Custom steel road bike (Rychtarski !)

If it were me, and it's not, I'd at least get the rear disc mount done, always gives you the option, and you don't end up looking at yer bike thinking "If only I could put discs on it", like I did with my Equilibrium 853, hence why I've ordered a Croix de fer frameset.

Combining bikes is not a great idea; trust me ;)

And if disc then Mason ticks quite a lot of boxes .. no need to go custom.

Re discs and wheel size, you just need to think what you want from a custom bike. Regular road calipers are plentiful and decent and if you're moving a groupset across, cheaper. Obviously hydro discs will be better at breaking, but it depends what you want it for.

Same goes for tyre size - what's it for and how do you want it to feel?

I would defo have mudguard eyes though, just seems silly not to.

Columbus max tubing? I am a hair under 70kg and want it to be OK for rides of 4-5 hours

I'm not a fame builder or anything, but my understanding of MAX is that it was / is meant for larger fames/riders as it's stiffer/stronger and as you're buildings bigger frame weight is less of an factor.

70kg isn't heavy and your bike cad drawing doesn't make it look like your a giant.

Personally I can't help that it's been made fashonable by Prolly and is now a bit over used... although the chainstays and seat tube lug do look cool.

Yup Max is a little bit overkill for you IMHO. And the reason Max is still popular is mainly due to nostalgia - images of racing in ParisRoubaix come to mind. I think steel have developed far beyond Max technology.

I'm also quite curious that if you see American framebuilders, they mostly will recommend you a mixture of Zona and Life, very rarely Spirit or multishaped HSS and I don't know why.

Combining bikes is my sole purpose! One bike to rule them all.
I've bought and sold too many bikes in the last two years, so settling on a Croix, and that's it for a while. .....fookin skint.
Build the bike you want @Cupcakes, don't listen to us, we're just here coz we like to rabble rouse.
But get disc mounts on the rear!

I'd agree Rich - I know you're very much a believer of rim brakes, but I've missed having discs so much on my Pinnacle. Had a few hairy moments this winter that would've been avoided completely had I had discs. Never mind a cleaner bike!

If you don't want full hydro, go for HY/RD's or Spyres. Damn all this talk is making me want discs again. Soon.

No one 'needs' discs ..

Have you consider cycle training?

No one 'needs' discs ..

What were you saying about the problem of long reach caliper brakes again?

Disc is fucking awesome, made cycling even more fun being able to perform emergency stop with just one finger.

Pyrenees descent is a bliss being able to be in 100% control of performing an emergency stop without calculating the braking distance required for rims brake.

not squeezing the levers hard = less pin and needle.

Of course you need disc brakes, just like you need panniers, clearance for 50mm tires, a kickstand and a 34x32 gearing to get you up those incredibly steep mountains...

Or... You could order a road frame made to your measurements with eyelets so you can have slightly bigger tires for rough roads and fenders for rain, allowing you to switch groups and wheelsets in a bliss. Less is more when ordering custom

^ have to say I sort of agree.

@edscoble didn't you get a custom frame made with a quill stem, hub brakes and 7 gears or somthing?

Hurrah someone gets it!

I'm only sort of kidding though, all this talk of discs and what not is super interesting. However this bike will be built for road calipers, least that's the plan. Simba nailed it re.: what I was trying to say - frame should have clearance for the biggest tyres that will fit under shallow drop road calipers, and should maybe have mudguard eyes, but let's not forget I already have a tourer.

This bike will be for fast road riding, middle distance stuff with hills.

Looks like you are ready to order ;)

Groupset brakes + biggest possible tyres and space for PDW fenders is more than enough for this one

If I was building a bike to your brief it'd have R-685's, no question.

Ultegra group throughout, HED Ardennes+ disc wheelset, Fizik finishing kit, wallop.

+PDW fenders.

Wonderful, thank you for posting. Your second bike is great, looks and sounds like a joy to ride.

Tell me more about the headtube. You need to switch our the lower headset cup to change steerers from trad to taper, right?

I think you just need this: http://www.wiggle.co.uk/hope-15-headset-reducer-crown-converter/

44mm HT for sure with integrated bearings like CAAD10. I'd go with grammy or fel paint matched forks.

Terrible to say I agree with @Dammit, get HED Ardennes+ disc on Chris King for a start. From my point of view the bike would pay for itself after a few years just from not having to rebuild the wheels every year. Dura Ace obvs as Ultegra looks igitigit.

If your German for igitigit is lacking.

This is moar like it, i was considering hope headsets anyway.

So why tapered, assuming nondisc?

Jah, lacking...

Space, or space + eyelets?

I am tempted to go with hidden eyelets. That way I could have up to 700x28, or drop to 700x23 (maybe (700x25) with pdw guards.

Anyone seen evidence of 25s and pdws under groupset brakes (say sram force from the 10speed days)

Terrible to say I agree with @Dammit, get HED Ardennes+ disc on Chris King for a start. From my point of view the bike would pay for itself after a few years just from not having to rebuild the wheels every year. Dura Ace obvs as Ultegra looks igitigit.

6870>9000.

Plus, you'd end up "crossing the streams" with R-685 to 9000 mechs.

Space + eyelets will make your life easy if you go for non PDW guards.

I think @mattyc has PDW with Pave on wide rims and Red brakes. He had posted some pics in the mudguards thread.

Tapered because stiffness and most modern forks being tapered these days .. Patrick's 2nd rychtarski has Fel forks.

Yup, dream bike doesn't mean it have to be modern, Just like Dammit's Serotta.