Mikelson info please!!
11-27-05 | 01:19 AM
#1
Thread Starter
Dolce far niente
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 10,710
Likes: 33
From: Southwest Idaho
Mikelson info please!!
I'm talking with a fellow club member about his Mikelson road bike. He's looking to get rid of it, and was telling me about it. I haven't seen it yet, but it sounds interesting - steel frame, 9 speed Shimano 105, double crank (not compact), "junior" gearing (11-25?), Mavic Open Pro wheelset. He's telling me that Mikelson is a local frame builder of some note, and the frames are nicely built.
I haven't seen the bike yet, and obviously need to take a look at it and see if it fits me and all. But, I've searched this forum and Googled for information, and have come up empty. Can anyone give me any background on Mikelson frames/bikes and their relative value? He's telling me that he'd like to get $500 for it.
Any opinions?
I haven't seen the bike yet, and obviously need to take a look at it and see if it fits me and all. But, I've searched this forum and Googled for information, and have come up empty. Can anyone give me any background on Mikelson frames/bikes and their relative value? He's telling me that he'd like to get $500 for it.
Any opinions?
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"Love is not the dying moan of a distant violin, it’s the triumphant twang of a bedspring."
S. J. Perelman
11-27-05 | 09:56 AM
#2
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 2,900
Likes: 2
From: San Leandro
Bikes: Eddy Merckx Corsa Extra, Basso Loto, Pinarello Stelvio, Redline Cyclocross
OK,
Bernie has a shop on the old Alameda Naval Air Station in Alameda CA.
Bernie, like all long time bike builders is something of a character. He drinks coffee in a coffee house at the other end of Alameda, he is mostly so quiet and unassuming that you'd never even notice him and he does VERY good work on bikes.
Bernie charges something like $1500 to build a frame these days I think.
ALL of his frames that I've seen have been very good bikes. I've never heard of a frame failure or a bad handling characteristic that wasn't caused by demanded geometry by the buyer.
Bernie also makes tandems, tourers, cyclocross bikes and just about anything else you might imagine you'd like.
Bernie Mikkelsen
451 W Atlantic Ave # 108
Alameda, CA
(510) 521-9727
"Junior Gearing" refers to the top gear. The largest gear you could carry as an 18 or under was something like the equivilent of a 48:14 if I remember correctly.
I imagine that price is pretty reasonable though the junior gear definitely will require a change sooner or later. The 105 stuff is top quility except for finish and I wouldn't have any problem riding a 105 equiped bike forever.
Bernie has a shop on the old Alameda Naval Air Station in Alameda CA.
Bernie, like all long time bike builders is something of a character. He drinks coffee in a coffee house at the other end of Alameda, he is mostly so quiet and unassuming that you'd never even notice him and he does VERY good work on bikes.
Bernie charges something like $1500 to build a frame these days I think.
ALL of his frames that I've seen have been very good bikes. I've never heard of a frame failure or a bad handling characteristic that wasn't caused by demanded geometry by the buyer.
Bernie also makes tandems, tourers, cyclocross bikes and just about anything else you might imagine you'd like.
Bernie Mikkelsen
451 W Atlantic Ave # 108
Alameda, CA
(510) 521-9727
"Junior Gearing" refers to the top gear. The largest gear you could carry as an 18 or under was something like the equivilent of a 48:14 if I remember correctly.
I imagine that price is pretty reasonable though the junior gear definitely will require a change sooner or later. The 105 stuff is top quility except for finish and I wouldn't have any problem riding a 105 equiped bike forever.
