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Carbon and aluminum have cornered the road market, but that doesn’t mean steel frames are dead. Check out Bombtrack’s the Tempest. A Reynolds 725 road bike fit with Shimano 105, Deda and Mavic Ksyrium Equipe wheels. Globally available at the end of September. See more at Bombtrack.
For US-distribution, contact NA Cycles.
This bike is not as it seems. Sure, it says Falconer and it uses Cameron’s signature no-nonsense solid color powder coat but it’s not technically a Falconer.
When Jason at Montano Velo was looking for a local frame builder to produce a new road frame for his in-house brand Broakland, he was introduced to Cameron at Falconer Cycles. Cam, as they call him, had some extra time and enjoyed making production bikes, so he built this frame as a job interview for the position.
The tricky part: tig welding S3 tubing, a True Temper offering that has a bad reputation for being brittle and in general, difficult to work with. Difficult to work with yet a pleasure to ride. Since S3’s seat tube offerings are limited to a 1.125″ diameter and the S3 top tube measures 1.25″ in diameter, Cameron took to Solid’s seat tube cluster sleeve to solve not only the difference in diameter but as a reinforcement for what is essentially a crack-prone area of an S3 bike.
For the fork, Jason’s a fan of the Wound Up. A fork that’s polarizing in terms of consumer’s aesthetic preferences. Some hate it, some love it and for Bay Area cyclists who began their passage into cycling on a track bike, Wound Ups offered a bomb-proof solution to a street-thrashed track bike with a bent or cracked fork. As Cameron and I were discussing the fork, we both concluded that we’re not a fan of them aesthetically, but they ride really damn well.
Oh, he got the job and began making the frames… Months later, Cameron still had this frame in his shop and it wasn’t until a customer requested pink powder for his own bike that he decided to get it coated. From there, it became a home for his thrashed Dura Ace group and now it’s Cameron’s only road bike.
There’s more to the Falconer story coming soon. If you want to know more about the Caballo road frame, head to Broakland.
The team at Breadwinner recently built up a B-Road for a customer in Seattle with a decent commute to work. He wanted a commuter bike that was light and capable but also has all the right touches for a custom bike and would make his 15-20 mile trip each day enjoyable. Full Sram CX1 disc with Sugar Wheelworks built Enve rims and topped off with the new Silca Impero frame pump in custom paint to match the frame. Topped off with internally wired generator lights on the front and rear and a Tubus rear rack to help lighten the load.
Check out more photos at the Breadwinner Flickr.
Podia and Festka ride behind what was once known as the Iron Curtain, which fell with the Berlin Wall in 1989. Here’s a video from the backroads in and around Šumava. See more from this trip at Podia.
The Col Collective returns with stellar video from the 1,800m peak of the Superbagnères.
I’d say this is a pretty comprehensive list from the team at Global Cycling Network.
Racing and Riding the Fairdale Goodship
Words by Andre Chelliah, photos by John Watson
When Taj from Fairdale reached out to us and asked if we were interested in testing their steel road bike, the Goodship, I had a hard time containing my excitement. Fairdale, who has an office in Austin is a staple of the cycling community here. You can’t go to a downtown restaurant, East Side bar, local swimming hole, or ride through campus without spotting a Fairdale between the legs of an excited Austin dweller. The company radiates positive vibes and makes quality bicycles.
DeSalvo Custom Cycles made one of the sickest titanium road bikes for the 7 Bikes for 7 Wonders, reflecting Crater Lake. Inspired by the glowing blue of the lake, this frame has a raw, exposed titanium rear triangle. This video was one of my favorites because it really captures the accessible vibes of Crater Lake, even though it omits to mention the incessant mosquitos!
Follow along at the 7 Bikes for 7 Wonders site to see how you can find this bike and take it home with you!
I look at Baum’s work like many people look at brands that are constantly introducing new “colorways” or styles. Nike, for instance. Or New Balance, rather. Same shoe, different color and yet it evokes a Pavlovian response. Seriously, how many times have we looked at a titanium Baum frame here on the site? They still get me every time. For more drool-worthy, Australian goodness, check the Baum Flickr.
… this time in Livigno. Will this style of video ever get old?
