Roberts Cycles in Croydon has fashioned made-to-measure steel bike frames using traditional methods for more than 60 years.

Back in the early Eighties, this family-run operation was among the pioneers of mountain bikes in the UK and has set the standard for time-trial and triathlon framesets. After consultation, the tiny workforce of four, including owner Chas Roberts, build a lightweight steel bicycle frame to your specifications, for the track, off-road, road or commuting – they also make tandems.

One thing you won’t get is carbon, so don’t even ask. "Carbon is not built usually by one-off artisans," Roberts says. "It’s a mass production thing."

From £1,295 robertscycles.com