Check out Colossi‘s new Low Pros. Pretty sharp!
“Low Pro is constructed with our proprietary 6061 Double Butted Aluminum tubing by our skillful frame builder. The smooth welding technique makes the frame looks seamless and ultra-sleek. The geometry and ultra aero tube profile enhance aerodynamic.
Photo Credit: Constantin for Standert”
See more at the Colossi Flickr.
Unknown is having a photo contest and sorry for the late notice, but it fell into my inbox quagmire during NAHBS. This contest is going until March 8th, so hurry and get on it. Here are the rules:
- Take a photo of your bike built around an Unknown frame.
- It can be still or action shot.
- Doesn’t have to be shot with the nicest equipment as long as the photo is engaging.
- The photo must be posted on their Facebook page.
The winner will receive a PS1 frame, K6 cranks, an Unknown carbon fork and a headset.
It’d been a while since I’ve seen some activity on the Nabiis Flickr, so when I saw this big ol’ tapered fork I had to share it. They collaborated with FTC on two aluminum A2 frames. Coated with a razzle-dazzle inspired paint job, these frames have a release date of March 8th. See more at the Nabiis Flickr. I’ll be seeing these in Taiwan at the end of the month!
Woof did the artwork for the new Kagero this year and to show his appreciation for his new bike, he made a quick video showing the build process. Now you know who has the other purple 44RN 144#47 ring!
Photo by Christian Coomer
I love Mike Mulholland’s work and when Christian posted this up to Flickr, I had to share it. Especially after I saw it on eBay for a deal!
“In early 2012 when we started to work on the Quiver our goal was to introduce a frameset that was affordable, versatile and flexible enough that with a few different parts you could build your ideal bike. Whether you need an aggressive commuter, a comfortable city bike or an affordable frameset for cyclocross season, we feel the Quiver is the frameset for you.
Relaxed road geo, plenty of room for large tires and fenders plus Fyxation’s unique combination of removable derailleur hanger and cable stops make this frame just as at home as a single speed, internal or 1×10 build. Designed with horizontal dropouts, removable derailleur hanger and removable cable stops, the Quiver can be run as an ultra clean single speed or as a 2×10 build. We also made the rear wheel spacing 132.5 to accommodate a road hub or internal gear hub. Want to run a large tire? The Quiver can take up to 700x47c. Need fenders or a rack? The Quiver comes equipped with dual eyelets in the rear dropout and fender eyelet on the fork.
The Quiver is in production now and will be in stock at Fyxation dealers in mid April.”
See more info and specs at Fyxation.
Man, I think this is the first time I’ve seen the Phil Wood cranks on a photographed bike and they look great. Here’s the newest from Stanridge Speed. Thanks for sending this over, Adam.
This is one of my favorite frames to come out of the Signal Cycles shop in recent months and it’s now for sale. Check out the details here.
Photo by Andy White
It’s not everyday that you see a Richard Sachs coated in another color besides his signature red. But then again, it’s not everyday a 1970′s Richard Sachs pista shows up in the hands of Andy at Fyxomatosis. That’s a nice piece of America you’ve got there, mate. See more photos and a great post here.
Photo by Nao Tomii
“Ooooh. Wowwww. So pretty! Can’t we just put a clear coat on it?”
This is what came out of Lauren’s mouth when I showed her photos of her Icarus Porteur. What came next was a very simple conversation that many frame builders have with their clients on why this isn’t a good idea. We’ll use this photo from Tomii Cycles as an example, only because it’s the most recent, clean fillet photo I’ve seen on my Flickr feed.
I’ve heard just about every frame builder complain about the double edged sword that is fine fillet brazing. With social media becoming a powerful tool for builders, they expose a precious part of their process: bare fillets. If you’re a master at finishing, you take pride in your pinhole-free, smooth fillets. They’re evidence of a lot of precise work and while they look great raw, they need to be painted.
Why? Oxidation. Rust destroys steel and the only thing that keeps it from forming is a primer. If you simply clear-coated or clear powdered a frame, it would rust. Even in a matter of weeks it would be present. For the longevity of a steel frame’s lifespan, it needs to be properly primed and painted. Don’t forget to Frame Saver, either!
“But what about those fillets? You can’t cover them up!” Well, good fillets and good paint go hand in hand. You can cover bad fillets with good paint but they’ll look like shit. If your fillets aren’t smooth, or show the profile of mis-mitered tubes, paint will not cover that up. You don’t see the bad fillets being macro photographed now, do you?
A good builder doesn’t need to use filler and painters love them for it. It makes their job easier and the paintwork shows. Simply rub your finger over a fine fillet braze to feel the difference. Or watch the light reflect off the paint as it coats the shorelines. The best thing for an immaculately-finished fillet frame is a great coat of paint.
While Lauren was initially a bit bummed that her pretty, raw frame would be covered with paint, after explaining this, she understood. Especially after I showed her examples of exceptional paint covering exceptional fillets. So as a public service announcement for your builder, don’t even bother bringing this up! I’m sure they’d rather save their energy to discuss paint options with you.
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