Bolt London
For six years, Bolt has stood at the heart of London’s custom motorcycle scene. We sit down with Bolt founder, Andrew Almond, to discuss the intersection between engineering and style, changes in the custom scene, and memories of his first bike
interview by Will HALBERT
First off, tell us a little about the history behind Bolt London. How did you guys get started?
We started off in 2013, in a small arch in London Fields. It really was a great leap of faith at the beginning, with only a fistful of dollars to cover the first month’s rent. I am still amazed that we made it through those first few months. 9 months later, we moved to take on a huge space next door which we filled with a store, café and barber shop upstairs. Then, two years ago we moved to our current space, an old victorian stables that has been home to a custom motorcycle business since 1966, back when the Duguid Brothers made fairings and tanks for café racers.
Over the years, Bolt has evolved beyond just building bikes. Tell us a little about the brands you stock in your store. How do you select what you stock?
All I ever wanted to do with Bolt was to be different to anyone else, both here and the UK and globally. Almost all the stock we hold is exclusive to us in the UK, and we curate the stock to reference the different subcultural styles that have come from the rich history of motorcycling. We are inspired by heritage styles, but we do not want to be a retrospective store. Rather, it’s about a classic notion of style along with innovation. We select brands in terms of quality and style. We love brands that care about the fabrics or the leather they use, which really is the base for any good garment. As time has gone on, we have moved to making more of our own garments because we felt we could offer something unique in terms of quality and style. Our approach is ‘slow fashion’, we produce garments to last, garments that will improve with time. We are not really interested in seasonal trends.
This ethos has led to a fair few collaborations over the years. Can you tell us a little about any upcoming collaborations?
We have a couture line launching this Autumn, which we have collaborated with Edie Ashley on. This is really exciting and really out there; something completely unique. We both ride motorcycles and came together on the belief that motorcycles are these beautifully-crafted unique machines and that motorcycle garments should be approached in the same way – with the same care, craft and workmanship. We also wanted to take our time to make things the way we wanted to, and one of these was to use only reclaimed fabrics. This has led us on wild adventures across the country to find fabrics and materials, scouring abandoned factories and mills and scoring some incredible finds. We also have a collaboration with Barbour launching soon, a small capsule collection that we designed ourselves. It was a real privilege to work with a manufacturer who has a heritage in British Motorcycle Racing that dates back to the 1930s.
Has the custom scene changed much over the years? Is it opening up to a wider audience or becoming more niche?
All subcultures have a lifespan of around three to four years before they become suburbanised – everything from the Mods to the Rockers, Acid house to Jungle. Things can only stay sharp for a brief period before they become over-exposed by the mainstream. Over a decade in, it is inevitable that custom motorcycling has been subjected to the same forces. The DIY ethics and originality that defined it have gradually been replaced by a more mainstream commercial approach. But there will always be motorcycles and, with them, an underground movement. Things continue to evolve and we will remain on its leading edge.
How would you describe the custom scene in London specifically? How does it stack up against other countries?
London has always been at the forefront of subcultural trends and this is no less true with the custom motorcycle scene. Our greatest influence has to be the Rocker movement and the café racers. I love how both are constantly reinvented and kept relevant. There’s something gritty about the way we approach things in London. You might have the sun-kissed beauty of California scene on one side, but there’s something inherently cool about the British style.
Do you have any fond memories of your first bike?
It was a little Honda 50cc that I was given as a health worker in rural Mozambique. I would ride it through the bush from village to village on these dirt tracks for miles everyday, I loved the little thing. It would often break down, though, which led to some terrifying experiences, from fending off snakes to being almost over-powered by an army of ants. Looking back, though, these were the greatest experiences.
What would your dream bike be?
Well, I recently came across a Norvin fiberglass tank from the 60’s that was made in the same place as the shop is situated, and my dream would be to have the rest of it. A Norvin is a Norton frame with a Vincent engine, and in my eyes the quintessential café racer.
And lastly, what advice would you give to someone looking to buy their first motorcycle?
Well, I don’t think it’s always necessary to start with a 125cc and build up necessarily. Pass your full license and go for something a little bigger, you’ll get the hang of it soon enough and won’t regret it.
