I am a big fan of this bike, the thoughtfulness of the build and your videos. Here is my bike story. I just procured an '89 Bridgestone RB-2 made from triple butted Ishiwata tubing. It came with an aluminum road fork and the whole thing just looks anemic, the tubing is so thin. Like I want to feed it a cheeseburger. Anyway, I've built it up as kind of a road bike but with 26" mountain bike wheels, because that's what I had. Then I had to get long reach Tektro 559 brakes to reach the rims and wrap around the 1.5" wide rubber. I was lucky to find some derailleurs and down tube shifters, 9 speed even though only 8 cogs fit on the hubs. No worries, I'm to old for sprinting these days. I also had a nice crank with 46/30 rings with some old look pedals that I rebuilt back to life. Its been so fun. This old scarred warrior is returning to service after many long years off. I'm a retired bike messenger myself and I can't help but think this RB-2 would be quite a weapon in that line of work. I wanted to let you know that your channel inspires me to do stuff. So thanks. May the wind be always at your back, and the forces of evil become confused on the way to your house.
Dude - I have no interest in bike touring, randonneuring, not even gravel riding really, but somehow the algorithm brought me to your Lost Coast vid & I can’t stop watching ever since.
This is great -- thanks for the review and the parts rundown; that's a very thoughtful build! And your description of low-trail is spot-on -- it matches my experiences with my 37mm trail rSogn. (Also, don't forget low trail can also compensate for the sluggish feel of wider tires, and its lower wheel flop makes it easier to carry loads up front.)
Thanks for pointing out how low trail can help compensate for a front load, and wider tires with lower air pressure. It would be a really interesting experiment to build a fork with variable trail so you could dial in the trail that feels the best. A fitting tool of sorts. Ms. Cools PV has a trail somewhere in the low 40's and I like it. It has the low trail responsiveness, but still stable.
Detailed and honest review. Lovely machine. I'm a little way off ordering a custom still, but your info is great to help me think about things like trail, or how much flex I want, powder vs paint, etc.
Hi Henry, cool bike! I'm doing a similar build at the moment. With your derailleur/shifter compatibility: In your previous video you said you were using a 10s MTB rear derailleur. This could be why it didn't work so well with a 9s chain. If you ran 10s throughout I'm sure the shifting would be smoother. As a side-note, Tiagra 4700 uses a lower cable pull ratio so it happens to be easier to find each cog using friction shifters. Happy riding!
No way! Yes, it's a cycling paradise out there! The weather and verity of terrain is spectacular, especially when you can thread together a dirt road or a ride through one of the parks. I hope we bump into each other again.
Hi Ben, I'm currently using an IRD QB-95 and so far it's excellent. It has a conical (concave) shape which allows the rear dynamo light wire to pass through the bottom bracket more easily. www.interlocracing.com/shop/product/ird-qb-95-bottom-bracket-4057?search=bottom+bracket
The rough cut was 15 minutes longer 😳 so it was a good thing I trimmed it. I know when I'm falling asleep working on the edit, I know I need to start making deep cuts 😂
Thanks so much for going through this. I was curious about the things you learned about setting up your Raids. I have a pair on the way for a 650B conversion bike. I bought a different vintage fork and may get the braze-ons done. How do you determine your straddle cable and pad set-up? Or are there resources out there that would help me. So many decisions about this bike went against current all-road bikes. It is heartening to see rim brakes (you still riding those?), friction shifting (whatttt???) and downtube shifters (brifters are the only way!) on your bike. I have all of those things and sometimes feel the pressure to "get with the times" as noted in the parentheses. Nice to see you ended up comfortable with the decisions and still love your ride. Thanks for sharing all of your rides and thoughts.
Steel bikes are the best for every day. Be confortable is the key to ride miles and miles per smiles. All my best wishes to you and the people arround you ✨
Thanks for taking the time for the review. Do you have a parts list somewhere? I remember you picked up an inexpensive bottom bracket with a 10 year warranty but can't remember the manuf and model. Awesome videos you're making!
Thank you! The new BB is an IRD QB-95. I have a pretty complete list of components under the description in this video: th-cam.com/video/PsuCXW2z54A/w-d-xo.html
Great review, and the honest insightful thoughts on your bike. It has been great to see the whole project develop from the first video a couple of years ago.
What do you think of the new saddle? I know you used to have a Brooks Professional (I have a vintage one, from what I can tell from the 60’s). The new one looks much longer. Is it? And is it more comfortable because of that?
I like the Berthoud a lot. It's the same length as the Brooks just narrower. It's been a great saddle and I've logged about 7,500 miles on it so far. I really like the Brooks too, but the Bethoud has a slimmer width of 145mm, so it has a racing saddle feel.
How are you liking the VO 46/30 crank? In the initial build vid you talked about replacing it. I'm considering that crank or an IRD or a Rene Herse. Any enlightened info would be appreciated. Love your build!
Hi, I found your channel after a review about the m8120 pedals. I see you change them for a different set. Would you be so kind to tell us why u change them ? Regards, a potential buyer of the 8120 pedals
Hi Henry... regarding the lateral flex in your fork. The old steel frames that we cut our teeth on didn’t do this. Perhaps this was because Reynolds fork blades were round-oval-round. Have a look at some of the Grand Tour bikes from the 50’s. Lots of rake, and very stable. A very nice machine though. A bit Tony Oliver I think..👍
Interesting thought on the fork shape. I wonder how thin the fork blades were on the older bikes? This tubing is pretty thin, and the bi-plane fork crown may be adding in a little flex as well? It's hard to say, but it really floats well over the rough stuff. I hadn't heard of Tony Oliver, but it looks like he was a very talented frame builder who also wrote a few books on bike touring. Nice looking frames!
It's *good* you found your heart bike! Think of all the money you're saving not buying all those other bikes! I'm curious; where does it fall on Russ's Bicycle Flavor Wheel (c) (tm) (R)?
Thank you. On Russ' flavor wheel, I would say it falls under quick steering up front with a mid "allrounder" rear. Overall it's between on top of bike and/or balanced. A lower bottom bracket would give it a more "in the bike" feel, but I feel it's more a "on the bike." I wanted to keep the BB higher for more off-road clearance and less chance of pedal strike. In the end I could have dropped the BB a little more and it would have been fine.
Beautiful bike! I've loved following your journey over the last couple of years! You and Ms. Cools are a very entertaining couple:-) Keep up the good work with these videos!
I recently installed center-pull brakes on my Norther-Lyon bike and have been, like you, somewhat underwhelmed by the braking power. I have the 4 dot brake pads and I'm curious what Kool-Stop pads you replaced them with? I love flexy frames and low trail handling. Nice video, keep up the good work.
It can be frustrating not getting good braking performance. I put a link for the pads in the pads in the description. When I set these up I made sure to get the pads as close to the rim as possible. They do compress, but not as much as the 4-dot. Give that a try and also clean and file the ends of the cable housing after you cut them to length. You want to eliminate any source of compression in the housing. All the best and let us know how it works out.
