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The Freedom To Explore
Road.cc – Launch Story

Words by Road.cc – August 17, 2015

J.Laverack is the latest name to add to the small pool of British-based titanium bicycle brands, and has launched the J.ACK, a disc-equipped titanium “all-road” model. It’s intended to be a four season road frame capable of dealing with rough roads, gravel paths and cobbles. J.Laverack has just informed us prices have been lowered, with a frame now costing £1,500 and a frame and Whisky No.7 QR fork £1,800.

Where does the name J.Laverack come from? Co-founder Oliver Laverack says the company, and the first model, is named after his grandad.

“We’ve named the company and first model after my grandad Jack, as it was his pioneering spirit to ride the road less travelled, exploring new landscapes, that fuelled my interest in cycling as a young lad,” says Oliver Laverack.

Adventure all-road bikes are gaining momentum at the moment, with the appeal of disc brakes and wider tyres winning a lot of fans. It’s also the capability of tackling any sort of rough road you want to ride down, and even gravel paths and dirt tracks.

J.Laverack’s says there are two things that have inspired the design of the J.ACK frame.  Firstly, it’s tough one-day cycling events like Paris-Roubaix, Strade Bianche and the Tour of Flanders, where roads are rough and tyres need to be wide to provide comfort. And secondly, there’s the adventurous spirit of cyclists, including Jack, that during the early part of the 20th century would think nothing of cycling several hundred miles in a day, just for the thrill of it. Something perhaps best epitomised by Tommy Godwin who in 1939 cycled 75,065 miles.

“The spirit of cycling remains for us very much the same as it was back then, with the freedom to explore uncharted territory being the driving force behind our first frame,” adds the company. “We also believe that the road less travelled is more interesting, even if it has more potholes, bumps and stones along the way. Not every ride can be a voyage of discovery but we believe the journey is always more important than the destination (unless that destination is a coffee stop!).

So what is the J.ACK frame all about then? It’s made from 3Al-2.5V titanium and has space for up to 32mm tyres, 28mm with mudguards, with the mudguard and rack mounts entirely optional. The company is using a US sourced Whiskey No.7 carbon fibre fork. All cables are internally routed and of course it is only compatible with disc brakes. It has a PF30 bottom bracket and a tapered head tube and is compatible with electronic drivetrains upon request.

There are eight frame sizes from 48 to 62cm. Geometry for a size 56cm includes a 583.5mm stack and 382.1mm reach, 70mm bottom bracket drop, 1,010.4mm wheelbase, 560mm top tube and 420mm chainstays. The head angle, at 72 degrees, is a bit slacker than a conventional road racing bike.

The frame costs £1,500, or £1,800 for the frame and Whisky No.7 QR fork. If you want a complete bike the company offers a fully custom bike build service.

The first 50 frames will be individually numbered with a numbered stem cap, and there’s a choice of two head badge designs.

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