Well after learning of the possibility of an early production run, I might have the chance to yet again score another rather ground breaking frame. I can't let the who's go or the when's but I have steel on the brain. Don't get me wrong, for an aluminum bike I love my Dillinger, but I just have a hankering for anything not aluminum. Specifically nice steel. Oh and Titanium. But that is for when I make a ton of money. Which will never happen. I'm a bike mechanic. I'll have to build my own Ti frames for a living to even think about making myself one. I own one, but it doesn't count. At all.
Anyways, I found a little program known as BikeCAD. Probably the most fun and f*cking coolest thing I've played with in a while. Just seeing what angles and lengths can be used to make a frame is awesome. Just seeing the different tricks used to get various chainstay length's is crazy. I am currently a little obsessed with trail figures. The SuperflySS is built around an interesting set of numbers. I of course haven't even ridden it with the suspension fork it came with so it handles a little slower than what I expect. Once I get dialed to the ride though it'll be nice.
I have had a hankering for a while to order a custom steel frame. I just know what works for me, what I like, and how I would like it built. The only thing I would like to know is what butting profiles I'd like to run. The hookup option for the custom frame would have me picking the butting profiles. Kind of yikes. I have a pretty good idea though of what I'd do where and why. I've been keeping my eyes open when reading articles. I especially dig Merlin's philosophy on Top Tube butting profiles and their affect on ride quality.
The second option would be a little more guided. I really dig the geometry setup I've picked. It is around an inch shorter wheelbase, half inch shorter top tube, built around a ti offset seatpost (mmmm comfortable flex) and purple. I am getting some purple ano stuff for this build. The second option also custom builds forks as well. I am almost leaning this way as he is very experienced. Also if the first option is any more than $700 it's not going down. I just don't want to pay someone a ton of money building me a mountain bike who had never really built more than a couple before mine. I don't care how many frames you built before, switching to a completely new frame style with as many caveats and attentions to geometric detail I have in mind, I just don't want to pay for the screw ups. Cause they are going to happen.
Nothing is going to be even crazy bent or anything. I don't like Jeff Jones style monster bend bikes. The cruiser retro-ish 29er thing hasn't really caught my fancy. Except for Steve Garro of Coconino Cycles. He builds some clean frames. And I wouldn't call them cruisers so much as upward curving top tube sweet machines. Similar to Black Sheep except steel. I like classic double diamond frames. Maybe the would never be as vertically compliant, but I think it is more than possible.
I don't even know if Builder No.1 would understand some of the ideas I have concerning the build. Oh well screw it. It's a crazy idea anyways. I am just going to have some money to invest soon and well with the market the way it is, I'd rather invest it into a end of the world, zombie apocalypse style build. Not a ridiculously heavy frame, just custom fit to me with no carbon. My SuperflySS just seems to fragile in my brain. Maybe I'm just a slut for new bikes.
Play with BikeCAD and build your Dream!
No comments:
Post a Comment