Needed a little work on the knee
Let’s just start here. In late August after issues for several months, my knee decided it was time to stop working. There was no single event that I can point to that caused the issue. It was just time. Sadly, this really put a halt in the progress I have made so far in 2026 on my bike.
“You don’t always get what you want. You get what you need. ”
I am doing my best to accept the fact that this has been quite a set back. Of course, in the end, I know it will be good for me. I’ll be honest that some days, or moments, are better than others. While I have lost over two months of activity just before we head into winter is a bit daunting and worrisome, I am sincerely happy that the pain in my knee is almost entirely gone and that I can clearly see that I will be better after this.
The last few weeks have had me a bit more trapped in my house. While I try to be constructive with my time, the internet surfing and dreaming about bikes has me dreaming of new bikes. Let’s be clear, I don’t need a new bike. In fact, I need to sell some. However, when I am recovering, I have had too much time on the internet. In that time, I have been obsessing about steel bikes from the UK/EU.
One thing I really appreciate about bikes and bike design, is the influence the environment and region have on the design. There are A LOT of great bikes coming from the UK and across the pond. Dang they have some great products that we don’t see, or hear, enough about in our media in the states. I know we have some coverage, but just not enough.
Anyway, here are a few of the bikes I have been obsessing about. These are all drop bar, big tire capable bikes. Each brand has flat bar/mtb bikes that I could have posted as well. I seriously love pretty much each of the models in each of these brands ranges. Note - All images are from each of the brands social media pages.
Cotic Escapade
I love the new Cotic Escapade. I’ll admit, I am a bit biased as I met Cy the founder of Cotic at a trade show in the UK many years ago and I have been a fan ever since. But damn, this thing ticks a lot of boxes for me….And that color. Yum!
Fairlight Secan
I have been in love with the Secan for about two years. The only thing that has held me back is that my Ti Meriwether Gravel bike does everything I want it too. This bike fits me the best of all I am showing today, but this bike doesn’t fit my quiver. But damn I love this bike, the design ethos and all the little details.
Mason ISO (In Search Of)
One of the brands I really admire is Mason. I also met the designer at a UK trade show when they worked for Kinesis. I really like their ethos, brand and industrial design language. Of all the bikes here, this ISO shown above is probably the bike that resonates with who I am as a rider the most. I also like that this bike is made in Italy, has beautiful custom drawn, formed and shaped tubes and has some really innovative thinking with a structural fender or integrated front rack option. I also do not have a drop bar bike with a suspension fork capability/option.
Mason Exposure
One more from Mason that I really think is a design masterpiece, the steel Exposure. While the ISO aligns the best with my personal ethos, this is the bike of their line that I really would like to own. It is just a classic steel bike with modern features. While the more traditional almost level top tube doesn’t quite fit me as well as something with a shorter seat tube and longer head tube like the Fairlight Secan, this one just ticks the boxes for me.
I really need to get outside soon before I enter by CC digits into one of these brands online order forms…….
