Field Cycles custom disc road build

Having had a 1 1/2 hour conversation with Harry at Field last night (and having agonised over which builder to use, where, etc, I decided to get in the build queue to have a Field made. Their work is incredible and, to be honest, I feel that the total in-house package offered has yielded some great looking (and, from what I hear, great riding) results (that and getting a steel frame built in Sheffield just seems right to me).

My geometry is being finalised with a chap that does bike fits here over the next few weeks (he is a race mechanic for the Neil Pryde team based just outside of Tokyo).

My current SystemSix (which I love but I am not convinced over longer distances) has been very good to me but, like @Dammit before me (and many others), I am going in the direction of custom.

My idea is to make something fast and responsive but that won't destroy me over longer distances (I hope to avoid the pitfall of trying to get something made that tries to everything and can do nothing).

I have the following ideas at the moment ( in no particular order - I have spoken to Harry about these at length and seem doable albeit I am very flexible on stuff at the moment):

• Integrated seat post together with integrated stem/bar setup
  
• Mixture of tubesets with a strong leaning towards stainless
  
• Protype CNC custom disc dropouts
  
• Dedacciai flattened chain stays
  
• Mechanical gearing but with hydraulic discs (probably 140s)
  
• Chris King R45 disc hubs to Enve rims (probably 3.4)
  
• PF30/BB30 (although Harry has said he prefers to do standard 68mm English...)
  
  

Very much in the early stages now but, needless to say, I am really excited about the project.

NB. The project and communications on it are slightly complicated by different time zones given that I am permanently based in Japan now.

The final step in getting a final idea of geometry (as final as it can be at this stage...) is saddle choice (put it on the current build with the correct bars etc).

To that end, has anyone had experience with the Romin Pro, Romin Evo Pro and/or the Toupe Pro?

I've done a long ride on the Romin Pro and it felt pretty good but for transitioning (I'll be doing a lot of climbing on this bike), I wonder if the flatter shape of the Toupe Pro would be better...

What fork are you going for out of interest?

Wouldnt the seatmast be stiff for longer distances? Why not go standard 27.2 layback carbon seatpost and get the post paint matched? The clever way would be the paint fades towards the clamp so there is no paint at the adjustment threshold.

PF30 is decent modern standard that Shimano has adapted to which means its reliable unlike BB30.

The only reason to go cable discs on road bike now is if you are holding out for a technology/groupset that has been announced (read Sram wireless) but need to wait for it to be released or get cheap.

I have Specialized Power saddle on order to test which is exactly opposite of what you want but when I had a chat with them they said Toupe and Power are at opp end of spectrum between 'Endurance' and 'Performance' .. Romin sits in between.

Looking forward to this; Field makes amazing bikes.

I have got both and Toupe Pro and Romin Pro. Thought I preferred a flatter saddle so went for the Toupe first but after about a years worth of use it was just painful (for me). Switched to a Romin and have been pain free for six months - much prefer the curvy profile of the Romin that gives a few different riding positions.

That might help you decide, might not... Sounds like it will be a cracking build though!

All. I have no idea why but there were no notifications to me so I have totally missed all your responses.

@Jim - they always use Enve forks and I am happy for that to be the case again here. The disc options are, to the best of my knowledge, limited to the road 2.0 (tapered 43mm rake).

@amey :

1. In the time since my post and your post I had decided Di2. It makes no sense to go cabled really and I can't see myself jumping on the wireless (SRAM etc) stuff (Ultegra is my idea for that).
   
2. As for PF30, I think this seems to be the best option too. No issues with Ultegra Di2 and PF30 unless I'm wrong?
   
3. Lastly, seat post/mast views. I get what you mean...ultimately, I think ISP (or a 'lookalike' seat mast) is just something that, aesthetically, I had in mind on my 'perfect bike'. I do entirely get your point though and it's still to be decided (Harry had suggested the seat tube being carbon if we go ISP (weight, stiffness, issues with stainless for ISP, etc) but that's all still to follow!
   
   

@crow (and @amey) - I think I am set on the Romin Pro (although they don't stock it in Japan, only the Romin Evo Pro - weird). I will therefore need to get one very soon in order to finalise my geometry and then start the build 'proper'. I had thought about the Fabric ALM but the price is ridiculous (even for a once in a lifetime build - plus, what if I ride it and it's shit? Such a big financial hit to take).

All of that but avoid the fad of bb30 86 or whatever it is this week. If it keeps changing what does that tell you .

