The founder of award-winning Hartley Cycles, Caren Hartley designs and builds beautiful bespoke steel bicycles, handpainted and uniquely tailored to each client.
“The cycling industry is very male dominated, so as the first female bike frame builder in the UK I got quite a lot of attention when I first started Hartley Cycles in 2014. It was a surprise because in the art world there are probably more women making and creating than men.
“I did a three-year degree in 3D design, specialising in metalwork and jewellery, followed by a two-year masters at the Royal College of Art in London. I worked as a jeweller and then in metal sculptures and large-scale public art. I was reasonably successful, with commissions and awards, but gradually I realised I’d spent 10 years working at something I really didn’t want to do anymore. I remember thinking none of this stuff I’m making is even useful, because it’s art.
“I bought a canal boat and put all my energies into doing that up for a year, which was a good avoidance tactic to thinking about my future. I also started cycling around London and really fell in love with riding and meeting interesting people who shared my passion.
“My mum Anne was the voice of reason while I was figuring out what I wanted to do for the next stage of my life. I remember saying, “But what if I train all over again and then decide I don’t want to do it?” Her sensible response was “You can just try it. You don’t have to do it for the rest of your life.” At the time it seemed like a revelation; permission to just see what would happen.
“On my tick list of what I wanted from work was being creative, being physically hands-on and having opportunities for practical problem solving and feeling challenged. Then I met a bespoke bike frame maker and realised that his work ticked all the skills I thought would make me happy.
“I had metalwork skills but there was so much I still needed to learn, so I did a whirlwind course at The Bicycle Academy in Somerset and worked in bike workshops, testing, experimenting, questioning everyone.
“What I love about making bikes is that they have to function perfectly, but within that boundary of purpose I really want to make them as beautiful as I can. I also love translating each person’s specific hopes and needs into a unique dream machine.
“Jenni Gwiazdowski is a woman who’s inspired and helped me along this road. She runs the London Bike Kitchen, where they show cyclists how to fix and maintain their own bikes. There’s a DIY workshop where you get to use their tools and get advice from a mechanic and they also run one to one tuition and classes from beginners to advanced, including specific sessions for women and gender variant people.
“Jenni is so full of enthusiasm, for life, for education - their hashtag is #knowledgeispower - for riding and breaking down barriers in the cycling community. She was the first person to buy a bike from me and I’ll always be grateful to her for her faith in me.
“Fifty years ago every town would have had a frame builder but in the 80s and 90s most went out of business because they couldn’t compete with the mass produced bikes made abroad. In the last five to 10 years, frame building has picked up again, but with the focus on bespoke.”
“A bespoke bike is made to fit the rider’s measurements exactly, like a beautifully made tailored suit, but it’s also bespoke in terms of function and performance. As I’m quite small at 5ft 4in, I know the frustrations of riding a bike that doesn’t quite fit, so I specialise in creating design solutions for smaller and taller riders.
“A Hartley Cycle also looks amazing because it’s hand sprayed. One of my favourite bikes I’ve made was very simple; predominantly black with subtly different shades of gold leaf on all the details.
“I have an 18 month waiting list. It takes roughly a month to make a bespoke bicycle. Prices start at £4,000 for a simpler design and at the top end, with expensive components, a Hartley can be as much as £20,000.
“Eighteen months ago I joined forces with my friend and fellow frame builder, Matt McDonough at Talbot Frameworks, to launch a new bike brand, Isen bikes. Aware that our waiting lists were long and that not all riders want so many bespoke options, Isen bikes are production off-the-peg bikes starting from £1,500.
“Six months ago we moved all three businesses into a workshop in Mitcham in South West London - a lovely 30 minute cycle from my home in Camberwell - and we now have four of us working together.
“It’s interesting moving from a start-up mentality, where everything is concentrated on cash flow, orders and sorting the working space, to thinking about more exciting things like what sort of company are we, what are our values, how can we be creative and yet push the business forward? I’m really pleased with how business is going; I’ve managed to be more successful in a shorter time than I thought could happen.
“Isla Rowntree, founder of Islabikes, is a truly inspirational and pioneering woman in the bike world. She went from racing to making lightweight, beautifully proportioned bikes so children could really enjoy the cycling experience. She’s a business inspiration because she’s very successful, but has held on to her ethical values.
“My advice to anyone thinking about starting their own business is to do your research. It has to be a viable business, not a hobby. Is there a market for what you do? What sets you apart? If other people are already doing something similar, what’s going to be your point of difference? With Hartley Cycles, I can offer a different aesthetic style because I don’t come from an engineering or mechanical background.
“I’m really pleased I had the courage to change my life route and, inspired by the women in my life, start a whole new business that translates people’s dreams into a beautiful reality. ”