Richard Walker (pictured behind his bike), of Richard Walker Custom Bicycles, talks about his background, his motivation for getting into the frame building business, and makes notes on a bike he displayed at the Handmade Bicycle Show Australia.

Background
I've been building for about 10 years. As a bike racer, getting off-the-shelf bikes that fit longs legs and a short torso was difficult. I’ve always had custom bikes and began finding it hard to get new frames as the old guys retired, so I decided to make my own. As a refrigeration mechanic I’ve done a lot of brazing, and my father was a metal fabricator in the automotive industry with experience in development. So, with a lot of help from Jim Bundy, it came together. From there people began to ask if I’d make one for them.

Favourite features
The geometry. It's built specifically for myself with a 55cm top tube with 58cm seat tube and parallel 71 degree head and seat tube angles.

Frame Material
853 Reynolds steel main tubes with 725 chain and seat stays.  When I bought the tubes, Reynolds didn’t do 853 stays. Lugs are LongShen, and stainless steel dropouts, rear derailleur hanger and brake bridge.