I'm not sure if this is the right section of the forum for this post, so my apologies in advance.
I had thought a long time about a custom frame for a special birthday present for my wife. It was of great interest, a huge amount of learning for me that reinforced how little I knew about the great skills involved in frame building.
I realised that 26 inch wheels were correct for sizing. The basic aesthetic idea was for a performance frame with a horizontal top tube, mudguards/ fenders, and a fork that had a fine crown and a low (French) bend. We knew that one of the finest frame builders, with varied & extensive experience, was in the area.
Here is the finished article: it's a part fillet brazed, part lugged (the engraved bottom bracked) Reynolds 853 frame. The seat angle is 74 degress, the head angle 70 degrees. The fork, I believe, is Columbus with tell tale spiralling in the steerer.
Some of the detailing is just beautiful: the cut out from the stainless steel head badge has been silver soldered to the seat tube, the fork crown & curve, that seat cluster finishing with the sleeve & stainless steel top eyes. My wife's initials, hand cut in stainless steel appear on the top of the fork crown. A fascinating anecdote - it is Bill Hurlow's fork bending machine used to produce this fork.
Our many thanks & appreciation to Winston Vaz for the exquisite frame.
We also said thanks to Mario Vaz for the custom paint, to JRA providing a very light wheelset and Herbert Cycles for the great build: 26 inch wheels, a 26/40 double chain set running 10 speed Campagnolo. Velo Orange Grand Cru calipers stop the bike fantastically well. With Berthoud saddle & stainless steel mudguards, plus some Nitto finishing kit.
This was a happy labour of love, over a few years of planning, saving and finding the right parts: couldn't have asked for more with the end result; how well proportioned the bike turned out (it looks in real life as if it's been shrunk) & how well it performs.
I hope this may be of interest and inspiration to fellow Bike Forum readers. Any comments and insights are welcomed.
Thanks,
Tom