Great in dept review, really well thought out and equipped bicycle. How do you find the down tube shifters? It's been many years since I've used them. I have a soma grand randonneur 650b that i had built to my requirements, very comfortable ride, just takes a little time to fine tune certain things. I've been through many aluminum framed bikes, but you cant beat steel. John Ireland
Thanks John! The DT shifters take a little getting used to. They can be a little annoying at times when you're riding in really hilly areas, or off-road and you need to shift quickly, but you can't take your hands off the bars. As for cable routing and ease of being able to swap different derailleurs and cassettes it's very simple. For bike touring they work excellent, and if you use a large handlebar bag the shifters and cables are not in the way. Changing out cables is very simple and quick. Overall, I like them for this bike, but I also like having brifters on the other bikes I own.
This reminds me of the bike that got me into cycling. It was a 1960s 531 Reynolds frame with a similar front fork, so nice to ride. Great video, new subscriber here :)
Henry I really love the bike. I read in a reply to one of the comments that you are 6 foot tall. May I ask the frame size? I am thinking of buying a frame and converting to the 650 tires but I was a little concerned how they would look on a larger frame. BTW, they look just fine on your bike, I love all your videos.
Thanks Tim! The frame has a 58 cm seat tube with a 56.5cm top tube. I think the fenders help to full out the frame a little more too. Good luck on your build.
Nice set up Henry. 👍 I'm doing a restomod on an old Giant built Schwinn World Sport. I KNOW THAT DOESN'T COMPARE. But your build gives me ideas and I appreciate your efforts. Thanks and ATB, Tony
Thankfully my friends know me enough to understand how i can spend and appreciate a half hour watching this video. I enjoyed it so thank you! I want to make sure I didn’t misunderstand what you said; my impression looking at trail and offset is low trail is shorter wheelbase but I thought you said it lengthened yours. Seemed backwards to me. Also was the quill stem purely aesthetic or was there a characteristic about it you wanted? Any drawbacks of real consequence? Lastly, what width tires? I always find your videos informative and entertaining and don’t know why you don’t have more subscribers.
Hi Tomordr. You definitely win the patience award! Being able to sit through all of that is impressive! When I said the fork offset increases the wheelbase I meant with all other things being the same a larger fork offset moves the front tire forward. This would increase the wheelbase, but also decrease the trail. Another way to look at this is a shorter trail means the contact patch of the tire on the ground moves forward towards the imaginary point on the ground where the line passing through the center of the head tube intersects the ground. The tire is trailing "behind" this imaginary point. I hope I didn't make this more confusing. The difference in the wheelbase is very small (2 to 3 cm) and probably not going to make much of an overall difference in handling. I decided to go with a threaded steerer and a quill stem for the ability to make minor adjustments of the handlebar height, they are readily available, and quill stems are pretty affordable too. As far as any draw backs the one that comes to mind is having to remove the bar tape and brake lever in order to remove the handlebar from the stem. If I wanted to use a different handlebar I would set it up on it's own stem so I can swap them back and forth and not need to remove the stem. They are also a little heavier than a threadless stem. By the way I think I said it was a 90mm length but I looked back in my notes and it is actually a 100mm.
Can you offer your opinion on cantilevers vs. center pull brakes? I love the aesthetic and narrow profile of the post mounted center pulls, but wouldn't want to sacrifice braking power. Thank you, I enjoy your content and respect your opinions.
Just curious, are you a vinyl LP guy too? Love your videos. I see the Grasshopper has attracted some big names in bicycling. Looking forward to your coverage of those events. Say 'Hi!" to Ms. Cools.
Hi David - I never got into vinyl myself, but when were we kids my dad had a huge stack of records we would listen too. He would take us back then to record stores where we would dig through records with him for hours. The Grasshoppers are starting today!
S stands for Sensor. The Edelux has a light sensor that turns it on when it gets to dark. I have a custom build frame on my commuter bike and I enjoy every ride.
I've had this for 7 years. I put mine on and taped it so it won't go off. LOL. Damn gimpy switch with no click. Makes no sense to me to not have it on, going thru shade and whatnot. It is tilted down more in the city. My dyno is a SA XL-FDD. One day on the highway a guy came up from behind on a sunny afternoon. He said he saw my light from way back. My drum brake never goes off either, 26,000 miles. LOL
Good Morning out of my bed. 😉 Enjoyed every minute of this! 2 questions: What is the advance of the wide body son and how many spokes did you use front and back? And one more: Why did you choose 9 over 10 or 11 Speed? Greetings from Germany! ✌
Hello in Germany! I went with a 28 spoke count on the front and rear. My thinking on this was that a 650b rim with a smaller circumference with fewer spokes would be equal to a larger wheel with a bigger circumference and more spokes. The distance between the spokes is the same as a 700c wheel with 32 spokes.
Still finding my way through your videos, all are excellent in content and you clearly have been at this awhile. I think your bike is the stuff but don't know that I'd ever get one put together not being the rider you or Ms. Cool are at my age. How do you two find time to get in the rides you do? Thanks for the tour of that wonderful bike.
Great video! I would really like to hear your thoughts on 1) the interface between your rack and handlebar bag. How is it attached? Is it stable without a decaleur? And 2) Are you happy with the 16 tooth jump of your 2x 46, 30 combo, or would you prefer a triple? I recently built up a bike with a similar set of priorities, and found these two issues to be some of the tougher ones to resolve. Thanks!
Thanks for the suggestion! I may make a video on the bag, as I've gotten a lot of requests to talk about it in a little more detail. I do find I like a triple better in a number of ways. For me, I prefer to pick a chain line where I feel the chain is nearly straight with the gear in the back. I also like having a very low gear to climb steep gravel roads such as a 26 or 28. However, the compact double does the job. It feels a little lighter and it has a narrower q-factor. I tend to ride more in the 46 tooth and tend to climb more in the big ring too. In a way it's changed how I pedal to a certain degree. The 30 tooth is too small to ride in unless you're going up hill. That's why I liked the triple because I could ride in the middle ring on flat roads, and not have to cross chain. With this double crankset, I used the narrowest bottom bracket I could fit in order to center the big ring on the middle of the cassette. On a flat road I spend most of the time with this gear ratio so I'm able to reduce the amount of cross chain.
@@Henrywildeberry Completely agree! It took some fussing around, but I finally managed to set up a triple with decent q factor, chainline, and fender clearance. I ended up with a Shimano Ultegra triple Octalink crankset 48x38x28 with an XTR 112.5mm bottom bracket and an Ultegra triple front derailleur matched to 10 speed Shimano bar-end shifters, XT 9 speed rear derailleur, and XT 11-36 10-speed cassette. I had to dremel out the back of the front derailleur to clear the 52mm wide fenders, but it works flawlessly now, and the q factor is only 148mm. I'm currently working on using a piece of flat-bar stock aluminum as a leaf spring for the handlebar bag to minimize movement matched to a Nitto M18 rack with no decaleur. We shall see. A video on your handlebar bag attachment would be great! Better alternatives to the decaleur are the future.
Nice all around build, and sorry being late to the party! I must say, the looks of your front mech, it's a bit off to me, you'll basically have a small pad, contact surface from the inner side of the cage to complete the shift, I'd rather have a larger, longer contact surface pad, I think It'll create a smoother shift when changing gears, and it doesn't look right with the long kick out starting at the mid section of the cage. This also could be cause by the seat tube angle could be the cause for the flexing as well, For me it's all in the details, looks and performance. On the other hand it's a bit funny how IRD would build such a mech, IRD I is one of the house brands for Merry sales in S.F. and tell Jim about this, I go way back with Merry sale, roughly 40 years, if you do contact him tell him Baron from the Netherlands says Hi! Brake pad choice, myself I'd prefer the 4 dot pad, on a big down hill run, I'm able to modulate my braking better, team this up with Mid 80's DIA COMPE AGC 251 spring loaded levers and a good beefy braided brake cable and I am happening. Blocks with a bigger surface for sure lots of positive stopping power, such a pad may create problems as well brake to hard , a panic grab for the front brake and you'll have a good chance of going over the handlebar. Just my 2 sents.
