Veloria

I am starting this thread to shamelessly show off my custom mixte. The frame was built by Royal H. Cycles in Somerville, MA using both new and NOS lugs and tubing. I have a very detailed review of this bicycle here if you are interested, but I will add a few more tidbits of info to go with the pictures.



The bicycle was inspired by early Rene Herse mixtes, and I played an active role in what the frame looks like. The builder's studio is close to where I live and he is a very nice guy, so I was able to go there and have a look at all the lugs and tubing and braze-ons as they were being selected and put together - it was fantastic.



Some of the lugs and tubing were NOS. For instance, the mixte headtube lugs are no longer made, so we were lucky to find vintage ones.



One very unusual thing the framebuilder did is shown here. As far as we know, no other mixte with this construction exists. Can you tell?



The framebuilder also suggested the "bullet" style capped stays, which I find oddly fitting with the overall feel of the bike.



Custom color liquid paint by Circle A in Providence, RI. The frame colour is like a dusty seafoam green. The lug outlining and insignia are a coppery-gold. And yes, the cable housing is gold (Jagwire "Gold Medal").



Everything interacts beautifully.



Braze-ons for everything imaginable, as well as routing for the headlight on the inside of the fork.



I have the build description here, and let's just say it's VO-heavy - except for the crankset, which is Sugino Alpina.



But okay, I better stop now! I am only allowed 10 images in a post apparently. What do you think, is it C&V enough? I did not want to make it overly "vintagey", so it does have quite a few modern touches. But overall, people still mistake it for a vintage constructeur at first glance!

ScottRyder 

May I be the first to say "wow"

Scott

Bianchigirll 

that is absolutely beautiful. I think you just raised the bar for Mixtes on the forum

theschwinnman

Sweet. I'm not usually one much for mixtes but that, that my friend, it a very nice machine.

sauze

I drooled all over it in the mixte thread , but I'll continue here. Stunning.

Roger M 

Very pretty bike. Almost too nice to ride..

Kudos to the builder

nlerner

That's gorgeous! Happy riding, Veloria.

Neal

Veloria

Nah. It's too comfortable not to ride. Though I will hang her up for the winter once the snow and sleet start.

For anyone interested I've also just posted a side by side comparison between this bike and the Rivendell Betty Foy. I am often asked how the two are different, since the Rivendell is one of the few modern lugged mixtes people can use as a point of reference. I wish there was a way to try a VO mixte as well, but short of buying one just for the heck of it I have no opportunity.

Chris Pringle

I just can't get enough! I followed the building of it in your blog but had not seen the final results. Just an amazingly beautiful bike! Hope it gives you many decades of great riding. That bike is for sure an instant family heirloom.

Zaphod Beeblebrox 

I love the dropout lug work.

Veloria

Chris - Your panniers! Wow.

LeicaLad 

I also followed the building of this bike in your blog. It is simply fabulous.

The frame-maker should get better headline status for this work. It is simply outstanding work.

Thanks again for yet more photos.

AZORCH

This bike is so wonderful!

alicestrong

Wow!

*falls over*

Veloria

Bryan Hollingsworth is a young builder for Seven Cycles (see here) working on (of all things!) carbon fiber frames. He had been making lugged steel frames on the side for his own amusement, but only began officially doing it as a business just about a year and a half ago. Since that time he has picked up business rapidly and I hope we continue to see great things from him in future.

Roll-Monroe-Co

Are you the same person who complained that I had taunted you with a picture of someone else's BSA chainguard?

Bloody hell, that's a beautiful bike, V.

snarkypup

Only mixte I've seen that I want, though I'm not a huge sea-foam green gal (once lived next to a hospital painted that exact color for four years. Just too much ). I'd sacrifice myself and ride that bike though!

Very beautiful. You really outdid yourself, and that's saying a lot, as you've got some pretty dang sweet bikes already.

Zaphod Beeblebrox 

I came back to this thread to ogle the bike further. The only thing that I'm not a fan of is the sticker on the rim. You couldn't press me to come up with anything else on the bike I don't love though.

There's so many details that are thought of. The cable ends have gold crimps Some snazzy valve stem caps would be cool.

I like the super modern RD as well. Its very minimal and doesn't distract too much attention from that gorgeous lugwork at the tail end. mmmmmm!

Thumpic

absolutely beautiful...........

RoboIsGod

Very, very nice. It's bikes like these that really inspire the work I do with mine. Although the RD is nice, I don't think it necessarily suits the build.

southpawboston

folks, i've seen this bike first-hand, and it's every bit as nice as in these photos. if it were even *close* to my size, i'd have to deal with some seriously unlawful thoughts running loose in my head, especially knowing it "lives" practically around the corner from me . thankfully it's way too small .

i think the RD is just fine; personally i think a nice polished aluminum shimano 105 or ultegra with the logo buffed off would fit the look better, but neither of those RDs can deal with the 34T cog.

531phile 

Yeah I agree. Normally modern Rear derailleurs look sorta funny on classic Mixte bikes, but all those intersecting angles near the drop out and that X shape on the rear derailleur looks cool.

auchencrow

When I saw that DR I immediately thought of this Art Deco hood ornament!



Your whole bike is truly an outstanding build, Veloria. Very tastefully done!

Chris W.

Beautiful in every way

Thanks for sharing,
Chris

Andrew F

Simply Beautiful! Something like this should stay in your family, passed down from generation to generation.