Kent Eriksen titanium road bike
#1
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Kent Eriksen titanium road bike
Just picked up this Eriksen road bike from a local bike shop that had it for sale at a price I couldn't pass up... Honestly looks like it was ridden around the block and then stored away. I've been itching for a titanium bike lately, but just couldn't get myself to fork over that much money for a Moots or Mosaic. Let's just say I got this complete bike for less than half of what a Moots frameset would cost, plus it has full Dura Ace di2, a titanium Eriksen post, Chris King headset, and Zipp wheels. The welds are like works of art (I'll post close up pics of those later). It has the frame guides for a mechanical groupset, if I ever want to go back to that. A quick ride around the parking lot and I was sold...
Anyway, I called the good folks at Bingham Built (Brad Bingham took over for Kent Eriksen, and Kent Eriksen was the guy who started Moots) and they verified that the frame was built in December of 2011. They still had the original build sheet, geometry chart, and documentation. They were so patient with my questions even though I wasn't buying a bike from them (super sweet people). So, I went ahead and ordered the matching Built stem from them (see below) to complete the look, as they had the blue faceplate. I'll be taking off the Zipp wheels and replacing them with a set of DT Swiss PR1400 Oxic wheels I have on another bike (see below). Also, I'm swapping out the bartape for some Fizik Terra bondcush (my favorite tape ever) in the dark blue color (see pic below). I'm debating on whether I should keep the aluminum Deda bars, or if I should splurge on some carbon handlebars... Also, trying to figure out a way to cover the giant Enve decal on the fork (maybe order a custom Enve decal to cover it, in either blue, black, or metallic). Lastly, thinking of getting some titanium bottle cages (blue anodized or just plain Ti?). Otherwise, everything seems super-dialed in... Thanks for listening!
Anyway, I called the good folks at Bingham Built (Brad Bingham took over for Kent Eriksen, and Kent Eriksen was the guy who started Moots) and they verified that the frame was built in December of 2011. They still had the original build sheet, geometry chart, and documentation. They were so patient with my questions even though I wasn't buying a bike from them (super sweet people). So, I went ahead and ordered the matching Built stem from them (see below) to complete the look, as they had the blue faceplate. I'll be taking off the Zipp wheels and replacing them with a set of DT Swiss PR1400 Oxic wheels I have on another bike (see below). Also, I'm swapping out the bartape for some Fizik Terra bondcush (my favorite tape ever) in the dark blue color (see pic below). I'm debating on whether I should keep the aluminum Deda bars, or if I should splurge on some carbon handlebars... Also, trying to figure out a way to cover the giant Enve decal on the fork (maybe order a custom Enve decal to cover it, in either blue, black, or metallic). Lastly, thinking of getting some titanium bottle cages (blue anodized or just plain Ti?). Otherwise, everything seems super-dialed in... Thanks for listening!
#2
Senior Member
THAT is a beautiful bike!
Welcome to the Ti club. Maybe I should upgrade to Di2 also.....
Welcome to the Ti club. Maybe I should upgrade to Di2 also.....
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#3
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Nice!!!
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#4
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Very nice! CF handlebar, of course.
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#5
should be more popular
I don't even know why I have an opinion on this, but I think the bottle cages should be plain Ti and not blue anodized. In my opinion, that would take it from blue accentuated to gaudy. And I would definitely go for compact bars, whatever material. With a matte black painted fork, that should look very clean on those other wheels. Nice bike.
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#6
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That bike definitely needs some King Cages.
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#7
Steel is real
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Congratulations
#8
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TI cages would be right on.
I would ride as is but if you need more reach then CA or TI stem and maybe upgrade bars.
Enjoy!
PS: Id be interested in any of the take off, like the Zipp wheels
I would ride as is but if you need more reach then CA or TI stem and maybe upgrade bars.
Enjoy!
PS: Id be interested in any of the take off, like the Zipp wheels
#9
don't try this at home.
Score! I imagine you are limited on tire width on a frame of that era. Otherwise, perfect.
Stainless steel cages look great on my Ti bike. The metal color is "close enough" to Ti. They are inexpensive and extremely functional. The springy steel grips bottles, and doesn't mark them up. I can slam a bottle back into the cage without looking.
I see you have the K-edge Di2 junction box holder. So much better than the annoying Di2 stem strap. To organize the junction box wires, I use small wraps of self adhering "repair" tape -- silicone tape that only sticks to itself -- no adhesive to get messy.
Color themes
I know a rider that has a theme color -- jerseys, tape, bike details, etc. But the different shades of that color often clash.
