non-fixie 

I haven't been posting any new projects for a while because, well, I haven't got any.

I mean, there's lots to do of course, but I am in the doldrums when it comes to new, inspiring build ideas.

Tonight something came up as I was wandering around and looking at my stuff.

A his & hers project.

Last year, I bought a Snel Expedition for some of its parts. I used the parts in question (wheels, crankset) on my then current project, and the frame ended up in the corner of my study.



I realized it was mrs non-fixie's size, but she was set on a step-through bike and I had just built her a very nice one, so in the corner it stayed.

Since it was in my study, I looked at that frame almost daily and began to like it.

And when another Snel Expedition popped up for sale this summer in my size, I decided to buy that as well.



So, now I've got one for each of us, and the obvious - and corny - thing to do would be to build them both up and go touring.

Right?

juvela

-----

His -

those can't be your saddle and stem settings

you would need to wear some serious platform shoes to reach the pedals from that perch

love the seat stays from Troy

take it that boss on backside of seat tube is for a control of a bottom bracket dynamo

how does read the white/blue/black diamond shaped transfer on seat tube? i prolly asked last time too but have forgotten answer. (elderly)

cantis on anterior side of seat stays is a mounting one does not see ever'dae

good to see our olde ami Monsieur Prugnat 62/d is present...

the BIG question is "will non-fixie be able to convince Mrs. non-fixie to ride a gents?"

-----

squirtdad

The only question is where to go on the tour.....add some fun my making it fun location.

Velo Mule

I think you don't need to do much to these bikes. I saw her Mercier, in your link above. I I were her, I would question why there is even a need for another bike. Does she want a bike with a level top tube? If she does, I think you should let her figure out how she would want the bike.

Perhaps this would be her around town bike with upright handlebars, a nice comfy seat and a basket on the front.

I know it fun to solicit ideas at the start of a project, however, I think you are asking the wrong people.

merziac

non-fixie

Absolutely, get on it!

If you're in the doldrums, most of the rest of us are toast.

merziac

Or the perfect people or enabling/hack motivation.

RiddleOfSteel

Well, shoot. Reverse-mounted rear canti brakes??? I've seen (most of) it all now. I'm fighting the doldrums at present, mainly due to months of no one wanting 63cm+ sized bikes, no matter how good a deal. Looks like I'll be adding to the CL ad list soon as I've finally sorted another build in my head. Another project (component swap) has more or less finalized in my mind, so that is the next to tackle.

CMAW 

Wouldn't be corny even if you decided to wear the exact same clothes. Excellent idea actually, loaded touring is lots of fun, plus, the mrs gets to learn to play the banjo.

non-fixie 

The previous owner of the red Snel is a bit taller than me. At the correct height for me, there is the obligatory fistful of seatpost beneath the saddle:



BTW, this is not the tallest Snel ever made. Not even close. This one has an 78.5 cm frame. Note the quadruple seat stays:



WRT the boss on the seat stay: correct. This system was quite popular on higher end touring bikes BITD. Van Tuyl and Koga-Miyata used it as well. I have one installed on my Van Tuyl:



The seat tube transfer:



It is a simplified version of the Snel head tube transfer:



The head tube of the black frame is so short, that there wasn't any room for anything else than a small badge. There are some other interesting compromises as well:



And yes, mrs non-fixie is perfectly capable of riding "a gents". This Brands has long been her favorite bike:

non-fixie 

Good question. We usually spend our cycling vacations in France or Italy, but this case starting from home and just seeing where the wind takes us might be an interesting and properly adventurous alternative.

With the prevailing winds here, we'd most probably end up in Poland.

non-fixie 

Of course she doesn't need another bike.

One doesn't get to be mrs non-fixie without the proper n+1 inclination. Over the past couple of years I've spent more time on building her bikes than on mine. After the Mercier came these two, which will be her main points of reference for the next bike.

Her De Vos, in Eroica Limburg guise:



And her Méral, as she rode it at L'Eroica in Gaiole:

non-fixie 

Yes it would.




