Chas Roberts custom track

Hello, so I thought I'd post this as the start of a new project..
Basically I've got my 30th bday coming up and also my second graduation so after after those 30 long years and a concomitant 9 years of uni I thought I'd get something that'd both quench my thirst for a custom frame and commemorate a milestone in my life :)
I've been lusting after a Roberts frame (along with many others...!) for a while now, both because it'll be a great reminder of living in London and also his heritage and amazing skills and builds.
Basically my thoughts are a track frame but one with front and rear drillings and internal routings so it could be used in the hilly lands of Scotland and also in it's well documented rainy weather (constant and heavy..). I know this is not everyones choice but I think I'd need the brake option for when I move and clamp-ons really don't do it for me.
Apart from that it's got to have track geo and was thinking of the following:

• fillet brazed
  
• wishbone seatstay (not sure of advantages or if it's just aesthetic.. The last one they made was years ago so I'm meant to phone Chas tomo to ask him specifically about it.. Advice on this apprecited.)
  
• 1 1/8 headtube (again, unsure and depends on overall tubing etc..)
  
• higher BB eg 28cm odd for clearance
  
• tubing wise I'm not sure of yet. I'm sure their advice will be for something slightly heavier to withstand daily riding etc..
  
• Colour scheme: some pearly/rainbow pink with matt seat/chainstays and forks.. Chrome is out. This is to satisfy my need for a pink fixie..
  
  

These are just pure wants so far and I'm sure they'll change slightly with time and upon actual consultation, forum suggestions ;), etc..
I'll keep folk updated with drawings etc. hopefully I'll be able to book myself in over the next month at some point and see how things go.
Now, let me know any good/bad/ugly ideas and I'll see how to incorporate them (or not..). Cheers, T

What about mudguard eyelets? :)

(or god forbid even rear rack mounts!)

+1 to mudguard eyelets

Sounds great, are you going for tight clearances and proper track geo? or are you going for more road geo? The wishbone seat stays look so nice with tight clearances.

haha, ok.. I'll keep the eyelets/racks in mind quickly discards idea ;)

Yeah def tight clearances, want it to basically be a track bike w SS potential. Kind of like Scorch's Bridgestone (damn him for buying it ;) )!

If you're going custom I reckon see if you can get them to do hidden eye's

Any excuse but here is my custom Roberts road track bike.

Best bike I've ever ridden and not a single complaint. The craftsmanship is as close to perfect as possible. Mines more of a road geometry, though (but still pretty tight). The fitting was spot on. What more could you want?

I'll be following this closely as just bought a roberts frame myself for my first build. Best of luck with it!!!!

subscribing. good luck and look forward to seeing this progress!

Cheers folks :)
Eamsey, that is ridiculously hot. It's pretty tight even for road geo though, no? Is it noticeably more road-like feeling to ride than a track bike? Cheers

It has happened!! Booked in for the 26th so shall see how things go.Pen to paper time now..
Here's a rear wishbone as recommended by the man himself (the website is pretty cool too):

http://www.framebuilding.com/brake.htm

Awesome! You must feel like a kid in a candy store getting a custom roberts built :p

pink.. drillings.. track geo for the hills.. wishbones for the craic.. this is the fruitiest sounding bike ever and I fucking love it! Defo subscribed to this bad boy, good luck with it all my man :)

Cheers folks :)
Eamsey, that is ridiculously hot. It's pretty tight even for road geo though, no? Is it noticeably more road-like feeling to ride than a track bike? Cheers

It's a bit more responsive that a track bike but less twitchy if that makes sense?

Or thereabouts :)

In SS mode and different pink. Thinking gloss pearly pink and matt black rear triangle and forks..

this looks like one to watch! Roberts are very special frames... Enjoy your visit to the Croydon shop it's amazing!

Subscribed, I think gloss pink for frame and then matte black on everything else including parts

Epic. epic. epic. mixture of jelly/jealous/can't-wait-to-see-it

but, blue ano headset >>>>>>>>> (lol)

also get the seatstay colour switch to match chainstay and change at the rim.

^ This. please no blue headset. Subscribed.

Cheers folks.
Thanks eamsey, think I get what you're trying to say :) what tubing did you go for and what was the f&f weight? The colour on yours is amazing.
Yeah, think the hs colour is a bit crap. Black or red maybe? Shall do a few mock ups later..
I know what you mean w the seatstays Apollo. Only thing being if they're wishbone I'm not sure if it won't look a bit weird if the black starts after the divide..
Mr Roberts said we'll discuss the wishbone as apparently it doesn't really have many performance advantages and can actually make the bike heavier in some cases. Interested to see what his reasoning and design factors are..

also get the seatstay colour switch to match chainstay and change at the rim.

Even with a wishbone stay? Wouldn't it look neater with one single change from black to pink before the parting (i.e. above the bridge)?

Otherwise agree with all that. Black headset?

Cheers folks.
Thanks eamsey, think I get what you're trying to say :) what tubing did you go for and what was the f&f weight?

853 main triangle and then Chas' special mix of Columbus for the stays and fork. Not sure of the weight but for a 59 cm frame it's light.

Thanks Eamsey, that was what he was talking about but I guess we'll decide on all that on the day..
^^ what I was thinking...
Now I'm on a mission to track down a set of Open Pros Ceramic in black.. NOS preferably. Gonna be a mission and expensive I think! Coupled to low flange black Phils. Silver or black spokes? Can't decide..

black would draw more attn to the pink....

ninja edit: a good thing