There's a local rider with an old Eriksen that has color accents like your photo -- it looks great. Subtle.
Stainless steel cages look great on my Ti bike. The metal color is "close enough" to Ti. They are inexpensive and extremely functional. The springy steel grips bottles, and doesn't mark them up. I can slam a bottle back into the cage without looking.
I see you have the K-edge Di2 junction box holder. So much better than the annoying Di2 stem strap. To organize the junction box wires, I use small wraps of self adhering "repair" tape -- silicone tape that only sticks to itself -- no adhesive to get messy.
Color themes
I know a rider that has a theme color -- jerseys, tape, bike details, etc. But the different shades of that color often clash.
There's a local rider with an old Eriksen that has color accents like your photo -- it looks great. Subtle.
Last edited by rm -rf; 10-07-23 at 07:18 AM.
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#10
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Welcome to the Titanium Club!!! "Once you to Titanium, there's nothing better for your cranium!"
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#11
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I don't even know why I have an opinion on this, but I think the bottle cages should be plain Ti and not blue anodized. In my opinion, that would take it from blue accentuated to gaudy. And I would definitely go for compact bars, whatever material. With a matte black painted fork, that should look very clean on those other wheels. Nice bike.
#12
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Score! I imagine you are limited on tire width on a frame of that era. Otherwise, perfect.
Stainless steel cages look great on my Ti bike. The metal color is "close enough" to Ti. They are inexpensive and extremely functional. The springy steel grips bottles, and doesn't mark them up. I can slam a bottle back into the cage without looking.
I see you have the K-edge Di2 junction box holder. So much better than the annoying Di2 stem strap. To organize the junction box wires, I use small wraps of self adhering "repair" tape -- silicone tape that only sticks to itself -- no adhesive to get messy.
Color themes
I know a rider that has a theme color -- jerseys, tape, bike details, etc. But the different shades of that color often clash.
There's a local rider with an old Eriksen that has color accents like your photo -- it looks great. Subtle.
Stainless steel cages look great on my Ti bike. The metal color is "close enough" to Ti. They are inexpensive and extremely functional. The springy steel grips bottles, and doesn't mark them up. I can slam a bottle back into the cage without looking.
I see you have the K-edge Di2 junction box holder. So much better than the annoying Di2 stem strap. To organize the junction box wires, I use small wraps of self adhering "repair" tape -- silicone tape that only sticks to itself -- no adhesive to get messy.
Color themes
I know a rider that has a theme color -- jerseys, tape, bike details, etc. But the different shades of that color often clash.
There's a local rider with an old Eriksen that has color accents like your photo -- it looks great. Subtle.
#13
Clark W. Griswold
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Looking good, my Ti road bike is also Ti and Blue and fantastic! You will be quite happy with this one Kent did some great work.
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#17
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#18
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Here is another photo... What would you guys do with the fork? The bright white Enve decal (under clearcoat) is bugging me. IMO, it takes away from the looks of the bike. I'm trying to see if I can get a black Enve decal to cover it up. Otherwise, I'd have to have the clearcoat on the fork stripped. At that point, I could just leave it black or have the fork painted. Would a blue fork be overkill? I've seen forks painted to match the titanium, which looks pretty nice too...
#19
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Here is another photo... What would you guys do with the fork? The bright white Enve decal (under clearcoat) is bugging me. IMO, it takes away from the looks of the bike. I'm trying to see if I can get a black Enve decal to cover it up. Otherwise, I'd have to have the clearcoat on the fork stripped. At that point, I could just leave it black or have the fork painted. Would a blue fork be overkill? I've seen forks painted to match the titanium, which looks pretty nice too...
#20
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#21
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#22
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General question: why don’t they put Ti forks on Ti bikes?
#23
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Curious what the geo sheet says for HT angle and fork rake and resulting trail on this one. Maybe just the photo's angle, but that HT looks pretty steep.
They still had the original build sheet, geometry chart, and documentation. They were so patient with my questions even though I wasn't buying a bike from them (super sweet people). .. Also, trying to figure out a way to cover the giant Enve decal on the fork (maybe order a custom Enve decal to cover it, in either blue, black, or metallic). Lastly, thinking of getting some titanium bottle cages (blue anodized or just plain Ti?). Otherwise, everything seems super-dialed in... Thanks for listening!
They still had the original build sheet, geometry chart, and documentation. They were so patient with my questions even though I wasn't buying a bike from them (super sweet people). .. Also, trying to figure out a way to cover the giant Enve decal on the fork (maybe order a custom Enve decal to cover it, in either blue, black, or metallic). Lastly, thinking of getting some titanium bottle cages (blue anodized or just plain Ti?). Otherwise, everything seems super-dialed in... Thanks for listening!
