We were in a massive rush to get our custom-built Ted James steel hardtail ready for the BESPOKED GERMANY Handmade Bike Show 2025! Owen Coutts gets into the full assembly, from pressing the headset and dialing in the eccentric bottom bracket, to cutting hoses, bleeding brakes, and flying the bike to Dresden. Watch as we turn a dream frame into a functional, show-ready, single-speed mountain bike!
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⏱️ Timestamps ⏱️
00:00 – Intro, Bespoked and the Frame
00:46 – Setting Up The Frame Stand
01:29 – Headset, Fork & Stem Install
04:23 – Installing the Eccentric Bottom Bracket (EBB)
06:34 – Crankset and Chainring
07:34 – Wheel Build & Single Speed Setup
11:20 – Cutting Hoses and Bleeding Brakes
16:48 – Dropper Post Installation
20:56 – Packing & Arriving at Bespoked
23:28 – Judging Custom Bikes at the Show
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32 Comments
Do you think we should have won a prize? Let the chat know in the comments!
Blake would have won.
Seeing it ridden for what , who and where it was intended for will be the culmination .
Then , just how long does it last before any major flaws appear under that usage .
Look forward to that , nice bike , good watch .
Gorgeous bike Owen! I can't wait to hear about your first ride, thanks for sharing!!
Came out looking really nice, this bike did. However where is the ride video? You've missed the most important part of bikes, the riding!
If it were me, I would have gone for a gearbox instead of a single speed, but to each their own!
I really enjoy watching a master doing their craft. Great build!
Just being there is priceless…
🚲❣️
wondering why you would use an EBB rather than sliding drop outs?
I would have go with an all silver cockpit and also want the bloopers cut xD
Parts bin build lol
Really enjoyed this, watching Ted James at work and seeing some niche componets. The singlespeed conversion kit and the eccentric BB in particular. Representing Manitou too. Not just another Kashima everywhere build we've seen a hundered times before. The finished product isn't for me, but the whole process was fantastic.
Ride it, mod it, Make it into the perfect do it all bike for where you live and ride.
Bike looks dope
There is nothing cool about a single speed hardtail.
Single speed commuter in a very flat city is fine, but anything else single speed is just a worse bike for no good reason.
Cool build Owen, Ted is the man.
Very cool bike .
Doesn't matter you didn't win any award. I'd take this bike any day 😍😍
Who emptied those Jack Daniels bottles from the last segment? 😂
Read title, before i even looked at the thumbnail i knew it was going to be single speed
Welcome to the simple MT bike life 😎 there’s a simple pleasure in not changing gears whilst riding, silence is golden. Best gear ratio depends on your terrain and your fitness level, so trial and error 😂. I just installed Albert radial 2.4, trail soft compound. Almost 400g per tire added to the rotational weight. Only noticeable on the really long steep climbs. The added confidence and comfort more than make up! Looking forward to watching your next video.
Nice build, but did you grease your seatpost?
Did you face the head tube and BB shell?
Y u no single speed hub? 🤦🫣
Those ugly cassette spacers killed the whole build.
Well done gmbn with coming up with old ideas that youve done before 🤣 owen is a good presenter dont get me wrong but not an og and not an og idea 😂
Great video, guys! Watching you build the Ted James steel hardtail from scratch is absolutely inspiring. The attention to detail in each step of the assembly is incredible, especially the way you dial in those eccentric bottom brackets and cut the hoses with such precision! I’d love to see how the T30 Mini Inflator could help out during this kind of custom build process — fast, precise tire inflation is always crucial when you're putting together the perfect ride. Keep up the great work!
Big fan of single speed conversions!
Rideworks and TJD is a winner.
Is there a speclist? Geo of the headtube? Travel? Bike lookes
Awesome, would’ve wanted it geared myself but for the rest the
Bike i would never sell.
This frame tells a story and a journey on how it was made …not just a bike i bought from halfords last yr …not my cup of tea but enjoyed this episode ❤
Very good use for the adjustable bottom bracket to tighten the chain. Bike looks so clean 👌
Does this fella not realise that steel is an alloy? 😅
I think the term you’re looking for is “interference fit.” There’s no such thing as an interface fit. Just FYI. These have been really interesting videos, I love watching a beautiful bike built from just tubes.