Donhou Top 10 // No.5 - DSS3 (2017)

I’d had this idea for a 3D printed seat lug for several years. It was simply a case of waiting until the tech became affordable enough. The price of Ti printing started to drop, but it took steel a little longer. Finally in 2016 I could have the lugs printed at a cost that meant I could still have a reasonable priced bike, without it just being novel exotica. Before launch I was lucky enough to be invited by @brooksengland to exhibit on their stand at NAHBS. The prototype (it was still badged as the DSSX at that time) had already seen a season of racing, but I gave it a fresh lick of paint, took it along and bagged the Best CX bike award! The innovation and design for purpose was what won the judges over and to take an award at NAHBS was a real honour.

The bike was then resprayed a 3rd time in Grinduro colours for the inaugural Scottish Grinduro where I piloted it to a top 10 finish, before being handed back over to Neil to be smashed around the South East CX circuit.

This was the first production steel bike to feature a 3D printed seat lug. The seat lug is the lynch pin of the DSS3's design, allowing wider set seat stays, greater stiffness, seamless lines and internally routed gear and brake cables. Its available in two different tunes, CX and Gravel, with tweaked geometry to suit each type of riding. If I could only keep one bike out of all the bikes I’ve built, this would be the one. Its my style of drop bar bike though and through. Race CX one weekend, bike-pack adventure the next...