Current Projects chat and miscellany

Although my favourite frame from last year was a Nagasawa on the Tokyo Fixed stand.

:)

The black one with gold decals? Its on display in their shop, every time I walk in I get serious lusting for it. I've always wanted to go to Bespoked but never go round to it, its a bit of a journey if I'm being honest, one year, but perhaps not this. As for the Nag, I'm torn between colour schemes, I was thinking black gloss with silver decals, but the matt purple on on bike porn is...well porn worthy, any thoughts?

Get yourself to this next weekend if you'd like to meet some UK frame builders.

You going along to it? I'm gonna go but not sure on which day yet

I'm riding down with a mate on Saturday morning, getting some lunch then dropping in. Then beers, then train.

It'll be busy then, but the new venue is bigger this year (I think?). Last year was rammo.

Sounds good, how long is the cycle down from London?

it works really well, allthough it doesn't look like it. handling is perfect, the bike does not lift the front when going up hill or carrying it down some stairs. guess this is due to the design of the carradice bags, very narrow (front-rear) but wide and low. had ortliebs before and they where shit. all of the stuff mentioned above...before starting in the morning i had to manually weight them and distribute the weight. with the carrdice i simply don't care about packing.

That's fair; ever since discovering Carradice for myself a few years back I've had no reason to use anything else.

it works really well, allthough it doesn't look like it. handling is perfect, the bike does not lift the front when going up hill or carrying it down some stairs. guess this is due to the design of the carradice bags, very narrow (front-rear) but wide and low. had ortliebs before and they where shit. all of the stuff mentioned above...before starting in the morning i had to manually weight them and distribute the weight. with the carrdice i simply don't care about packing.

thanks! it is a 1978 worksop build, full 531 frame. model is in this case a "record", seems to be build for the german and dutch market. i have the frame 3 times (it simply justs fits for touring) and is 100% similar to the "competition" frame for the same market:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/multiburst/4784972694/in/set-72157622797505986

guess at that time, the components made up the model name.

and: no problems with the rear mech running 34/26, but it's also not a dura ace one, instead it's the much more skinny suntour cyclone.

your raleigh also looks really, really nice and deliberate functional- thinking about sti's on the traveller also, but am afraid i may run into problems when something is broken on a trip...

Ah ha, I think my teeth on the cassette might be a bit more severe than that, perhaps that's it. Could be my cack-handed mech setting up, or a slack spring though, tbf. (I thought yours looked like a 7402 but must be my eyes.)
Thanks for the compliment, I took it to work for the first time today (23 mile round trip) and was amazed at how smooth it was even with two full panniers. Old Kent Road was a bit of a test though, as well as the constant fear that I was going to clip cars when filtering.
The STIs are just for now, I might swap them out as I have a feeling that they're 7 speed and the cassette is 8, so the indexing is not working correctly. I think the ability to keep one's hands on the bars when climbing and shifting is a good thing, but I have done absolutely ZERO touring so far so might take your advice and swap them out before doing anything too exciting.
The frame is from around 1990, 531ST throughout. Identical to the Royal except that it has SPOKE HOLDERS on the chainstay. That sold it to me really.

I was fucking gutted that they've moved the date of Bespoked! I'm already away in Holland for the weekend! Grrr.

Any thoughts on these? Anyone had any experience?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-2012-Ambrosio-Prestige-Track-Chainset-Fixed-165mm-48t-POST-FREE-/390389731078?pt=UK_sportsleisure_cycling_bikeparts_SR&hash=item5ae50a8f06#ht_500wt_1054

I need something cheap and strong, less bothered about weight and looks.

If you're willing to spend a little more, these seem to be bomb proof:

http://www.planet-x-bikes.co.uk/i/q/CSSTTR2K/stronglight_track_2000_crankset

Any thoughts on these? Anyone had any experience?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-2012-Ambrosio-Prestige-Track-Chainset-Fixed-165mm-48t-POST-FREE-/390389731078?pt=UK_sportsleisure_cycling_bikeparts_SR&hash=item5ae50a8f06#ht_500wt_1054

I need something cheap and strong, less bothered about weight and looks.

how about

http://www.bike-discount.de/shop/a60088/isoflow-single-crankset-42t-170mm.html?lg=en

http://www.koo-bikes.com/stronglight-single-speed-road-crankset.html

I was fucking gutted that they've moved the date of Bespoked! I'm already away in Holland for the weekend! Grrr.

But on the plus side.. You'ld be able to visit Stalen Ros..

But on the plus side.. You'ld be able to visit Stalen Ros..

oh wow

how about

http://www.bike-discount.de/shop/a60088/isoflow-single-crankset-42t-170mm.html?lg=en

http://www.koo-bikes.com/stronglight-single-speed-road-crankset.html

Hmm, first is 42t and ugly as sin, second I've seen elsewhere advertised as SS only, not recommended for fixed riding, which suggests it's pretty week.

The Stronglight 2000 looks great but I wanted to be a bit more cheapskate than that, though it could be a decent long-term investment.

the gazelles...drool

^^ the second one is indeed made of cheese. Mine developed play within a matter of days, quite probably due to overzealous skidding. Not suitable for fixed riding.

new wheels?

...are the carbon forks happening?

new wheels. No carbon forks.

wa wheels bruv?

ambrosio

the integralters gone?

They're in my room. Can't decide what to do. Might sell them.

12-03-201223:23London Central DepotLoaded to vehicle for delivery
:D

Cheers, I kinda agree with the English preference, I would love it if I could find something of equal quality and condition so readily in my size, but the fact of the matter is the truly great English frames are quite hard to come by, and there is an appeal Nagasawa's have to me, that I can't quite place, maybe the fact that I know exactly who made it, and that they made it for me, blah de blah...

You'll get the full custom experience and personal treatment from a number of builders in the UK. I think the appeal of Nagasawa is the provenance and history, the legend of the guy himself: Nagasawa's history learning to build with Ugo de Rosa; and that Japanese and world track champions have raced and won on his frames, particularly Koichi Nakano.

Check out Ricky Feather's work if you go to Bespoked (disclaimer: I own one). His brazing skills and attention to detail are phenomenal. Of course, I'd have a Nag as well, if I could afford one...