Guest Article: Bike #2
I don’t have to tell anyone around here that @Cyclops is weird guy; most of you have already figured that out, and if you haven’t figured it out, you will soon enough. But weird doesn’t have any negative meaning, if you ask me. In fact, I’d say we’re all weird which makes normal more suspect.
Several years ago, long before I’d met him, he emailed asking for my address. Despite founding a international online community, I’m actually rather uncomfortable with internet “friendships”, so to be totally honest it freaked me out a little. But he seemed like a good enough guy, so I sent it to him, hoping that whatever he sent me wouldn’t be ticking when I got it.
What wound up in my mailbox was the first prototype V-Pint, and it blew my tiny little mind that such a thing could be made. He wasn’t the guy who made it, but he thought of it and designed it, and that showed he had some creative and crafty skills. Over the years he sent other creations along – some better than others – and after a bit, I have to admit I got accustomed to him making cool shit and sending it to me. Then I got some emails where he asked very specific questions about when I’d be home to pick up another package; he didn’t want it sitting on my porch. Whatever, dude – I’m busy, I live in a good neighborhood, Rule #5. The usual. But he insisted, and I arranged to be home at the time UPS suggested they might deliver the package.
Lo and behold, he had built me a steel CX frame. Un-Be-lievable. What’s more, it actually rides really well. Amazing. But now the noob is progressing into his own and starting a buisiness called Deacon Bikes. His tale here chokes me up a bit; I never imagined our little community could inspire such dreams. It is very, very, very cool and I’m filled with pride that we can make a difference in people’s lives.
Thanks again to @Cyclops for the frame and words below. Thanks to all of you in the community who help make this place worth while and help inspire dreams.
Merckx bless you all. Vive la Vie Velominatus.
Frank
—
Bike #2 is Bike #2 in more than one sense. It is Bike #2 in the classic Velominati sense in that it will be the go-to ride when Rule #9 needs to be applied as well as commuting and the occasional cyclorcross race. In the more important sense it is bike #2 in that it is the culmination of a nearly life-long dream of becoming a frame builder. It is also Bike #2 because I thought that plopping my fat arse on my first attempt at crafting a “chariot of the gods” could lead to serious injury and/or death – so Bike #1 went to Frank, who was more than willing to risk gun and limb on home-made frame.
But let’s get back to that life-long dream. Mrs. Cyclops and I feel very strongly about the entrepreneurial spirit and being free from the bondage of working for someone else*. In light of that we have kicked around various ideas. I have restaurant experience so we’ve thought of doing a sandwich shop or a brick oven pizza place – The Gran Fondo Pizzeria, all the pizzas would be named after the Classics and Grand Tours – or a food truck. But what is my passion? After further discussion about the role bicycles have played in my life and my passion for them it was decided that “Living the Dream” was the way to go. “The Dream” usually means making a living racing the bike, however at this late stage in the game this would be impossible for me. But the Velominati have taught me that we can still dream nonetheless. So how about building frames AND running a food truck? It would be pretty cool to show up to the races with a food truck and a sponsored team on my bikes to go with it, huh? More dreams.
It seems that many of us have been “keepers of the law” (aka The Rules) while being unaware of the law. But then we stumble upon www.velominati.com and we are translated from darkness to light. From death to life. We are given a raison d’être. While the dream of riding in Le Tour is beyond us, we live our lives (on the bike) as if we might attain that dream. The Velominati are kept on task by a worldwide community of like-minded idiots that don’t realize that THE DREAM will always remain a dream so we strive on. Each of us trying to balance cold hard reality with being as marvelous on the bike as possible. Finding Velominati.com and riding in a cogal with Frank and others of the Black and Orange brought my dream into focus. I don’t know which came first – the chicken or the egg? I don’t even know which is the chicken – actually building a frame, and which is the egg – doing something freaking awesome for Frank (and thus the Velominati as a whole). I’m not sure how they worked out and intertwined with each other but it was because of being involved with the Velominat that I got off my arse and actually built a frame. So, naturally, the fruit of my labors needed to go to the Monarch, I mean, the (Dutch) Monkey behind all this madness. In a very real sense, were it not for Frank, “The Dream” would have remained a dream.
Now back to Bike #2.
Deacon: Middle English dekene, from Old English dēacon, from Late Latin diaconus, from Greek diakonos, literally, servant, from dia- + -konos (akin to enkonein to be active) (perhaps akin to Latin conari to attempt)
The Greek diakonos (hence the lower case Greek delta on the head tube) literally means through the dust. (Ah, visions of Paris-Roubaix.)