Awesome video and advice. I bought a used Schwinn Voyageur , 1980s touring bike on an impulse and found it has toe overlap which I don't like. My Rossin Italian racing bike had no toe overlap , so I should have looked closely I assumed a touring bike would have no toe overlap issue. I imagine with that fork you have non. Some say it is a non issue , I disagree all it takes is one time not paying attention and jamming your foot on a hard city turn and down you go. I would go as far as calling it a design flaw. I could afford a custom build , but I guess I like the oldies. I picked up a vintage Paramount PDG 40 , made in Japan with Deore almost unused . I may covert to a commuter/ toured and see if I can sell if some bikes. I have a few.. Lol
Thanks for the in depth review! This February I bought a heavy touring Masi steel bike (32 lbs) to tour on this year being newly semi-retired, then Covid hit. I love the ride quality of it which is partly the 50mm tires but I believe also the steel frame and fork. It is my best fitting most comfortable bike. Additionally I own 1 each of aluminum, titanium, and 2 carbon bikes of either drop or flat bar orientation. I am thinking I would like a lighter weight steel frame bike with that lovely French bend fork, specifically for the “suspension” feel you speak of BUT I’m not sure of the low trail thing. I would like to carry a few things (for a day ride) perhaps in a front bag. My carbon flat bar is light but dull feeling and has no ability to attach any type of bag other than under seat. I would probably sell it. Hence my “created” need for this new bike. That trail number you gave for yours being in the 30’s is definitely lower than frames I am looking at (45+/-) (Crust lightning bolt or Bombora). If your bikes does feel stable and I don’t know what all you carry on your ride (weight) but I’m thinking I should be ok. I also assume you used center pull brakes vs canti due to fenders? I may go disc though my Velo orange grand cru canti’s work great. Lastly I question alternately if I shouldn’t just buy some lighter wheels for the Masi when not touring but am unsure how much “lighter, faster” they would make the bike feel. Any thoughts you have would be greatly appreciated and I apologize for such a long comment. I just always find your videos so informative, thoughtful and entertaining and appreciate what you do. Thanks!
Desert Mantis It’s pretty low. There’s approximately 35 cal per bottle. This one is caffeine free, but some of the other flavors are black tea based so they do have caffeine.
Good quality video, new camera? However, what ‘local brew’ was in that bottle you were clutching? It was all a bit rambling and unscripted, esp the errors (saddle make etc). Would be better to re-record them bits, everyone else does 😀 Tho’ you could say it’s all part of the Wildeberry charm 😊
I wish I could claim it was a "brew" however, it was a caffeine-free kombucha. There are traces of alcohol in kombucha, so maybe I'm just a lightweight? I just wanted to keep a more conversational sounding tone in this video even thought I know some people would prefer a more edited style.
Beautiful bike! Very lustworthy. I was lurking around Jon Kendziera's Insta a while back and he had a nice maroon Fitz in his shop for a new front rack iirc. He was very complimentary of John's workmanship. I was curious as to what tubing wall thickness John chose for your weight. Looks like Fitz is doing nice work with reasonable delivery times I just wish he wasn't half a continent away from me, lol.
John is a real craftsmen and very humble about his work. I believe I test rode that same maroon bike before deciding on this build. He was nice enough to let me take me it out on ride. I still remember how easy my decision was after that first ride to go with a custom steel bike. I have all all the tubing specs in the description of this video: th-cam.com/video/q4vRMZR4eSI/w-d-xo.html
The powder coat still looks new. I've been riding it through the rain and mud too. A quick hose down after a ride and then I dry it off with an old t-shirt and it still shines. I did scratch it in a few places, but overall very durable and it seems to be aging well.
Its a nice looking bike. I like my carbon Norco Search Ultegra set up with panaracer gravel king smooth tread 38 wide tubliss. Got 15000 on her , replaced the shimano BB at 10000 miles with a wheels manufacturing. My topeak tour guide front bag is a killer add on. The bracket is super light and small when not in use and the click on / off makes it nice for urban tourists like me. I love my steel bikes from the 80's but I really like the way carbon transfers energy
I don't know if I'd be too happy about my pads lasting over 5,000 miles. If your pads are lasting longer, that means it's a harder compound, and harder compounds are tougher on braking surfaces.
These are the Kool Stop Salmon compound which is notably the softer of the two options. Black compounds are harder and often last longer. I attribute the pads lasting longer than usual as a result of general riding style. I tend to brake lightly first to clear dust or debris from the pads and rim before really cranking on the levers.
Great review. I sure know what it is like to have a custom bike, with my '90 Concorde. After installing a triple, and going back to tubulars, I road that bike, more than all my others. And that bike is 30 years old this year. Is that some sort of Campagnolo decal on that top tube or what ? You just can't bet a good steel frame, hands down. Thanks. KB.
30 years! It's amazing how long they can last. Are you still running the tubulars? I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on those and whether you've run into any issues on the road with flat tires? Have you ever thought of putting tubeless sealant inside a tubular tire? I wonder if that would work? The sticker is a clever play on words, and it reads: camp.and.go.slow:)
@@Henrywildeberry I love that slogan. I had a flat spot in the original tub wheel. Bought my first real truing stand, and worked out the flat area. I had one set of Contis and wanted to use them. Put about 100 mi. on them. But, I'm staying close to home, or within 911 distance of my wife. I'm not about to remove those on the side of the road. I have a spare and Stans sealant, so should be ok.
Good morning from England!!!. Lovely bike well thought out a credit to yourself. And I like you show it off with dirt and all!!!. I must ask how tall are you?. Keep em coming please!
Sorry I'm late-- Most excellent talk; been considering a custom build and this helped. Now, random question: Did you attend SRHS? Perhaps you just have one of those faces; but my memory still serves...
Great review. I'd love to know the brand and specs of the tubing please. Maybe even where the lugs are from. If you're interested, Galibier is the model of Berthoud saddle, named after the mountain pass in France's southern alps. Gu-li-bee-ay.
If I one day travel to United States, I wanna see your bike and do a bike ride with you. Very nice bike. I think you love your bike the way I love my Raleigh ☺
Yes, you can pull hard enough to lock up the tires. Where I have the pads set right now they feel a little better than my other road bike caliper brakes.
The 1-inch steerer is a traditional head tube size with a lugged steel frame. The lugs come in various styles, and you can go with a larger head tube if you desired to run a carbon fork for example. A steel fork doesn't need to be as large a diameter as a carbon fork, so the head tube is generally smaller. The quill stem was designed for a 1-inch threaded steering tube, and they are readily available and affordable. A quill stem also allows you to adjust the bar height to your desire. There are no spacers necessary and you won't accidentally cut the steering tube too short making it impossible to change it back later. Quill stems are a little flexible and help dampen the road vibrations. I understand this makes the bike overall feel very flexible and it's not for everyone. I think for long distance rides it all helps. I hope that helps explain some things.
