Friday PicFest No.434

[e-RICHIE]

Despite giving myself over to 'cross on all levels and then some, I am a roadie at heart. I started on pavement. I learned everything I know on pavement. The road culture infects all I do on and away from it. Without a road background, with its influences and biases, I couldn't make a bicycle. I certainly couldn't make one well. How others can go to the bench or hang out a sign, and have no experience, no deep and decades long relationship with the road - well it's beyond me. The road is my informer. My opinions, all four of them, weigh nothing without pavement.

This is my first new road bicycle in about a decade. It's time. And overdue. And maybe a day's labor from completion. I've been called back. And once the paint dries I'll be ready.

All This By Hand

[Craddock]

I agree with e-RICHIE. I make these carbon frames and perhaps I should give some background too.
Decades of road racing, National Champion more than once, full time sponsored rider on a team in France, then worked in product development in the bike industry for several brands and manufacturers before distilling it all into what you see below.

FilamentSide by Filament, on Flickr
FilamentFront2 by Filament, on Flickr
FilamentAxle2 by Filament, on Flickr
Elephant by Filament, on Flickr

[Eric Estlund]

[Nate Zukas]

Start of a 7005 Aluminum cross frame.











Thanks! NATE