Jimalex’s 853 Crust Romanceur

...

3 Attachments

@Dexter Thanks!

50psi for when you really want that road bike feel

Bike is great though. I wasn't sold on the black either but it came together great and isn't too dark

Thanks @yoshy Might be more like 45psi. Still feels plenty cushy. 🙂

Love what you’ve done, I did have a double take at that last photo thinking you’d fitted a rear rack straight from a blacksmith.

Jacket to match the label on the disc rotor 😅

Lovely bike,
would you debunk the theory of flex associated with 1" steel disk forks ?

saw the same thing!!!
great bike!!

Cheers @CptnBigNose and @jBola

@Midi The whole front end is super flexy. Wrenching on the bars gives you about 10mm of movement through the bars, stem, fork and tire I’d say. No negative issues for me with this as I’m not doing any sprinting and feels fine when riding. Will be interested to see if the back half flexes as much if loaded with panniers.

My touring bike is an old English frame of an unknown builder and while I love it it’s very noodley fully loaded.

Which brings me on to the next stage of my plans. I won’t be able to fit in any long adventures for the foreseeable, so I’m thinking of how to load the bike up for overnight trips or at most a long weekend.

I’m planning a front bag for easy access and light stuff, and while I like the look of the Swift Zeitgeist or Wizard Works Alakazam I can’t be doing with having the bag lashed to my bars and taking up space on the tops, and don’t like the idea of foam spacers.

So I’ll be getting a randonneur style front bag, which I’ve enjoyed using on past rides.

On its way to me is the Simworks Obento front rack, which I really like for its adjustability and Nitto quality, and that it has a wider platform than the M-18.

Like this but in black.

1 Attachment

consistently making all the juiciest choices on parts. v good rack.

1 Attachment

I’ve used the obento, it’s a swell rack.

I’ve got an Obento too, sweet rack but the paint is sh*t so don’t expect it to stay black very long!

@lmananimal thanks for the heads up. Good thing I have some Spraybike left over. 🙂

For bags I keep coming back to Restrap as I like that I know them from their pedal strap days, that they’re handmade in the UK. Also simple styling and decent prices with attention to detail and innovative designs. I particularly like the look of their magnetic mounting system on their rando bag.

It’s the paint over chrome that makes it really bad.

There is/was a 15% forum discount for Restrap which I hope you've seen? Great build btw!

@Eeyorecore Those cheapskates!!

@RubberDucky Thank you very much. Yes indeed got my forum discount applied and a few bits and pieces on the way. 🙂

Man. Obento's are nice. But Nitto weight limits are so low. But #aesthetic I guess.

I preferred the original paint and I think the headset looks incredibly awkward, other than that, cool build. @jimalex - where do you/did you live in Los Angeles?

@JB 5kg listed weight limit on the Obento I believe. Should be enough for anything I want to carry on the front I think.

Fair enough on the headset. There was a time when I would have agreed. I’m pleased with it!

We lived in South LA, Crenshaw. Quite the culture shock coming back to London. Are you out there?

Also, I’m sure you don’t remember, but I believe I bought a DA chainset off you in Camden about a decade ago. Would that be right?!

Hmm, I joined the forum in 2012 and have never owned a DA crankset so I don't think so. It might have been @JD - I have bought stuff from him in Camden before.

Yeah, the 5kg was my concern. Just going to Trader Joe's I had 9KGs of stuff in my basket the other day. I got an 8 pack-rack for that reason.

And yes, I am up in South Pasadena. I don't think I can leave SoCal now. It's just too good. I can't imagine being back in London! Are you back for good?

Saw that you purchased a house - congrats - we are in the market but as I'm sure you aware, the market is insane and everything we can afford sells for $2-300k over asking... in cash!

Ha yes ok that’s right. It was JD. And here I was being impressed that I’d dragged that relic out of the memory palace. 😂

Don’t plan any shopping trips on this one. More likely snacks and layers and maybe a battery pack so I think I’ll be ok.

Pasadena’s lovely. We’ll likely be up that way next year. My current project has me in the UK till December, and I’ll be working in Burbank for a spell after that.

We’ll have to get a LFGSSLA ride on the books. 🙂