Custom Oak Cycles 650B French Randonneur Project.

I didn't, you're getting on a bit old man.

I've got a horrible 'head cold' and haven't ridden all weekend. I'm not my sharpest today.

#excuses

Love those rando bars....... I've got a nitto pair on my Neil orrell and an old middlemores set on something else.....love the feel of them.

The wheels have arrived.

Finally, three months due to waiting for a Rigida 650B rims to arrived, supplier don't have them so end up going for a Velo Orange one laced to Novatec hubs (36h), the VO one look nicer, and the set still cost less than £150 and appear to be build really well.

This will be a stop gap as I'm planning to get a decent light wheelset build in the near future with (possibly) Royce hubs instead of the Hope I've originally planned, even thought it's more than enough for a lifetime worth of cycling.

SJS have managed to get the elusive mudguard in 650B as well through special orders.

The next step is the rear derailleur, I've managed to purchase a long cage NOS one for £50 which is a pretty good value.

It will be enough for the 8 speeds 11-28t cassette paired with the big 16t jump of the compact chainset.

I'd choose 7800. Modern but with classic looks (ie it's silver).

Oh yes, Brooks saddle is back on the card.

the wheels look excellent

Nice. Good to see it moving along.

As the wheels are merely a stopgap, the one I have in mind is the Pacenti PL23, a strong box section 650B rims that's due to it's size, weight at a reasonable 390g, which is considered heavy for a 650B rims;

Front should be 28h, rear 32h, the only thing left is to choose either Royce or Hope hubs.

Out of curiosity what was the rational for settling on the Pacenti PL23, and what other rims did you consider?

I'd go Royce purely on aesthetics. Even in silver the hopes are too modern looking for what you're planning imo.

JP Weigle recommended those for strength/weight, and they look perfect despite the price tag.

I'll worry about the hubs when the time come, just need to concentrate on getting enough commission to pay off the White Industries crankset.

VERY tempted to go 10 speed, especially after recieving the stunning Dura Ace 7800 long cage rear derailleur that'll compliment the bike well;

Already ordered a matching DA 7800 front braze-on derailleur (Ryan argue that it's stiffer than a band-on)

The White Industries crankset in 46/30 have yet to come, Jammy's also waiting for a set too.

The only thing left is the downtube shifter, could easily get a DA 10 speed downtube shifters, did not like the idea of an 8 speed Tiagra downtube shifter with a full DA component, very stupid I know.

I'm not one to say I told you so, but for the reasons I listed before it makes sense.

Good move.

What's happened with this or ed?

Not seen his pearls of wisdom for ages..... Flounced?

he's been busy

http://www.justgiving.com/teams/London-to-Casablanca

Excellent work!

Ryan just send me the geo chart a couple weeks ago, and I gave him the go ahead.

Only thing he need is the front rack to make it fit perfectly.

Would upload rough diagram but I'm in a small cheap hotel in Morocco with wifi.

since I'm now back in a country where you can get toilet papers in toilets, here's the diagram of the 650B rando;

57cm ST
53cm TT
255mm BB height (for the 42c Grand Bois specifically)

Touring bicycle like the Surly Long Haul Trucker have a 265mm BB height, I liked em low.

like em low - is this because you never lean?

Not as little as you, no, but it's make for a more comfortable everyday ride says in cities for example.

bottom bracket height make very little difference in term of centre of gravity and all that malarkey, was going for lower but decided against it as it will also be run on 38c Pacenti Pari-Moto (290g) which is basically a fast lightweight performance tyres which would mean the BB end up at around 250-245mm.

pedal strike shouldn't be an issue, my fixed wheel bicycle have a very low tourisque 265mm with 30c (before Ryan made a new fork for it), and never once I managed to get pedals strike (which admittedly down to the choice of pedals).

I used a road frame for city fixed riding for about 3 years, had a 245mm BB centre to ground drop. Was fine, only time I ever got pedal strike was descending multi storey car parks and even then it was avoidable by taking large turning circles.

Sorry Ed, slight derail. By any chance you weren't in Turkey on hols, flew back yesterday afternoon?

Why is everyone keep seeing doppelganger of me nowadays?

Wasn't you then?

No I got back from Morocco 2 weeks ago.