Photos by Bob Huff
Olive drab will never jump the shark, especially when there’s a bit of a creative spin on this timeless color. The new 2015 Speedvagen Surprise Me! paint is exceptional. See more of Bob Huff‘s photos at the Vanilla Workshop Flickr.
Pink is the New Mr. Pink
Photos by Kyle Kelley and words by John Watson
With another successful Saddledrive under their belt, the team at All-City have unveiled their new paint designs for 2016 on their popular platforms with the favorite (in terms of social media clatter) being the new Mr. Pink road bike. Now with an English threaded bottom bracket, a replaceable derailleur hanger, still designed to fit a nice plump tire, fenders and other essential accoutrement, the Mr. Pink is a great all-rounder road bike
Its new paint is reminiscent of the old Eddy Merckx Telekom paint scheme, giving the bike an attitude like the racing frames from the early 90’s. Fit with Sram Rival, built from Columbus Zona and either race or ride-ready, the Mr. Pink is one of All-City’s most popular bikes for good reason.
Available now for pre-order at your local All-City dealer and read up more at All-City!
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The Official Get Sick Day Worldwide Recap
Photos from a whole lotta folks and words by Sean Talkington
Think about what we use our personal or sick days for? Dumb stuff. Staying home sick (or if you have kids you stay home when they get sick), going to the doctor, going to the DMV, jury duty, visiting in-laws, funerals, etc. Question: What do all of these things have in common? The Answer: None of them are fun. Sure, you can schedule your vacation time around whatever events you want but what if you really just want or need a single day to get your head right? Can you just tell your boss “I think I am going to skip tomorrow and ride my bike locally all day with some buddies. Might do a little swimming too. Fuck it. Maybe even grab tacos after and watch the sunset.” Some of you have awesome bosses but the majority of us are afraid to take a day off for ourselves…
Now in stock, in limited numbers at Low Bicycles, the Mk1 Road Cadence Collection. As seen in our 2015 NAHBS coverage.
The Low Bicycles collaboration with Cadence Collection was inevitable. Both brands have supported grassroots racing in the Bay Area consistently over the years. This project was born out of an ongoing kinship between Dustin Klein and Andrew Low, as they both developed a following in the tight-knit messenger and alley-cat racing community. Both brands share an individualistic and creative mindset with an attitude and design philosophy that is informed by their mutual background.
When NAHBS landed in Austin back in 2011, it opened the door for a lot of locals to the custom framebuilding world. Many of which had never heard of a majority of the builders, so it was easy to strip away all the hype or internet chatter and have them pick their favorites, based on construction, communication and overall aesthetics.
Joah went to NAHBS and meandered around the aisles looking for a builder who would make him a road bike to last a lifetime. After all was said and done, he felt the most connected to the Hampsten line, particularly the Gran Paradiso Minimus road frame. Made from Columbus Spirit tubing with an ENVE 1.0 fork, this is one lightweight frame. After some communication with Hampsten, his bike was on order.
Parts began to pile up and Joah reached out to Melbourne’s Mick Peel of Busyman Bicycles to make a matching saddle and bar wrap. At the time, this leatherwork was a deep, dark grey but after four years of constant riding – this is Joah’s only bike – the leather wore in nicely, offering a beautiful patina, which is the first thing that caught my eye.
Mick matched the orange Mango Chris King hubs with an inlay beneath the perforations and Justin at Luxe Wheelworks built up his wheels. Joah loves this bike and had nothing but positive things to say about working with Hampsten Cycles. Personally, I still can’t get over the bar tape’s unique texture and color.
For the Columbia River Gorge bike, Argonaut Cycles delivered an amazing split tone green and tan disc road bike. Check out more information as to how this bike can be yours (for free) at 7 Bikes 7 Wonders…
Chris Bishop is the master at the classic road, always delivering jaw-dropping beauty with details galore. Randy’s is no exception to this rule. Fitted with Campagnolo’s classiest group, Athena 11 and coated in a deep blue paint, this one will roll the streets of time with style… See more at the Bishop Flickr.
This looks like a great way to celebrate a legacy like Masi:
“Celebrating our 90th anniversary, and the heritage that brought Masi from Italy to southern California, we’re producing 100 American made, hand built, Gran Criterium and Cross Campaigner frames. Featuring modern geometry, modern components, and modern, shaped Columbus steel tubing were not just recognizing our history…we’re celebrating our present.”
See more at Masi!
