My new Coeur d' Acier

[Germanboxers]

I just can't get over how good the candy apple red paint looks in person. Love it!!

I do wish I could have seen a scale drawing of my frame before it was mfg'd. I would have asked for a shorter head tube and just used a + angle stem until my flexibility was better and then went negative again.

Now that it's all built up, there's snow and ice on the roads and the temp dipped down near zero today. I want to ride my bike!!!!

Oh yeah... :banana: :beer: :banana:

[Germanboxers]

Oops... wrong spot. I'll move it to the gallery.

[FierteTi52]

Great looking bike! I think the front end looks nice with the stem angle in line with the top tube slope.
Jeff

[eddief]

That is a nice looking bike. Just curious about the dimensions, angles, top tube degree of slope and headtube length. It looks a lot like the dimensions of my soon to be had Steve Rex. I hope mine comes out that good.

[Ahneida Ride]

GB,

Headtube looks just fine, Relax !

[Kevin]

Bike looks great. Don't worry about the stem angle, the important thing is that the bike fits you.

Kevin

[Smiley]

Tres nice bike and trust me your stem and head tube extension is JUST RIGHT for the bike. It fits and allows for some future movement up or down in the front end. Why did you paint the fork, I would have left it clear to match the ST stays and as you did it kept the decals to a minimum.

[bikedadjc]

Tres, hows the dura-ace 10 speed cranks on your CDA??? thanks, Jesse

[soulspinner]

Love it...Looks like my new Strong. Tall in front but mine has a touch more seatpost showing. I purposely went about 6 degrees(6.7) and went with a Ritchey stem to match the angle. Although it builds a tall front, I think this hides the extension well and my standover is still 4 plus centimters. My headtube is .85cm. from the top of the headtube. Your bike looks awesome. Be proud and ride safe!


Dennis

[Germanboxers]

I had originally planned to leave the fork clear, but then thought that it could actually look a little goofy with black on front and back. It might work great? I just knew that the painted fork would look good as Serotta Bob (or someone out there in Serotta cyberspace) has a similar setup.

As far as the headtube... I'm starting to warm up to it. My Lemond is a 55cm and has a tiny head tube. It's funny how you get used to seeing "your bike" and when it is appreciably different, it starts a "does that look right" thing in your head.

[Blastinbob]

A couple of nice carbon cages and your ready to go !
:bike:

[Germanboxers]

Eddief, I don't have the specs with me right now, but the seat tube is roughly 50 or 51 cm and the virtual top tube is a little over 56cm. I believe the slope is a little over 8 degrees.

Kevin and Ahneida: The tall front end doesn't look like most racing bikes and I plan to race this year for the first time. It's growing on me, but I guess my internal image of me resembling Jan Ullrich powering up the hills and blowing up the competition isn't exactly spot on. Might have something to do with the fact that I have short legs and a long torso and Jan is the exact opposite. That may be why he has all that seatpost showing and a tiny headtube and I have little seatpost and a big headtube... that and I'm old and stiff and he's young and flexible.
:crap:

[Sandy]

Germanboxers,

I must say that your bike is really outstanding looking. I have seen the Candy Apple Red on a frameset at Saratoga Springs and it is really stunningly beautiful. However, Germanboxers, I would really prefer seeing a picture of your German Boxer, or a picture of your German Boxer and the bike, but with the Boxer in front of the bike. The German bred Rottweilers are significantly broader and larger headed than their American counterparts, at least that is what I have noticed. I would really love to see what the German bred Boxer looks like. I do remember seeing a very large, big chested, large headed, powerful looking boxer at the local shelter, several years ago. He was quite the specimen. I enjoyed your e-mail on boxers very much. Unfortunately lack of discriminant breeding has done severe damage to too many breeds here in the US. Many breeders who truly love their breed do not want their breed to become too popular, since that is when unwanted behavioral and physical characteristics, along with health issues prevalent with the breed, become real problems because of an almost total lack of breeding control.

I met a couple of days ago my first Argentino Dogo (or however you spell or say it). He was a 110-115 pound male of around 1 year. He was a beautiful specimen with a genuinely wonderful, controlled, obedient, and playful manner. He was the highlight of my 45-50 mile bike ride with a friend.

So how about a doggie picture, or pictures??

