johnnyace 

The saddle: Ideale Diagonale 92, purchased from a Paris, France seller on ebay...

The Golden Boy 

What is this project you've got going on?

Wildwood 

Obviously a French project.

The Golden Boy 

It could be a French Randonneur project. Possibly a bike.

This is just the first part.

Aubergine 

johnnyace 

For a while now I have been thinking of building an allroad/randonneur/everybike that most suits my riding style, taste, and needs. I soon realized that I would need to do this part-by-part, and I wanted to do it with a new, modern steel frame (this is a big deal, because I rarely buy anything new). I feel like I owe it to myself, as a life-long cyclist, to build up what I want, from scratch. I've never really done this before.

My biggest decision at the moment is of course, the frame(set). Do I go production, or do I go custom? Part of me believes I'm being incredibly indulgent in thinking of a custom frame, but then part of me also goes back to that "this is what you do, and have done, your whole life; you deserve this!" There are some good frames that kinda toe the line between production/custom, like the tasty Norther Lyon collaboration between Norther Cycles and Jeff Lyon. For production frames, I like the Soma Grand Randonneur, Velo Orange Polyvalent, and the Cycles Toussaint Velo Routier. Other frames from Black Mountain, Twin Six, and All-City were thoughts/contenders.

I had thought that I might do a Gilles Berthoud saddle, but I saw this Ideale 92, and it just resonated with me right off, and I kept coming back to it. So I decided I had better buy it. I've had these saddles in the past, and I like them even more than the Brooks saddles I've owned. (Incidentally, the company is back in business!)

As for being a French project: not really. There will most likely be some of my favorite Japanese parts involved, too (the likes of SunXCD, Sugino, Nitto, Grand Bois, etc.). But definitely French-inspired, I suppose.

AZORCH

If you're looking for a couple of data points on frames, I've owned a Velo Routier (which I sold after about two years or less) and currently own a Jeff Lyon L'Avecaise (which I realize is not the same as the Northern collaboration.) The VR was a good introduction into 650b at a decent price, but ultimately got passed along because the ride was a little "deader" than I prefer. (A friend of mine rather liked it though, so could just be me.) The frame Jeff built for me is notably more spirited and responsive feeling. Even though I mostly use it for the same purposes you mention earlier in this thread, I still want to "want" to ride the bike, so those characteristics made a positive difference for me in comparing the two. I've been following the Northern Instagram stuff and would not hesitate to give them a strong consideration.

johnnyace 

Yes, this is great feedback, EXACTLY the stuff I like to hear about, thanks for your input! Honestly, I really am leaning toward the Norther Lyon. I know Jeff does great work, and I like supporting my home-state builders (we are fortunate to have many great ones in Oregon).

merziac

We are fortunate, not a coincidence by any stretch. We have been an epicenter for a long time. PDX was home to Jim Merz, Andy Newlands and Mark DiNucci in the 70's. They worked together and many others worked with and for them along the way. Bruce Gordon was in Eugene for 10 years during this time as well.

Norther and Lyon carrying on in fine fashion.

nlerner

Possibly out of your budget, but Corey Thompson is building some absolutely gorgeous rando bikes out of Seattle. I was luck to see a couple of his bikes and ride with him on the way to French Fender Day in the fall, and he's also a very nice guy.

johnnyace 

Oh my, yes, those are some very nice bikes. Thanks!

ryansu

You have an excellent list @johnnyace I have looked at most of those bikes with lust at one time or another, have you also considered the VO Campeur or is this a 650b build? When I was feeling a bit guilty on how much I spent building up my 87 Nishiki Cresta GT I reminded myself I built a complete vintage bike up as I wanted for the price of a new Campeur frame and a rear wheel

Have fun with your build!

johnnyace 

Yes, this will be a 650b build. However, I was looking at the Campeur a couple of years ago, before I really locked onto what I really wanted.

The Golden Boy 

I went through this last year. I had designs on getting a very specific frame- I went on an acquisition spree- got a load of parts- and then I couldn't get the frame I wanted. And then I pissed all the money away that I had for the frame... I've got most everything I need to rebuild a bike- and it'll be an effing glorious build- but it'll be bittersweet because it's not what I wanted.

johnnyace 

So, what was it you wanted then? And what do you want now? Part of what I go through is resisting the urge to compromise for something lesser, out of sheer impatience, I suppose. I've owned, and sold, a lot of very nice bikes, but none of them have ever been that one that is "just right" because I have carefully thought out and considered every aspect of what I need and want, as an experienced, life-long cyclist. I'm kind of a minimalist, and so I don't really collect bikes, "one for every occasion," N+1 and all that. I just want one REALLY GOOD bike that covers all my riding.

The Golden Boy 

I'll send you a PM, rather than dredge up a **** storm in your thread.

shrtdstncrdr

Man, this is exactly what I've been consciously trying to do with my rediscovered love of riding. Trying not to collect. I've had too many... collections and find they eventually own you, not the other way around. Instruments, vehicles, weapons, German 1800s literature.. I decided the bikes I have are enough. And good enough.

gomango

Very nice.

Remind me of Cohos.

I went through a similar process as the op and I ended up with a used Weigle frameset from a forum member on Paceline.

It was somewhat reasonably priced and is very pretty.

If I were to order a new frameset I would definitely check out Brian Chapman, Curt Goodrich, Mitch Pryor/MAP or Eric Estlund at Winter.

Check out Brian's handiwork:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/chapmancycles/

FWIW I ride with a fellow that has a Lyon. He likes it quite a bit.

gugie 

Lots of good choices out there. The Norther Lyon is basically a L’avecaise, but Norther does all the braze-ons. Jeff almost always has a backlog, this alllows him to do batches, and Norther does the braze-ons custom to the customer request, as well as custom racks, which can't be done in batch mode.

ThermionicScott 

Subscribed! I feel like this sort of thing is the quintessence of C&V: having a vision for a bike, carefully considering the frame and parts and how they'll all work together, building it up, making mistakes, needing to solve problems and possibly change course along the way, then ending up with a final product that (hopefully) makes you happy.

I figure that there are two main reasons to go with a custom frame: 1) there is something you want that is just not available in production frames, or 2) there is a frame-builder you really want to support. I'd be interested to know more of thought process, if that's not prying or getting ahead of your plans to reveal it.

noglider 

Very nice vision, and I love that saddle, too.

merziac

I would encourage you to also check out Bantam as well, Bob knows exactly what he is doing.

bantam bicycle works

johnnyace 

As I continue to narrow in on my bicycling needs/desires, a couple of new contenders have jumped to the forefront:

Crust Bombora:
https://crustbikes.com/products/bombora/

Elephant National Forest Explorer:
stock

A couple of nice builds of these:

The Golden Boy 

I like the “lugs” or “end of tube thingys” on the Elephant. Not so much the monostay and to a lesser extent, the welding. (That’s something *I* need to get over)

fliplap

It's weird that Elephant still shows the lugged crown NFE fork, even it comes with a unicrown fork now, and says so further down in the description.