tbessie

Hi all...

For years, I've dreamed about my ultimate road bike; the light, responsive, high-end road bike of my dreams!

I'm finally thinking of getting it, and am torn about materials...

I've always ridden steel bikes; every bike I own is steel, and it's what I'm used to. More than 10 years ago, I had my local bike shop build me up a road bike with a Gunnar Sport frame and Campy Centaur parts, with a triple and a pretty wide gear range in the back, to handle all the hills we've got in the San Francisco area. After years of riding this, I realized that this bike is kind of a dual-purpose bike... a "light touring" bike that can also be used for long local rides... but not something leaning more to the "racing bike" style I now would like... something good just for long local rides, hill climbing, speedy, responsive, etc.

I originally intended on getting a custom carbon Calfee Dragonfly frame, since I'm from Santa Cruz and that's where Calfee is, and I know the company and like their work. However, after thinking about it and reading some articles, I'm wondering if I should broaden my horizons. I'm also worrying about how well a carbon bike - even a really good one like a Calfee - will hold up over the years, since carbon is more fragile than other materials.

My main desires for a frame are:

• Made by a small, privately held company with quality "artisan" type work
• Light and responsive
• Beautiful
• Customized (perhaps - off-the-shelf could work, though there's a few things I want that are different from most frames)
• Durable and long-lasting
• Classic geometry (mostly flat top-tube, slim round tubing, etc.)

After some discussion with my local bike shop owner, I've come down to 3 possibilities (based on materials):

1. A custom carbon Calfee Dragonfly, as above (locally made)
2. A custom titanium Moots (the Vamoots, most likely) (in Colorado)
3. A custom lugged steel frame, probably from Rex Cycles (locally made)

What do you all think? I mean this to be my "dream bike", hopefully to last a lifetime. I intended, at least initially, to move all my Campy Centaur parts onto the new frame, and use it until I can afford to upgrade to Record, perhaps, or Chorus.

Any and all suggestions and words of wisdom appreciated! :-)

- Tim

Scooper

In 2006, I took delivery of my "dream bike" as a retirement present to myself. It's a Waterford RS-22 (lugged 953 polished stainless frame with horizontal top tube) brazed by Dave Wages with many of the characteristics you mention. Over a decade, several thousand miles, and several AIDS/LifeCycle rides (S.F. to L.A.), I'm still on my honeymoon. It's light, fast, and durable, and still looks like it did the day I picked it up at American Cyclery.



Lately, I've been considering my first carbon fiber bike from Allied Cycle Works, a small Arkansas builder who is doing some pioneering work in making more durable CF frames by adding polypropylene fibers to the carbon fiber/epoxy resin matrix in their ALFA models.



James Huang published a very informative article about Allied in a recent Cycling Tips:

Built to last: One emerging bike brand's quest for more durable carbon fiber | CyclingTips

Panza

You've had steel and you want to step up to the next level on a frame that will last you a Lifetime?

Titanium.

squirtdad

What it your budget? there are a lot of good builders out there. Another local (san jose) option that is relatively unknown but do some great work is Silva cycles Silva Cycles

my personal dream is a kirk Kirk Frameworks | Custom Bicycles

tbessie

Thanks, I'll take a look at those links!

My budget would be max $8000 for the frameset/fork (tho', of course, less would be better).

Most of the frame builders I'm looking at charge $3500-$5000 for that.

- Tim

rockenrolla

Wittson Custom Ti Cycles would charge you around $3000 for a complete custom build. I've got one last year and couldn't be happier.