Elev12k

Hello all,

For years I enjoyed riding, sourcing and restoring quality classic mountainbikes. Than physical issues made it tougher for me to go off road. Through the years I had gradually learnt a bit of roadbikes and developed more appreciation of their heritage, attention for detail and showing of old world craftmanship. So it happened: About two years ago my focus moved a bit away from mountainbikes towards roadbikes.

Being close to the source and, probably due to my background, being able to understand the pragmatic approach quite easily, Dutch roadbikes got my special attention. Ko Zieleman from Amsterdam is one masterbuilder among many. Bicycles by Zieleman are not exactly well known to a wide public, but they do have quite a reputation among the connaisseurs. They were the frame of choice for the retired pro or the pro who slapped a brand X decal on his well riding Ko made chassis. Ko wasn't enthousiastic about sponsoring. Not single frame left his shop without being paid for.

For me it all started with this Zieleman Type Special, which got be completely refinished and rebuilt by me >>>



2 Zieleman roadbikes followed, but than there came a rare like a hen's teeth mountain creature.

The Zieleman mountainbike
A month ago I went to Amsterdam, to the old shop from Ko Zieleman. Nowadays it is a kind of very little bicycle repair shop by a family member. No idea how long it will exist this way. Anyway, there was one NOS frame left still: A mountainbike-frame. The frame was an experiment by Ko Zieleman to see whether producing mountainframes could be something for him. Few were made. It probably didn't catch on for the same reason why it didn't catch on with Colnago, Pinarello and for as far I know all the MTB attempts by traditional roadbike builders. After talking on Zieleman, nowadays cycling and 'the good old days', we opened negotiations. I were able to get my hands on the mountain creature.

You can see it is a frame by a roadbike builder. Quite much like the earliest (not the later junk) Colnago off road bikes. The Zieleman is neatly made with subtle transitions, sophisticated chainstay bridges, metal headbadge and even fluted tubing, but I am not a big fan of all the eyelets. Sure nice I could ever decide to make a more touring/randonneur orientated bike of it, but I normally use my bikes as performance bike and eyelets doesn't help performance looks. The angles look quite flat and paralel.

It has an expressive typical early 90s paintscheme. A green to purple fade on black.

The year it is built is most likely 1990.

The beast officially has no modelname, but let's call it 'Offroad Special'

Elev12k

More



Next two pics >
The fade & the flutes.

3rd pic >>
No hollow steerer used, but a cylindric part that has been machined to fit a stem and fender. Probably Ko wasn't sure about the sturdyness of a traditional hollow steerer in severe rough terrain conditions.





I started my active cycling live as mountainbiker, so this is for me a nice piece to have acquired: Zieleman & Mountainbike.

My physical is gaining. Looking forward to give it a spin on my local trail.

hal_r

A gorgeous piece of work. I love that paint job.

hal.

john89

That's one beautifully built frame. Do I see a grease fitting for the steerer?

jan nikolajsen 

I like it. Also the fork, which may be the coolest uni-crown that's not really a uni-crown!
What headset is that? And how are you going to build it up?

cudak888 

Try pump peg.

-Kurt

dedhed

Most likely a pump peg.

Elev12k

Pump peg. You go for the fridge.

Thank you all for the kind comments.

I thought I had a EDCO Competition headset in black for it ...but I haven't. Current installed is a STX. Falls a bit short in the emotion department, but with its full steel construction it is definately one I trust when hitting some severe bumps. Of an aluminum Campa Record I know it will not survive in the end.

What kit: Anyway, like with all Zieleman, high end kit. Doesn't mean it has to be of one gruppo. Anything that I have laying around, works and looks good does. Part of the pragmatic approach.

I got a couple of the Campa axles and a Centaur crankset laying around. Likely that will come on. Will do justice to its roadbike roots too. Moreover XC Pro in the equation, probably for the wheels. Am a fan of the Grease Guard feature. Shifting with Shimano mechs probably. Tough to beat. Suntour or Shimano thumbies. The final choice will probably also determine what brake system will be used ...or the other way round.

I think for the cockpit I will go with the very neat steel bar/stem combo Rody of Groovy Cycleworks built for me. It is a combo alike the Grove Hot- and Hammerhead of yesteryear. Actually I intended for another bike, but I think on this one it will look equally good if not better.

I'd hoped a Syncros Ti/honey Brooks combo for the seating, but turns out it needs a 26.8, what rules out the Syncros. Makes a TNT Ti coming in the picture, but I am not entirely happy with that. The Syncros has a more traditional, slightly more hard core appeal, while the TNT is more typical early 90s semi weight weenie tech kit.

Something along these lines, but I have not totally figured it out.

lotek 

that bike screams out for a 1990's campy mountain gruppo, centaur, or Icarus?
I love it, love the story of Ko experimenting with MTB geometry and not quite
sure about the steerer so he uses something heavy and in his mind workable.
y'all know my predilection towards Zieleman, so I won't say anything other than
if you can find one, buy it.
excellent find.
Marty