Winter Bicycles

[Eric Estlund]

This year Columbus sponsored the "Best Track Bike" category at Bespoked. In addition to the ribbon, they hooked me up with a sweet prototype Pista Spirit tube set, tapered head tube and headset, and new prototype tapered track fork. The fork even has an alloy steerer for lots of bar changes!

This just landed in the shop and I'm really excited to get this rolling into a new bike- if you want a killer track build with the newest purpose built materials, hit me up!

Big thanks to Columbus and Bespoked!

[Matthew Strongin]

Damn, that's going to be sweet.

[Eric Estlund]

I was doing a little pre- paint frame prep, and liked the way the light played with the colors and textures on these:

[Eric Estlund]

A little expansion on this weeks FNL- felt like this one was hitting all the right places!

[NBC]

eric,

firstly it was great seeing you and your frames at bespoked this year, i really liked the green road frameset you bought along

i've just been reading through the entire thread here, and noticed that on the hammervein tool series road bike that you'd put slotted gear stops on the down tube,
do you not see much need for an adjuster for the front mech, or do you install an inline adjuster in the gear outer instead ?

also i saw a stem that looked like it used an oval tube, that looked quite fork blade oval-ish, what tube might that have been ?

many thanks and keep up the awesome work

NBC

[Eric Estlund]

Hi Nathan!

The Tool bikes are generally made with slotted stops for all the cables. I don't find that a well set up front derailleur needs a barrel adjuster, but can provide inline adjusters as needed (or sub in different braze ons by request). My own bikes are generally set up this way. In addition to being marginally lighter, they are very easy to pull the cables from for maintenance and cleaning and rarely get banged up for bikes being tossed in a trailer/ rack.

All of the stems are straight 4130. I do shape some of the stem tubing in house based on the application.

[Eric Estlund]

It's that time again! Ordering up another batch of hats and t's.

Pre-order your size and material options now! Organic cotton and summer weight wool caps from Randi Jo and locally printed Robot t's.

Caps are $30, T's are $12, patches are $5. $5 flat shipping in the US, $15 most of the rest of the world.

[Eric Estlund]

Precious...

[Eric Estlund]

I have a bit of a hankering to do some straight up road bikes. Lugged/ fillet, retro or just straight modern- I'm pretty open. I have a few ideas I'd like to run with that don't quite match up with the cool bikes on deck. Hit me if you are interested.

[Burnette]

Holy crap wow.
Whatever your ideas are, I want to read about them and see them.
You do great work.
Guess I'll have to wait for someone's ride on FNL!

[sk_tle]

I have a bit of a hankering to do some straight up road bikes. Lugged/ fillet, retro or just straight modern- I'm pretty open. I have a few ideas I'd like to run with that don't quite match up with the cool bikes on deck. Hit me if you are interested.

I love your poignard bike. Would love to see a road version of it why not with semi aero seat and head tubes and an integrated custom bar stem combo. Some sort of interpretation of modern aero road frames (merida reacto, bmc time machine, giant propel) but in steel and without all those oversize bits everywhere ? In fact I would probably sell a kidney for one.

Or is it too rob english like ?

[Eric Estlund]

Thomas- if you are interested, hit me! I won't even ask for any organs.

[sk_tle]

I would definitely but timing and budget do not currently align. Maybe next year.

[Eric Estlund]

There are way to many cool things to save it all for Friday!

A few stems and a bag support from earlier- back from plating.

[Eric Estlund]

I don't normally toot my own horn on this stuff, but this is some tidy heat control with a fresh fillet on a slim seat tube sleeve.



The sleeve and binder were pre-brazed. I tacked and then layed the fillet while maintaining the shoreline. No blow out or bubble, and this is brought right to the edge of the laminate on an S3 seat tube.

Also fun was this little bit of pump lump. It's a small stainless ball (heats up and oxidizes very quickly) on top of a large thermal sink- the drop out, both stays and the bronze plug holding it together. Just a tidy little wick to hold it on while still maintaining the definition on the drop out transition and faces.





That drop out is being held in with bronze, the fender mount with nickle silver, and the ball with 56 silver. Choose your weapon.

More photos on my flickr and this weeks FNL.

[Eric Estlund]

Also a little macro action of a fillet from yesterday. Fresh out of soak-

[Eric Estlund]

Customer photo from one in the wild-

[jackattack]

Love this paint -- beautiful detail.

Really fun disc rando with integrated luggage, carriers and lighting. The Winter Discoteca

Clever rear brake cable routing on this one. You don't see many disc-coupler bikes. What are the benefits here vs routing along/under the top-tube?

[Eric Estlund]

Thanks!

The rear brake mount is chain stay mounted, which cleans up the top of the seat stay are for rack and fender struts. Moving the tab and the routing just makes it a little cleaner and easier for the rider.

[Eric Estlund]

Some fun details from the last week. I generally show off the big money shot lug shapes, laminate carves, etc. This is mostly the subtle stuff you might not see with the paint on or with the parts hung.

Peg and bridge details. I really like these tubular bridges, but don't often use them. It was a nice fit for this frame.


Deeply set tab drop out with just a little peek above the stay-


Inner gear/ chain relief-


Same drop out with the seat stays on. The upper tab was trimmed to an appropriate length that left for a really clean axle/ top tube mounting angle. The chamfer is cleaned up and blended with the flat edge transition into the tube, and the brazing is done to allow for just a small, evenly spaced accent pocket. Also (and this is fun for me) no fenders! That's a rare treat.


A cleanly bronze brazed crown. In addition to showing the clean shorelines, this picture also shows some of the casting clean up I do to make the points pointier, and the heat control to not melt it off or ball up the brass at that tiny tip.


Some subtle crown reshaping to buy just a little more rubber room and to better match the curve of a brake arch visually.


These are just a couple of nice bronze fillets- in and out and then walk away.