toomanybikes

Any of you who have Curtlos.

Could I ask you to post your thoughts on them, and if you have pictures - I 'd appreciate that as well.

I sort of want to see some pictures to see how the colours come out - help me in my choice.

Thanks.

toomanybikes

Oh come on ...............

Someone must have a Curtlo they want to share ............??

1955

What's a Curtlo?

toomanybikes

Custom builder out of Washington State.

rsl

I'm interested in a curtlo as well. Would love to hear about some owner's experience with their curtlo's and see some pics!

Ignatz

I have a Curtlo road bike. My wife surprised me with it for an anniversary present last year (I know, I'm a very lucky man ). Since it was a surprise I was not involved in the design at all. My wife worked with our local shop to confirm the measurements from my old bike and passed this along to Doug, along with some information about my size and riding habits. My wife is not particularly into bikes but Doug was very patient and worked through everything with her (according to her). Delivery was one week late (supposed to be 8 weeks, showed up in nine and Doug kept my wife informed the whole time). The frame is built with True Temper OX Platinum with the "banana" seat stays. The welds are good; not "Oooh look at the pretty weld" but as good as they need to be. It built up with no problems except for a little excess powdercoat on one dropout that needed to be removed before the axle would fit. The fit is right on; different than what I had on my previous bike but so much more comfortable that I quickly realized that my previous bike really didn't fit as well as I thought. I have short legs and a long torso and I also am heavier than most cyclists (6 feet tall, 235 pounds). Doug used a sloping top tube to give me the standover clearance that I needed and some pretty large tubing diameters. The bike looks more like the Advanced Mountaineer on his web site; extended seat tube with forward facing seat post clamp. The ride is great. With the large tube diameters and the ovalized down tube (see his web site) the bottom bracket is plenty stiff. The bike just wants to jump up hills. I can't say that I notice any major effect from the "banana" stays but I've never ridden a bike with this geometry with straight stays so who can say. The best adjective I've been able to come up with for the handling is "precise." It goes exactly where I point it, when I point it and there always seems to be a little bit of lean left when the corner gets tighter if you know what I mean. So what this long post boils down to is; Doug is easy to work with and he builds a really nice frame (at a great price).
The color is ultra-blue twilight. The metallic is very subtle; just enough so that I can look down at the top tube when the sun hits it and say, "Ooooooh, sparkly!" (and yes I do still say that; I really love my bike.). Other cosmetic note; there is no clearcoat so the stickers are out there in the wind waiting to get damaged. I don't have any pics here at work. Let me know if you want to see the ultra-blue and I'll post something.

toomanybikes

I for one would love to see the colour - Please??

rsl

Please - I'd love to see some pictures. Especially would love to see some pics that show detail (Seat tube cluster, BB, etc.)

Thanks!

garskoci

I can post a pic as soon as I get mine! I just ordered a cyclocross from Doug. But still can't decide on the color as well. So, I'm sort of in the same boat with ya! Let us know what you decide.

TMB

Well I ordered my Curtlo and worked through the process with Doug. Very nice guy, very personable and easy to work with.

He sent me some pictures this morning of the finished baby and is shipping it to me tomorrow, with luck I should have it next week.

Not having yet got my mitts on it, I am very happy with what I see.

Grasschopper

So tell us about it. What is the tubing? What was the process? I notice you have cantis on there...this a cross bike, tourer?

Must....have...more...details.

TMB

It is to be a Cross Bike.

True Temper OX Platinum. The process is actually smooth and easy, I paypal'd him a deposit and followed up with measurements as he requests on the fit page of his website.

He than contacts you, goes over the process, what you like, what you want changed, etc.

Emailed me a PDF of the design for sign-off. A number of discussions followed and - presto - there it is.

I should have it in hand next week ( Looking forward to that) and will tell more. I also wanted a steel fork, rather than the carbon ones that are so popular these days. Doug seemed really happy to hear that and built me a fork. I asked for some other changes, braze on pump peg, braze on FD hanger and fender eyelets. I have no idea if I will ever use them, but if you head out in foul weather, they are very nice to have.

Doug was happy to oblige with all of those requests. The thing that caused a bit of a glitch was my asking for two colours. The bike is powder-coated and the coater decided to push all of his other work through to give time to work on the fade, I think it came out really nicely but did add some time.

I enjoyed the process and if looking for another bike will probably go to Curtlo first choice ( note that I have not ridden it yet!).