Now, there's an idea!

Love that picture, BTW.

Wildwood 

Before your efforts, consider the path.
His/Hers bikes.
Matchy/matchy outfits.
Always asked to pose together.
I hate to think what else? Drink the same beer?

Be sure you are resolved. It could lead to a total repaint on one of the bikes - to match the other.
Are you committed to a life together as "The Snels"?

non-fixie 

The proper Dutch plural would be "de Snellen", which translates as "the quick ones". Hmm ... that doesn't sound too bad, does it?.

Wildwood 

I tried to translate Snel - no equivalent english.
"the quick ones", huh.
Are you pulling my single language leg?
You sound a bit delusional -
Therefore, proceed with the matching.

Wildwood 

Michelle meets Mr. V Noir.

I mean, who in their right mind would do a his/hers, same bike brand, winter project?

non-fixie 

OK, so I got it wrong. It should have been "the fast ones" , according to Google:




Nice set! Does mrs Wildwood ride the Michelle?

Wildwood 

Mrs Wildwood hasn't touched a bike in 25 years, and barely any of her 3 during our first 10years together. So this time I acquired a frameset size that might fit us both with a switcheroo or two. Besides, when she scoffs, I can substitute light tubulars, slam a stem and have the city 'sleeper bike' to hang with and still impress the 50yo guys.

Apologies, I used a German translator and it wasn't googly.
edit: Should have used 'Dutch' = quickly, swiftly.
To qualify for your 2-some Snel moniker (as 'fast'), may i suggest a tandem? I have a very nice, custom, low mileage (no, make that Garage Queen), 1990s tandem to offer for your consideration.

Another advantage of trying the Michelle for me = at ~70yo if I like the mixte, I could justify the slow search for a 'lightweight' 531 mixte in size XL. I intend to be riding vintage steel at 80+.

juvela

-----

wonder if I am the only one...

ever' time see or hear this name think of all those WWII movies where the POW kamp guard shouts -

"Raus machen! Snel, Snel!"


-----

non-fixie 

Thanks, but as you may recall, we already have a 'red sled'. We don't ride it as much as we should, but when we do we are faster than when riding separate bikes. Made by Snel's traditional competitor in the Dutch made-to-measure touring bike market, BTW, Vittorio:

Wildwood 

CoMotion, Ultegra9, stoker suspension and great range of adjustability. Phil hubs/BBs. Only tweak on frame was to HTA 1/2° slack.
Ghosted decals. And yes, called The Red Sled.



afterthought: have we had this exchange of red in the past? Deja bici vous?

non-fixie 

Deja bici nous!

juvela

-----

It's obvious there "herr" is sad because he has just realized that he forgot his headband and scarf...and they are of course many kms from home...

-----

non-fixie 

Thanks for the comments, guys. Much appreciated.

I have had a talk with mrs non-fixie, and the bullet is through the church, as the Dunglish saying goes. I will build the black Snel into something that should resemble a nice touring bike with drop bars.

I started by spending the better part of the evening searching for an appropriate crankset. I finally managed to cobble something together from the boxes marked "5 vis" (50T and 28T rings) and "miscelaneous" (Viscount cranks - I think).

non-fixie 

I managed to find a few days after Christmas to build a first version of the black Snel.

Since it is supposed to be a test mule for mrs non-fixie to try out various drop bars and brake levers and see if she likes this frame, I didn't want to spend too much time on the aesthetics yet, but OTOH the overall riding experience needs to be nice enough for the project to be successful.

So here is version 1.0. The short stem en Sakae RANDNNER (sic) bars came with the bike, and I added the Ergo levers, hoping she might find them comfortable and easy to use. The Brooks B17s is her favorite saddle and I whacked a few big dents out of an old pair of aluminum fenders and mounted those to complete the picture.

The front fender needs a couple of extra spacers beneath the fork crown to get it a little closer to the wheel:



The cockpit, built for comfort:



If nothing else it should at least roll really nicely: