British steel bike maker Pashley has launched another new bike that extends its range in a novel direction.
The Pashley Skyline takes inspiration from mini velos designed for city riding, with 20in wheels and disc brakes, but it's also intended to handle loaded excursions and light gravel use.
Pashley says the Skyline is designed to be “fun, versatile and practical”.
Three specs are on offer at launch, with flat-bar and drop-bar options. Full bike prices range from £1,795 to £1,895, and there’s a frameset-only option for £995.
Versatile riding options
As with all of Pashley’s bikes, the Skyline is made from steel and hand-built in its Stratford-upon-Avon factory. Its frame is fillet brazed from a mix of Reynolds double-butted tubing: 725, 631 and 525.
According to Pashley CEO Andy Smallwood: “This bike is all about maximising the unique experience you get from a small-wheeled bike. You could be riding through the city, local village, commuting to work or just out for fun – simply enjoying the exhilaration you get on two wheels.”
Pashley says the geometry is designed for “a controlled and comfortable riding position, with direct, confident handling across a variety of terrains”. The top tube is a little longer, which it says adds stability to the ride, while the chainstays have been kept short for snappy acceleration.
The 2.3in tyre clearance enables you to set up with knobbly tyres if you want to head off-road for some light gravel riding and Pashley fits two of its three builds with Schwalbe Smart Sam treaded tyres.
You can also fit mudguards, front and rear racks, and bottle cages for extended load-lugging. With 20in wheels, Pashley says the Skyline is easy to store, too.
Pashley has aimed to support a wide range of configurations for the Skyline, which it offers with both riser and dropped handlebars. You can also choose to fit the frame out with derailleur, singlespeed or hub gears and even add a dropper post.
Branching out
Founded in 1926, over the last couple of years, Pashley has been diversifying rapidly from its classic British bikes, often complete with a basket, which would grace a television series set in the 1950s.
It’s had the retro-racer style Guv’nor in its range for a while, but more recently that bike has been joined by the Roadfinder SL, which Warren Rossiter described as “the first steel bike I've truly desired in 30 years”.
Not only that, there’s an electric Roadfinder and Pashley has launched the Wildfinder, a drop-bar gravel/MTB hybrid with 2.4in tyre clearance and geometry to fit a suspension fork.
Pashley Skyline builds and prices
Pashley will sell the Skyline in three builds – two with flat bars and one with drop bars.
There’s a choice of MicroShift Advent derailleur or Shimano Alfine hub gearing, as well as a frameset option. You can choose a custom colour from £75 / $125 / €100 / AU$170.
- Pashley Skyline Alfine 8 Flat Bar: from £1,895 / $2,895 / €2,495 / AU$4,395
- Pashley Skyline MicroShift Advent Drop Bar: from £1,895 / $2,895 / €2,495 / AU$4,395
- Pashley Skyline MicroShift Advent Flat Bar: from £1,795 / $2,695 / €2,295 / AU$4,195
- Pashley Skyline frameset: £995 / $1,495 / €1,295 / AU$2,295
