Been meaning to start a build thread but have been super busy with work. Also been waiting for the right parts to come my way too. So I got the Leader 722TS (oh how I love oversized and or oval tubing). I also love raw metal so it all worked out very well . I was amazed how light the frame was particularly since I had spent the past while on aluminum. I went carbon with the fork as I have fallen in love with it as a fork material. The frame was straight and feels very solid. I then started to hear a voice in my head singing to me "black parts, black parts" "tark bike, tark bike" So I gave in... We'll see how long the risers last, I have them (little kids bike risers) on my polo bike and my utility bike and love them. I may well end up back with bull horns, but for now I will try it out.

So here is my parts list...

Truvativ Elita GXP Crankset
Origin8 chainring
no name kids bike risers
Oury Lock on grips
Truvativ Hussefelt stem
Kona seat post
KMC 710 chain
Panaracer Ribmo tires

My wheel set for now is just the same miss matched set I've been using, which is my 4yr old Velocity Deep-V laced to a DT Swiss 240s hub (front wheel) and a redline fixed/free hub laced to an Alex rim which I forget the make, that I repainted to match this new build.

I got a Wald basket for it and free boxed a pretty nice Fizik saddle. A friend also gave me a 50+ yr old what looks to be a Brooks, that needs some love that I might put on.

Sadly my front brake is not black and while I could wait to find one I'd rather build this up today... I am a little scared to build it as once I do it wil be done and I'll have no more parts to chase! But man this is gonna be fun to ride... Anyway, I'm off to build. I'll post finished picks when I'm done

Looks great man, especially the raw frame. I saw someone with the green 722TS and chrome fork. Looked awesome. I'm sure your bike will look sick too.

Congrats

Ya I wanna put a front basket on my scooter:
Check Massans 722 Errand Bike:


Hey if youd like the newer Black n Silver Leader head badges just contact leader and kindly ask them for one, I think it will fit yur build better.
The silver ones that came with the frameset is soooo cheap lookin

Screw Massan's errand bike, look at those beautiful saddles.

Out of curiosity what's the saddle he has on there on his thomson seatpost?

Selle Italia

I dont know.. I think Massans saddles are more thinner than that. I'm trying to look for it too, but I cant' seem to find any saddle that thin.

ITS DONE! Ill get some better pics soon but I just finished it... I actually have a basket to put on too... I also might get a longer stem. It rides great, is really light and is super sexy... BTW that is a good point about the headbadge, ill give them a ring and see what they say. The black one would look lots better... Also I have a 50yr old brooks a friend gave me. Its seen better days but it is still usable and was thinking of trying it out on here...

only issue is the brake is not black yet... and yes I know its a tark bike, that what I was going for....

This frame intrigues me and looks well-made. I'm thinking of picking up a white 49cm as a random surprise gift for the wife.

Is the down tube triangle-shaped or does it just look that way in pics?

if you hear russling or foot steps in your home tonight, its just me stealing that from you, it looks awesome!

Scrod, the Downtube and Toptube are Teardrop shaped Kawasaki Steel, shaped thru HYDRO FORMING Process.

Heres a quote from Subaru on Steel Hydroforming:

Hydroforming – The Power of Water

As a simple part of the body structure, the steel, U-shaped front sub-frame's hidden beauty lies in the technology of its formation and in its preparation for assembly.
The steel piece is hydroformed, which means that it is shaped in a mold by extreme water pressure.
Of course, there's a lot more to it than that. Here's a brief explanation:

1. The steel tubing that will become the sub-frame is cut to the desired size and bent in the approximate shape of the final sub-frame.
2. The steel tube is then placed in a machine die, which is closed and pumped full of liquid under high pressure.
3. The pressurized liquid fills the steel tube, which expands to the shape of the die, and then the liquid is released.

The process of hydroforming has been available for more than 100 years.
It generally has not been applied to the manufacture of vehicle frames because equipment has been prohibitively expensive due to the extremely high pressures that must be produced for the process to work.
With improvements in technology during the last few years, more vehicle manufacturers are using hydroforming for everything from sport car frame rails to motorcycle frames.

