Tag Archives: custom
Bike Of The Week: Vigo Cycles CXoo2
Bike of the Week: Vigo Cycles CX002
In the framebuilder’s words:
The second bike from Vigo Cycles is another cyclocross model, this time commissioned by Nicholas Simon. Nicholas and I went to high school together; he was two years ahead of me, and although I never got to know him then, he got maximum respect from me for racing on the school cycling team on a pink Bruce Gordon. We became friends when we were both undergrads at Columbia College. After college, Nicholas lived in Vietnam for several years where he began his career as a film and TV producer. He is one of the founders of Indochina Productions (http://www.indochinaproductions.com), and his Vigo CX002 is an homage to the Asian countries where he forged his career. Nicholas, who raced as a junior in Wisconsin, including in the US Nationals held in Milwaukee back in the 80s, wants to get back into racing, and he requested a dedicated race cross bike (hence, no bottle cage mounts) that he could put through the motions in the Northeast cross circuit (he now lives with his wife and daughter in the Berkshires).
Nicholas deliberately chose as many US-made components as possible for the build. The only directions on the look was that it should be all business, black, and bear Indochina’s logo and the flags of the countries where the company operates—Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Thailand. I built the bike under the tutelage of Toby Stanton of Hot Tubes at his shop in Shirley, MA. We used Columbus Life and Zona tubes, Llewellyn rear dropouts (kudos to Mike Zanconato for lending them to us) and a cast bottom bracket shell. The frame is a mixture of TIG welding and brazing. Toby and I conceived of the paint scheme together, but it was all him in the stellar execution—matte black base, Indochina logo on the headtube, and the four flags placed on the top tube which really pop against the stark background. Prior to the bike being built up, I received word that Indochina had expanded into four new markets and a request that the flags of these countries be on the bike as well. So the flags of Myanmar, Philippines, Maldives and Sri Lanka went on the Enve cross fork.
My plan is to make just three more bikes this year, renting shop space while still looking for a place of my own. I’m still working on the Vigo Cycles website, but enquiries can be sent to me attroysel@earthlink.net.
Photos by Ian Rutter of Haute Capture (www.hautecapture.net).
Vigo CX002 Build
Paul cross levers
Paul MiniMoto brakes
Crank Bros Eggbeater 1 pedals
White Industries VBC road crank, 175, 46/36
Wipperman 10 SO chain
Campagnolo Chorus 10 Ergolevers
Campagnolo seatpost collar
Campagnolo Chorus 10 front derailleur
Campagnolo Chorus 10 rear derailleur
Campagnolo Centaur 12-25 10sp cassette
Campagnolo skewers
Schwalbe CX Pro tires
White Industries T11 hubs
Sapim CX Ray spokes
H Plus Son Archetype rims 28/32
Phil Wood steel bottom bracket & cups
Chris King headset
3T Rotundo Pro bars
SRAM cork bar tape
Thomson X2 Stem
Thomson Elite seatpost
Selle Italia Flight 1990 saddle
Campagnolo cables/housing
Enve cross fork
Bike of the Week, Campagnolo, custom, cx, Cyclocross, Hot Tubes, Llewellyn, Racing, staten cx, vigo cycles, White Industries, ZanconatoBike Of The Week: Indy Fab Steel Deluxe 29er
Michael’s new mountain bike, a Steel Deluxe from Independent Fabrication, is the latest Bike of the Week, and extends the “Month of Indy Fab” just a bit farther.
This Deluxe is, like all bikes from Indy Fab, handmade in Newmarket, NH. Michael had his bike designed around 29-inch wheels, the larger cousin of the once-standard 26-inch mountain bike wheel. Are 29″ wheels better? Who knows – there are passionate folks with “irrefutable” evidence on both sides of this argument, so we’ll take the Swiss position. One thing they are is bigger. While in many conditions, the larger wheels offer an advantage, they offer a distinct challenge to the frame designer, as they now have more wheel to cram into the frame made for a regular-sized rider (whatever regular-sized means…). Luckily, designing 29ers (as they’re called) is something that the folks at Indy Fab do well (exceedingly well, actually), so Michael received an off-road-ready bike that is precisely designed to offer him the best trail ride possible.
