Custom Cyclocross race bike

Oregon is rather keen on ‘cross racing, so inevitably I was going to build a cyclocross bike eventually – ironically this one is going to the other hotbed of ‘cross on the other side of the country in New England. Personally I like the idea of cyclocross but my body disagrees; about every three years I do a race to remind myself why I don’t do it (I generally end up pulling out with a wrecked lower back)…

This bike is for a taller rider, so has an oversize, bi-ovalised downtube for a stiff, strong front end. A custom wishbone to provide a firm base for the rear cantilever brake, with slightly curved seatstays and S-bend chainstays for tire, heel and crank clearance. No chainstay bridge for mud clearance. Rear brake and derailleur cables are run over the toptube with the front derailleur taking the most direct route under the bottom bracket. The stem is custom to match with an internal stop for the front brake cable – featuring titanium bolts it weighs 182g. The frame and stem are powdercoated matte black with gloss black panels, nicely matching the Enve ‘cross fork. Bottle cages mean the bike can be ridden for training as well as on race day! The build features a mix of lightweight parts from SRAM, Avid, Zipp and Lightning. Weight is 16.5lbs complete as shown.

Please don’t let my lateness in writing represent my impression of your work, the bike is fantastic!  Honestly, I’ve barely touched my road bike since the CX rig came, I just have so much more fun on the English.  The bike rides beautifully and is truly a work of art.  The ride came in a 16.7 lbs, which is absolutely fantastic for a steel CX bike. Thanks again for all of your work and I’ll make sure to write a longer update soon.

• Tweet