Custom Orlowski Workhorse

Build spec
Frame: Orlowski Zona
Forks: Reynolds Ouzo
Headset: Hope
Stem: Pro PLT
Bars: Pro LT
Levers: Shimano 600
Calliper: Ultegra 6500
Chainset: Andel cranks, Omnium chainring (48), BB-UN55
Chain: Sram PC1
Cogs: Condor Stainless (17,19)
Front wheel: On-One Track hub, Superstar Pave 28
Rear wheel: Phil Track hub, Archetype
Saddle: Fizik Arione Tri
Seatpost: Kalloy

Solid build, looks sharp and must be hella fun to ride. Good job!

I saw this dart past me in Waterloo the other day - no time to DAS but time to admire - what a lovely build! I liked the neon logo a lot

Looks great! Really clean

Thanks, yeah I think it's the neon logo that makes it

cheers @vp1337 & @JamesKJ it's a joy to ride too!

This has been seeing some hard miles the last 6 months, courier work and weekend jaunts so I thought I'd share how it is now and some changes I have planned for it.

How it was all summer, no changes from above other than 1cm shorter stem:

I've done a few weekend camping trips this year, sometimes with the rear rack but if I can get away without it I use saddle/bar bags, tent poles tied to toptube:

Doing more long distance riding/touring on this has got me thinking about what I want from it. I've built myself a new dedicated track bike https://www.lfgss.com/conversations/285844/ so don't need this for track use or fast fixed riding anymore. It still is and will continue to be the bike I do 90(+)% of my miles on but I'd like to make it more versatile. Rather than spanning use from track - workhorse I want it to be more workhorse - tourer orientated.

I'm going to build a new steel fork for this, extending the a2c by about 1cm to give greater clearance and increase trail slightly to slow the steering. I'm going to add mounts for some sort of small front rack (will probably look to making a custom one to match) and disc mounts. I've been considering, once this front rim is knackered, building 650b wheels for this giving me clearance for proper knobblies for off-road/gravel touring.

Here's how it should look post mods (w/700c wheels):

With winter looming I fitted the mudguards but the elastic band fitment on PDW's left the rear guard clanging against the chain stays whenever I hit a bump. Also the bridge attachment was a mess with the provided fitments/no rear brake. This weekend I started on making modifications: tidy mudguard mounts: a boss on the seattube and underside of the bridge and adding an extra set of bottle bosses on the underside of the downtube.

Locking the bike up 60 times per day for 6 months has taken it's toll on the paintwork:

Before:

After:

Of course it's now gonna need a repaint….

Weld on some canti bosses in the right place for 650b? Long drop brakes are wank

Front or rear?

Or just build a disk fork

I'm going to build a new steel fork for this … add mounts for some sort of small front rack and disc mounts.

How does the chainstay clearance look? They might need dimpled for bigger 650b tyres. This is a great project though, I'm trying to put together something similar for long rides/do everything based around a steamroller

There's clearance for at least 700x32c in the rear so it should fit 650bs quite a bit bigger. Once I've built the fork I'll measure clearance there then dimple the rear to match if necessary

Steamroller would be a great frame to base something like this around, a little heavy but still I was very tempted to get one before I got this. I think the a2c matches with the 26" Disc Trucker forks too if you want guard/rack/disc mounts. Should be a cool project

then you'll fuck up the paint again. better be safe then sorry innit?

Oh for sure, it's not gonna be getting painted till everything's done. Plus it's likely to be a while before I decide what colours to go with

Rear I'm guessing, if youre set on going disc front. But with all these changes youre well on your way to buying a new frame entirely, which is obviously the right option

I made some progress on the new forks. After looking at different crowns and with the increased a-c I realised there'll be space for 700c 40-odd mm tyres which is as big as I'll ever need on this kind of bike so I'll waive the notion of ever building up a 650b wheelset for it. That means no need for discs for wheel swapping possibilities.

Building a steel fork for discs means using sturdier tubing, associated weight penalties and unwanted extra stiffness. All of which I'd like to avoid so I'm going with canti mounts (thanks @Turkish for planting that seed).

Spec list is: super wide crown for clearance, Columbus straight blades, canti mounts with removable studs and stainless dropouts. Plus mounts for guards and probably some mid fork rack mounts.

Fork all brazed up (minus canti mounts). That's a 25mm tyre on 23mm rim

I'm thinking to go with a TRP cx9 mini v's...anyone got experience with these or suggestions otherwise?

Only thing left to deliberate now is weather or not to add canti mounts to the rear too....I think yes, with removable studs to keep it clean when not running a rear brake

whether or not to add canti mounts to the rear too

Think you'll be glad of it if you decide to do more distance touring, especially loaded

Seconded

Cx9 are awesome brakes. If I didn't have discs I'd opt for them.

This is awesome.

I'm very in favour of modifying an existing frame you have enjoyed, rather than replacing with something more suitable. There is something special about it, I hope you keep it for many years to come!

@PhilDAS and @Josh you're right, makes sense to do all mods now too while the paint is still a mess.

Cheers @jontea good to know, think they're what I'm gonna go with.

Thanks, yeah I'm very much of that mentality. I'd rather hang on to this and make modifications than trade it in. It's been even more satisfying doing the mods myself and learning something along the way

New fork looks sweet. Definitely add canti mounts on the back too.

CX9 work well. If you've got sram levers, using cx8.4 will give better pad clearance