Michael selected the Deore XT component group from Shimano for his new custom rig. He chose a Fox 32 Float 29 100 CTD tapered fork, Mavic Crossride wheels and WTB tires, Chris King sealed bottom bracket and headset bearings, and a cockpit from Thomson. He topped of the bike with a Tundra saddle from Fizik and Time’s venerable ATAC off-road pedal system.
While the frame specs and the component list may be impressive, it’s the 5-color paintjob that truly impresses. Chris Rowe and the design and paint team at Indy Fab finished off a paint scheme on Michael’s MTB, one with a great shot of color, that is both daring and restrained (not possible, you say?). That being said, there’s no shame in covering their work with copious amounts of dirt and mud. Off to the trails!
NYC Velo Tours: Days 5&6, 2012 French Alps
For the third week of September, NYC Velo (under the “NYC Velo Tours” banner) led a group of intrepid cyclists on a tour of the Southern French Alps. A photographic review of Days 1 & 2 was posted in November and a review of Days 3 & 4 was posted in December, while the photos below document Days 5 & 6. The ride on Day 5 started and ended in the town of Briancon, consisting of a loop that climbed the Col d’Izoard and followed the rivers Le Guil and La Durance. On Day 6, the last day in the saddle for this trip, the crew ascended the highest paved road in Europe, the Col de la Bonnette, before a long descent along (the river) La Tinee and a final 9k climb up to Valdeblore.
The gear supplied by Search and State (the S1-J Riding Jacket) and Grimpeur Bros Coffee (the Greenbelt and River Road Peaberry roasts) once again proved to be up to the task of protecting and caffeinating the crew.
The trip consisted of 6 (usually) long and (usually) difficult days in mountains (total riding elevation gain was just shy of 73,000 feet), but the food, drink, camaraderie, and warm welcome by all of our new French friends made the pain and fatigue disappear. NYC Velo has plans for similar trips in 2013, stay tuned!
If you’d like to learn more about this trip, or any of the upcoming adventures, stop by the shop or drop us an email at: Andrew@nycvelo.com.
The proper way to start the day in Briancon, Day 5
Evidence of Briancon's Industrial Past, Day 5
Weather pushed the day's ride to post-lunch (Briancon Pizza), Day 5
Host Housing in Briancon, a centuries-old tannery, Day 5
Les Tanneries, Renovated, Day 5
Tools of the trade, Les Tanneries, Day 5
Barn, Briancon, France, Day 5
Bike Lane: Col d'Izoard, Day 5
Ian, at the summit of the Col d'Izoard, Day 5
Descending down the south side of the Col d'Izoard, Day 5
Route D902, above Le Guil, Day 5
Post-ride calorie replenishment, Day 5
Frommage, Day 5
French Barn, Briancon, Day 6
Ascending the Col de Vars, Day 6
Lunchtime fuel stop, Jausiers, Day 6
A mellow start to the Col de la Bonnette, Day 6
Looking back towards Jausiers, on the lower slopes of the Col de la Bonnette, Day 6
Climbing the Col de la Bonnette, Day 6
The Col de la Bonnette, the highest paved road in Europe, Day 6
Barn, Col de la Bonnette, Day 6
Barn, another view, on the Col de la Bonnette, Day 6
Above the treeline, Col de la Bonnette, Day 6
Thin air on the Col de la Bonnette, with much more to come, Day 6
Another switchback, Col de la Bonnette, Day 6
Even the sheep are dangerous above 2000m, Day 6
Heed the warnings! Day 6
Ian and Jack, trying the friendly approach, avoiding a furry stampede, Day 6
Ian, navigating a switchback 3k from the summitt of the Col de la Bonnette, Day 6
(Young) Ian & Jack, negotiating the finish to the top of the Col de la Bonnette, Day 6
Ian takes the front, weather moves in as the summit approaches, Day 6
After cresting the summit of the Col de la Bonnette in freezing rain, the team takes refuge in a warm oasis in Saint-Etienne-de-Tinee, Day 6
That's one way to warm up, too bad the team still had 40k to go, Day 6
Instead of vodka, coffee did the job at Lou Ben Manja, Day 6
Looking down the Vallee de la Tinee before the start of the final climb, Day 6
The bikes of Fr2012, at rest
The team tackles the final climb up to Valdeblore, Day 6
The final climb, 9k of this...
