DAN'S NO. 22 GREAT DIVIDE WITH COUPLERS

This week we’re featuring a very special and unique bike; the No22 Great Divide, built for Dan.

A great client of ours, Dan has purchased a few custom bikes from us over the years. This time though, he came to us with a specific brief; he wanted to create the ultimate travel bike, something that he could fly, train or boat with easily, without compromising on the quality and performance of the bike.

Back in 2019 when we first announced No. 22 as a partner, hosting them in our Greenwich store, we had long discussions with Co-Founder Bryce about the future of the company, and new projects they were working on. He told us how they were working on a new coupler system, one that would be light, seamless and retain No. 22’s impeccable ride quality. It was a compelling proposition, and their desire to innovate was palpable.

For the un-initiated, couplers enable the main frame of the bike to be taken apart, and broken into two pieces across the down tube and top tube. It's a great solution for many bike travellers, saving space, avoiding ridiculous luggage fees, and making travel easier all round. Traditional couplers though are often bulky, difficult to use and demand specialized tools, along with common incompatibility with hydraulic disc brakes.

Since that 2019 meeting, we’ve been proud enough to deliver a few coupler-equipped No. 22’s, like this sleek bike for James, and it’s clear now how simple, effective and easy to use they are. With a little practice, the whole bike can be packed into a case half the size of a conventional bike box in about 15 minutes. We couldn’t be more impressed with No. 22’s engineering capability; it takes a huge amount of experience and expertise to deliver such an effective and complex product.

Once the frame had been decided on, it was a matter of selecting the components, and optimizing the geometry of the bike to fit Dan’s anthropometrics. Keeping it versatile, the bike is fitted with a 700x28c tire, but can go as wide as a 32c without any issues.

Opting for a wireless groupset was a clear choice to keep things as simple and elegant as possible. What you might notice though, is that this bike is also fitted with hydraulic disc brakes. Rather than wires, these are tubes fulled with fluid, which would usually be a significant issue for a coupler bike. Thankfully, No. 22 weren’t willing to compromise on brake quality, and have designed a coupler that can easily separate a hydraulic brake hose without any loss of pressure or fluid.

As soon as he picked up his bike, Dan packed it straight into his S&S soft case, putting the bike through it’s paces, jumping straight onto a Metro North train, followed by an early morning flight. We’re happy to say the bike passed this first test with flying colors!

We can’t wait to hear about the adventures Dan will go on with this stunning bike by his side. Adios!

Click here to read more about No. 22’s innovative coupler system.