Contemporary body design often requires frames and sub-frames to make awkward bends and angles –
shapes that ordinarily compromise strength and rigidity. Yet frames and sub-frames must remain rigid to serve effectively as mounting points for a number of chassis components.
Hydroforming allows Subaru to shape steel frames with the required bends, bumps, turns, dimples, etc., while retaining structural integrity.


In addition, hydroformed steel components are generally lighter in weight than if manufactured by more traditional methods.
The lighter weight contributes to improved handling and fuel economy.

Once a Subaru sub-frame is formed, lasers cut holes in the steel. Using lasers ensures consistency and precise measurements.
This in turn means tight fit and tolerances that enhance the overall feel of quality and strength in the vehicle once completely assembled, and the vehicle holds up better through years of driving!

Inconspicuous, But Beautiful Nonetheless

Even though the front sub-frames in Subaru vehicles predominantly are hidden from view, you can appreciate the added safety that they afford.
They improve the strength of the body structure without increasing weight, and enhance passive safety by helping to protect cabin occupants.

Subaru sub-frames are beautiful pieces of formed metalwork – all from harnessing the power of pressurized water!

Thanks, man. I was aware about the hydroforming bit (the wife and I are both Subaru people - her a WRX hatchback and me a Legacy GT wagon). I can tell the top tube is teardrop-shaped but in pics, the downtube looks more angular on the bottom. Either way, it looks like a nice frame. I think I'll be ordering one for the little lady.

Oh, yes the Downtube is a little more angular at the bottom than the toptube.
I noticed the Alum MASH has somethin similar but more angular, the TS is more curvy:


The Chromed Straight fork will look nice with the white frame if you decide to gets for yur lucky lady.

That's what I was thinking too. I'm torn between that and going carbon, though. If I were to go with carbon, I'd most likely go with something other than the Leader fork.

Any particular reason you'd go with something other than the leader fork Scrod? This thread has me thinking about possibly picking one of these up to replace my peugeot conversion (after 700 miles I'm ready for an upgrade). Though Im kind of curious about the Leader 727 v2 as well...

this frame looks way better than any other leader frame i've seen, but it's still too expensive.

its hard to show without a cross section of the frame... it is a bit more angular, the top/thinner part of the downtube is slightly flat then the sides are come down and each have semi flat spots that come down to one final flat spot... its not super angular more of a hint of it...

well i wasnt expecting as beefy of a carbon fork as i got. my other carbon fork is way thinner walled... it would be nice if it had more clearance. as it stands it maxes out at 28c in the front (though i think my tires run a bit large).

Is that a mountain bike crankset? Chainline is fine?

I just know my wife wouldn't be into the look of the Leader fork. She's got a Nashbar one on one of her bikes and likes it a lot so that's most likely what I'll go for if I do get carbon. If I go with the steel fork, it'll be a chrome Leader.

My thoughts exactly.

$279 is "too expensive" for a quality steel frame?

Well, I was thinking of purcasing this frame for my first build as my current fixed gear was a windsor.

Are those dropouts strong? (duuuuh......they just looked......like they had a little less material in the 'holes') but so far, it sounds like you guys really like this frame and it sounds like a quality frame from what ive heard so far.

Lol. sounds way lighter than a Pake track.

Lol. Keep it up man. Nice bike.......I wanna build a a time-trial-ish bike off of this frame (bullhorns + aeros lol?)

btw.....the shape of the tubing looks sexy. Kinda nice to see something that you don't see everyday. Lol. I mean cuz aero frames you see every once in a while, but like that kind of tubing is nice. Who agrees?


BTW Scrod. I hope your wife does not use this forum often =p

I've seen nothing but good reviews so far. I've been kinda holding out to buy her a lugged Kilo frameset but lost a little bit of interest when I saw this here new Leader. I have a feeling BD won't be making a lugged Kilo in her size anyway and Mike hasn't returned any of my e-mails. I think I'm gonna pull the trigger.

ph4nt0mf1ng3rs (wow, typing your name is a *****) - She lurks occasionally but isn't on here enough for me to worry about her finding out.