Bike #2 turned out to be much more of a learning experience than Bike #1. Maybe Merckx was having pity on me and blessing my desire to bless others because #1 went together with nary a hiccup. Not so with #2. After much gnashing of teeth and about two months past the originally expected ETA I finally have the finished product but it was not without its headaches – I actually tore the back end of the frame off and redid it after realizing that my “short cut” led to a mis-aligned frame. But all things work for the good… I just chalked up the headaches as learning experience – like not trusting the painter to get the graphics on straight before he clear-coats the frame. Bike #3 (a road frame for myself) will not (I hope) be plagued by these headaches because #2 taught me some valuable lessons; for example, there are no short cuts. One thing I have learned in my many other endeavors in life is what separates a professional from an amateur. Namely, a professional knows how to fix his mistakes. Eric Clapton says a note in a lead is not a mistake if the note that follows it corrects the situation. So that’s what we have with Bike #2. A series of “events” that led to what you see below.
I’m actually very pleased with the end result. Since it was going to be my personal bike I tried some things out – like the dropped seat stays with all the filet brazing involved. I know what a low BB feels like so since this is a CX rig I tried a higher BB. I’m getting old and have less flexibility so the head tube is a little taller – so I can still have it look like the stem is slammed. It’s all about appearances, you know.
Some basic info: the frame was constructed with Richard Sachs lugs (with a set of NOS Ritchey drop-outs) and Columbus PegoRichie Uber Oversized tubing. PegoRichie tubing is custom drawn for Richard Sachs and Dario Pegoretti. It is a size 53cm and weighs in as you see it at 18.1 lbs (8.2k). It has a full Ritchey cockpit plus some NOS Ritchey V (hey, hey) Cranks and a Ritchey Carbon Pro fork, Chris King headset, SRAM Force derailleurs and shifters, Dura-Ace chain and cassette, TRP Mini-Vs, and obviously Zipp 303 tubs with Vittoria sew-ups (because the red labels match the bike). A recent snow storm has rendered the local roads pretty treacherous but I’ll post a ride report as soon as I can.
Oh, if anyone is interested in an affordable custom frame visit deaconbikes.com – I should have the website sorted out within a week or so – and give me a buzz so we can talk. If you want geometry built to your specs, I can do that. If you want polished stainless steel lugs and the like, I might not be your guy (yet).
[dmalbum path=”/velominati.com/content/Photo Galleries/[email protected]/Deacon 1/”/]
*Not that I think I’ll actually ever be able to make a living building frames but at least it will afford me some extra cash so that maybe someday Cyclops will be seen at a Keeper’s Tour.
Chapeau! Is there a bike that you based the geometry on that necessitated the shortened seatstays?
So awesome! Inspiring story indeed.
i would love a steel CX bike. After Im done with school and get me a great paying job, I will hit you up
So sweet!! Geometry looks a bit like my BMC. Looking forward to seeing new builds..who knows maybe NAHBS one day?
@VeloVita
It’s just something I wanted to try. I think it looks cool and yes, I am rather partial to BMCs.
Damn Cy, that is so badass, I’m a fool for a red paint job. Can lugs be sexy? Hell yes and those are. You are on the warpath to a new career. Livin’ the dream man. We all should be doing that too.
Excellent work & congratulations on a dream fulfilled! More folks should spend their days chasing dreams, not just slipping by.
Nice bike. I derive enough joy riding bicycles built by master craftsmen; I’d have an unending smile on my face if I was atop a steed I put together with my own hands.
In case you haven’t seen it, a short feature on Dario. He likes to cuss, smoke, and build bikes! Maybe we need one on Cyclops? Who is the resident film maker of the Followers?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MQF1nadGRg
Dear Cyclops,
What can I say? Unbelievable job! I can’t begin to imagine what it must be like to ride a bike that you built yourself. You should be so proud. What a great little community we have. Chapeau!
beautiful bike,m8. that bb looks sweet.good luck with the “dream”.
@Cyclops
Great shop philosophy on the website.
Totally awesome, definitely enjoying yourself. Frame building has always fascinated me, I would probably like to try my hand at it sometime. Not to be a dick, but while I dig the compact rear triangle, I think it looks a little odd with the level top tube. Just an aesthetic thing for me, but the bike is awesome regardless. What is the BB drop? Really cool all around, and the delta head logo is sweet.
Sweet work Cyclops. It so happens I’m in the process of having a modern lugged steel bike custom-made, and seeing one of our own brotherhood venture into those waters is beyond cool. I really dig the way you put the seat-cluster together and the bike overall looks great. Chapeau.
