RIDDEN AND REVIEWED HANDSLING AIROEVOS £9,900

Your bike, your build - bespoke assembly from Hampshire-based Handsling

- Tim Russon

In a sea of Tarmacs, Aeroads and Dogmas, the Handsling A1ROevoS is a breath of fresh air. It offers top-tier performance wrapped in a highly-customisable, boutique experience, that sets it apart from the big-name superbikes saturating group rides. What it lacks in global brand recognition, it makes up for in individuality, performance and - crucially - value.

The British brand was founded by former racer Simon Whiten and builds bikes that cater to riders seeking something tailored, not templated. Started in 2014, Handsling offers a small range of performance-focused bikes for road, gravel, CX, TT and track. Despite their small size, Handsling sponsors not one but two UCI Continental teams, UK-based 'Handsling Alba' and the brilliantly named 'Turbo Velo Pickle Juice Cycling Team' in the US.

Like most brands, Handsling's carbon frames are made in the Far East, but designed by Simon and the team in Hampshire, in their own exclusive moulds.

BESPOKE BUILDS

The company assembles its bikes in Hampshire, where customers are encouraged to be involved in the process - visiting the workshop, choosing specs, even chatting to the paint technician. That experience alone isa rarity, and it’s something Handsling rightly champions.

Unlike a normal review where the test bike arrives ready-built, Handsling was keen to offer me a look at the entire buying process. Thus, I found myself, slightly jetlagged after an overnight flight into Heathrow, sipping coffee in Handsling's Oakhanger workshop and discussing 'my' possible build with Simon himself. All buyers are encouraged to visit and chat about their requirements before purchasing but phone and email conversations are also possible. It is worth emphasising that my experience was not because I was reviewing the bike, but simply part of Handsling's usual customer service.

Verdict