N+1 to the Nth power. My early 60th birthday dream build.
 

Bear with me for some background:

I'll turn 60 in October. I've been riding bikes much of my life. While bike riding slowed down when I started driving and riding motorcycles, I still rode some through my college years. Not much riding from 25 to 35, but I've been riding a lot since 1990.

I've gone through several bikes, mostly road bikes, but others as well. My Sears 10 speed from my mid teens was the one that really set my ideal of how a bike should look (lugged steel). I rode and loved a Bridgestone RB-1 from 1992 until it was broken (along with my leg) by a distracted driver in 2010. I was a not too dedicated follower of that bike's designer, Grant Petersen (lately of Rivendell fame).

Since then I've ridden a carbon road bike, a few rigid steel and hardtail and full suspension aluminum mountain bikes, a steel road bike that sometimes is configured as a geared commuter and sometimes as a fixed gear bike and one steel with cantis and one carbon with hydro discs cyclocross bikes that are mostly ridden on dirt and gravel roads. Given an option, I strongly prefer drop bars to flat bars, even on milder singletrack, but I do concede that flat bars give better control on technical steep and rugged singletrack.

I retired from a brain sucking corporate job in 2012 and went to working part time at the one local bike shop where I sell and work on all kinds of bikes.

I like to ride longish road rides on all kinds of roads, whether paved or not. I have very limited neck mobility which dictates a relatively high handlebar position, basically level with my saddle. I could be comfortable a couple inches lower, but I would not be able to see the road more than a few feet in front of my bike, even while riding the hoods. This has resulted in my generally choosing to ride a larger size frame with a shortish stem, often with more spacers and rise angle than I would prefer aesthetically. The best fitting bike I have ridden is my Specialized Roubaix, size 58 with a shorter and flipped up stem.

I saw some Facebook posts of bike frames being built by Nate Zukas in Augusta, GA, about 100 miles from me. I was impressed by his sense of style and the reports of the ride and handling qualities of his road and cyclocross bikes. I met him and saw some of his bikes at the Southeast Bike Expo in 2012. I followed his Flickr posts and talked to friends and friends of friends who had bought his frames. I decided I wanted him to build a frame for me, so I paid a deposit in June last year to get in his cue.

At first I wanted him to build my idea of the ultimate gravel road bike with disc brakes and room for very wide tires, like over 2". But the more I thought about it, I grew to want instead my idea of the ultimate all around road bike. Designed to fit me like a glove and to work well on all kinds of road rides; centuries, commuting, smooth roads, rough roads, dirt roads. It should be lugged steel construction. It should be able to run at least 32mm tires with fenders. Knowing that mid reach caliper brakes would handle that tire and fender requirement without the (imho) complications of disc brakes, I decided to go with Paul's lovely Racer Medium centerpull brakes and to have the frame and fork designed with the braze on posts to mount them the ideal way. Since the frame was being made close by, I decided to choose as much US made content as practical, and to opt for Georgia and Southeast made components if I could. There being no US made main drivetrain options, I chose to go with Campagnolo because I like their components and because they are extremely rare locally. I like being different.

After a few discussions, Nate established the ideal contact points and used autocad to design the frame dimensions. There were several email discussions to iron out the details. Once he began making the frame, I was able to see his progress on his Flickr page. I took the Paul brakes to him so he could use them to ideally locate the mounting posts. This gave me a chance to see the frame in a raw state. Color selection was one of the last decisions. I chose a shade of greenish blue similar to Yeti MTBs with charcoal gray as the secondary color. Nate found the particular colors and chose how to use them.

Here are a few of Nates photos during the manufacturing:

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7515/...5a9e15ae_b.jpg

[IMG]ttps://farm8.staticflickr.com/7492/16290010732_6eda9bb55b_b.jpg[/IMG]

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8617/...e438dfa8_b.jpg

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8665/...9bcdaa7b_b.jpg

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8619/...c79f998a_b.jpg

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8731/...a3527e05_b.jpg

Once I got it home, I laced the wheels and built the bike, partly at home and finally at the bike shop.

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8695/...c11b9873_b.jpg

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7622/...e6b8bbd9_b.jpg

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8692/...bca2e502_b.jpg

Once I got the bike home I went through a few rounds of testing, adjusting, retesting, readjusting...

The bike fits amazingly well. It also rides very comfortably and handles intuitively. After riding a 17lb carbon bike for a few years, it took some mental adjustment to deal with the respectable 22lb weight of the new bike.

I have ridden it on smooth roads, rough roads, a few mild dirt roads and a MUP. Flat roads and hills. It has handled all admirably and looks great in the process. I have about 150 miles on it so far and it has been joyous. BTW, her name is Belle.