I'd avoid bb30 like the plague, pressfit 30 or 86 would be a more sensible option they are more common now, but BSA if you want a simple creak free life

That is exactly my thing. I have a English BB with a converter to BB30 (SRAM Red) on my SystemSix and it makes very odd noises when pressure is put through it.

I definitely want to 100% avoid that with this build.

Update: I am kindly being allowed to test the Fabric ALM through a friend who has a bike store in Tokyo and 'hook ups'.

I hear amazing things so, given that this is a once in a lifetime custom, if it's good then I'll commit to buying one for the Field.

Update: geometry measurements were taken last weekend and sent through to Harry at Field.

He hopes to get the first drawing of the frame to me by the end of this week.

Beyond excited.

Not surprised you're excited, this sounds great! Field look like they're knocking out some mighty fine machines and the finishing looks top notch. Bit early for paint/colour scheme I guess, but no doubt you have some ideas?

Certainly keeping an eye on this one.

Field's paint is always unreal! I think I'd probably let them do their thing in that regard (if it were my money/build!).

Really looking forward to seeing this, but I imagine it's a few months off ?

I'd avoid bb30 like the plague, pressfit 30 or 86 would be a more sensible option they are more common now, but BSA if you want a simple creak free life

It's extremely unlikely that a craft framebuilder has the kit to machine a BB30 shell. PF30 maybe. Not sure about shitbb86 and othersuch nonsense.

xDOMx Ignore @Amey regarding BB30 / PF30 - neither is 'shimano adapated / approved / whatever'. Both take a 30mm axle, both require adapters to work with 24mm cranks, of which there is a plethoria of options, but honestly if you want to run 24mm cranks go with BSA for an easy lyfe.

Having owned an ISP bike quite a few years ago; I would not bother with one again personally.

If you want a "cleaner" look; can you not get the builder to integrate the seatpost clamp into the frame? I.e. in the top tube or something? Then get a decent seatpost painted to match.

BSA BB FTW

Standard Ultegra standard crankset may produce the best results (by that I mean still stiff enough and with the least hassle) with a BSA.

I think I'm with you there.

Field did an ISP looking effort with my mate Takashi's build.

His is ISP style but not a seatmast (it has a narrow seatpost inside).

I may plump for that but I'm still thinking about it (clean look, etc as you say but still perhaps there are other solutions).

Unfortunately no clues about paint...

Hoping a discussion with their design chap will change that over time...

Hoping for it to be complete for the autumn season in Japan.

It's an incredibly beautiful time of year, mild and also largely dry.

Nice! Whereabouts in Japan are you?

I'm planning a bit of a tour for May 16 - hoping to get in and out between golden week and the rain :)

Loosely thinking of Hiroshima > Tokyo over a couple weeks.

Good to get out here when you can. It's a beautiful and undervisited country.

I live in West Tokyo (near Meguro - more specifically near Jiyugaoka).

That's definitely doable. There are guys that rent out decent bikes here (GS Astuto is one) but not sure about touring bikes.

Sounds interesting; any pictures?

Hopefully you can see it from the linked picture below...

Also, link to the Cycleexif article on Sawa's bike is http://www.cycleexif.com/field-cycles-mint-road

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I have now had an initial geometry drawing back from Harry with some comments from him (below):

1. Tubing sizes will be: Down tube - 34.9 (oversized but not massive), Top tube 31.8, Seat tube is a 28.6 tube with an i.s.p top (Ritchey 25mm set back - Di2 battery to be fitted in the top) and 44 mm i.d head tube.
   
2. Chainstays are the flattened (and shaped a bit more by Field) Dedacciai ones.
   
3. Forks are Enve 43 rake tapered either 1.5” or 1 1/4” (thinking 1 1/4” as they look better with a 44 i.d head tube).
   
4. Stem is an Enve (he has stated that it is 90mm long as the 120mm is too long for the saddle tip - handlebar reach, N.B. there are 3mm of spacers under the stem at present).
   
5. Seatpost top is a Ritchey one with a 25mm set back with a Fabric ALM in the middle of the rails at the correct setback with a seat tube angle of 74.5.
   
6. He will make sure 28mm tyres fit in there (for any (very slight) off roading).
   
   

My thoughts are that it is a good starting point. I'm not entirely convinced on the 90mm stem point though - surely the geometry can be altered to allow for more stem and, accordingly, a little less potential twitchiness?

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90mm? Well the frame is quite small :)