Thoughts/Experience with Handsome Cycles XOXO an X0-1 homage All-Rounder
 

This isn't exactly a classic or vintage bike but they are trying to copy a well known classic the X0-1. I didn't see any threads in BF specific to this bike so I thought this was as good a place as any to start one.

Does anyone have any experience with this model or any others from Handsome. There is not a lot of information out there but what I have heard seems to be good. I can't wrench my own vintage all-rounder together myself and I can't afford a Rivendell so this seems like a pretty decent option. Any thoughts or alternate recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

Handsome Cycles XOXO
http://www.handsomecycles.com/images...muter_zoom.jpg

If they can get the ride of the original, it'll be a sweet ride at an even sweeter price.

I would love to try one of those.

Been thinking long and hard about one of these, as it would make a great all-around town/trail bike.

Was ready to order a frame last winter, but they were unavailable until recently.

I decided to go in a different direction for the same type of bike a month ago, and I don't really need two in the same niche.

BTW The XOXO frames look great in person. Not positive, but I think they are another Maxway frame.

The ironic part of this was, that I was waiting for a Rawland rSogn frame, but they only arrived in port last week.

If I was in the market I would grab one. It seems to be a fair price for a complete bike. The only review I have seen is here, and its not much of one-
http://www.allhailtheblackmarket.com...k_23.html#more

Scroll down in that blog.

I'm not sure Handsome wants that in their press release.

I just traded a few emails with the owner of Handsome Cycles and they seem pretty helpful and responsive. $1500 for a 95% assembled bike to my door is pretty tempting. I'm still on the fence though. Primarily over the 26" wheels. I've never really owned an all-rounder and am used to riding either off-road on a suspension bike or on road on a dedicated road bike. I live in the town where Rivendell is located so I am a bit partial to them but just can't justify the price. They seem to have gone away from smaller wheel sets on every bike except very small frames that are made for 650b wheels. Anyway, thanks for the feedback. If I get one I will for sure report back.

I've had my eye on it as well, but I'm still on the fence. Love what Rawland has been doing too, but I'm not interested in the 650b config of the rSogn.

I think the XOXO would be difficult to beat price-wise for a new frameset.

You don't want 650b in favor of what? 700c or 26's?

In favor of 26" wheels. I was thinking about getting the XOXO to replace an old Rockhopper that I really love, but is slightly large for me. I converted it to drop bars and was using it as a commuter with front and rear racks, and the only thing that kept me from pulling the trigger on the XOXO was the limited set of braze ons - I'd like to have a third water bottle boss, and dual eyelets at the dropouts. On the other hand, the XOXO's geometry might not be ideal to go fully-loaded.

I'm still very inclined to buy one...

My wife and I both have 650b.

She got hers because she's short. I liked it so much I got one for myself.

With large tires and a long wheelbase, they ride smoother than I thought possible.

Which is not to slight the X01 in any way, in it's time it was a fabulous bike.

I thought the price of $1499 was kind of high, until I read on and learned that that's for a complete bike! With some nicer 105 pieces, Deore RD, Nitto mustache and Ultegra bar-ends, etc, the bike is actually quite an amazing value! Darn, if only I wasn't up to my eyeballs in home renovation (and the related spending), I'd be ordering one up right now. Sounds like a perfect all-rounder bike.

if they offered a 650B option this would be very attractive.
I mean, if you were riding this in a cyclo cross race... you wouldn't really be dealing with the 'where can I find a 650B tire? I just got a flat!' issue. And if you were riding this around town cause it's ' so darn comfortable' you don't really have to worry about availability of tires. That frame is begging for a 650 wheel. Soma B-Lines would be perfect.
(still can't seem to find a price for it)
(never mind, found the price... hmmm not bad)

Well, the Handsome Devil is not a geometrically exact copy of the X0-1 like the XOXO is but it seems like a solid option that would take 650b's if desired.

One another note about the bike....I've never owned/ridden (except some Rivendell Demo rides since I live in their town) Moustache bars. Are they all that or are drops the way to go on an all-rounder like this?

There are a few threads here on mustache bars with a range of opinions both pro and con. I tried them for a while on my commuter, but didn't like them. I prefer drops, and no hand position that other bars offer is more comfortable for me than up on the top corners of drop bars. I haven't tried porteur bars yet and I think I might give them a go.

Mustache bars turned out to be less than ideal for a 30 mile trail ride:

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-J...0/cross_11.jpg

This bike looks very nice. It has a lot of nice components and features, and the design is very sensible and versatile. I, too, wonder if I'd be happy with 26" wheels, but that's because I haven't used 26" much, never on a long ride. I bet it wouldn't be a problem, really, since there are now so many excellent tires available in that size. There is probably a greater variety of tires in that size than in 700c.

The price is good, too!

Please let us know what you end up doing.

I rode some moustache bars some years back and found them... a bit unwieldy. They seemed too... large? I've settled on Velo-Orange's Porteur Bars as the most comfortable for my urban/commuter bikes (both 650B bikes). The Porteurs give a couple hand positions but feel compact but allow for an upright position too. For my light touring bike I ride Nitto Rando drops

I've talked with the guys at Handsome via email and they will set the bike up with Drop Bars and add/subtract some other bits upon my request. Pretty reasonable pricing too. I'm soo close to pulling the trigger.

I've looked at a few of them-- I am moderately well acquainted with the guys who own Handsome-- and I think they're a good effort. Build quality is, overall, better than average though on one of the frames I saw I was strenuously unimpressed with the execution of the welds. I think they decided to send that one back. Still, I'm always happy to see my local bike community peddle its influence nationwide!

So, it's been about a year but who's counting. Has anyone had a chance to try an XOXO out?

REynolds 631? I would totally buy a frame/fork. A complete bike would need to lose the 'stache. Grant Peterson was not always right. Dirt drops would be awesome.

Smallest 53cm size is still too big for me = crap.

Maybe I should email them and ask if they'll make a 48cm.

$1499 is less than a Jamis Quest, also 631. But bothered by the name and the "own a piece of history" spiel. If I wanted to own a piece of history, I would've gotten that $650 xo-1 frame on eBay.

EDIT: oops, major thread bump after a year, sorry.

Personally for a nice all rounder I think you should scourer CL for as upper end Hybrid like a Univega Via Carisma, Via montega, Trek (don't know the models well) or a Bianchi Boardwalk or Project 3 or 5. Unless you want to go full bore offroad the better hybrids will handle just about any dirt road and should mount a x38 or 40 knobby easily. The Bianchi Projects were full fledged mountain bikes and my P3 is a treat to ride off road and does great yoeman service as commuter, grocery getter or errand bike.

http://www.bikeforums.net/attachment...0&d=1346227664

You're missing the point. People won't buy it because it's a nice all-rounder ... they'll buy it because it's a duplicate of the xo-1 right down to the looks-pretty-but-swap-em handlebars, albeit with a lighter 631 frameset.

I think a lugged version would've been a better idea.

looks like they just sell the frameset now, not the full bike

$600 for a frameset seems pricy when you could easily spec a whole bike with a high quality frame from the 90s w/ that kind of $

Yes. But some people just want a new bike.

True, but xo-1s don't turn up that often, and complete ones on ebay have gone for $1200. A Pumpkin in my size sold this month for $1200, and there's another one with a $1200 bin up. No, I don't see the point either, but if I had a thick wallet I'd buy the original and not the Handsome. My thin wallet would choose a $500 Jamis Coda that I can lock up in the city without a panic attack. :)