#24
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Lovely frame
When I was a poor student in the early 90's I lusted for but could never afford an Eriksen hardtail MTB, and back then, as was the fashion, I would have gone mad adding colored anodised parts.
Nowadays I'm not sure that look has aged well so would probs avoid the multicolored parts now, but I agree that its hard to make ti bikes that don't look like every ti bike ever when you squint or look from afar. Grey frame and generic looking carbon fork on over 90% of them, and then mostly black tape, saddles and cranks etc, they can look a bit bland.
I'm leaning into being old and grey with my ti bike and am currently having a straight bladed full chrome Columbus Max fork made for mine, and kitting it out with shiny Campag groupset, so I'm going the shiny silver route with mine to make it look a bit different, and besides I love how Max forks ride. And have a silver saddle and pedals and tape for full grey look.
Looking forward to seeing yours built up, and show us some more close up pics of some of those welds Kent was famously meticulous over, some BB area shots please
When I was a poor student in the early 90's I lusted for but could never afford an Eriksen hardtail MTB, and back then, as was the fashion, I would have gone mad adding colored anodised parts.
Nowadays I'm not sure that look has aged well so would probs avoid the multicolored parts now, but I agree that its hard to make ti bikes that don't look like every ti bike ever when you squint or look from afar. Grey frame and generic looking carbon fork on over 90% of them, and then mostly black tape, saddles and cranks etc, they can look a bit bland.
I'm leaning into being old and grey with my ti bike and am currently having a straight bladed full chrome Columbus Max fork made for mine, and kitting it out with shiny Campag groupset, so I'm going the shiny silver route with mine to make it look a bit different, and besides I love how Max forks ride. And have a silver saddle and pedals and tape for full grey look.
Looking forward to seeing yours built up, and show us some more close up pics of some of those welds Kent was famously meticulous over, some BB area shots please
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#25
Senior Member
ok I will play
Carbon fiber is a popular material for bicycle forks due to several advantages:
1. **Lightweight**: Carbon fiber is exceptionally light, making it an ideal choice for reducing the overall weight of the bicycle. Lighter forks contribute to easier climbing.
2. **Strength**: Carbon fiber has a high strength-to-weight ratio, which means it can be very strong while remaining lightweight. This enhances the forks's durability and ability to withstand stress and impacts.
3. **Stiffness**: Carbon fiber forks can be engineered to have specific stiffness characteristics. This allows for efficient power transfer from the rider to the wheels, resulting in a more responsive and agile ride.
4. **Vibration Damping**: Carbon fiber can absorb and dampen road vibrations, providing a smoother and more comfortable ride compared to some other materials like titanium.
5. **Customization**: Carbon fiber's properties can be tailored through different layup patterns, allowing manufacturers to create forks with specific performance characteristics to suit various riding styles and preferences.
6. **Aerodynamics**: Carbon fiber forks can be designed with aerodynamics in mind, reducing air resistance and improving speed, which is particularly advantageous for competitive cycling.
Just kidding!!! Big bike doesn’t want us the enjoy the magical ride that titanium forks can impart.
Carbon fiber is a popular material for bicycle forks due to several advantages:
1. **Lightweight**: Carbon fiber is exceptionally light, making it an ideal choice for reducing the overall weight of the bicycle. Lighter forks contribute to easier climbing.
2. **Strength**: Carbon fiber has a high strength-to-weight ratio, which means it can be very strong while remaining lightweight. This enhances the forks's durability and ability to withstand stress and impacts.
3. **Stiffness**: Carbon fiber forks can be engineered to have specific stiffness characteristics. This allows for efficient power transfer from the rider to the wheels, resulting in a more responsive and agile ride.
4. **Vibration Damping**: Carbon fiber can absorb and dampen road vibrations, providing a smoother and more comfortable ride compared to some other materials like titanium.
5. **Customization**: Carbon fiber's properties can be tailored through different layup patterns, allowing manufacturers to create forks with specific performance characteristics to suit various riding styles and preferences.
6. **Aerodynamics**: Carbon fiber forks can be designed with aerodynamics in mind, reducing air resistance and improving speed, which is particularly advantageous for competitive cycling.
Just kidding!!! Big bike doesn’t want us the enjoy the magical ride that titanium forks can impart.
Last edited by Atlas Shrugged; 10-15-23 at 07:20 AM.
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