, along with David Hought, held a cycle sportive from the KP Club near Pocklington to Castle Howard in Malton last week, with 73 riders cycling 123km through the Wolds; something he is keen to continue as his business progresses.

“There has been a resurgence in cycling with the success of the British teams, and the track and road cyclists in the Olympics. Bradley Wiggins and Mark Cavendish are now high-profile names.”

So, if the Tour de France inspires you to get on your bike, and you are looking for a high-quality everlasting road machine, contact Richard at sales@baldwintitanium.co.uk for a fully bespoke service.