Custom lots-of-titanium Brompton

Not tempted to coat it...
http://www.bornrich.com/entry/ilovemybike-fits-their-newest-24ct-gold-folding-bike-into-your-helicopter/

The chainguard is cool- although seeing it on the cranks I cannot help but think that a carbon fibre chainguard would "fit" better with the arms.

That said, a standard weave might look odd with the UD fibres in the arms, so I may well be talking out of my bottom.

I don't suppose you'd be interested in making me some charge pipework?

Velocity Aeroheats. There's a totally mad option for some 'summer use only' wheels, but that's very speculative at the moment.

HED do 20". Are there any 16" bling options?

Are there any 16" bling options?

http://www.yoeleo.com/16-bmx-bike-carbon-fiber-clincher-rims-50mm-single-rim.html

Now that's cool.

Time to buy myself another BMX... just for those. Ha! CarbonShopperBMX

Arospoks are now available in BMX 20", build yourself a HHSBMX

I always wanted a BMX with Tuffs.

http://www.yoeleo.com/16-bmx-bike-carbon-fiber-clincher-rims-50mm-single-rim.html

Bingo, point to Mr. Tester. Bonkers option is 50mm crabbon fibber rims on Phil hubs front and rear, with a keirin rear hub for fixeh cool points. Yoeleo seem to be a bit cagey about whether or not the 16" 50mm rims actually exist, however.

Love this!

It appears that Mr. Yoeleo really doesn't sell 16" carbon rims after all and so that plan's out. I did say that wheels would be next, but there's a change of plan as the headset finally arrived - a Chris King 1 1/8" Gripnut in Pewter, ordered especially from Aspire Velotech. This provided a wonderful excuse to play with some new toys, I mean tools...

Time to face the headtube on the Brompton frame prior to installing the headset:

Headset installation with my new headset press:

The crown race put up a bit of a struggle going onto the fork, but gave up when faced with a 10 ton hydraulic press. With the headset in place I could install the fork, the stem and the bars, so the bike now looks like this:

Wheels next. Promise...

Interesting. So Bromptons take 1 1/8" forks.

Yep. Very very short ones which require headsets with a very very low stack height, hence the GripNut.

That look brilliant, what's your plan on the handlebar?

I found the Brompton a little diffcuilt to ride when i put a lots of weight on it, admittedly they're not exactly designed to be ridden with a tribar...

Personally I've never had any issues with the Brompton brakes. They're not brilliant by any means, but given a good hearty tug I can lock up either wheel if I want to.

Reckon a simple case of changing the brake block for a better one would make a massive difference.

That look brilliant, what's your plan on the handlebar?

I found the Brompton a little diffcuilt to ride when i put a lots of weight on it, admittedly they're not exactly designed to be ridden with a tribar...

Reckon a simple case of changing the brake block for a better one would make a massive difference.

Bars are titanium straight bars from Taiwan - they're fitted but not in position yet. I'll chop them down to the correct width later. As for brake blocks, I've got a set of SwissStop Green pads winging their way in from Germany with some other bits and bobs.

How's the internal Di2 battery project going?

Hmmm, slowly. Hoping to make some progress on it next week.

So I've just put my cyclesheme voucher in for a grands worth of brompton.

I plan to go with a s2l in raw with easy wheels, mudguards Amd kojak tyres.

I'll be selling my langster frame, omnium cranks and a few other bits and pieces so trying to decide what to buy to make it as light as possible, so thinking titanium seat post and flat bars, a la this frame.

Are there any other things I should be/ looking at? It's going to be my only bike for the next year or two so want to "invest" in something special...

Don't forget the bag mount, very useful.

+1 on the bag mount - not cool, but very handy.

Sounds like a nice build Ed, but I tried the Kojak tyres and ended up taking them off and replacing them with Marathon Plus tyres. The Kojaks are very fast, very light, and IME very fragile - I was getting a puncture once a fortnight. The Marathon Plus tyres are heavy and look deeply uncool, but I haven't had a single puncture since I fitted them, and for me that's a decent trade-off on a bike that is after all supposed to be primarily functional.

^ that's v upsetting to hear!

Solid advice I'm sure though!

Don't forget the bag mount, very useful.

That is in the master plan, not sure what bag I need though!

Carradice? They make really nice bag...

Bit old school looking for my tastes, I think the mini o looks great and is probably big enough for me, but very spendy, will have to see what I can get in my clear out.

Any updates? Wheels?