Custom Tsunami Build
 

I am in the process of waiting for my new custom geometry Tsunami frame to be completed, and wanted to share a few progress photos and updates, so here it goes:

The frame right before paint:

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m...onyjune006.jpg

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m...onyjune005.jpg

The geometry and color scheme I decided to go with:

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m.../CustomGeo.jpg

It will be Sepang blue with silver seat and chainstays. Sepang blue looks like this:

http://www.omniauto.it/awpImages/pho...quattro_83.jpg

And the build list:

Frame -- Tsunami Custom Geometry
Fork -- Ritchey WCS UD
Headset -- Chris King (Silver)
Seatpost -- Ritchey Classic
Crankset/BB -- Shimano Dura Ace 7800
Pedals -- Shimano Dura Ace 7810
Brakeset -- Planet X CNC
Shifters -- SRAM Red
Stem -- Ritchey Classic 4-axis, 120mm
Handlebar -- Easton EC90 SLX3
FD -- SRAM Rival
Cassette -- SRAM 1070
Chain -- KMC X10SL
Saddle -- Specialized Romin
Cables/Housing -- Gore Ride-On
Wheels -- Custom w/ Ambrosio Nemesis rims & Dura Ace hubs
Tires -- Bontrager Race X-Lite tubular
Skewers -- Shimano Dura Ace

Thanks.

Very aero..nice!

Pretty cool.

Thanks for keeping the economy alive in a decidedly non-partisan fashion! :)

Yeah, I do not discriminate :)

Did you get to watch the welding? That's a cool experience.

Cool. Are those parts that you have or do you just really know what you want?

Unfortunately not. The builder is in Arizona and I am in Florida. Though he does send pictures to periodically update me on how things are coming along.

I already had most of the parts, but they were pretty much all purchased following function over form and therefore the mix-and-match approach.

love your build list, very well thought out for function.

which Dura-Ace FD will u be using?

It is the previous generation one (DA 7800).

One final dilemna; do I go with white or black decals? There won't be any white anywhere on the bike, so I am thinking black might work better. Silver decals are unfortunately not an option.

Or do I go without decals on the downtube?

Here are a couple pictures of the painted frame; I went with a white decal afterall, but it is applied over the paint so I can remove it.easily if I wanted to.

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m...ay/tony010.jpg
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m...ay/tony011.jpg
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m...ay/tony012.jpg

I think that it turned out really good, and that the blue will look even better when exposed to sunlight.

I have also been in touch with a wheel builder to build me a set of wheels using Ambrosio Nemesis rims, silver Dura Ace 7800 hubs, and either Sapim Race or Wheelsmith DB14 spokes (still being decided) with silver brass nipples. I think the silver in the hubs/spokes/nipples will compliment the frame nicely. It should look something like this:

http://dormancyclery.com/images/whee...s/example4.jpg

I haven't decided on the tires yet, but I will probably go with either Veloflex Roubaix or Challange Strada. I am still somewhat torn between going with an all-black tire, or going with one that has tan sidewalls, but I am kind of leaning towards a tan sidewall right now.

The frame should be shipping out sometime in the next couple days. The wheels haven't been finalized yet, and I still need to ship the builder the rims and the hubs, so I am not sure when they will be complete. Anyhow, I will build the bike up as soon as the frame comes in and use my current spare wheels (Campy Zonda) until these arrive.

I love the way the downtube looks. Was that a special order or they all are built like that?

Ambrosio Nemesis with silver Record hubs and silver spokes & nipples looks great!

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5044/...44b79d63a0.jpg
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5207/...e44584cfe8.jpg

I think all Tsunami frames have aero profile downtubes.

They indeed look great, I am anxious to get mine built up.

I really like that downtube. That paint job will also look really cool in the sunlight. Look forward to build pics.

Nice. If you don't mind me asking, what is the cost range for a custom made aluminum frameset?

This one was $750.

Very nice!!! I've been looking for a winter build and Tsunami is one of them on my radar... The sizing seems close to where I would be, how tall are you?

That downtube looks EXACTLY like the one on my Nashbar "X" cyclocross bike. Exactly like it, to include the interesting cable stops designed to clear that funny shape.

It would take me 35 minutes to crash and die in that Audi. That is one sexy car.

Nice bike frame too :)

I am 6' tall, 33.5" inseam.

The Tsunamis that Joseph builds are custom, and he sends pics through the process to help show it. He also picks from a limited number of tube manufacturers - Easton, Reynolds, maybe one more - so you'll see similar tubes on other framesets. You can either specify a tube or you can let him pick.

I let him pick everything on my first bike, and an early picture shows it without any bosses on it:
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_TbmplkIYLx...ame_On_Jig.jpg

On my second frame I asked for very particular things. A similar period shot of that frame:
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_TbmplkIYLx...0/DSC_0085.jpg

I'm having the first frame shortened (to 39 cm chainstays) this winter, as soon as I can send the frame back. The second frame has the short stays and it makes a huge difference in handling on my long-top-tube geometry (56.5 cm top tube, 40 or 44 cm seat tube).

I may have at least one more frame built which incorporates elements of both (and more refinements), maybe one for the wife to replace her somewhat cobbled together fit (she needs a taller bike with a short top tube, opposite of mine).

Very nice! I miss my Tsunami and hope to have another one built up some day.

Custom frames rule!
Who did the fitting?
How did you decide what tubing?

Anyway, I hope you enjoy it. NOTHING works like a custom fit frame.


I know I like mine!

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=213587