Workshop goings on

Funny old things, bikes. My taste in them has somewhat changed over the years but i feel like i've finally got to a point where i know what i like, and why i like it. And then i buy something I wasn't expecting to buy, and it all starts again.

As of today i have 4 bikes to my name, sort of. For a bike mechanic & shop owner i feel this is a low number, but i may be wrong. It's certainly the fewest i've had on the go for sometime though.

I like city riding, audaxing, commuting (when i can be arsed), triathlon (pre-covid of course) and some light touring. My current bikes do somewhat cater for these but not totally. I have an audax friendly Genesis equilibrium, a commuter friendly Genesis flyer, a no-name fixed gear titanium frame, and a box of steel tubes that i'm currently teaching myself to glue together to make something else.

I'm constantly tinkering with these bikes so i think a projects thread is in order.

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The flyer was a forum buy. My commute is 40km from Barry Island to Cardiff and back, and this is perfect. It's not caused me too many issues of late, but both rims need replacing when i have time. I bought a pair of Ryde tubeless rims to do it and then sold them to a customer instead. I'm pretty sure the front wheel will die spectacularly at some point as the join is right on the piss, but i've been putting it off for the past 3 months. Cobblers boots and all that.

Treat yourself to some new tyres, please, no one deserves marathons :(

Come do a week on south Wales roads, it might change your mind.

This Genesis is pissing me off lately. It's hardly given me any problems since i built it but the front dynamo light has suddenly stopped working. One of the rear cable connectors has snapped so that needs repairing, but now the main light wont run. Top ride though, i like it a lot.

Equilibrium ti

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I've done 5 days in Brecon Beacons, but I still wouldn't ride marathons ;)

Eyy I also commute on a flyer with a carradice audax on the back! But i only do 4k...

I think their positives outweigh their negatives imo. Can't be dealing with punctures on this setup. Getting the rear wheel off with the mudguard and setting the eccentric hub right is a ball ache.

It's a solid look, trend setters.

This is a recent forum acquisition. Given the weight of what's pictured at 2kg bang on (f&f, headset, BB), i think a 6.5kg build is achievable.

I'm thinking 25mm carbon rims, Mack hubs and Sapim CX-ray spokes. I've bought a Prime carbon finishing kit i fancied the look of. It came with a rotor crankset i'll be using too.

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I got this one off @bjf, very efficiently delivered and exactly what I was after, thank you Dave. By the look of his build thread he was planing on similar things.

I’ve got everything for the wheels on order. R25 UD rims from Lightbicycle.com, 20h front and 24h rear. I’ve opted for the graphene etched brake track on the front, so we will see if that’s worth it.

Deep dish carbon wheels drive me mad. I can’t see the point in sacrificing weight for aero gains, unless you’re racing indoors on the velodrome. 25mm zippy and responsive for me. 405g each according to LB

Unfortunately these probably won’t be arriving anytime before mid March.

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Mack low flange single sided track hubs with Ti bolts, in purple. There is something about Ti frames and purple anodised parts. A quick flick through the Ti bikes thread will confirm this, how very unoriginal of me.

Mack list them as 324 for the pair. This is before the Ti bolts I guess but that won’t make too much of a difference.

Built up with CX-ray’s the wheelset should come out at around 1200-1300g.
These should be here by mid February at the earliest.

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Flyer's looking good! Glad its getting some use

Thanks pal. It will be getting more use when I’m back in the shop, I really need to stop getting the train in so much.

This is on it’s way. They don’t list a specific weight but I’m guessing it will <100g based on others of similar size and alloy. I might be wrong though. 49t

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Aesthetically it’s what I’m after. Minimal branding, black anodised. They have a honeycomb structure on the backside that allegedly makes it a whole 10% stiffer than a zen chainring. Who saw that coming, we shall see. It’s coming with one of their 1/8 cogs too, 57g 17t. Very acceptable.

558g

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This one wasn’t planned in the slightest. But some bikes you just can’t say no to.

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The tricolor frame!!! Damn that’s cool. Excited to see how the ti track comes out too.

A couple more of the Welshie. It’s very light and incredibly stiff. I’m guessing that’s the reason the tt has been dropped. I’ve not seen it done like this on the headtube before. It’s 55x55 ctc, so it will fit me well.

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Yeah it’s awesome, I’m really diggin it. The ti is exciting too but I’m going to be waiting for a while for the hubs and rims to turn up. There are worse problems to have I guess.

I think the Welshie could be a Jeff Bruce. He was South Wales based and had made frames for the 94 commonwealth team. There is a chance it could be a Martrac too, based on similar 753 tt/lowpro frames knocking about.

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A forum favourite I believe and similar in man my ways.

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A couple more bits for the Ti fixed gear.

R8000 pedals -247g
Specialized toupe carbon saddle - 175g

The saddle isn't as lightweight as others, but it is very comfortable and looks cool af with an iridescent shine to it.

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