Varonha Frameworks 853
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Varonha Frameworks 853
I'm not sure if this is the right section of the forum for this post, so my apologies in advance.
I had thought a long time about a custom frame for a special birthday present for my wife. It was of great interest, a huge amount of learning for me that reinforced how little I knew about the great skills involved in frame building.
I realised that 26 inch wheels were correct for sizing. The basic aesthetic idea was for a performance frame with a horizontal top tube, mudguards/ fenders, and a fork that had a fine crown and a low (French) bend. We knew that one of the finest frame builders, with varied & extensive experience, was in the area.
Here is the finished article: it's a part fillet brazed, part lugged (the engraved bottom bracked) Reynolds 853 frame. The seat angle is 74 degress, the head angle 70 degrees. The fork, I believe, is Columbus with tell tale spiralling in the steerer.
Some of the detailing is just beautiful: the cut out from the stainless steel head badge has been silver soldered to the seat tube, the fork crown & curve, that seat cluster finishing with the sleeve & stainless steel top eyes. My wife's initials, hand cut in stainless steel appear on the top of the fork crown. A fascinating anecdote - it is Bill Hurlow's fork bending machine used to produce this fork.
Our many thanks & appreciation to Winston Vaz for the exquisite frame.
We also said thanks to Mario Vaz for the custom paint, to JRA providing a very light wheelset and Herbert Cycles for the great build: 26 inch wheels, a 26/40 double chain set running 10 speed Campagnolo. Velo Orange Grand Cru calipers stop the bike fantastically well. With Berthoud saddle & stainless steel mudguards, plus some Nitto finishing kit.
This was a happy labour of love, over a few years of planning, saving and finding the right parts: couldn't have asked for more with the end result; how well proportioned the bike turned out (it looks in real life as if it's been shrunk) & how well it performs.
I hope this may be of interest and inspiration to fellow Bike Forum readers. Any comments and insights are welcomed.
Thanks,
Tom
I had thought a long time about a custom frame for a special birthday present for my wife. It was of great interest, a huge amount of learning for me that reinforced how little I knew about the great skills involved in frame building.
I realised that 26 inch wheels were correct for sizing. The basic aesthetic idea was for a performance frame with a horizontal top tube, mudguards/ fenders, and a fork that had a fine crown and a low (French) bend. We knew that one of the finest frame builders, with varied & extensive experience, was in the area.
Here is the finished article: it's a part fillet brazed, part lugged (the engraved bottom bracked) Reynolds 853 frame. The seat angle is 74 degress, the head angle 70 degrees. The fork, I believe, is Columbus with tell tale spiralling in the steerer.
Some of the detailing is just beautiful: the cut out from the stainless steel head badge has been silver soldered to the seat tube, the fork crown & curve, that seat cluster finishing with the sleeve & stainless steel top eyes. My wife's initials, hand cut in stainless steel appear on the top of the fork crown. A fascinating anecdote - it is Bill Hurlow's fork bending machine used to produce this fork.
Our many thanks & appreciation to Winston Vaz for the exquisite frame.
We also said thanks to Mario Vaz for the custom paint, to JRA providing a very light wheelset and Herbert Cycles for the great build: 26 inch wheels, a 26/40 double chain set running 10 speed Campagnolo. Velo Orange Grand Cru calipers stop the bike fantastically well. With Berthoud saddle & stainless steel mudguards, plus some Nitto finishing kit.
This was a happy labour of love, over a few years of planning, saving and finding the right parts: couldn't have asked for more with the end result; how well proportioned the bike turned out (it looks in real life as if it's been shrunk) & how well it performs.
I hope this may be of interest and inspiration to fellow Bike Forum readers. Any comments and insights are welcomed.
Thanks,
Tom
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Sure looks to be well done. I have a few aesthetical nit picks but that's me and my sensibilities, not yours. Andy
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#4
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Really like the fork blades. Raked just at the ends, just the way I like them. Interesting the 4 point cutout brazed to the seat tube, which looks as though it could have come from the head badge. Reminds me of the Schwinn Quality 4 point star on their head badge. Hopefully it rides as nice as it looks!
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All the replies are much appreciated. Thank you for taking time to contribute.
Yes, the star on the seat tube is the cut out taken from the head badge.
The bike rides really well - smiles on every outing & the relative lack of weight in the wheels compliment the performance of the frame.
One further photo here and a link to this extensive London Cycle Campaign article, with further information on the frame builder & the history of Roberts Cycles: https://lcc.org.uk/articles/roberts-cycles
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Thanks Tdotbikes, much appreciated.
This is the only one I can find at the moment & apologies for the very poor quality photo. More to follow when I can locate & post them.
The frame builder's Instagram has examples of the level of finishing: https://www.instagram.com/varonha_frame_works/
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#9
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Absolutely beautiful! The attention to detail is what I see in your work. How did you cut out all the lettering and head badge?
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The OP didn't make the frame. This thread really isn't in the right place, but I didn't feel like moving it. Probably would have gotten more engagement in general cycling or even in C&V
It's a beautiful frame, and I'm glad the OP posted it. I followed the builder on instagram. Not sure I ever heard of him before
It's a beautiful frame, and I'm glad the OP posted it. I followed the builder on instagram. Not sure I ever heard of him before
Last edited by unterhausen; 03-28-20 at 10:10 AM.
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#11
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My apologies, I assumed that the OP had built it. I just had a look at the Instagram link. The builder does some amazing lug work.
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Thanks for the contributions & appreciation of the frame.
As a forum novice, I did not know where this thread should have been posted: what to do - focus the thread as a birthday gift for a loved one, or the challenge of designing a small frame with a specific aesthetic & no toe overlap, or highlighting the work of one of Britain's top framebuilders?
It seemed to be a combination of all three. I'll take any advice as to the idea of moving the post to a more suitable section of Bike Forums.
The happy outcome is that the owner is over the moon delighted with the originality of the frame, and the performance of the bike has transformed her cycling.
As a forum novice, I did not know where this thread should have been posted: what to do - focus the thread as a birthday gift for a loved one, or the challenge of designing a small frame with a specific aesthetic & no toe overlap, or highlighting the work of one of Britain's top framebuilders?
It seemed to be a combination of all three. I'll take any advice as to the idea of moving the post to a more suitable section of Bike Forums.
The happy outcome is that the owner is over the moon delighted with the originality of the frame, and the performance of the bike has transformed her cycling.
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Thread moved from Framebuilders to C&V.
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Not vintage but definitely a classic. This is a beautiful bike. And yes it belongs in C&V.
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Lovely!
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