Saffron Frameworks Dream Bike

I really think the best Neo Retro builds have light modern stems.. Like you say, half the point of a Neo Retro build is the added benefit of modern components, so it seems counter-intuitive to deliberately invite a steel stem to the party.

Another option is high-end 1" threadless like Grammo:

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Heck, you could even try to find a matching Grammo seatpost to go with it!

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I was looking for a 15 mm superleggero as an option but they only seem available in 25 mm or zero even in the older graphic. Zero would work but it looks too top heavy and 25 mm looks nice but is too much layback for me. Love a Grammo but only for skinny bars. I'd looked at Ti options from ITM and Controltech as well but couldn't find anything suitable. Did find these though are good looking, light and not too expensive

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Shame they've been discontinued...
I found mine on ebay. I still have the saved search and they come up every now and again.
(Also, the old ones have cooler graphics!)

edit: didn't realise you were after 31.8 stem, sorry.

I can only imagine the eyeroll that request must have gotten on their end lol. But also thats a cool little detail.

Ha ha! Damn right. I'm all about the eyerolls!

The wheels have arrived! Obviously I won't know if they're any good until I ride them, but they do look very well made, and feel satisfyingly light.

So now I'm pretty much just waiting for a healthy body and a frame.
I must say that, as exciting a new frame may sound, I am far more excited about the prospect of a healthy body these days.

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pffff sweet... some lfgss eyebrows will be raised at those tyres
#skewers
tagging @Retro_Bastard for a look see

I know I know... I packed everything up again and saw them in the bottom of the box!
(alongside the #cassette)

Yes, many eyebrows will be raised above many rolling eyeballs!

Tbh, now I have the wheels alongside everything else, I think the colours of the little German flags on the normal GP5000's might be marginally less offensive than the weirdly dark 'tanwalls' on these. Perhaps I can think of a suitably nice pair of all-black tyres outside of the GP5000 box.

they are nice looking those brown walls, better than wannabetan-yellowwalls

I have those skewers and I'm also selling a spare set. I've never had an issue with them. I'm also buying those Ali carbon works copy cages they look sweet for the money

The skewers are a little creaky (on my Varonha, anyway), but they're fine really.
Not sure I'd use them on chrome drop-outs, and defo wouldn't use them on non-vertical rear drop outs.

I'm using the top end Campag skewers on my Master because they're just better even if they are heavier but i have them skewers on another bike no creaking or slipping despite the fact they don't look or feel particularly substantial. Let me know if your bottle cages explode though as I'm just about to order some.

Any update on this one?

John! Apologies, only just seen this... not been on here much. Knee is as good as it's ever gonna be so this is finally happening early next year. I think February ish? But because this is a nice-weather-only bike, I've said that I'm happy to wait for springtime if it helps with the build queue. @PhilDAS might know more about delivery timings?

In the meantime, I've been super busy with work stuff, and becoming a dad, so haven't had too much time to think about bikes.

But the plan remains the same: fast / fancy bike, sparkly rainbow paint with yellow and pink bits, overpriced clown brakes, green hubs, black finishing kit, etc etc.

Still to buy: seatpost and stem (unless the design allows for the Deda I already have).

Things I might reconsider: cranks and headset, polishing the rear triangle (££££)

That's about it.

How are the many Varonhas?! ; )

No need to apologise.
Congrats on the little person.
Good to hear your knee is working enough for sparkly rainbow bike to go ahead, look forward to seeing it when built up.
Yeah Varonhas are great thanks, No.1 is my wet weather bike, No.2 (aka Pink bike) is the dry weather/spring-summer bike.

Yo!
It's in the queue, though with all the backed up supply chain issues all seemingly resolving themselves at once, we've got a few people that have been waiting 2 years who need their bikes building now so we've had to push a lot back a bit. We're full steam ahead building these days.
Probably best to email about this but think we just need to confirm your fit post injury before we can progress anywhere

Thanks!
Exciting times ahead for families and bikes : )

Yes I should email : )