Bow Wow Still Serotta Sandy

[Germanboxers]

The brindle on the left is my female German Boxer. She (Bella) is actually a little on the small side at 58 lbs. The fawn on the right is my American show lines Boxer. They're both wonderful pets, but Bella just has a "bigger engine" so to speak.

[Germanboxers]

Sandy, this may give you a better idea of the Germanboxer. This is a pic of Ivo von Hafen, Bella's father, and the most titled working Boxer in the States.

[Germanboxers]

This is Ivo at the DVG National's Schutzhund competition in 2002. He's a very strong dog and is owned by George and Cathy Markos from Wisconsin!

[Germanboxers]

Here's one more for ya, Sandy... this is a pic of Ivo doing the "Side Transport" part of the Protection routine. For those unfamiliar with the German dogsport, Schutzhund, the dog must be in complete control and of the highest character and temperment to compete in the sport...

[Germanboxers]

Finally had a chance to take my new CDA out for a ride today after having built it up over a week and a half ago. We've had snow and ice here in northeast Indiana. :crap: Today, temps were hovering around 30 and the roads were (mostly) cleared so I bundled up and headed out into a 20 mph headwind. 25 miles later and I can't wipe the smile off my face!!!

I am totally in love with this bike!! My previous bike was a Lemond Maillot Jaune (Reynolds 853 steel with CF fork) which is a very nice bike, but the CDA is a real prize. It tracks straight as an arrow, is extremely stable, soaks up the road chatter like a sponge, and really snaps when I jump on it. It really feels like I could do a no-handed U-turn on a narrow country road. The Lemond is known for a fairly stable geometry, certainly not crit-like twitchy, but the CDA is on a whole new level. Very Sweet!

For those who want the specs... built up with DA7800, F1 fork, Ritchy WCS 120mm stem, Ricthy WCS bars, Easton EC70 post, Fizik Arione saddle, and custom built wheels from Joe Young (Mavic CXP33, DT Swiss Hugi 240 hubs, DT 14/15 gauge spokes tensioned to less than 5% variation). Size is roughly a 55cm with about an 8.5 degree slope to the top tube.

[bikedadjc]

Germanboxers, you have an F1 fork on your Coeur D' Acier?? Hows the DA 7800 cranks?? Thanks, Jesse

[Too Tall]

Now that I've seen a level pic of you and the bike...couple things. Saddle is not level yet so you'll have even more drop to the bars once that's sorted. Also, it appears you have 4-6 cm of drop already and 2cm of spacers you could take out if you want the full on racerboy off the front slammed position. With your build, it's likely than not to happen. Practice DOWN DOG ;)

PS - I have three standard poodles and think boxers are really great. One of the ultimate buddy dogs. My "Jean Luc" is 33" at the shoulder, a huge engine as you say, and has all the right stuff to make a police dog...but the criminals would look at his "doo" and just laugh. Genetics and the groomer have played a cruel game. Your boxers and my pack of poodles would have awesome playtime. Pic of our dogs sire:

http://www.ahealinghand.com/images/general/beau-dad-eric.jpg

[Sandy]

Too Tall,

I really like standard poodles, but I much prefer the natural, non-Poodle cut look. Maybe one day you will let me come over and play with your three dogs. Dogs seem to like me, and I sure love them. I'm not sure about people. I have been looking at the Nimble Spider and Fly wheelsets, but built with Dura-Ace 10 speed.

Give each of your dogs a biscuit for me,

Bow Wow Sandy

[Germanboxers]

Sorry about that... the fork is an F2, not an F1.

And the DA7800 cranks/bottom bracket is very smooth. I am surprised how smooth and quiet the entire groupo is actually.

[Germanboxers]

Too Tall, that would be a sight to behold... a large standard poodle taking down a criminal on the run!! I do not doubt that the right poodle could do the work. It's all about drive thresholds and temperment, not the breed or even the "doo". LOL If I'm not mistaken, I believe a person in Florida put a Schutzhund title on his Standard Poodle within the last few years.

I'm sure our dogs would have a ball playin'. Mine love to tackle each other... I would swear they have been watching NFL games while we are gone. Samson (our male) can jig with the best tailbacks in the NFL (think Barry Sanders) and Bella pursues like Mike Singletary (sp?) in his prime. It's hilarious to watch because it looks like they are trying to duplicate an ESPN highlight. With non-Boxers, they never tackle for some reason, but instead try to goat them in to chasing them. They're supremely goofy and I love them for it!!!