Hi, thank you! Yes, it is a wool shirt, and it's made by a small cycling company called Kitsbow using fabric from Pendelton Clothing Company out of Portland Oregon. Kitsbow buys the fabric, then designs and manufactuers the shirt with a cycling specific cut (a little more slim fitting) version of the traditional wool shirts by Pendleton.
9:16 Wait... you got a custom frame and you had to bend fenders to fit... that's a fail for me. Why wasn't the frame built with proper clearances in the first place?
This frame was built to push all the boundaries. We started with traditional lugs and a 68mm wide bottom bracket. That sets the clearance there. The fork crown is also a classic biplane design, and even though the fender slide through without any issue, it's the post mounts for the center pull brakes where a small dimple is needed to clear the extra wide fenders. Cantilever brakes wouldn't have had this issue, but I wanted a more classic look. As you may not know, dimpling the fenders is pretty typical, and part of the installation instructions. Honjo, the company that manufacturers all the best aluminum fenders, make a hammered fender where they literally go around the entire fender and bend it, for aesthetic maximal eye viewing pleasure. Max tire clearance for this size fender is 42mm, however, I went with 48's because I wanted to test the boundaries. If you want a bike that the fenders can simply slide in without any modification, you'll need to downsize on your tire volume. That was a compromise I was willing to make, but you should weigh your options based on your own needs. I have almost 30,000 miles on this bike and it's still working like a champ.
Hello! I made a video on the brakes here: th-cam.com/video/pvrme-Mt9Rk/w-d-xo.html I went with a 1-inch threaded fork, because I like the adjustability of the quill stem, they are readily available, and inexpensive. Threadless stems are nice too, but maybe a little harder to find in the size you need?
(New subscriber) Thoroughly enjoying your riding videos of your area adventures as that used to be "my riding area" (Long time Sonoma County Resident and rider) so your videos bring back lots of great memories of many epic rides (so thanks for that!). Question for you: I watched your original build video for this bike and of course this 1-year review. I have searched the comments and watched the video 2x but didn't' see/hear any reference to the front crankset now being a sub-compact double upfront instead of the original triple. Can you speak to your decision to change to a double (46 outer / 30 tooth inner?) - The crankset looks like a Grand Cru 50.4 BCD Crankset from Velo Orange (How do you like it). Thanks again for making fun videos!
The crank is a sub-compact by Velo Orange. I chose this because of its very narrow q-factor, a recommendation by my frame builder, and it was available in a 170mm length. It also helped that I found a used one with low mileage. To go back to a triple would have widened my stance by 10mm and I found I very much enjoy the narrower q-factor, as discovered riding lots of road bikes. Not everyone is as sensitive to a wider crank, so that aspect may not matter to you. The other benefit is the crank is slightly lighter than the triple. Again no big deal in the big picture, but I don’t mind saving grams where I can and without sacrificing durability makes it a good sell in my opinion. I hope that answers your question? All the best!!!
@@Henrywildeberry - Thank you! And yes, I do better with narrow q-factor and the traditional narrow q-factor found on Vintage Campy and Stronglight, etc were how my riding legs 'learned to ride". Congrats on finding a used one. I will keep my eyes open (I prefer the 170mm size as well). I also like the vintage Stronglight "look" - Very appealing. Thanks again, stay safe and enjoy! And as you said, "All the best" to you as well.
doing a long term review you should check your facts a bit closer' front wheel spacing is probably 100mm not 120. Son wide body hubs as far as I know are 32 spoke ( I have two , 0n a 650 the other on a 26 wheel. I doubt the fork is so flexable that it causes the side to side issue. probable wheel build or not enough spokes. I do enjoy you videos and I usually don't bother with a response. Kept riding, I have for 56 years. CHEERS GR
Thanks for the correction on the front hub spacing, I misspoke. You're right it's 100mm (standard rim brake width). The Son hub is 28 spokes, I specifically ordered it that way. The very large offset in the fork to get the trail numbers low as well as how thin the tubing is what I think contributes to the lateral displacement of the wheel. I could swap in a different wheel and see if there is any changes in flex. Then I would know for sure.
Love the video and the bike.You might be interested in Jan Heine's ideas about "planing "in bike frames as opposed to very rigid ones.See his blog on Rene Herse website. My regards to missCools.
If you need more stopping power go for Paul’s minimotos, I chucked my cantis in the bin and went for some TRPs and perform 1000 times better. This build screams for Paul’s!!!
Your handlebar setup kinda upsets me. The bar wrap just look ugly with that cable routed under it. You should either decide on traditional style routing or inside the bar. Then there is the angle at wich it is set up. The traditional european style is having the brake levers set up with a ruler lining them up with the straight lower section of the drop. The drop part is then set up paralell to the top tube / Horizontally. I played around with my setup as well and found this traditional way being the most comfortable. www.pinterest.de/pin/675399275336876080/ here you see merckx riding on his bars set up that way.
Thank you! The bar tape was a gift from a friend who decided not to use it. It's leather and I'm pretty sure, 90% sure, it's from VeloOrange. It's a needle and thread installation, which, took me quite a while. I installed it last winter with a flashlight during a storm power outage.
I am a big fan of this bike, the thoughtfulness of the build and your videos. Here is my bike story. I just procured an '89 Bridgestone RB-2 made from triple butted Ishiwata tubing. It came with an aluminum road fork and the whole thing just looks anemic, the tubing is so thin. Like I want to feed it a cheeseburger. Anyway, I've built it up as kind of a road bike but with 26" mountain bike wheels, because that's what I had. Then I had to get long reach Tektro 559 brakes to reach the rims and wrap around the 1.5" wide rubber. I was lucky to find some derailleurs and down tube shifters, 9 speed even though only 8 cogs fit on the hubs. No worries, I'm to old for sprinting these days. I also had a nice crank with 46/30 rings with some old look pedals that I rebuilt back to life. Its been so fun. This old scarred warrior is returning to service after many long years off. I'm a retired bike messenger myself and I can't help but think this RB-2 would be quite a weapon in that line of work. I wanted to let you know that your channel inspires me to do stuff. So thanks. May the wind be always at your back, and the forces of evil become confused on the way to your house.
Dude - I have no interest in bike touring, randonneuring, not even gravel riding really, but somehow the algorithm brought me to your Lost Coast vid & I can’t stop watching ever since.
This is great -- thanks for the review and the parts rundown; that's a very thoughtful build! And your description of low-trail is spot-on -- it matches my experiences with my 37mm trail rSogn. (Also, don't forget low trail can also compensate for the sluggish feel of wider tires, and its lower wheel flop makes it easier to carry loads up front.)
Thanks for pointing out how low trail can help compensate for a front load, and wider tires with lower air pressure. It would be a really interesting experiment to build a fork with variable trail so you could dial in the trail that feels the best. A fitting tool of sorts. Ms. Cools PV has a trail somewhere in the low 40's and I like it. It has the low trail responsiveness, but still stable.
Sick build! I'm so jealous! I can't imagine NOT having an amazing ride on that bike 😁
Detailed and honest review. Lovely machine. I'm a little way off ordering a custom still, but your info is great to help me think about things like trail, or how much flex I want, powder vs paint, etc.
Hi Henry, cool bike! I'm doing a similar build at the moment.
With your derailleur/shifter compatibility: In your previous video you said you were using a 10s MTB rear derailleur. This could be why it didn't work so well with a 9s chain. If you ran 10s throughout I'm sure the shifting would be smoother. As a side-note, Tiagra 4700 uses a lower cable pull ratio so it happens to be easier to find each cog using friction shifters. Happy riding!
