Couple of teaser pics of the new Bedford

[jmoore]

Still gotta get the HandleBra installed and a few very minor bits taken care of, but it's ready for it's maiden voyage.

[Louis]

Neat details.

What color bar tape and saddle?

[GScot]

Looking good.

[jmoore]

Neat details.

What color bar tape and saddle?

Saddle = recovered Flite in black leather
Tape = black HandleBra with double black cords

[Louis]

Saddle = recovered Flite in black leather
Tape = black HandleBra with double black cords

Nice. If you could get some tape with cords to match the orange... ;)

[jmoore]

Nice. If you could get some tape with cords to match the orange... ;)

That jerk at HandleBra talked me out of it :D



In other news, I'm having an existential crisis about the 6 degree rise in the stem (not pictured). I am already considering swapping it out for a 17 degree strictly for aesthetic reasons. I have issues.

[Louis]

IMO parallel to the TT looks best.

[zmudshark]

More pictures, please.

[jmoore]

IMO parallel to the TT looks best.

I agree 100%.

More pictures, please.

Will do.

[jmoore]

couple more

1. getting it's temporary bar tape installed - the blurry guy in the background in the blue shirt is my fitter Gary
2. brick wall shot outside the LBS - see what I mean about the stem. this pic exaggerates the rise a bit but it still is bugging me

[reggiebaseball]

The stem is a touch erect, yes.

Will your fit and flexibiity improve with time?

I do not see how you could possibly ever get to a -17 stem, that would be a 23 degree change, and require about 6cm more spacers!

With some riding and flexibility training maybe you could flip that +6 into a -6. That would look less erect.

[AngryScientist]

I am already considering swapping it out for a 17 degree strictly for aesthetic reasons. I have issues.

you already know this, but swapping parts that change your fit on a custom bike purely for aesthetic reasons is crazy.

[Columbus SLX]

Congrats on the custom ride. What are the angles on that frame? Looks super comfy, laid back.

[MattTuck]

Looking good!

Slightly jealous of that light grey ultegra ;)

Is your name/flag a decal or is that part of the paint? Is that a texas flag?

[bluesea]

Looking good!

Slightly jealous of that light grey ultegra ;)

Is your name/flag a decal or is that part of the paint? Is that a texas flag?



Its bluish-greenish-grey in real life, a great relief from what is now generic black. very happy with mine.

Does Kelly Bedford not provide a visual mock up of one's fit, including the appropriate stem?

[jmoore]

The specs call for a -6 stem. This one is installed as a +6, so I'm going to flip it. That will improve the aesthetics. I won't have any issues with the fit as the drop on the setup in this pic is not as much as I normally run. I test rode it this morning and it felt very upright. Once I remeasured the drop, I can now see why.

So all my fretting is probably for nothing and easily remedied by a simple stem flip.


The ST is 72, and HT is 72.5.

Top tube decal with TX flag provided by VeloInk (http://www.veloink.com/). They are one of the newest members of BlueSkewer (http://www.BlueSkewer.com).

[jmoore]

Does Kelly Bedford not provide a visual mock up of one's fit, including the appropriate stem?


He certainly does. And he spec'd a -6.

This is on me for not noticing it was installed as a +6 yesterday while it was on the trainer.

[crownjewelwl]

He certainly does. And he spec'd a -6.

This is on me for not noticing it was installed as a +6 yesterday while it was on the trainer.

-6 will look JUST RIGHT!!

[reggiebaseball]

Yes the stem flip will fix you.
-6 looks fine.

remember that when you are riding it, the stem looks -17 ;)
Eve nwhen you are standing next to your bike you cannot tell stem angle.

It is only for the gallery-type garage door glory shots that the stem angle is apparent.

[bluesea]

He certainly does. And he spec'd a -6.

This is on me for not noticing it was installed as a +6 yesterday while it was on the trainer.


There you go. Its a well proportioned bike either way.

[jmoore]

It is only for the gallery-type garage door glory shots that the stem angle is apparent.

agreed, but I'm VAIN and want this bike to look as perfect as it rides.

I think I need to take off the afternoon and drive home and fix the stem. It's driving me nuts knowing it's sitting there in my garage like that :D :help:

[reggiebaseball]

it would drive me nuts too,
in fact, I cannot rest until you post a corrected image.

just knowing it is in your garage looking all wrong is making me loose my appetite.

[GScot]

Looks great complete. The stem flip will have it just right. I agree the group color works very well.

