Talbot disc brake equipped road bike

Over the last 2 years I have put on a lot of miles on my old Engima Ethos, and I am super happy with the way it rides, but I also have discovered gravel riding and with it, disc brakes. I had a few sketchy descents in the cold and wet over winter, and I want a disc brake road bike. So, having turned 40 recently, I decided it was time to spoil myself.

Living down under, I looked at a variety of Australian based builders, but there were crazy price tags from the likes of Baum or crazy long lead times. So I had a good look around and I really liked the Talbot and Isen frames. Also, Talbot having a connection to London and the forum is a clear bonus for me, because I kind of see my connection to cycling very closely related to both.

So after a few conversations on here and emails back and forth I put some money down to be in the build queue. And it looks like the queue has shifted and a build will be under way soon.

My brief is:

• Geometry/Ride characteristics close to my current bike
  
• A true road bike that won't need mudguards or huge tyre clearances
  
• Stainless
  
• Thru axles front and rear
  
• A muted blue to black fade paint job with exposed stainless bits in the rear
  
  

The build I will put together once the frame is at my doorstep:

• It will have Ultegra mechanical hydro levers, calipers
  
• I will transfer bit and bobs where I can, i.e. my current Praxis cranks with power meter, derailleurs etc
  
• Undecided on finishing kit, bars etc
  
• At first I will put some hunt aero light disc alloy wheels on it, to save $$$
  
  

@coldharbour has just sent the geo through and been given the green light.
Needless to say I am excited.

A muted blue to black fade paint job with exposed stainless bits in the rear

+1 for excitement

Awesome!

Just confirmed it'll have a painted Enve fork to match the frame and a CK headset in black.
Also arrived in the mail: Levers and Calipers.

Why not go for a loud coloured King?

https://www.avt.bike/chris-king-headset-nothreadset-1-18-matte-punch-nothreadset.html

Because I like black stuff ... black finishing kit, saddle, chainset etc ...

Sounding very nice

Things are happening. Just a wishbone away from welding.

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Will there be sick fades?

On the inside of the tubes- external faces are black. Super exclusive.

Not the candy popping kind. I want this to be midnight blue to black with exposed stainless on the seat and chain stays. Hopefully with a masked logo instead of a decal. Fork painted to match.
So overall a bit more stealthy, but still a fade.

Colour sounds great looking forward to seeing this

Looks like the wishbone has turned up and the welding is getting done!

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Ok, there's some stuff happening ...

The box of parts is pretty damn near complete, missing only a seat post, a clamp, a top cap and expander and mineral oil etc for the brakes .

I also have received a tracking code and a little taster of what's to come. Even in this rough snap, it already looks stunning. Very much looking forward to building this up when it arrives.

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That’s absolutely lovely.

Amazing

That might well be the nicest Talbot I've seen. Really digging the colours with the stainless.

Nice! Cannot wait to get my hands on mine!

yes that is a beautiful looking frame. great work all round

what tyre diameter will it take ?

Probably the fork will be the limiting factor, which is 32mm if I remember correctly. I did want this to be a proper road bike as opposed to be an all road one, and I'm most likely to just run 25s on it, maybe 28s at some stage ....

@coldharbour not sure this takes even a gp4000 in 25, let alone 28 ... Not great! What happens if the frame flexes even just a little?

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What was it meant to take?

Looks like the stays should've gone upto where the blue paint ends. Sure it'll get sorted, frustrating/annoying as it is though.

I just reached the end of my tether in terms of patience. Communication has been a real issue, so have been deadlines. I'm based in Australia, so there were multiple hiccups along the line. I've waited for ages for this frame to arrive. I've spent a good day building it up to the point where I mount tyres etc ... Then I pump up the tyre and an ant barely even fits in between ... I just don't know what to say.