Saw you bike and dog hanging out at Caz general store the other day I live right up the hill from there. Best place to live and ride hands down
No way! Yes, it's a cycling paradise out there! The weather and verity of terrain is spectacular, especially when you can thread together a dirt road or a ride through one of the parks. I hope we bump into each other again.
Loved this video. Especially, liked the pros and cons you mentioned about low trail and flexible frames. The fact that it might be not for everyone
Thank you, I'm glad you found this helpful.
Hey Mr. Wildeberry I'm not sure if I caught it in the video ... what bottom bracket are you using? or used and are currently happy with?
Hi Ben, I'm currently using an IRD QB-95 and so far it's excellent. It has a conical (concave) shape which allows the rear dynamo light wire to pass through the bottom bracket more easily. www.interlocracing.com/shop/product/ird-qb-95-bottom-bracket-4057?search=bottom+bracket
Thumbs up for your long awaited review! You should talk about those cranks.
Also, I admit that you're king of rambling, but enjoyable one.
The rough cut was 15 minutes longer 😳 so it was a good thing I trimmed it. I know when I'm falling asleep working on the edit, I know I need to start making deep cuts 😂
I powder coated my frame. Very impressed with how tough the paint is holding up.
Thanks so much for going through this. I was curious about the things you learned about setting up your Raids. I have a pair on the way for a 650B conversion bike. I bought a different vintage fork and may get the braze-ons done. How do you determine your straddle cable and pad set-up? Or are there resources out there that would help me. So many decisions about this bike went against current all-road bikes. It is heartening to see rim brakes (you still riding those?), friction shifting (whatttt???) and downtube shifters (brifters are the only way!) on your bike. I have all of those things and sometimes feel the pressure to "get with the times" as noted in the parentheses. Nice to see you ended up comfortable with the decisions and still love your ride. Thanks for sharing all of your rides and thoughts.
Steel bikes are the best for every day. Be confortable is the key to ride miles and miles per smiles. All my best wishes to you and the people arround you ✨
Thanks Jordi! My sentiments too.
Thanks for taking the time for the review. Do you have a parts list somewhere? I remember you picked up an inexpensive bottom bracket with a 10 year warranty but can't remember the manuf and model. Awesome videos you're making!
Thank you! The new BB is an IRD QB-95. I have a pretty complete list of components under the description in this video: th-cam.com/video/PsuCXW2z54A/w-d-xo.html
Great review, and the honest insightful thoughts on your bike. It has been great to see the whole project develop from the first video a couple of years ago.
What do you think of the new saddle? I know you used to have a Brooks Professional (I have a vintage one, from what I can tell from the 60’s). The new one looks much longer. Is it? And is it more comfortable because of that?
I like the Berthoud a lot. It's the same length as the Brooks just narrower. It's been a great saddle and I've logged about 7,500 miles on it so far. I really like the Brooks too, but the Bethoud has a slimmer width of 145mm, so it has a racing saddle feel.
How are you liking the VO 46/30 crank? In the initial build vid you talked about replacing it. I'm considering that crank or an IRD or a Rene Herse. Any enlightened info would be appreciated. Love your build!
I love it!
Super sick bike. Looks like it will last a lifetime. Very functional classic styling!
Thank you!
Hi,
I found your channel after a review about the m8120 pedals. I see you change them for a different set. Would you be so kind to tell us why u change them ? Regards, a potential buyer of the 8120 pedals
Hi Henry... regarding the lateral flex in your fork. The old steel frames that we cut our teeth on didn’t do this. Perhaps this was because Reynolds fork blades were round-oval-round. Have a look at some of the Grand Tour bikes from the 50’s. Lots of rake, and very stable. A very nice machine though. A bit Tony Oliver I think..👍
Interesting thought on the fork shape. I wonder how thin the fork blades were on the older bikes? This tubing is pretty thin, and the bi-plane fork crown may be adding in a little flex as well? It's hard to say, but it really floats well over the rough stuff. I hadn't heard of Tony Oliver, but it looks like he was a very talented frame builder who also wrote a few books on bike touring. Nice looking frames!
It's *good* you found your heart bike! Think of all the money you're saving not buying all those other bikes! I'm curious; where does it fall on Russ's Bicycle Flavor Wheel (c) (tm) (R)?
Thank you. On Russ' flavor wheel, I would say it falls under quick steering up front with a mid "allrounder" rear. Overall it's between on top of bike and/or balanced. A lower bottom bracket would give it a more "in the bike" feel, but I feel it's more a "on the bike." I wanted to keep the BB higher for more off-road clearance and less chance of pedal strike. In the end I could have dropped the BB a little more and it would have been fine.
Beautiful bike! I've loved following your journey over the last couple of years! You and Ms. Cools are a very entertaining couple:-)
Keep up the good work with these videos!
Thank you!
Thank you. Just what we expect , honest in-depth review.
Thanks for all of your informative and entertaining videos! Wondering what bottom bracket spindle length you use with the Velo Orange 46/30 crankset?
Thanks Michael! I forgot the length (110mm?), but VO should have a suggested range, but it will depend on your bike's chain stay/chain ring clearance.
I recently installed center-pull brakes on my Norther-Lyon bike and have been, like you, somewhat underwhelmed by the braking power. I have the 4 dot brake pads and I'm curious what Kool-Stop pads you replaced them with? I love flexy frames and low trail handling. Nice video, keep up the good work.
It can be frustrating not getting good braking performance. I put a link for the pads in the pads in the description. When I set these up I made sure to get the pads as close to the rim as possible. They do compress, but not as much as the 4-dot. Give that a try and also clean and file the ends of the cable housing after you cut them to length. You want to eliminate any source of compression in the housing. All the best and let us know how it works out.
Great in dept review, really well thought out and equipped bicycle. How do you find the down tube shifters? It's been many years since I've used them. I have a soma grand randonneur 650b that i had built to my requirements, very comfortable ride, just takes a little time to fine tune certain things. I've been through many aluminum framed bikes, but you cant beat steel.
John
Ireland
Thanks John! The DT shifters take a little getting used to. They can be a little annoying at times when you're riding in really hilly areas, or off-road and you need to shift quickly, but you can't take your hands off the bars. As for cable routing and ease of being able to swap different derailleurs and cassettes it's very simple. For bike touring they work excellent, and if you use a large handlebar bag the shifters and cables are not in the way. Changing out cables is very simple and quick. Overall, I like them for this bike, but I also like having brifters on the other bikes I own.
This reminds me of the bike that got me into cycling. It was a 1960s 531 Reynolds frame with a similar front fork, so nice to ride. Great video, new subscriber here :)
Henry
I really love the bike. I read in a reply to one of the comments that you are 6 foot tall. May I ask the frame size? I am thinking of buying a frame and converting to the 650 tires but I was a little concerned how they would look on a larger frame. BTW, they look just fine on your bike, I love all your videos.
Thanks Tim! The frame has a 58 cm seat tube with a 56.5cm top tube. I think the fenders help to full out the frame a little more too. Good luck on your build.
