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CyclistMeet the maker: Alex de Kraker of St Joris CyclesI remember when I first started doing this, recalls Alex de Kraker, founder of St Joris Cycles, with a grin. I would come home from the painting guy with my freshly finished frame, put it on the couch and grab a beer. Then Id take a seat myself for 15 minutes and be, like, Yeah, thats nice work.By De Krakers own admission, the shine of watching his creations come to life has faded somewhat since those honeymoon days. But only a little. He still gets a kick out of seeing a customer get their hands on their new custom-built bike for the first time, so much so that he makes a point of accompanying each one on a ride after collection to make sure theyre completely happy. Its all part of the highly personal service the Eindhoven-based builder provides. Related Posts Meet the maker: Dominik Dominiak of Project D Meet the maker: Driss Boucif of Boucif Custom Bikes Meet the maker: Bryce Gracey of No.22 Bicycle Company A keen amateur racer and qualified mechanical engineer, De Kraker is better placed than most to understand what makes the perfect bicycle.Alex de Kraker builds himself a new bike every four years. His latest steel creation features Enve SES 3.4 wheels and Campagnolo Super Record wireless shifting.Patrik Lundin / CyclistWhen I was studying, I shared a room with a friend who was doing his PhD in bicycle dynamics, he says. I gleaned a lot of technical knowledge from his work. Part of what makes a great bike is scientific, but there is a human element thats not so clear cut. Its the feeling you get when you ride certain bicycles. I think having the experience in racing coupled with my mechanical engineering background allows me to approach bike design in a well-rounded way.De Kraker started building bikes as a side project in the shed of his old house back in 2010. His local neighbourhood at the time was named after St George and the Dragon (St Joris being the Dutch translation of St George). Almost a decade and a half later, its a full-time operation that sees him working on up to four bikes at a time, with a customer list that includes everyone from bicycle connoisseurs to former pros.Patrik Lundin / CyclistI work with two skilled partners, says De Kraker. One is a bike-fitting guy and the other is a painter who Ive been collaborating with for seven years. Were all one-man shops, which means each of us is entirely focussed on what we do best. In the end thats what makes the process complete.St Joris Cycles deals primarily in complete builds. This allows De Kraker to make sure each bike is millimetre-perfect for its new owner. Everything from handlebar width to the make and model of shifters is taken into account when dialling in the geometry of the frame, ensuring the best possible fit every time.If we have a good talk with a customer and they know exactly what theyre doing then its also fine to just do a frameset, De Kraker adds. But in 99% of cases, its a complete bike.This one is mineNaturally, De Kraker builds his own personal bikes one every four years to be precise. The one shown here is his latest personal creation, complete with Enve SES 3.4 wheels and top-of-the-range Campagnolo Super Record Wireless groupset.In the Netherlands we dont really need 34-tooth chainrings, De Kraker says with a chuckle. A 10-24t cassette works perfectly over here, no problem. I dont really need the 12-speed either, but I wanted something special for this build as I was taking it to Bespoked with me.Patrik Lundin / CyclistAs for the wheels, I think the Enve 3.4 is the best do-it-all wheelset. Its light, its not too sensitive to side winds and it looks great too. It was a no-brainer for me.The frame itself is a mix of high-end Columbus Spirit and Life tubing, and it features a rather nifty integrated 3D printed seatpost clamp something De Kraker plans to apply to all St Joris road bikes going forwards.Then theres the paintjob. An aesthete at heart, De Kraker is a stickler for ensuring the paintwork always complements the lines of the frame. He puts a great deal of thought into designing the best paint scheme for the bike, whether hes working on a commission for a customer or creating something new for himself.We always want the paintwork to enhance the lines of the frame. Im always seeing really interesting paintwork on bikes but usually it could have been on any other canvas. It might not line up with the angles and curves of the bike its on. So that was the goal here to create elegance by working with the lines of the bike.Patrik Lundin / CyclistDesigning paintwork is difficult if you want to keep it original. I see a lot of bicycle makers copying ideas from each other, so instead of taking inspiration from bikes I try to find it in other places. This particular design was actually inspired by the work of a designer in Germany who does custom paint concepts for sports cars.De Kraker will gladly build you a bike like this one, but youll need deep pockets. With the high-end groupset and Enve wheels you can expect to pay somewhere in the region of 14-15k upwards of 12,000.We just make all of our bikes the best that we can for the individual, using the best materials and parts, says De Kraker. Sometimes that means a full build costing 9k, sometimes its 15k. The important thing is that its finished perfectly, fits perfectly and that the customer cant wait to get out and ride it.Alex de Krakers personal steel bike, approx 14,000-15,000, stjoriscycles.nl This article originally appeared in issue 154 of Cyclist magazine. Click here to subscribeThe post Meet the maker: Alex de Kraker of St Joris Cycles appeared first on Cyclist.

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