My latest project has been this classic British 3 speed ladies roadster; it’s now finished and the restoration brought me great satisfaction!  Matthew contacted me …

I’m so happy to have completed the full nut & bolt restoration of Rita after working on this rare Portugese bike over the past three …

Here’s a classic 1984 Peugeot road bike, stripped & rebuilt into a sweet retro/modern singlespeed using a mix of restored original & modern components. The …

Finally the frame is ready! It’s had lacquer applied over the decals plus some minor cosmetic repairs. I will be applying a Framesaver treatment to …

Recovering saddles is another service I offer but, due to the wide range of designs available, some saddles are trickier than others.  Occasionally I turn …

Wheelbuilding is without a doubt one of the most interesting & involving areas in my profession and it’s been a pleasure to utilise this skill …

Another dirty day’s work done on the Sangal restoration.  Here’s a few photos of Rita’s components looking a little cleaner & shinier, with final lube …

The frame & forks have gone to be resprayed and it’s grime time for Rita’s components… next time we see these, they’ll be gleaming! Part …

Building this bike has been the type of custom project that Dead Rats Cycles relish – a creative & challenging collaborative effort on a unique …

Here’s Joao’s frame & forks immediately after sandblasting, which has removed all the rust and what was left of the original paint but exposed numerous …

Is there a more pleasant way to spend an afternoon than breaking out the old imperial spanners to fettle a lovely British bicycle into shape? …

Dead Rats Cycles is very proud to present this lovely little French late-’80s thoroughbred for sale after a complete stripdown & rebuild in my workshop. …

A few treasured snaps from the family album…

Earlier today I was chatting to a customer about the pros & cons of Raleigh’s high-tensile carbon steel frames of the 1980s when all of …

May I present Bob’s Norco Threshold?  Ridden hard for 30+ miles a day for two years on a variety of road & trails and a …

As it sat idly in my workshop awaiting its turn over the last couple of weeks, Brian’s bike has attracted enthusiastic comments from nearly all …

Now Rita’s been completely stripped and things are starting get more interesting… Before the frame & forks are resprayed I’ve removed the old decals – …

Joao’s vintage Sangal has arrived at my workshop and after much discussion and research I’m finally about to embark on a full nut & bolt …

Ed’s De Rosa on test after a much-needed shot of Dead Rats’ love potion numero nove.  The svelte Italian – all 8kg of it – …

Charles’ beloved and battered Trek on test after a big/full service in my workshop this week.  A high mileage serious rider, Charles has taken his …

Adventure road bikes with wider tyres and 1x drivetrains are all the rage nowadays – indeed another of this week’s jobs involves a Pinnacle Arkrose …

Joan’s nice mid-’80s British 10 speed was supplied by its owner with a simple brief – and suitably modest budget – to get it working …

Kate’s lovely and largely original 1976 Holdsworth Equipe on test after a few hours of TLC in my workshop.  The Equipe was Holdsworth’s entry level …

Circa 1976 Holdsworth Equipe (pictured as supplied by Kate) that has “drifted into the arena of the unwell”. I’m really looking forward to bringing it …

Welcoming a new long term restoration project, pictured here in its owner Joao’s garage.  It’s his Portugese father’s old racing bike, dating from circa 1982/3, …

Presenting the 1985 Record 3-speed Roadster. No, I’d never heard of Record either. Anyway, Simon found this on Gumtree for a nice price and one …

Noel’s summer climbing bike, ready for the hills after a complete rebuild with weight-weenie upgrades… Frame: Trek Emonda ALR300 (aluminium) Fork: Trek (full carbon) Groupset: …

You may remember my first post about the Cotic Escapade back in October 2015, at which point I’d just bought the frame & forks, built …

Vintage Cinelli Unicantor saddle, recovered by my own fair hand, using reclaimed leather.  This is going to be fitted to a 1973 Mondia Super which …

I’ve finished recovering Adrian’s beloved Selle Italia SLK saddle in leather, which I sourced from a pair of trousers in a local charity shop. This …

All photos © Tom Baker For more information click here    

Presenting a vintage British ladies town bike custom/restoration project I’ve been working on for a while. Suitable for taller female riders (5’6″ and above) due …

Noel’s brand new Cannondale CAAD12 105 on test, now race-ready after a few hours of workshop time with yours truly. The bike’s been upgraded in …

“Raw Power” is a stunning unique custom bike, handbuilt by Dead Rats Cycles and based around a vintage steel road frame fitted with carefully selected …

Another vintage British thoroughbred, from the late steel era, which I’m proud to present for sale after a complete strip and rebuild in my workshop. …

So excited about my latest project, a 531 beauty from 1990 (doesn’t the paintwork give this away!?) in stunning original condition. Showing all the hallmarks …