Nice set up Henry. 👍 I'm doing a restomod on an old Giant built Schwinn World Sport. I KNOW THAT DOESN'T COMPARE. But your build gives me ideas and I appreciate your efforts. Thanks and ATB, Tony
Thankfully my friends know me enough to understand how i can spend and appreciate a half hour watching this video. I enjoyed it so thank you! I want to make sure I didn’t misunderstand what you said; my impression looking at trail and offset is low trail is shorter wheelbase but I thought you said it lengthened yours. Seemed backwards to me. Also was the quill stem purely aesthetic or was there a characteristic about it you wanted? Any drawbacks of real consequence? Lastly, what width tires? I always find your videos informative and entertaining and don’t know why you don’t have more subscribers.
Hi Tomordr. You definitely win the patience award! Being able to sit through all of that is impressive! When I said the fork offset increases the wheelbase I meant with all other things being the same a larger fork offset moves the front tire forward. This would increase the wheelbase, but also decrease the trail. Another way to look at this is a shorter trail means the contact patch of the tire on the ground moves forward towards the imaginary point on the ground where the line passing through the center of the head tube intersects the ground. The tire is trailing "behind" this imaginary point. I hope I didn't make this more confusing. The difference in the wheelbase is very small (2 to 3 cm) and probably not going to make much of an overall difference in handling. I decided to go with a threaded steerer and a quill stem for the ability to make minor adjustments of the handlebar height, they are readily available, and quill stems are pretty affordable too. As far as any draw backs the one that comes to mind is having to remove the bar tape and brake lever in order to remove the handlebar from the stem. If I wanted to use a different handlebar I would set it up on it's own stem so I can swap them back and forth and not need to remove the stem. They are also a little heavier than a threadless stem. By the way I think I said it was a 90mm length but I looked back in my notes and it is actually a 100mm.
Can you offer your opinion on cantilevers vs. center pull brakes? I love the aesthetic and narrow profile of the post mounted center pulls, but wouldn't want to sacrifice braking power. Thank you, I enjoy your content and respect your opinions.
what is the handkebar wrap you are using? i assume it is leather, but it has horizontal lacing. what brand is it? thanks, Don
oops i meant "handlebar".
Just curious, are you a vinyl LP guy too?
Love your videos. I see the Grasshopper has attracted some big names in bicycling. Looking forward to your coverage of those events. Say 'Hi!" to Ms. Cools.
Hi David - I never got into vinyl myself, but when were we kids my dad had a huge stack of records we would listen too. He would take us back then to record stores where we would dig through records with him for hours. The Grasshoppers are starting today!
S stands for Sensor. The Edelux has a light sensor that turns it on when it gets to dark.
I have a custom build frame on my commuter bike and I enjoy every ride.
I've had this for 7 years. I put mine on and taped it so it won't go off. LOL. Damn gimpy switch with no click. Makes no sense to me to not have it on, going thru shade and whatnot. It is tilted down more in the city. My dyno is a SA XL-FDD. One day on the highway a guy came up from behind on a sunny afternoon. He said he saw my light from way back. My drum brake never goes off either, 26,000 miles. LOL
Good Morning out of my bed. 😉
Enjoyed every minute of this!
2 questions: What is the advance of the wide body son and how many spokes did you use front and back?
And one more: Why did you choose 9 over 10 or 11 Speed?
Greetings from Germany! ✌
Hello in Germany! I went with a 28 spoke count on the front and rear. My thinking on this was that a 650b rim with a smaller circumference with fewer spokes would be equal to a larger wheel with a bigger circumference and more spokes. The distance between the spokes is the same as a 700c wheel with 32 spokes.
@@Henrywildeberry Thank you for that answer. Maybe that would explain why the Hunt 650b dynamo wheelset is not available in a 32 spoke (only 28)
Thanks for the video. Well explained. How many bikes do you have in your stable, and do you have a backup bike, or do you even need one?
Still finding my way through your videos, all are excellent in content and you clearly have been at this awhile. I think your bike is the stuff but don't know that I'd ever get one put together not being the rider you or Ms. Cool are at my age. How do you two find time to get in the rides you do? Thanks for the tour of that wonderful bike.
Great video! I would really like to hear your thoughts on 1) the interface between your rack and handlebar bag. How is it attached? Is it stable without a decaleur? And 2) Are you happy with the 16 tooth jump of your 2x 46, 30 combo, or would you prefer a triple? I recently built up a bike with a similar set of priorities, and found these two issues to be some of the tougher ones to resolve. Thanks!
Thanks for the suggestion! I may make a video on the bag, as I've gotten a lot of requests to talk about it in a little more detail. I do find I like a triple better in a number of ways. For me, I prefer to pick a chain line where I feel the chain is nearly straight with the gear in the back. I also like having a very low gear to climb steep gravel roads such as a 26 or 28. However, the compact double does the job. It feels a little lighter and it has a narrower q-factor. I tend to ride more in the 46 tooth and tend to climb more in the big ring too. In a way it's changed how I pedal to a certain degree. The 30 tooth is too small to ride in unless you're going up hill. That's why I liked the triple because I could ride in the middle ring on flat roads, and not have to cross chain. With this double crankset, I used the narrowest bottom bracket I could fit in order to center the big ring on the middle of the cassette. On a flat road I spend most of the time with this gear ratio so I'm able to reduce the amount of cross chain.
@@Henrywildeberry Completely agree! It took some fussing around, but I finally managed to set up a triple with decent q factor, chainline, and fender clearance. I ended up with a Shimano Ultegra triple Octalink crankset 48x38x28 with an XTR 112.5mm bottom bracket and an Ultegra triple front derailleur matched to 10 speed Shimano bar-end shifters, XT 9 speed rear derailleur, and XT 11-36 10-speed cassette. I had to dremel out the back of the front derailleur to clear the 52mm wide fenders, but it works flawlessly now, and the q factor is only 148mm. I'm currently working on using a piece of flat-bar stock aluminum as a leaf spring for the handlebar bag to minimize movement matched to a Nitto M18 rack with no decaleur. We shall see. A video on your handlebar bag attachment would be great! Better alternatives to the decaleur are the future.
Nice all around build, and sorry being late to the party!
I must say, the looks of your front mech, it's a bit off to me, you'll basically have a small pad, contact surface from the inner side of the cage to complete the shift, I'd rather have a larger, longer contact surface pad, I think It'll create a smoother shift when changing gears, and it doesn't look right with the long kick out starting at the mid section of the cage. This also could be cause by the seat tube angle could be the cause for the flexing as well, For me it's all in the details, looks and performance. On the other hand it's a bit funny how IRD would build such a mech, IRD I is one of the house brands for Merry sales in S.F. and tell Jim about this, I go way back with Merry sale, roughly 40 years, if you do contact him tell him Baron from the Netherlands says Hi!
Brake pad choice, myself I'd prefer the 4 dot pad, on a big down hill run, I'm able to modulate my braking better, team this up with Mid 80's DIA COMPE AGC 251 spring loaded levers and a good beefy braided brake cable and I am happening. Blocks with a bigger surface for sure lots of positive stopping power, such a pad may create problems as well brake to hard , a panic grab for the front brake and you'll have a good chance of going over the handlebar.
Just my 2 sents.
