You're welcome, just trying to spread out what I've learned over the years. For what it's worth I started riding pretty seriously in 1982, first contemplated a custom frame in the 1992-1995 range, seriously tried to get one in 1995 (told "that front center is too long so we won't make it", i.e. too long from the BB to the head tube, so I gave up), then decided to give it a shot with the "budget" Tsunami Bikes in late 2009. It's a pretty solid/hefty aluminum frame (1300g), I have no need for a better frame, the fit is what makes it work, comfy with 23c tires for many hours. I'd love to have a shorter frame so that I can use a normal stem but for now I'll do with the ridiculous looking custom stem.

Custom frame is from Tsunami Bikes, actually suggested to me here on BF. Until them I was out of the price range and functionality, looking for aluminum or carbon but limited to under $1000 for the frame. Their prices aren't on the site anymore but I'm pretty sure it should be about $800 now. When I ordered my two frames, in very late 2009 and very late 2010, I was charged $650 and $750, or something like that, and it included an up charge for BB30. The second frame was also "aero" in style.

I don't know Joseph's building status right now. He's fighting cancer, has been for a bit, but he is cranking out some work anyway.

My Cannondale (52 cm System Six), which has the best front end of any bike I've ridden. It was, in 2008, the stiffest frame they had ever made, not sure if that includes the original aluminum frame. Since Cannondale is local and since some of the engineers are friends I asked one what frame I should get, based on their knowledge of my riding style and preferences (love contesting field sprints, do stupid long rides, dislike climbing). My long time friend - we've been racing 25+ years together - told me the System Six, 2008 if possible, so that's what I got. The best front end I've ever ridden, I hope to have a frame one day that has the same fork and front end rigidity. Top tube was only 53.5 cm with a slacker seat tube angle so it was way too short for me. However that's about the geometry I've been riding since the mid 80s.


First Tsunami frame, so the aforementioned 40 cm seat tube (c-c, about 44 cm to the top of the tube, modeled after a size S Giant aluminum TCR which I loved for the clearance), 56.5 effective top tube length, 75.5 seat tube angle. 40.5 cm chainstays, front end is totally normal at 73 head tube angle and 43 mm rake, which is what the Cannondale had.


Black frame, the second one. I always try to have two bikes, same set up, so I can switch from one to the other no problems. The Giants were such a set up, except one was carbon and one was aluminum. I wanted to do the same with the Tsunamis. The red frame is the formerly-orange one after getting the chainstays shortened "as much as possible" (my request) to about 39.2 cm, so about 1.3 cm shorter than before. THe black bike has 39.0 cm chainstays and they are incredible. Bike is super responsive out of the saddle, which is a huge thing for me. I also got enough weight on it in corners, which with the long front end was a problem with 40.5 cm stays. It also has good traction on super-steep wet climbs (20% or so), not that I do them that often.


Red frame with compact bars and the necessary custom stem, picture from March of this year. The drops are basically in the same spot as before, meaning just under the hoods, where I sprint. Therefore the pedal-to-drops relationship is the same. Before, in the above picture, the drops were 6 cm too high. Even after I got 15 cm drop bars they were still 3 cm too high, and the 15 cm drop bars had a funky shape so it was really only about 13 cm drop. In the linked picture the top of the compact bar is 3 cm lower than the regular one. WIth the ridiculous looking stem I'm back in my original position and I no longer have 20 year old iffy handlebars that might crack or break.


The position looks extreme but it's not. I have a bad back, I am not flexible, and I'm good on the bike for as long as I can pedal, 6-8 hours. In fact I prefer the drops once I start getting fatigued after an hour or so. The drops are easiest on my back. Picture of me where the stem is not visible so you can look at the position without any preconceived notions. Picture from a race in March of this year, I was sprinting standing up and in the picture I'm starting to sit down.