The Golden Boy 

BTW I'm looking forward to hearing how the SunXCD stuff works for you. I'm not overly fond of the old TA look on the cranks- but it does look classy. The hubs are the big draw for me. They're really pretty.

There's a whole lot to like about this build!

AustinFitz

Wow That is one gorgeous rig! Very classy.

tarwheel 

Very nice! I bought my Bob Jackson World Tour in 2009 and I've ridden about 16,000 miles on it since then, mostly commuting. Mine came directly from the factory, "off the peg." My favorite bike, however, is my Waterford sport touring model, which has a color scheme very similar to the OP's Bob.

Salamandrine 

Awesome bike Chewy. We need many many more pictures. I love the SunXCD components, and glad you were OCD enough to get a matching front QR. That Nitto craft stem is pretty awesome too. A steel stem is probably a good choice for a big dude.

Are you noticing any extra comfort level with the curly stays? I could never really tell if old Hetchins were more comfortable or not, but I never rode one further than a couple blocks.

Another week another new Bob...

steelbikeguy

Cool bike, and so many great details!

As a guy with a Hetchins built by Bob Jackson, I appreciate the curly stays and crazy-ornate lugs! Not functional, but fun to look at.
The chromed head lugs and fork crown are an extra level of extravagance and fun which my Hetchins doesn't have. Very nice.

The Nitto stem reminds me of the old Cinelli's with their badge. A nice bit of eye candy to look at while riding (just try to not sweat on it!).

I like the SunXCD cranks too... or at least like them in principle. My Hetchins might need some lower gears than the Campy Record cranks can offer, and I've been thinking about picking up the SunXCD and implementing a compact crank like yours. It's a nice way to get lower gears with a classic style that looks right.


Steve in Peoria

romperrr 

Really stunning build and a joy to notice all the meticulous details. Awesome, awesome job.

Salamandrine 

BTW what is the story of the cats on the Nitto craft stem? Are they supposed to be cougars? Cheetahs that ran so fast the spots came off?

Wildwood 

Advice from Portland, OR?
You did a great job detailing that beauty.
May it bring you Tailwinds Forever.


I need a dynohub for next build.

Bianchigirll 

That is beautiful! Makes me really miss my Hetchins

Wildwood 

How bout a better pic of just that rear triangle? Worthy.

chewybrian 

Thanks. I think the Sun stuff is working great at this point. The shifting is crisp with the index bar ends, and the hub has that wonderful sound like a new Dura Ace would make. I guess time will tell. The Paul canti brakes are really doing their job as well. Props to Pete at the bike shop for setting and adjusting everything correctly.

Yeah, with a 48 handlebar, I guess I could get a lot of leverage on the stem. I just chose the Craft stem because it is sharp, but not so fancy that it is too much, with all the lug work.

I don't have a deep basis for comparison on the stays. This bike is very comfy, which I think is mostly because it is a proper fit for me. No numb hands or sore back or anything on this one. I think the real reason for the curl is this:

"...In the early days of cycle racing, amateur status was taken so seriously that a frame builder was not even allowed to 'advertise' his name on the bikes ridden; frames for amateur competition therefore bore no transfers identifying the maker. Unorthodox frame designs were allowed, however, and some frame builders used unorthodox designs to identify their bikes, if not for functional reasons. This explains the curly track bikes ridden by a number of successful riders in the 1930s...."

Hetchins curly stays, vibrant stays, hellenic stays

P.S. I imagine I will get some better pictures when time allows and the sun is out.

chewybrian 

You are right about brand/model of the mirror and the levers. I am really big on having a mirror, and this is the best I found to work with road bars when the ends are occupied with the shifters. It is not cheap, and takes some effort to get it set where you need it, but it does the job after it is set up. It even works on bad roads, and the mirrycle is the only other one I've seen do that.

For the crank rings, I did consider the Sun xcd's and the Rene Herse. I like all of them. But I went with the TA's to tone things down a bit. It is a fine line between a bit of flash and too far over the top, like a woman wearing making; less is more sometimes.



If I had one of those minimalist rando frames, with no lugs and one color, I would have gone for the Herse rings for sure.

Question--Does anyone know where to get one of those dealies to stop the chain from dropping off the small ring, and here's the catch, that will work with the 28 small ring? The bike shop had one for 38's but it won't do any good with the rando size ring.

Salamandrine 

TA were always the most beautiful cranksets to me, and the SunXCD is like a deluxe version of one. I actually kind of prefer TA to the Herse aesthetically, though I think both look great. Certainly for this bike Herse cranks would have been too much.


AFA the chain catcher, shouldn't be too difficult. Try here.
Road Clamp-on Chain Catcher - K-EDGE

K-Edge

N gear

chewybrian 

I could make the clamp on style work, but it may look out of place. I am not sure the diameter of 631 is a match, either. I should have specified a braze on style in all silver if possible. You gave me a spot to start looking, anyway.

Salamandrine 

I'd assume that seat tube is 28.6, but measure first. Probably about 28.9 with paint.

FWIW braze ons in the wrong place are something that happens. I'd rather have non braze on, but it's true it would look cleaner to only have one mounting band. How are your sculpting skills? You could attack one of those with files and emory until it vaguely looked like a vintage derailleur clamp.

daf1009

One word...


JEALOUS!

The Golden Boy 

Please don't take my comment to mean I don't like your bike or the choices you made with it- I totally do!

I am thinking about getting TA rings for a 110/74 crankset- I think they are sufficiently "classic!"

chewybrian 

No, it's nothing like that. I was agreeing with you, and I do prefer the Herse rings in the abstract. For this bike, I just thought they might be too much, like using a lugged stem when I already had all the fancy lugs.