On that note, what’s the oldest model in the line-up that’s been produced continuously? Why do you think that one is still around today? He enjoyed the bicycle but couldn’t stand the wooden saddle, which led him to invent the leather bicycle saddle and found the company. The story goes that his horse died, and he had to ride a bicycle to his workshop. John Boultbee Brooks, the founder, was a horse-saddler. Jim: The company was officially registered in 1866 here in Birmingham. Can you tell us when and how it came to be? I started at Brooks 10 years ago as a graphic designer, and I crossed over into a marketing role last year.īrooks has a storied history in the world of cycling. The bike was my passport to greenery and escape out of the industrial landscapes of the West Midlands. My father also worked here, so I’m second-generation Brooks, as it were. I’ve been here in various roles all my career. Steve: I started with Brooks nearly 45 years ago as a trainee accountant. To begin, please introduce yourself and your work at Brooks. If you ride a Brooks leather saddle, it was made here by the hands of the people we met at the factory in Smethwick. You’ll also find an extensive photo tour of what I hope you’ll agree is an endlessly fascinating workspace that’s rich in detail and where old machines and time-tested techniques combine to create new saddles built to carry riders around the world. You can read our post-visit interview with our tour guides Jim Holland and Steve Green below, who have a combined 55 years of experience with the company. We closed the loop on our chance meeting in the Republic of Georgia when the team at Brooks fixed a couple of rivets and chamfered the edges of his well-worn old saddle during the visit, breathing new life into it for future trips. That opportunity presented itself when I was passing through his hometown of Bristol, England, over the summer, and I invited him to join me on a tour of the Brooks factory after a couple of nights of camping. He’d just finished our Caucasus Crossing route and needed a place to stay “for the night.” When Jack finally left my spare room three weeks later, bound for Azerbaijan, we said we’d see each other again for a trip someday. The Smethwick, UK-based maker needs little introduction, as they’re surely one of the most revered brands among traveling cyclists, and they’ve produced an almost unfathomable number of saddles in the 150+ years they’ve been in business.īritish photographer Jack Boffy was riding his bike from London to Hong Kong in 2018 (atop a Brooks B17 saddle), and our paths crossed when he stopped in Tbilisi, Georgia, where I was living at the time. Nearly all of my bikes sport a Brooks these days-whether Cambium or leather-and the company’s products are an inextricable part of my experiences on the bike. It is not about telling the time but about reading the time! All on a modern clean façade with carefully chosen typeface and font to portray a product of class and quality.Co-written and co-photographed by Jack Boffy ( the recommendation of far more well-traveled cyclists at the time, I’ve been riding a Brooks saddle since my very first loaded tour. At first glance the viewer does not realise exactly what is being shown and is pleasantly surprised and impressed with what is revealed! Wall hung or recessed to suit the setting, our custom art word clocks stand out as something very different…a talking piece. They offer the discerning home owner the opportunity to own a one-of-a-kind, customised time piece to display in their home or business. Great conversation starters – guests are always amazed. These unique time pieces are ideal for home or business décor accessories for discerning home and business owners and also make stunning gifts. A Custom Art Word Clock with LED illumination for low power consumption and longer lifespan with unlimited colour and design possibilities.Īt first glance you don’t realise what you are seeing and are pleasantly surprised and impressed that the piece of art you see before you is actually a clock! Stylish and functional, a Word Clock with LED illuminated words can be wall hung or free-standing in desktop format.
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