‘Tartan Paint’ to help raise money to cure Motor Neurone Disease (MND)
Specialized S-Works Aethos painted in Doddie Tartan. Pics by Simon Eldon.
Late last year we were asked to help Babble to build a top-spec road bike for the epic ultra-endurance relay, All Roads Lead to Rome. Raising money for the My Name’s Doddie Foundation.
The bike has been designed and built for their team captain Matt Parker, who when he’s not riding the length and breadth of the country (he’s completed LEJOG 8 times) is also Chief Executive of leading UK Cloud Solutions provider, Babble. The Babble team hope to raise over 250k for the charity in 2024.
A bike for Doddie
Before you all ask me what on earth an S-Works anything is doing on our socials, Matt already owns three Spoon Customs bikes (two carbon and one steel which is waiting for the Trittico parts so we can finally deliver it) so for this event, he dug out a spare bike in the shape of a comparatively unexciting matte black Aethos and asked us to do something with it to help him promote their fundraising effort.
Like an episode of Gotham Garage, we got the team together and got on with it. This is the result complete with Tartan paint, upgraded wheels, and a brand new 12 speed DA groupset, painstakingly coated by our new painter Jack Kingston, who works out of his own workshop up in Hull.
Tartan paint used to be something you’d send the apprentice out for, back when we thought bullying at work was ok. But I think Jack’s proved it definitely is possible, with a heck of a lot of work.
If you’re a paint geek like us, check out the inside of the fork and the way he’s wrapped the pattern around seamlessly. And, the geometry in the down tube where he’s had to match it all up. It’s technically one of the most complex schemes we’ve ever produced.
The event the bike is going on is run as a gruelling (1800 MILE!) relay. The Babble team comprises three people, each driving in two to four hour stints dependent on the terrain, and when not on the bike they’ll be resting up or driving their support car. Otherwise, completely unaided and self sufficient.
And he’s got some serious help in to make sure the miles tick over nicely, in the shape of Endurance Racer and all round cycling hard-man, James Golding. Rob Duffin completes their three man line up (who lost his wife to MND) so we’re all rooting for them to complete the ride safely, in time for the match in Rome.
And to raise as much money as possible for this important cause.
The My Name’s Doddie Foundation
Doddie Weir passed away in 2022, but his memory lives on his outstanding legacy which sees 50,000 people taking part in Doddie events every year, raising money to raise awareness of MND and find a cure for the deadly disease.
If you can afford to give, give what you can at:
