Donhou Top 10 // No.10 - Adrian's XCR dazzle road machine

So back in 2015 dazzle cropped up a lot. You were seeing it in trainer designs, print and I think this year there were 3 dazzle bikes at Bespoked! It is an awesome visual effect and much more than just a pattern. Developed in WW1, is was applied to battle ships with the intention not to conceal, but to make it more difficult for an enemy to judge the ships range, speed and heading while sighting their gun. 

I took the time to understand the effects on the round tubes of a bicycle, the striking opposed blocks from the WW1 boats works great on the side of boat, but it didn’t break up the lines and joints of a bicycle frame in the same way. I found that an exploded cheque pattern had a much greater visual effect on tubing, so developed this design to compliment the more classic dazzle style. I also designed in a few breaks in the paint to expose the beauty of the fillet brazed and brushed Columbus XCR underneath adding an extra dimension to this paint design.

When I finished the final coat of glossy clear, I stood back and have to say, was a little disappointed. The highlights on the gloss tubes gave the game away. So the next day I came in, rubbed it back to matte and the design came alive. Its a lot of development for a one off bike...