This is where we say Bel Mezzo yes?
That’s a heck of a nice ride you made. How does it ride?
Brilliant – just brilliant
That is a very fine looking steed indeed.
This
“It seems that many of us have been “keepers of the law” (aka The Rules) while being unaware of the law. But then we stumble upon http://www.velominati.com and we are translated from darkness to light. From death to life. We are given a raison d’être.”
And This.
“The Velominati are kept on task by a worldwide community of like-minded idiots that don’t realize thatTHE DREAM will always remain a dream so we strive on”
Awesome intro, inspiring article, beautiful bike. I can see it in burnt orange.
I dream on.
I love the looks of the rear cluster on mine – with the carbon wishbones. @Cyclops, can you go into any detail on why you don’t still do the carbon stays?
To my eye, I’m not crazy about the lower stays on your new bike, but love how it routes the cable. The really cool thing is that you get to choose and do this however you want.
The Nederaap will still be in service next year as the pit bike. Love this bike.
[dmalbum: path=”/velominati.com/wp-content/uploads/readers/frank/2013.03.08.21.05.38/2/”/]
Ever noticed how many of us here make our own way in the world? There’s quite few run our own companies and those who work for the Man all have ways and means of making life more than a bit better than your average company drone. There are of course exceptions as there are to any (non-cycling) rule – some amongst us for instance work for the Australian government.
What I love about this site most of all is the writing – Keeper or Guest it doesn’t matter – I read every damn word. I confess that I’ve come and gone over cycling – there have been wilderness periods spent practicing Cycling Shit Sandwich; running (not only to evade capture) and breeding and blimping. But this site and stories like this one have brought me back with a passion. Obviously I’m still a Fat Bastard but I’m looking forward to the KT as I’ve looked forward to little else in a long time.
I read and write a lot in my day job. If I could make all the twatwaffles, fucknuckles and douches who write articles along the lines of “Six things that highly successful people do when they go to the bathroom that let them hire the best people” read and learn from the stuff on here and stop writing shite then I should be a much much happier Engine.
If (and this is a gigantic frikking “if”) I ever make it really big I will buy a frame from Cyclops and make sure he delivers it to me at the KT in person.
@JohnB
It recently dawned on me that most of my “mental time” while riding, when thinking of anything at all, is in some way related to this site. I then tried to remember what I used to think about before joining the Velominati. I have absolutely no recollection. Must have been so lacking in the V that these memories self induced amnesia.
@frank pit bike? that means a new cx bike is in the works. do tell.
I would venture that the Red Steed will ride as good as it looks. Steel is real and yes, lugs are sexy. Nicely done, lad.
@frank
And there it is.
Cyclops, that is quite simply a stunning bike. If I saw it in a bike shop, I’d want it so to sit here looking at it knowing that you made it yourself and it’s only the second blows me away.
I can get my head round the physical process of starting out with lugs, tubes and some stuff that melts but how did you go about chosing the geometry and designing in the properties you want, levels of stiffness or give?
I can’t wait to hear how it rides.
You write pretty well to boot. Chapeau and nipple lube.
“But then we stumble upon http://www.velominati.com and we are translated from darkness to light. From death to life. We are given a raison d’être. While the dream of riding in Le Tour is beyond us, we live our lives (on the bike) as if we might attain that dream. The Velominati are kept on task by a worldwide community of like-minded idiots that don’t realize that THE DREAM will always remain a dream so we strive on. Each of us trying to balance cold hard reality with being as marvelous on the bike as possible.”
@Cyclops, awesome, man! This passage certainly sums up my enlightenment experience last year when I discovered all you chuckleheads. Well said, Cyclops!
@cyclops this is so awesome I want to shit myself (and don’t let @Frank take the credit for your haephaestusian efforts over the forge) you have created love, fuck and V in equal measure….we should all sit..or…kneel in front of anyone who follows their dreams..I wish we were all that brave! Chapeau!
I continue to be impressed and am often touched by the humanity exhibited on this site and by the willingness of those undaunted, to express it. A heroic endeavour and remarkable gift, a touching tribute by the recipient and an inspired response by an “orangeman”.
Impressed and touched…
That is a stunning bike!!
wow Cy,that is your first one,you sir are an artist.thanks for those pic’s frank,that is one sweet bike.
It would have been a little special if you posed next to the frame in your underpants – just for old times’ sake
@Cyclops- that is a work of functional art! Well done.
@frank
I really wanted to do the carbon stays again but it seems that I got the last set in existence and I wasted it on your bike.