Thanks Cecile. Here's an update on the front shifting. Let me know what you think? th-cam.com/video/RsdLDS5GVa0/w-d-xo.html
Awesome video and advice. I bought a used Schwinn Voyageur , 1980s touring bike on an impulse and found it has toe overlap which I don't like. My Rossin Italian racing bike had no toe overlap , so I should have looked closely I assumed a touring bike would have no toe overlap issue. I imagine with that fork you have non. Some say it is a non issue , I disagree all it takes is one time not paying attention and jamming your foot on a hard city turn and down you go. I would go as far as calling it a design flaw. I could afford a custom build , but I guess I like the oldies. I picked up a vintage Paramount PDG 40 , made in Japan with Deore almost unused . I may covert to a commuter/ toured and see if I can sell if some bikes. I have a few.. Lol
Thanks for the in depth review! This February I bought a heavy touring Masi steel bike (32 lbs) to tour on this year being newly semi-retired, then Covid hit. I love the ride quality of it which is partly the 50mm tires but I believe also the steel frame and fork. It is my best fitting most comfortable bike. Additionally I own 1 each of aluminum, titanium, and 2 carbon bikes of either drop or flat bar orientation. I am thinking I would like a lighter weight steel frame bike with that lovely French bend fork, specifically for the “suspension” feel you speak of BUT I’m not sure of the low trail thing. I would like to carry a few things (for a day ride) perhaps in a front bag. My carbon flat bar is light but dull feeling and has no ability to attach any type of bag other than under seat. I would probably sell it. Hence my “created” need for this new bike. That trail number you gave for yours being in the 30’s is definitely lower than frames I am looking at (45+/-) (Crust lightning bolt or Bombora). If your bikes does feel stable and I don’t know what all you carry on your ride (weight) but I’m thinking I should be ok. I also assume you used center pull brakes vs canti due to fenders? I may go disc though my Velo orange grand cru canti’s work great. Lastly I question alternately if I shouldn’t just buy some lighter wheels for the Masi when not touring but am unsure how much “lighter, faster” they would make the bike feel. Any thoughts you have would be greatly appreciated and I apologize for such a long comment. I just always find your videos so informative, thoughtful and entertaining and appreciate what you do. Thanks!
IS the Revive low-sugar? SO many kombucha brands are too sweet for this cowboy.
The Fitz Cycles look sweet!
Desert Mantis It’s pretty low. There’s approximately 35 cal per bottle. This one is caffeine free, but some of the other flavors are black tea based so they do have caffeine.
Good quality video, new camera?
However, what ‘local brew’ was in that bottle you were clutching? It was all a bit rambling and unscripted, esp the errors (saddle make etc). Would be better to re-record them bits, everyone else does 😀
Tho’ you could say it’s all part of the Wildeberry charm 😊
I wish I could claim it was a "brew" however, it was a caffeine-free kombucha. There are traces of alcohol in kombucha, so maybe I'm just a lightweight? I just wanted to keep a more conversational sounding tone in this video even thought I know some people would prefer a more edited style.
@@Henrywildeberry No probs. Lovely bike and spec. I thoroughly enjoyed your (rambling) thoughts on the build. Informative.
Great video Henery. You inspire me to enjoy my bikes a lot more. I've now own 4 steel bikes that I love.Thank you, how is Ms. Cools?
I'm glad to hear you're out enjoying your bikes! Ms. Cools is doing very well:) Thank you.
Beautiful bike! Very lustworthy. I was lurking around Jon Kendziera's Insta a while back and he had a nice maroon Fitz in his shop for a new front rack iirc. He was very complimentary of John's workmanship. I was curious as to what tubing wall thickness John chose for your weight. Looks like Fitz is doing nice work with reasonable delivery times I just wish he wasn't half a continent away from me, lol.
John is a real craftsmen and very humble about his work. I believe I test rode that same maroon bike before deciding on this build. He was nice enough to let me take me it out on ride. I still remember how easy my decision was after that first ride to go with a custom steel bike. I have all all the tubing specs in the description of this video: th-cam.com/video/q4vRMZR4eSI/w-d-xo.html
Thanks for the One Year review. I’m curious how the powder coat paint held up.
The powder coat still looks new. I've been riding it through the rain and mud too. A quick hose down after a ride and then I dry it off with an old t-shirt and it still shines. I did scratch it in a few places, but overall very durable and it seems to be aging well.
Its a nice looking bike. I like my carbon Norco Search Ultegra set up with panaracer gravel king smooth tread 38 wide tubliss. Got 15000 on her , replaced the shimano BB at 10000 miles with a wheels manufacturing. My topeak tour guide front bag is a killer add on. The bracket is super light and small when not in use and the click on / off makes it nice for urban tourists like me. I love my steel bikes from the 80's but I really like the way carbon transfers energy
Nice job- very thorough and balanced
I don't know if I'd be too happy about my pads lasting over 5,000 miles. If your pads are lasting longer, that means it's a harder compound, and harder compounds are tougher on braking surfaces.
These are the Kool Stop Salmon compound which is notably the softer of the two options. Black compounds are harder and often last longer. I attribute the pads lasting longer than usual as a result of general riding style. I tend to brake lightly first to clear dust or debris from the pads and rim before really cranking on the levers.
Great review. I sure know what it is like to have a custom bike, with my '90 Concorde. After installing a triple, and going back to tubulars, I road that bike, more than all my others. And that bike is 30 years old this year. Is that some sort of Campagnolo decal on that top tube or what ? You just can't bet a good steel frame, hands down. Thanks. KB.
30 years! It's amazing how long they can last. Are you still running the tubulars? I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on those and whether you've run into any issues on the road with flat tires? Have you ever thought of putting tubeless sealant inside a tubular tire? I wonder if that would work? The sticker is a clever play on words, and it reads: camp.and.go.slow:)
@@Henrywildeberry I love that slogan. I had a flat spot in the original tub wheel. Bought my first real truing stand, and worked out the flat area. I had one set of Contis and wanted to use them. Put about 100 mi. on them. But, I'm staying close to home, or within 911 distance of my wife. I'm not about to remove those on the side of the road. I have a spare and Stans sealant, so should be ok.
Comfy bikes are good. I can never sell my 1990 Masi. It has the nicest built in flex,loves fast downhill.
Good morning from England!!!. Lovely bike well thought out a credit to yourself. And I like you show it off with dirt and all!!!. I must ask how tall are you?. Keep em coming please!
Hi Sheila - Thank you! I'm 6-feet tall or 183cm.
@@Henrywildeberry I had feeling you are six foot tall
Sorry I'm late-- Most excellent talk; been considering a custom build and this helped. Now, random question: Did you attend SRHS? Perhaps you just have one of those faces; but my memory still serves...
how long is your top tup ant seat tube ? is it has the same length ora the top tube is shorter ?
Great review. I'd love to know the brand and specs of the tubing please. Maybe even where the lugs are from. If you're interested, Galibier is the model of Berthoud saddle, named after the mountain pass in France's southern alps. Gu-li-bee-ay.
Thank you! I have a video on the tubing specs. Take a look in the description for the tube sizes. th-cam.com/video/q4vRMZR4eSI/w-d-xo.html
If I one day travel to United States, I wanna see your bike and do a bike ride with you. Very nice bike. I think you love your bike the way I love my Raleigh ☺
Look me up if you ever make it out this way.
@@Henrywildeberry Yeah, I'll sure do that 👍 And please let me know if you ever travel to Finland. ☺
With the center pulls are you able to lift the rear wheel while braking?
Yes, you can pull hard enough to lock up the tires. Where I have the pads set right now they feel a little better than my other road bike caliper brakes.
