Bicycles by Design
…making, selling, servicing and riding bikes every day!

A collation of ideas, beliefs, services and products, that allow you to buy the best bicycles individually tailored to your needs.

About us

Since 1981, under the Swallow brand, Peter Bird and Robert Wade have hand-built bespoke steel frames for discerning clients.

In 2009 we added made-to-measure hand-made aluminium frames under our Landescape brand and in 2012 complimented this with made-to-measure hand-made carbon fibre tandem frames.

We also sell some of the best-quality small individual brands from Europe and America.

There’s no frou-frou or hyperbola, no flannel – just honest, well-designed products and advice.

Robert Wade & Peter Bird

We don’t just sell bikes,
We design and build them too.

“Details are not details: they are the design”

Charles Eames.
When you call us or visit the showroom, you’ll be able to speak to one of the Bicycles by Design team that has taken an inanimate box of tubes (and bits of metal, filed lugs, mitred and brazed joints,) and made a living breathing bicycle form them.

Ensuring that your bike fits you correctly, feels right and performs how you want it to is crucial to what we do. Each aspect is given our full attention, from sizing through to the final finishing of the handle tape.

From the outset we discuss your requirements to create a bike that reflects your lifestyle and needs. We will talk you through the various options and complexities of modern bikes, using language that you can understand, rather than blinding you with tech talk.

This personal service doesn’t cost any extra, it is the service, regardless of whether you have chosen a stock bicycle, a made-to-measure or a bespoke frame. And it means that any bicycle you buy from Bicycles by Design has been tailored specifically to you.

Frame and Bikes explained

Bicycle terms

  • Stock – as specified by the manufacturer, straight out of the box, no changes.
  • Custom build – a bicycle assembled from a frame and parts according to your exact needs.

Frame terms

  • Made-to-Measure – a frame manufactured to fit you, but to set specification of frame tubing, components and finish.
  • Bespoke hand-built – a frame that is hand-built, just for you, to a shape that fits you perfectly from carefully selected tubing to suit your riding style and purpose. Total choice of construction, fittings and finish.

What we do

Showroom &
assembly workshop

A warm welcome awaits at the Bicycles by Design showroom, where we display and sell frames and bicycles from experienced and trusted manufacturers. We offer a range of fitting services on these brands and stock a select range of accessories to equip your bike, including child trailers and tag-a-longs. Our assembly workshop offers a range of repair and servicing options, plus bike and wheel building.

Custom builds
& made to measure

Custom is typically our standard, as the majority of bikes we build and assemble aren't off the peg, it show's as we don't keep a stock of bicycles to sell like some other bike shops. However, we do have a range of demo bikes that you can ride before you buy. We are set up this way, as we feel bicycles are very personal and should be tailored to you, hence why we also do made-to-measure frames.

Frame building

Matching British custom, it started in a shed... Hand building the first Swallow frame from there our passion grew and our frame building skills & knowledge with it. Over 35 years on Swallow frames are still hand built on our premises, in a variety of steel tubing using a mix of modern and traditional methods.

Servicing

Our workshop is prepped and ready for your pride and joy, and our expert team of mechanics will take great care in making sure your bicycle is in tip-top shape for your next ride.

Wheel building

We've built a fair few wheels some have been ridden around the world (literally), some raced, a lot used on tandems and one pair used for the Paris-Roubaix sportive and are still running round and true on Rob’s favourite fixie.

Sizing & fitting

We use our experience and knowledge to find you the correct fit. By adjusting our sizer, whilst monitoring your body posture to find the most optimal fit by balancing comfort and performance.

Courses

For those of you that want a full ‘hands-on’ experience, we offer frame-building courses as well as wheel building courses.

Renovations
& Refurbishment

Got an old frame? You may like to have it renovated or refurbished, brought up to date, or mended or maybe just a new colour. If so, we would like to hear from you and help restore your frame.

Other services

From Stock Bicycles to E-Bikes, Cycle to Work Scheme’s to Ride Before You Buy, we have you covered with all our other services.

Information

Bicycles

Services

Follow us

Bicycles by Design,
The John Rose Building,
High Street,
Coalport, Shropshire,
TF8 7HT

Looking for tandems?
Visit Tandeming
Bicycles by Design is a Trading Name of PS Leisure Limited - Company number: 6164577 - VAT GB873 8500 03
Tandem Experience Limited - A Subsidiary Company of PS Leisure Limited - Company number 09686660 -
Copyright - PS Leisure Limited and The Tandem Experience Limited
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