SuperLJ

Here you go. Recently did a lot of work to it. New fenders, tires, bar tape, brake hoods, chain, pedals, etc. I haven't been on a bike camping trip in a few years, but if I can work it out with my work schedule, I'm hoping to tackle the GAP and C&O next year.

bwilli88 

Beautiful bike and nice build.

Andy_K 

That came out real nice.

Spaghetti Legs 

That is very nice. I like that color. Mine came with dark gray PDW fenders but I’ve already thought of using some nice shiny metal ones. I’m already thinking of riding up to DC via Skyline and C+O to visit a friend.

Edit - I see yours also has the bottle cage mounts set pretty low. First time I’ve run across a clamp on FD straddling the bottle cage.

SuperLJ

The paint on mine is rougher than it looks in the photo. I love the color you chose. I've thought of having mine resprayed some time, and BRG or black are at the top of the list for colors. Does yours take a 130mm or 135 rear hub? Mine's 130, and I'm running a Phil Wood six-speed hub (with hardly any dish). Yes, I've often wondered about the low bottle cage mount on the seat tube. I don't know what they were thinking there, maybe more room for a frame bag?

Where are you at in Central VA? I'm over here in Williamsburg. I've done the C&O twice, but I'd really like to do the whole Pittsburgh to DC trip. Here's a photo from one of those trips 15 years or so ago for inspiration:

The Golden Boy 

Both of these bikes look fantastic! I'm always partial to blue bikes, so @SuperLJ's bike is really sweet- but I've always thought, if I were to get a "custom" bike- If it wasn't chrome, I'd want it in that creamy green. Mostly because of this:







I've really loved the canti braked Herons- my mind spins with how exorbitant you could build these up!!

Spaghetti Legs 

That’s some serious loaded touring! I like it!

I don’t know about that bottle braze on. The only steel bikes I have with clamp on FD don’t have seat tube bottle mounts. Mine had a Shimano LX rear hub when I got it, spacing about 132 mm. I’m planning 8 speed Campy triple with a Racing Triple RD, but I’ll use Ergos. Plan B is 10 speed with a compact crank.

I lived in Lynchburg for several years but moved back to Charlottesville last year.

Spaghetti Legs 

You might like this shade too:

gugie 

Natchez Hotel!

Spaghetti Legs 

If Ida known they had those wheels, Ida stopped 15 miles short and called for a ride - especially with that headwind we had.

gugie 

Had you not taken off after the lunch stop, we coulda done like this on the bike path.

Spaghetti Legs 

I was afraid to let go of Neil’s wheel.

gugie 

nlerner

Bus, thrown under.

Steve B.

I rode this Heron for about 8 years or so before checking the geometry chart one day and seeing that my model was a 57cm ETT which was the reason I always felt like it was too big. I thing it was advertised as a 56 and I didn’t think about the fact that they listed the actual TT length. Looking back at the photo, I realize how low the seat is and now go “Hello !”.

I gave this bike to my nephew (he’s 6’0”) who took it to Melbourne where he lived for 7 years. A bike shop there offered him some good money for it but he brought it back to the states when he returned. He still has it.

Mine came from from Kenwood Cycles in Ohio, since gone out of business. I replaced it with a Soma Smoothie, also a great frame, though not lugged !.

At the time of this photo it had Centaur shifters and rear derailer with Shimano hubs, Noodle bar, Technomic stem, I think a CLB post, Brooks saddle, some Mavic wheels, a Sugino crank, that canvas bag thing that Rivendell sold. I was big on the Rivendell philosophy at the time.

nlerner

Well, the way I remember it, Jim, Hugh, and I had ourselves a nice little pace line into the wind heading to Natches. Everyone now and then, someone would say, "Where's Mark?"

Of course, I did break off to go buy cherries and apples.

SuperLJ

That photo on the C&O was from a trip I did with my son when he was 14. Just three days, but I had to carry all the food and camping gear for both of us.

Because of the low bottle mount there are some bottle cages that you won't be able to use because they won't clear the derailleur clamp. Also, I they must have made the rear end 132.5 on the later ones like yours so that you can use a 130 or 135mm hub. Smart!

Charlottesville is so beautiful! My daughter graduated from UVA, so we've spent a lot of time out there. If you ever get tired of all those hills, head out here to the 'Burg. Lots of good riding around here. Great backroads, and the Capitol to Capitol Trail has been a big hit.

Your build plans sound great. Can't wait to see the finished product!

Spaghetti Legs 

One of the longer, slower builds I've ever done but maybe that's appropriate considering the intended use of this bike. Campy 8 speed group with Racing Triple RD. My willow triplized Campy crank wasn't working very smoothly so I sourced a nice IRD Defiant 46-30. I scavenged a 12t cog to make a 12-26 rear cluster. If the day comes (and I'm almost sure it will) when I want more climbing gear I'll probably build a Shimano rear wheel and use my Wheels Mfg spacer kit to add an 11-30 rear cluster. And Gugie will be pleased to see I got new pedals for this one.

Cierrecart1

That turned out beautiful! Nice work.

gugie 

I think all that's needed is to plan another tour!

nlerner

Very nice!

Spaghetti Legs 

You know I'm already thinking of a fall colors DC back to my house via Harper's Ferry and Skyline Drive. I might do the reverse and ride up to friend's house up there in the spring, train back home.

TenGrainBread 

Nice build.

Why is the bag floating above the rack?

79pmooney

There's a sound reason for that. Puts them further out of the sightline when riding. It's a fact, documented many times in research and medical trials that what is known has physical effects on the body and what isn't doesn't. Researchers call this "the placebo effect". You can see I practice this to advantage. On my avatar, you can see a pair of sandals in the under the DT bottle cage. In that picture I am climbing a 14+% stretch of a two mile grade in a 42-17 gear. I made it and that dead weight I was carrying never crossed my mind. (Added benefit - when you rock the bike climbing, weight that low and centered has zero effect on the bike's rocking inertia. Those bottles are so close to the ground, they barely move on the wildest of bike swings. Believe me, I was rocking!! By contrast, TTers get the visual benefit but not the "feel" benefit putting the bottles behind the seat. Not an issue if they never stand.

Ben

gugie 

I loaned Hugh my Gilles Bertoud GB28 (large) for the Magical Mystery Tour, the decaleur (my design) and bag fit just right. He found a lightly used GB25 (medium) handlebar bag for a great price. If you look closely, there's about a 28-25=3cm gap at the bottom. I've already contacted him about swapping that decaleur for one that droops down 3cm to match his bag height. Here's an example:

BFisher

That crank does look nice on there.

All of the pictures I've seen of bikes shot by Groody Bros. indicate really nice work, and this one's no exception.