The Two Bicycles of Varonha.

b) you fookin hipster twat!

this and Winston would be like .. 'Great! another one'

More than likely bolt mount, as direct mount would mean f/f going back to Winston and a respray. But as far as I can tell, they are the same brake, just the bolt mount gets a fancy bridge to connect the arms, so am assuming that bolt mount can be turned into direct mount, but I was very tired when I looked at them, so could be wrong.

Fair enough, but there isn't a great deal of choice, and before you start, I am not having disc brakes, end of, period, never going to happen!

I think they are the same, just idle curiosity. The bolt is probably the more sensible of the two options.

f/f going back to Winston

Wait, is it already built?

No, but if I were to buy Paul direct mounts in the not too distant, then it would need to go back, whereas if I buy bolt mount he can convert it to direct once I've fooked the paint and it needs a respray anyway.

that headbadge is just off his website

Ah ok! Thought you were just being a tease!
Exciting!

I wish it was built already, I hope my patience can hold out, didn't get any sleep Wednesday night (before I went to see him Thursday morning), and didn't sleep much last night, churning frame angles and lengths over and over in my head, my brain just doesn't switch off once it's running with an idea.
Exciting it definitely is.

Got it. All sounds fantastic and well thought through. Following with keen interest!

Also, I think Winston is currently mending a Crust with a snapped DT.

One thing that makes him so knowledgeable is that he's the guy who fixes everyone else's mistakes, so he knows not to make them himself.

Glad to hear someone else has an overexcited monkey brain about these things!

It's taken me a few years, and many many frames to find out what I like/dislike, I think I've got it about right now, not going to be that guy that says "this is my last bike, and therefore I'm having a custom built", because I pretty much know that isn't the case, but for once I'm at a point where I can (just) afford to do it, and I was itching for a new bike project anyway, and could only find one or two off the peg frames that fitted the bill, so thought fook it, do it!

I like that about him, he's not a cycling geek, he's an engineering geek. I've had meetings with other frame builders over the years, and they've all been keen cyclists, who seemed to come at frame building a different way. It was nice to talk to him about non cycling stuff whilst we got the engineering bit right.
My brain will chill out once we've confirmed the numbers and I've paid my deposit, at least I hope so, I drive a wagon for money, and an over tired, over excited driver in charge of a 44 tonne battering ram is nowhere near ideal.

My brain is about as overexcited as it's possible to be rn. Luckily my job only involves sitting on my arse so no one else is at risk.

The numbers part did get pretty out of hand though.

It's really just one number that's buggering my head up. I'm sure me n Winston can sort it between us though.
Sometimes wish I had other marketable skills, it would be nice to leave trucking behind.

Shit just got real!
Deposit paid, tubes being ordered, other metally bits from Ceeways on Tuesday.
Some numbers for those who like the geeky bits of frames:
Seattube length: 515mm (c-t)
Seattube angle: 74°
Toptube length: 535mm (effective)
Headtube length: 125mm
Headtube angle: 71.5/72° (depends on clearance)
Chainstay length: 425mm (or 16 3/4 inches to Winston)
Fork Rake: 45-50mm (Winston needs to look at this, toe overlap and fork a-c to be taken into account).
Tube wise, Winston's go to, main tubes Reynolds 853, chainstays in summat else, he's not decided yet, bottom bracket 68mm BSA, polished bits will be headtube badge and seatstay caps.
May actually get some sleep tonight.

And a few pics of frameset details.
Seat cluster to look like this:

Paris Brest fork crown:

Ritchey dropouts:

Forgot to mention the most important bit, bottle cages will be what I have already, Blackburn stainless. They may get upgraded to King stainless ones.

Very nice! If I ever get a custom bike, I also want (semi?) wrap around seatstays and Paris Brest crown!

The seatstays weren't a difficult choice, Winston does a very nice job of those, the fork crown was a choice of two or three (due to tyre size n guards), the Paris Brest looks beefy enough without being too beefy, and it helps that it's also pleasing to the eye.

Had an email off Winston, tubes have arrived, he's making a start!

tubes have arrived

Woohoo!

Further update from his lordship. Apparently we are awaiting Reynolds to knock up some custom chainstays ( I'd have been happy with owt, but hey, if that's the way we're going, I shan't be complaining). What with daytime tv being so shit, Winston thought he may aswell rock up to work and start on the front triangle.
Bits lined up on the jig.

the bird emoticons

Then he found time to throw some metal glue around.

sweetheart emojis