No. 22 Bicycle adds former Saratoga/Serotta builders

No. 22 Bicycle adds former Saratoga/Serotta builders

New York titanium small builder expands operation

No. 22 Bicycle's Great Divide road frame

Courtesy

Ben Delaney

Published: March 21, 2014 at 2:59 pm
No. 22 Bicycle's Great Divide road frame - Courtesy
No. 22 builds titanium frames in small batches, then lets the rider pick the parts — including the rake of fork - Courtesy
No. 22's crew just grew by four builders — with 53 years of combined titanium experience - Courtesy
No. 22 prides itself on attention to detail - Courtesy
'Small batch' is a catchphrase that has spread as quickly in the bike world as it has with beer and liquor makers - Courtesy
No. 22 Ti frames are built in five sizes, with custom on the way - Courtesy

No. 22 Bicycle Company, a small-batch builder of titanium frames and bikes, is expanding its operation with veteran builders from the recently shuttered Saratoga/Serotta operation. With Scott Hock, Frank Cenchitz, Caleb Sesselman and Bill McDonald, the new crew brings a combined 53 years of titanium building experience to the table.

Mike Smith and Bryce Gracey launched No. 22 in 2012 to fill what they saw as a hole in the titanium market. "We saw some of the large brands at the mid-level of the titanium market offering bikes that were well built, but weren't really pushing the envelope in terms of ride quality or finishing details," Smith told BikeRadar. "At the other end of the market, we saw boutique custom builders doing incredible things: experimenting with more challenging finishes — such as paint or anodizing, instead of the typical down tube stickers — really well-tuned and thought-out tubing, and great attention to detail. Trouble is, these frames are priced in the stratosphere: they're beautifully made, but $5,000 to $8,000 for a frame didn't strike us as good value."

'Small batch' is a catchphrase that is spreadly as quickly in the bike world as it is with beer and liquor makers: 'small batch' is a catchphrase that is spreadly as quickly in the bike world as it is with beer and liquor makers - Courtesy

No. 22 pays close attention to detail in its titanium frames

No. 22's frames, by contrast, start at about US$2,499 (£1,500), with complete bikes like an Ultegra-equipped Great Divide going for US$4,499 (£2,700).

"We are building our brand around offering world-class levels of ride quality, finishing quality and attention to detail, but at reasonable prices," added Smith. "We build our frames in small production runs and sell them from inventory, which brings our production costs down and eliminates the months-long wait of many other boutique builders."

With the added manpower, No. 22 is hoping to top 200 frames this year across a three-bike lineup (road, track and a forthcoming disc-only cyclocross bike).

For now, the bikes are offered in stock geometry (five sizes, 52-60cm), but a custom program is planned. For parts, the bikes are all built to a customer's preferences and budget.

The bikes are sold direct and through shops, via Stage Race Distribution in the US distributor and VAM Performance in the UK.

No. 22 prides itself on attention to detail: no. 22 prides itself on attention to detail - Courtesy

No. 22 makes its frames in small batches but a complete custom build option will be available soon

Ben Delaney

Contributor

Ben Delaney is a journalist with more than two decades of experience writing for and editing some of the biggest publications in cycling. Having studied journalism at the University of New Mexico, Ben has worked for Bicycle Retailer & Industry News, VeloNews and BikeRadar. He has also previously worked as Global Brand Communications Manager for Specialized. Ben covers all things road and gravel, and can be found logging big miles in the Rocky Mountains that nestle alongside his home in Boulder, Colorado. He has covered the most important bike races in the sport, from the Tour de France and Tour of Flanders, to the Unbound gravel race, and specialises in tech content, showcasing what the pros are riding and putting everyday equipment through its paces.
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