I had a vision and then I chickened out. It was going to have an ISP and instead of the tube that the seat stays are attached to being brazed on to the back of the seat tube it was going to “pierce” the seat tube and not have any caps brazed on them so that you could actually see through the seat tube. But since it is a CX rig I had visions of my tenth of a ton ass crumpling up the ISP just above the seat/top tube lug so I rethought things. I guess the dropped stays are a luv’em or hate’em kind of thing. The beauty is that it’s my bike and I like it so sod off. (insert smiley face here)
Interesting choice to run the cable round the BB shell for CX – any particular reason you chose that route? The one you made me has the routing over the top which is handy.
The slot running through the bb is pure sex, though; and I’m happy to see the use of the little gasket to aid in reduced friction.
I say this having ridden my #1 today after having ridden only #3 for the last 3 months and the cable pull was incredible on a clean bike.
@Anjin-san
Thanks – Hey, since I lived in Japan for two years, I know what a nihonjin is, and I know what a cocojin is, and I know what a gaijin is but what is an Anjin?
@frank
I didn’t want to dink with the pulley or not have a matching shiftset and I wanted to use the lugset with the integrated barrel adjuster bosses on the head/down tube lug. Also, a further perusing of most newer (carbone) ‘cross bikes will reveal that a lot of them forego the traditional ‘cross style cable routing. Besides, October is historically a very dry month in southeast Idaho so mud is never a problem at the local ‘cross races.
@Cyclops
That’s awesome; I didn’t even notice the barrel adjusters. You’re probably right anyway; a bike that’s being raced should get the maintenance to keep the problem at bay.
Funny, once I cross into Kirkland at the north end of Lake Washington, the road gets really sandy, despite being tarmac. It fucking destroys my shifting and drivetrain. I’m back to wax lube and miracles as far as my strategy against mechanical failures.
It was sunny today, though. Rode #1. Awesome. First time since Hawaii.
Fantastic gorgeous bike, Cyclops, and a highly entertaining read to boot. When does the food truck hit the road?
@Cyclops
Nice work mate, that is a sweet looking bike. Love the lugs.
Great photography!
After sitting opposite a builder on a custom bike project for the last four months, I have huge respect for the technical, aesthetic, and diplomatic skills that builders must master.
@Cyclops
Bel Mezzo. I’m jealous. I’ve thought about trying to build a frame since all the way back in high school, but then got sidetracked by college and grad school and now a decade+ of teaching. Cheers to you for wanting to try it and taking a shot at it.
Can I ask what the bottom bracket drop is? It looks like the chainstays are almost level.
Want an apprentice one of these summers?
@the Engine
Nice sentiments chap
@Cyclops
I love the dropped seat stays – tres sexy – looks like the new layup on the current apple of my eye, the Giant Defy Advanced – should allow any extra ass mass to wobble a little less visibly as you hit the bumps – the Defy Advance I see won bike of the year 2013 (1-2K budget) for it’s super smooth ride, yet race performance – maybe dropped seat stays and a stiff BB/ chainstay are the keys to maintaining comfort and not losing power – look forward to hearing how she rides – fine work, and still humbled that you gave Frank a frame – the ultimate disciple
@Cyclops
Dude, I haven’t got my specs home with me, but what is the story with the seat post – is it one piece, non adjustable? Or should I go into work and get my glasses?
Amazing work. I love dropped stays – I dream of BMCs, or, as of now, my very own Deacon. After studies, when the time comes and a nice frame is the next thing on the list, I’ll mail you. You have until 2017 to sort out the polished lugs and a real, metal headtube (this particular physicist loves that logo!). A size 58 for me, please.
I could wax poetic about this whole thing. Instead, I’ll say this: fucking rad! All the way around.
@Cyclops
not quite as rad as yours…
Great story! I am defiantly going to follow this brand!
@Cyclops Hey ol’ one eye, I have been busy around the studio, but I did get a chance to read your article (and totally Delgado the VSP!) Great read. Great build. As a fledging businessman in the industry, chapeau and keep on it!
If you want to make one for the Campagnolo 80th Anniversary Edition Record, let me know, I can get them but they will be hot commodities! Or Miche Supertype! I am waiting for my delivery of rims to do the Café Roubaix Koppenberg wheelset, but when they are in we should talk!
Man, great job!
I love that you did a bit of fillet brazing too. I love it because you can really build up the bass and shape it afterwards.
Basstafarians Unite!
@Dan_R
Dude! I was just thinking the other day how cool it would be to build a full Miche Supertype bike.
@tessar
Physics you say? Same here.