Aero Road Di2
This one was built for me, but also as a showpiece for NAHBS 2012; it is the current pinnacle of my integration of Shimano’s Di2 system into a road bike.
So…. starting at the front, and my favorite part – the ovalised headtube. This took some doing to figure out the tooling to maintain the ends perfectly round and square. It is fitted with a (slightly modified) Chris King builders’ edition Inset headset. Above that we have a Pro Stealth Evo bar/stem that I sent up to Ruckus Components in Portland. Shawn and Graham did a great job of cutting a hole for the Di2 control box and reinforcing the stem to allow for it. The Di2 cable runs back through the stem and into the steerer. It exits the steerer into the downtube and meets the junction box in the seattube. Then there is a hacked Ultegra battery holder from Calfee, before hooking up to their internal battery further up the seattube. And finally a micro-usb port installed in the seatmast cap for charging purposes.
This is my first frame with a PF30 BB shell. It is needed in order to run a 30mm axle with the internal Di2 cables (in a standard threaded shell there isn’t room for both). It also gives a nice size contact area for the oversize Columbus aero downtube. The seattube is custom butted and ovalised, with a cutout for the rear wheel, along with a special braze-on for the Ultegra Di2 front derailleur, which includes a solid point for the ‘push’ screw of the derailleur to anchor on to. True Temper S3 chainstays have a Simkins Design Egg brake tucked underneath. The rear dropouts are angled back approximately 10 degrees to allow for easy wheel removal without the front of the tire hanging up on the brake or wheel cutout. The seatstays are custom bent and ovalised to tuck up behind the seattube.
I wanted the carbon parts (bar/stem and 3T fork) painted to match the frame, and I can’t do that with powder coat, so I sent everything down to Keith Anderson for a custom paint job. He didn’t disappoint!
Completing the build is a set of English Aero hubs with Enve 6.7 rims, with (mostly) white spokes (a few black ones for contrast).
Total weight as shown is 16lbs (the Ultegra parts aren’t very light – I’ll likely upgrade to the new Dura-ace later). Should be a super solo breakaway machine!
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- 10 March 2012 | English Cycles - [...] shots added to the posts for the Aero Road Di2 and Superlight V3 bikes. Many thanks once again to…
- 25 February 2013 | English Cycles - [...] showed six bikes at NAHBS this year. The Aero Road bike has been on the site for a while,…
- Simon’s Aero Road | English Cycles - […] Simon’s second bike, he asked me to build him an aero road, along similar lines to this bike. I…
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Phone: 1-541-683-3556
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English Cycles is Rob English, 
winner of Best in Show at the 2013 North American Handmade Bike Show. Custom bicycles built in Eugene, Oregon, USA since 2009.
Now I’m going to have to order a new one…. bah!
This could be the perfect bike. I wonder how it performs especially climbing and downhill. How does the rear brake perform? Could you give us even just a personal review on your website? Am interested in ordering one.
Love your work readmy mind however how did you get around the fork going around and pulling on the cable. The cable wear at the same joint. Did you have to cut and splice the Di2 cable? Did you reinforce the fork? I was going for a ti frame and taped fork for clearance your view? Thanks Paul
Hi Paul, the fork can only turn 90 degrees each way (then the bars stop on the toptube), and there is enough space and slack in the cable to accommodate this – I just made sure to remove all the material in the back of the headtube where the downtube joins it, and to leave the inside edges very smooth and clean. I’ve done three bikes this way with no problem. The hole in the steerer is just big enough to get the Di2 plug through, so I didn’t have to cut and resolder the wires on those ones. Steerer hole is drilled high up enough to be in the low stress area, and cleaned up well to leave no stress risers.
This is an amazing build, I’m interested in how it rides? I would love to see this frame with a campy eps group. Keep up the incredible bike building!