[fuzzalow]

agreed, but I'm VAIN and want this bike to look as perfect as it rides.

Nice bike. It will look fine at -6.

Once the bike looks perfect as it rides, then the work begins for you looking perfect as you ride. Get that combo down and that's when the magic starts. Many healthy miles with the Bedford.

[danl1]

Very sharp.

[zmudshark]

A flip of the stem will make it perfect. I expect to see a new PR everyday on your Strava ;)

[sc53]

What kind of seatpost collar is that? I like the orange to match your CK orange headset. I also have CK mango headset on my Bedford--but a silver seat collar. Jeez it's really starting to bug me just knowing my bike is sitting at home with a silver seat collar......:help:

[the bottle ride]

Very cool- I love his work....but wow, big bike!

[jmoore]

The stem is now flipped. It looks 100% better and the fit is spot on (pics later). I took the bike out for it's maiden voyage today. 1.5 hours. Aside from some minor normal mechanical adjustments, it was great. I am going to take it out for 2-3 hours tomorrow and give it the full shake down.

And yes zmud, I set a PR on one of my Strava climbing segments today. :hello:

Seatpost collar and other little adonized bits from Purely Custom (http://www.purelycustom.com/p-440-318mm-deathgrip-sl-ti-seatpost-clamp.aspx). They do good stuff. Highly recommended.

[zmudshark]

The stem is now flipped. It looks 100% better and the fit is spot on (pics later). I took the bike out for it's maiden voyage today. 1.5 hours. Aside from some minor normal mechanical adjustments, it was great. I am going to take it out for 2-3 hours tomorrow and give it the full shake down.

And yes zmud, I set a PR on one of my Strava climbing segments today. :hello:

Seatpost collar and other little adonized bits from Purely Custom (http://www.purelycustom.com/p-440-318mm-deathgrip-sl-ti-seatpost-clamp.aspx). They do good stuff. Highly recommended.

54' ain't a climb ;)

Nice job, love the bike.

[Len J]

The stem is now flipped. It looks 100% better and the fit is spot on (pics later). I took the bike out for it's maiden voyage today. 1.5 hours. Aside from some minor normal mechanical adjustments, it was great. I am going to take it out for 2-3 hours tomorrow and give it the full shake down.

And yes zmud, I set a PR on one of my Strava climbing segments today. :hello:

Seatpost collar and other little adonized bits from Purely Custom (http://www.purelycustom.com/p-440-318mm-deathgrip-sl-ti-seatpost-clamp.aspx). They do good stuff. Highly recommended.

I figured the stem was upside down.

Glad you are enjoying it.

Len

[jmoore]

54' ain't a climb ;)



It is around here!

[c12mech]

Beautiful bike. Looks like nice riding weather too.

[Smiley]

I tell every shop mechanic when they build up a Bedford for a client of mine to FLIP the stem in the rise position so the front brake cable is of adequate length if and when a client will need to resort to this postion, we then flip it to the designed spec'd condition. Sounds like the guys at Richardson are pretty smart to do this without instruction.

All bikes are drafted and the stem position is called out on the draft as well the spacer count under the stem...a step further is taken and Kelly uses Bike Forrest to CADD the bike since some folks prefer visuals on what the bike will look like when built up. All these drawings and drafts are sent to the client and discussed BEFORE entering into production.

You guys need to relax :)

[jmoore]

I tell every shop mechanic when they build up a Bedford for a client of mine to FLIP the stem in the rise position so the front brake cable is of adequate length if and when a client will need to resort to this postion, we then flip it to the designed spec'd condition. Sounds like the guys at Richardson are pretty smart to do this without instruction.

All bikes are drafted and the stem position is called out on the draft as well the spacer count under the stem...a step further is taken and Kelly uses Bike Forrest to CADD the bike since some folks prefer visuals on what the bike will look like when built up. All these drawings and drafts are sent to the client and discussed BEFORE entering into production.

You guys need to relax :)

What he said.


This is exactly how it went down. Not to mention the hour long conversations on at least three occassions. Interesting thought about Richardson Bike Mart installing the stem upside down for the cable length. That would not surprise me at all. When I first got there the bike was in the trainer with about 10" of post showing. I asked if that was the final height and Gary said no they install it like that so they don't potentially scratch the post guessing at the final seat height.

[jmoore]

I take really crappy bike pictures. The bike is so much nicer than these pics show. They are all blown out and blurry.