Zach’s FRC

Zach’s Folding Road Concept takes the seatstay-to-dropout attachment system I prototyped with my stainless gravel build and adds it to the previous folding frame design to create a cleaner, lighter folding disc brake frame. The new system has the inside of the dropouts modified to accept stainless steel tabs that are brazed to the end of the seatstays. Then the stays are held in place to the dropouts by the thru-axle when the bike is assembled. This allows for a much smaller dropout – previously with the folding seatstays the dropout needed to extend above the rear brake caliper to position the hinge so the seatstays could fold down above the caliper. But now the seatstay unit is simply removed completely.

Zach was able to visit to review his fit; I could then take those dimensions to design his custom bike. The bike is designed around 32mm tires, but has clearance for up to 35mm, with a US-made Allied carbon fork up front. This fork has an 1-1/4″ tapered steerer – to mate it to the frame without needing an oversize headtube, there is a custom English headset using Cane Creek bearings.

The frame features internally brazed bosses for the custom framebag sewn by Kaibab Customs. The specification is based on a full SRAM Force AXS groupset, paired with locally-built Rolf Prima carbon wheels, shod with Rene Herse tires.

Beautiful paint by Colorworks, the weight comes in at 17.9lbs with pedals but without the bag. It all packs up into an airline checkable travel case.

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