Winter Curry All-Rounder

• It's a couple of Jack Browns, an Ensho, a Sparrow, and some white tape away from being perfect, but A's winter bike seems to have arrived just in time nevertheless.

  There are all sorts of hidden gems in this build, ranging from the hour hidden gold nipples, the kevlar/curry space-age and featherweight cable housing, the wide-spread Mafac-ish cantilevers, the scorcher bars with reverse levers, and the overall unbearable lightness of the build itself. This one really proves that practical bikes needn't be ugly. The frame comes ready with eyelets for racks and fenders and clearance for 700x45s. Still, it's a willing performer on the road, equally comfortable laden with ten pounds of lentils for a massive vegan meal or zipping up the lakefront amidst the triathlete class.