AR cycles

[8aaron8]

Thanks everyone, I'm very pleased with how this one turned out. Sometimes I know from the start what the end product is going to look like because the customer is very clear and other times the frame evolves through each step and I'm given some creative freedom. I much prefer the latter option. In this case Eric just wanted pearl white with some red and silver accents. I played with the idea of silver and red logos, red logos and silver bands, silver logos and red bands then decided to have a contrasting headtube against the pearl white main frame and use the bands to tie into the headtube color. There should be a complete build in the next couple weeks as this one is in transit across the U.S.

[EliteVelo]

Originally Posted by 8aaron8

Thanks everyone, I'm very pleased with how this one turned out. Sometimes I know from the start what the end product is going to look like because the customer is very clear and other times the frame evolves through each step and I'm given some creative freedom. I much prefer the latter option. In this case Eric just wanted pearl white with some red and silver accents. I played with the idea of silver and red logos, red logos and silver bands, silver logos and red bands then decided to have a contrasting headtube against the pearl white main frame and use the bands to tie into the headtube color. There should be a complete build in the next couple weeks as this one is in transit across the U.S.

The creative freedom turned out perfectly. My hope was to build a new school meets old school so to speak. Turns out the new school steel is certainly compatible with todays parts, thanks to Aaron. Windy weather here in PA today gave me the opportunity to build. I had a Di2 gruppo hanging around and the process started. Bar end Junction A from our friends at Bike Tires Direct completes the stealth look. Waiting on an OSP from ceramic speed, and it'll be on the road soon.

[bicycletricycle]

Is the seatpost backwards?

[EliteVelo]

Originally Posted by bicycletricycle

Is the seatpost backwards?

Negative.

[bicycletricycle]

Originally Posted by EliteVelo

Negative.

Well, sort of in factory approved backwards mode

[EliteVelo]

Originally Posted by bicycletricycle

Well, sort of in factory approved backwards mode

Good eye Had my new short Lupina mounted on it originally, but opted for my standard length Lupina. This post will definitely be turned around, as it will look better and I have the extra rail length to accommodate. First time using 3T, and I like the versatility.

[8aaron8]

It's been a long time since I posted anything here so I'll share some updates for those interested. In the winter of 2022 I decided to move forward with building a shop in my yard after having moved in 2020 and building frames out of my garage since the move. The garage worked well enough but didn't give me the ability to readily paint, plus the wife wanted to access the garage space which was a bit cramped. It took a few months to get the permit to build, the county was backed up since the start of Covid, however once I got approval things started to come together pretty quickly. My childhood friend works in construction and was willing to help me make this a reality so over the course of 7 weekends I went from a dying lawn to a shop space. It then took me another couple of weeks to move everything and set up but now I have been enjoying this space for almost a year.

[clyde the point]

Very nice!

[phoenix]

Awesome, your new space looks amazing! Congrats!

[8aaron8]

Thanks all, it's a total pleasure to have the space. Here is a recent bike I finished. It's a lightweight road racer made of Columbus and True Temper tubes, rim brakes with clearance for 30mm tires, painted to match Parelee fork, EE brakes, Berk Saddle, Alpinist seatpost and Campagnolo SR/Record 11spd groupset with Bora Tubulars. The paint is a color shift green pearl coat over a black and maroon fade. It's hard to capture the depth of color with a camera. Final weight is at 6.92kg, not bad for a steel frame, alloy stem and bars and stainless bottle cages.

[mhespenheide]

Looks like a great bike!

[XXtwindad]

Originally Posted by 8aaron8

Thanks all, it's a total pleasure to have the space. Here is a recent bike I finished. It's a lightweight road racer made of Columbus and True Temper tubes, rim brakes with clearance for 30mm tires, painted to match Parelee fork, EE brakes, Berk Saddle, Alpinist seatpost and Campagnolo SR/Record 11spd groupset with Bora Tubulars. The paint is a color shift green pearl coat over a black and maroon fade. It's hard to capture the depth of color with a camera. Final weight is at 6.92kg, not bad for a steel frame, alloy stem and bars and stainless bottle cages.

For a steel bike? Wow! Is it made with lithium?

[8aaron8]

And helium in the tires! Kidding aside lightweight projects are fun exercise. I have a number of spreadsheets I use to help try and hit a target number. Once I have the build kit sorted I then know the target number for the frame/fork, or in this case just the frame. I can then compare tubes to determine what will give me the ride quality I am designing for while also considering the weight. The rest is all the little things that start to add up during fabrication, so large vent holes, drilled out bb shell, removing excess material off of dropouts, etc. What I enjoy most is when I weigh the final product and compare it to my spreadsheet and the weight is within 80g!

[bicycletricycle]

That is a beautiful bicycle

[NHAero]

Originally Posted by 8aaron8

And helium in the tires! Kidding aside lightweight projects are fun exercise. I have a number of spreadsheets I use to help try and hit a target number. Once I have the build kit sorted I then know the target number for the frame/fork, or in this case just the frame. I can then compare tubes to determine what will give me the ride quality I am designing for while also considering the weight. The rest is all the little things that start to add up during fabrication, so large vent holes, drilled out bb shell, removing excess material off of dropouts, etc. What I enjoy most is when I weigh the final product and compare it to my spreadsheet and the weight is within 80g!

I appreciate that you take this on! A person can be a not-weight weenie but still care about trying to get their custom metal framed bike to be reasonably light (true weight weenie is most likely on a carbon frame). I did a similar exercise on a custom Ti frame, the builder was vague about what his frames weighed, and I came within 20g of the final frame weight with my spreadsheet. When working with Brad on my Bingham, I didn't bother, because it was clear his tubing choices would work out to be a tad lighter than the frame I was moving on, and that turned out to be true.

Your work is always thoughtful and beautifully integrated, thanks for posting here.