I've mentioned the doorknob problem before, right? You find a doorknob you like, so you have to build a house to go with it. Well, that's kind of the story behind my latest build. I've had a spare set of 650B wheels sitting in the garage for a few years, and they've been a constant threat to trigger another bike build, but I've been mostly successful at putting it off. Then, the most unlikely thing happened. I bought a 1973 Raleigh Professional last year that the previous owner had built as a single speed.
I had no intention of leaving it like that, but on a whim I decided to ride it to work once in this configuration. To my surprise, I found that I actually kind of liked the Velo Orange Postino handlebar. I had dabbled with various mustache bars in the past, and never found a configuration that I liked, but for some reason this one with the plain city brake levers just kind of clicked with me for a commuter bike. It was still only a half baked idea, but it's something I started kicking around in the back of my mind.
I guess at this point I should also give credit/blame to others on this site. The one person whose builds I am most aware have inspired my latest is @52telecaster. I'm not sure it's any specific build, though his Grand Record came to mind when I was thinking about it. I think he's done a few like this. A lot of other people have shown some nice builds similar to the one I'm sharing here.
So, anyway, a few months ago the idea started to take shape. I was thinking I wanted to do a 650b comfort commuter build with the Postino bars, maybe an IGH rear hub, and a generator front. The specifics ended up changing, but the basic idea was to build something that would be equal parts classy, comfortable, and practical. At the time I started planning in earnest I was thinking a Raleigh Gran Sport would be a good platform. I looked around the various sale sites and didn't find one. I know @gugie has about half of the Gran(d) Sport(s) in the Portland area, so I checked with him. He didn't have one in my size, but he did show me a nice 1978 Motobecane Grand Jubilé. I already have a 1972 Grand Record and 1975 Grand Jubilé (my 650b Gugificazione gravel bike), but if two Motobecanes are good, three must be better, right? Hence the title of this thread -- Mo' Bacon! We did a test fit with a 650B wheel, and while it didn't have quite enough clearance, it was close enough for the Bike Butcher of Portland to give it his seal of approval. A few weeks later, he made it fit.
Since then, I've been gathering parts for the build -- a Swiss-threaded bottom bracket, a Brooks Cambium saddle, Velo Oranga touring pedals, Gravel King tires, Huret clamp-on cable guides, a huge cassette and Deore LX rear derailleur that could handle it, and Microshift thumb shifters -- to go with the parts I already had on hand -- the aforementioned handlebars, brake levers, and wheels, a 26.2 Campagnolo seatpost, a Specialized flag triple crankset, Tektro R559 brakes, and an Ultegra front derailleur. Finally, last night I was able to finish the build.
I took the bike out for its inaugural ride today -- as advertised, to work and back. It was pretty much exactly as I hoped it would be -- relaxing and comfortable cruising. Best of all, on the way back home I was able to make it all the way up Col de Kaylor -- the half-mile hill up to my house which starts out with an extended 8% grade before kicking up to 14% near the top. I usually walk the steeper part. I used to be able to ride it, but recent attempts have shown that I don't have the fitness for that anymore, but with the 28x34 low gear on the Mo' Bacon got me up.
I'm not quite finished with the build. I had pictured it with an elaborate front rack that would securely carry my laptop and a small handlebar bag. It turned out that the drop from the bars to the front tire isn't enough to accommodate the laptop in the upright position I had in mind, and the cabling pretty much rules out a handlebar bag. Plan B, which will probably end up being better anyway, is a Velo Orange Porteur rack in front to hold the laptop laying flat and an Acorn saddle bag for the various other things I need to take to the office. Fed Ex says the rack will be here this weekend, and I've already got the Acorn bag.