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7650/...4ef4c3d0_b.jpg

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7599/...e10d682f_b.jpg

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8741/...a2ef065c_b.jpg

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7587/...b42be6e1_b.jpg

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7599/...811c8e30_b.jpg

The build spec is as follows:

[TABLE]
[TR]
[TD]frame[/TD]
[TD="class: xl63, width: 193"]Zukas Road Custom[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]fork[/TD]
[TD="class: xl63, width: 193"]Zukas Road Custom[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]shift/brake levers[/TD]
[TD="class: xl64"]Campagnolo Record[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]front derailleur[/TD]
[TD="class: xl64"]Campagnolo Record[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]rear derailleur[/TD]
[TD="class: xl64"]Campagnolo Record[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]crankset[/TD]
[TD]White Industries VBC 30/46[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]bottom bracket[/TD]
[TD="class: xl64"]Pro Max[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]cassette[/TD]
[TD="class: xl64"]Shimano Ultegra 6800 11-28[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]chain[/TD]
[TD="class: xl64"]Campagnolo Record[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]brakes[/TD]
[TD="class: xl64"]Paul Racer M mid reach caliper[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]cable hanger[/TD]
[TD="class: xl64"]Paul Funky Monkey front[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]cable carriers[/TD]
[TD="class: xl64"]Paul Moon Unit[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]seatpost[/TD]
[TD]Thomson[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]stem[/TD]
[TD="class: xl64"]Thomson[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]headset[/TD]
[TD="class: xl64"]Cane Creek 110[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]handlebars[/TD]
[TD="class: xl64"]Specialized S-Works Carbon[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]bar tape[/TD]
[TD="class: xl64"]Zipp Service Course[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]rims[/TD]
[TD="class: xl64"]Velocity A23 OC[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]hubs[/TD]
[TD="class: xl64"]White Industries T11 24/28[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]spokes[/TD]
[TD="class: xl64"]Wheelsmith DB w/brass nipples[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]tires[/TD]
[TD="class: xl64"]Specialized Roubaix Pro 30/32
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]pedals[/TD]
[TD="class: xl64"]Shimano SPD A-600[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]saddle[/TD]
[TD="class: xl64"]Brooks C17 Cambium Carved[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]frame pump[/TD]
[TD="class: xl64"]Topeak Masterblaster[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]bottle cages[/TD]
[TD="class: xl64"]King Cage stainless steel[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]qr skewers[/TD]
[TD="class: xl64"]ebay ti[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

It looks like fun times ahead. A couple years back my wife and I got to go through that same fun process as our latest tandem was being designed and built in Seattle. It's fun to deal with all those choices and compromises and then just love the bike when it comes home. Ride on!

Oh, and that's one gorgeous bike.

That bike is beautiful. And there's not another one like it in the world.

I'm envious, and happy for you that it rides as good as it looks. You look like the cat who ate the cream in those pics.

Very Nice!

ti skewers, a concession to China?

Yes. Paul makes a nice set of skewers, but they only come with an orange button presently. As soon as they offer them in silver or green I'm on it. Until then, these work and look good.

Great looking bike. :thumb:

Congratulations on the new ride and that is one heck of a looking bike.

I've been kicking the Campy component's around for over a year now, but I don't quite know if they would fit on my Roubaix. Meaning how they would look and if the Roubaix is worth it. Then I would have to do a complete build like yourself.

Yours turned out beautiful.

Have fun riding it.:thumb:

I very much like the idea of a good all-rounder with a steel frame, a relaxed geometry, and ample tire clearance. Beautiful bike!

Very cool bike! Thanks for posting the component list. Truly a custom bike and selection of components. The 46/30 with 11/28 will give you an awesome range to ride with. It's also convenient that the 11spd Shimano cassette is now compatible with Campy 11spd. The same combo is in the works on my current project. Love the design of the frame - the tall head tube with sloping top tube has a pleasing aesthetic and matches the stem angle. All very nice!

Sweeeeeet.

Love the "stick stand."

A real beauty! Congratulations!

Y'all come to Raystown in October and see it and ride with me.

BD,
Congratulations, Belle is one absolutely beautiful, well engineered bicycle. Thanks for the background report and the nice organized component list. The build is unique, and well thought out, its easy to tell you gave a lot of thought to every aspect of things. I hope you have many years and miles of enjoyment with Belle.

Bill

Thanks. That's the plan.

Nice. Very nice.

Great parts list superbly executed. Congratulations. :thumb:

Very nice! .... And the color is perfect. :thumb:

impressive, congratulations.

Beautiful bike. The color is incredible.

You're running a 10-speed Shimano cassette with Ergos, correct? Any issues?

6800 is 11speed

I can't believe I didn't weigh in on this thread. That is a sensationally good looking bike. I love that color!

Thanks for the info. I'm still in 10-speed mindset.

I love the colors, too.