Thanks for the review. Good info!
Henry I have a 46x36 crank would 46x30 like yours be easier on the hills.Love steel bikes as they say steel is real.
Yes, a 30 tooth ring will help with climbing up steeper grades.
"Camp and go slow." Ha, ha. Love that!
I'm curious why you went with a 1" steerer and quill stem. Nice video about your bike.
The 1-inch steerer is a traditional head tube size with a lugged steel frame. The lugs come in various styles, and you can go with a larger head tube if you desired to run a carbon fork for example. A steel fork doesn't need to be as large a diameter as a carbon fork, so the head tube is generally smaller. The quill stem was designed for a 1-inch threaded steering tube, and they are readily available and affordable. A quill stem also allows you to adjust the bar height to your desire. There are no spacers necessary and you won't accidentally cut the steering tube too short making it impossible to change it back later. Quill stems are a little flexible and help dampen the road vibrations. I understand this makes the bike overall feel very flexible and it's not for everyone. I think for long distance rides it all helps. I hope that helps explain some things.
Excellent review. You should put Ms. Cools bike on your list to review.
10 out of 10 would be my review.
Did you mention tires? Maybe I missed it.
Is your flannel shirt wool? If so what brand?
Yes, wondering the same.. Awesome looking!
Hi, thank you! Yes, it is a wool shirt, and it's made by a small cycling company called Kitsbow using fabric from Pendelton Clothing Company out of Portland Oregon. Kitsbow buys the fabric, then designs and manufactuers the shirt with a cycling specific cut (a little more slim fitting) version of the traditional wool shirts by Pendleton.
Hey thanks for the review. Really interesting. Love to hear your thoughts on your tyre choice and width. Thanks
Thanks for the suggestion!
9:16 Wait... you got a custom frame and you had to bend fenders to fit... that's a fail for me. Why wasn't the frame built with proper clearances in the first place?
This frame was built to push all the boundaries. We started with traditional lugs and a 68mm wide bottom bracket. That sets the clearance there. The fork crown is also a classic biplane design, and even though the fender slide through without any issue, it's the post mounts for the center pull brakes where a small dimple is needed to clear the extra wide fenders. Cantilever brakes wouldn't have had this issue, but I wanted a more classic look. As you may not know, dimpling the fenders is pretty typical, and part of the installation instructions. Honjo, the company that manufacturers all the best aluminum fenders, make a hammered fender where they literally go around the entire fender and bend it, for aesthetic maximal eye viewing pleasure. Max tire clearance for this size fender is 42mm, however, I went with 48's because I wanted to test the boundaries. If you want a bike that the fenders can simply slide in without any modification, you'll need to downsize on your tire volume. That was a compromise I was willing to make, but you should weigh your options based on your own needs. I have almost 30,000 miles on this bike and it's still working like a champ.
what was your reason for using centre pull brakes and a threaded 1" fork?
Hello! I made a video on the brakes here: th-cam.com/video/pvrme-Mt9Rk/w-d-xo.html
I went with a 1-inch threaded fork, because I like the adjustability of the quill stem, they are readily available, and inexpensive. Threadless stems are nice too, but maybe a little harder to find in the size you need?
(New subscriber) Thoroughly enjoying your riding videos of your area adventures as that used to be "my riding area" (Long time Sonoma County Resident and rider) so your videos bring back lots of great memories of many epic rides (so thanks for that!). Question for you: I watched your original build video for this bike and of course this 1-year review. I have searched the comments and watched the video 2x but didn't' see/hear any reference to the front crankset now being a sub-compact double upfront instead of the original triple. Can you speak to your decision to change to a double (46 outer / 30 tooth inner?) - The crankset looks like a Grand Cru 50.4 BCD Crankset from Velo Orange (How do you like it). Thanks again for making fun videos!
Welcome aboard! We have no idea where this ship is sailing, but hopefully we’ll have some adventure along the way.
The crank is a sub-compact by Velo Orange. I chose this because of its very narrow q-factor, a recommendation by my frame builder, and it was available in a 170mm length. It also helped that I found a used one with low mileage. To go back to a triple would have widened my stance by 10mm and I found I very much enjoy the narrower q-factor, as discovered riding lots of road bikes. Not everyone is as sensitive to a wider crank, so that aspect may not matter to you. The other benefit is the crank is slightly lighter than the triple. Again no big deal in the big picture, but I don’t mind saving grams where I can and without sacrificing durability makes it a good sell in my opinion. I hope that answers your question? All the best!!!
@@Henrywildeberry - Thank you! And yes, I do better with narrow q-factor and the traditional narrow q-factor found on Vintage Campy and Stronglight, etc were how my riding legs 'learned to ride". Congrats on finding a used one. I will keep my eyes open (I prefer the 170mm size as well). I also like the vintage Stronglight "look" - Very appealing. Thanks again, stay safe and enjoy! And as you said, "All the best" to you as well.
Who makes custom handlebar bags?
Curious about your pump?
Just watched it for the third time.
Pretty sure you can set up that Velo Orange crank setn s a triple
doing a long term review you should check your facts a bit closer' front wheel spacing is probably 100mm not 120. Son wide body hubs as far as I know are 32 spoke ( I have two , 0n a 650 the other on a 26 wheel. I doubt the fork is so flexable that it causes the side to side issue. probable wheel build or not enough spokes.
I do enjoy you videos and I usually don't bother with a response. Kept riding, I have for 56 years. CHEERS GR
Thanks for the correction on the front hub spacing, I misspoke. You're right it's 100mm (standard rim brake width). The Son hub is 28 spokes, I specifically ordered it that way. The very large offset in the fork to get the trail numbers low as well as how thin the tubing is what I think contributes to the lateral displacement of the wheel. I could swap in a different wheel and see if there is any changes in flex. Then I would know for sure.
Henry
What is a camucha drink?
Kombucha
nice bike for my inspiration
Love the video and the bike.You might be interested in Jan Heine's ideas about "planing "in bike frames as opposed to very rigid ones.See his blog on Rene Herse website. My regards to missCools.
love that bike
If you need more stopping power go for Paul’s minimotos, I chucked my cantis in the bin and went for some TRPs and perform 1000 times better. This build screams for Paul’s!!!
Классный велосипед и седло вообще супер!
Another bike!!! but N+1
That's a beautiful bike. It reminds me of the Mike Barrie Mariposa Randonneur bike. See:
mariposabicycles.ca/bikes/touring-randonneur/
Nice shirt. want.
Here is how you say Jitensha... th-cam.com/video/QkxE6B6mLzY/w-d-xo.html
Your handlebar setup kinda upsets me. The bar wrap just look ugly with that cable routed under it. You should either decide on traditional style routing or inside the bar. Then there is the angle at wich it is set up. The traditional european style is having the brake levers set up with a ruler lining them up with the straight lower section of the drop. The drop part is then set up paralell to the top tube / Horizontally. I played around with my setup as well and found this traditional way being the most comfortable. www.pinterest.de/pin/675399275336876080/ here you see merckx riding on his bars set up that way.
Enjoyed the video and glad the bike is living up to expectations. Just curious on the handlebar tape - looks like leather?
Thank you! The bar tape was a gift from a friend who decided not to use it. It's leather and I'm pretty sure, 90% sure, it's from VeloOrange. It's a needle and thread installation, which, took me quite a while. I installed it last winter with a flashlight during a storm power outage.