I’ve seen watches inspired by planes, cars, ships, submarines, and spaceships. They have lent everything from their names to design cues to some of the most iconic timepieces. Imagine my surprise upon receiving the FIXI-T1 from UK microbrand Adley Watches and realizing it’s the first watch I’ve worn to pay homage to the humble bicycle. UK-based architect and designer Jordan Wang is a watch lover as well as an avid cyclist. The brand’s name comes fittingly from what Jordan’s young daughter says when she sees him riding his bike.
It’s a logical choice, as bicycles and watches have coexisted much longer than most of the other machines I mentioned above. The first wristwatch is widely believed to be a Breguet from 1810, and the first bicycle followed shortly thereafter in 1817. They have walked, or rather ridden, hand in hand for over 200 years.
At first glance, the Adley FIXI-T1 is an unusual watch thanks primarily to three features: the 12 o’clock crown, the small center seconds hand, and the short lugs mounted flush with the caseback. In practice, none of these features is an issue; in fact, I grew accustomed to them quite fast, at least insofar as physical comfort goes. I still did a double take every time I looked at my wrist, but that’s no bad thing.
The case is 316L stainless steel coated to be more resistant to scratches and features a subtle matte finish. The FIXI-T1 is 40mm in diameter, although it feels considerably smaller on the wrist thanks to the compact 42mm lug-to-lug length. You read that right: the stubby, wrist-hugging lugs on Adley’s watch make it one of the most comfortable watches I’ve worn. It’s visually arresting and may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it’s an inspired design choice. For reference, my wrist is about 6.5″ so I always appreciate a watch that wears a bit smaller. The height is another matter: the watch is 13.6mm to the top of the gently curved sapphire crystal. That height, combined with the unusual size and placement of the lugs, makes it look a bit ungainly. Once you get past the somewhat top-heavy appearance, there’s a lot to appreciate.
The 12 o’clock nut-style crown is easy to grip and operate. It also calls to mind bullhead chronographs that might be used to time a bicycle race. Despite its industrial appearance, the crown does not screw down; however, the FIXI-T1 is still rated to 100 meters of water resistance. AT 6 o’clock, Adley has fitted the watch with what they call a “decorative crown,” a non-functional knob that provides some visual balance and is also engraved with the watch’s serial number. It’s a unique and thoughtful implementation that I haven’t seen elsewhere.
Inside the Adley FIXI-T1 is the Seiko NH35, ubiquitous among microbrands and helping to keep costs reasonable. The movement features hacking and hand-winding, although it does mean that there is a phantom date position when operating the crown. It’s a reliable and easy-to-service movement. I appreciate that Adley didn’t try to dramatize it through the use of an exhibition caseback. Rather, the screwdown caseback features an engraving of a checkered racing flag motif and, what else, a fixie bike. In addition to the expected specifications, around the engraving are the watch’s serial number and the words “British Design,” another nice touch.
Dial layout is minimalist and clean apart from the bicycle wheel motif that occupies the center of the dial and serves as the Adley’s calling card. Three colorways are available: Midnight Black, Champion White, and Twilight Grey. Each comes with a color-matched strap and, interestingly, its own signature style mascot courtesy of artist Thijmen Geluk. Dial text is kept to a minimum: just the brand name and model at the top of the dial, and “Automatic” printed below. The Twilight Grey model suffers a bit in legibility for the text, as the pale pink printing vanishes against the dial in some lights. From photos on the site, the black and white are much easier to read. I actually like the subtlety of the Twilight Grey, as it really lets the dial’s design do the talking. For my money, the Midnight Black (with PVD coated case) is the most attractive, with a yellow-orange seconds hand and teal dial text that really jumps out.
The center small seconds hand (in light pink on the Twilight Grey model I reviewed) reaches perfectly to the hashes on the rim of the bicycle wheel. At first, I questioned the legibility of a center small seconds hand, but in practice, it’s quite easy to read thanks to the contrast color. The hour and minute hands are more conventional in size but feature a wonderfully rounded appearance that calls to mind the Direnzo Mondial. They are amply lumed with Swiss Super Luminova, as are the blunted triangular hour markers.
The FIXI-T1 ships on a Tropic-style rubber strap color matched to the dial, and the review sample also included a festive, pink leather band that matched the seconds hand. Both feature quick-release springbars. There is an added benefit of the FIXI-T1’s distinctive lug design: the lug box fits under the lip of the caseback, eliminating what some might consider an unsightly gap between the case and strap. However, strap swappers should be aware that the short lugs and small lug boxes may prevent you from using straps with thicker padding around the springbars, as well as many bracelets.
The Adley FIXI-T1 represents a playful intersection between passions, and I could absolutely see it working for the devoted cyclist or anyone who is looking to add something a little different to their collection. It’s certainly a conversation starter that got a comment every time I wore it. The FIXI-T1 goes live on Kickstarter later this month (March 24th) and will retail for £350 or about $425 USD, which puts it right in the middle of the pack for watches with similar specs. Early bird backers can get it for as low as $327. If you’re intrigued, learn more at Adley Watches, and don’t forget to wear a helmet.