Young Ian, nearing the finish, Day 6
The view, looking west, from the hotel in Valdeblore, Day 6
The narrow streets of Valdeblore, Day 6
A bench in Valdeblore, perfect for a rest after 6 days of riding
The final meal of the trip, Provencial Pizza in Valdeblore, Day 6
beer, bike tour, coffee, custom, Grimpeur Bros Coffee, NAHBS, Road Biking, Search and State, shop rides, Tour de France, travel, Trips
Bike Of The Week: Independent Fabrication XS EPS
Stan’s carbon-and-titanium XS from Independent Fabrication is the latest Bike of the Week (BOTW). Stan chose the XS because its use of carbon tubes joined together by Indy Fab’s signature titanium lugs. Billed (well, by us) as the “Best of Both Worlds”, the XS uses carbon tubes made specifically for the rider by ENVE Composites in Utah and ti lugs manufactured in-house (by Indy Fab) to the precise angle needed by the rider: the ride of carbon fiber and the customization of titanium.
Stan outfitted his XS with Campagnolo’s latest Super Record EPS electronic groupset. Indy Fab designed the frame with fittings specifically for Campy EPS, resulting in a comprehensive, well-performing package. We don’t speak Italian very well, but Super Record sounds like the top of the heap to us, molto grande! Zipp’s “new for ’12″ 303 Firecrest carbon tubular wheels, stem, handlebar, and seatpost finish off the component specification of the bike.
While we can’t confirm that Stan’s new XS has made him a better rider, or that it’s won him some previously un-winnable town-line-sprints, we can say that it’s earned him the respect of his Morgan Hill cycling pals.
Bike Of The Week: Independent Fabrication SSR
NYC Velo proudly welcomes Franklin’s Indy Fab SSR (Stainless Steel Road) as the Bike of the Week!
This particular SSR was handmade by Independent Fabrication in Newmarket, NH using Columbus XCr stainless steel tubes. Franklin chose a relatively conservative black/white/raw paint scheme that showcases the material’s natural aesthetic. The bike wears a new Campagnolo Record 11 groupset, pink Chris King R45 hubs laced to Velocity A23 tubeless ready rims, and a cockpit consisting of parts from Fizik and 3T.
Now complete, this SSR is ready to take on New York City’s winter riding conditions (snow/salt/freezing temps) in style!
Bike of the Week, custom, independent fabrication, Racing, Road Biking
Bike Of The Week: Pegoretti Cicli Luigino Coffee-Getter
This week’s Bike of the Week extends the “Month of Dario” by highlighting yet another example of the handiwork of Pegoretti Cicli. The Columbus-tubed, lugged steel Pegoretti Luigino is a very special bike, indeed.
The customerrequested a “cruiser-style” lugged steel bicycle, but fell in love with Pegoretti’s Luigino frame. Most cycling folks don’t readily associate the Pegoretti marque with “cruiser-style”, but according to Dario, there are more than a few non-road-racing/riding-style framesets in existence.
The component “theme” of this bike is “silver Campy”, a classic that’s hard to come by these days. Most of the gruppo is New-Old-Stock (NOS) Campagnolo Chorus 10-speed (crankset, rear derailleur, hubset), from the 2000-2002 era. The shifters are 10-speed bar-end shifters that have been modified to work with a flat-handlebar shifter mount made by Paul Components in California (and hand polished by the team at NYC Velo). The seatpost is from the Campy Chorus group as well, the chain is Campagnolo Record and the cassette is Campagnolo Centaur. The stem is a NOS Ritchey 1-inch steel, the handlebars are the Nitto Albatross model, and the reverse brake levers are from Dia-Comp. The handlebars and leather handlebar wrap are from Brooks of England. The rims are of the NOS Campagnolo Tokyo variety, the spokes are Colorado-made DT Swiss Competition double butted and the tires are 700x25mm Panaracer Pasela Tourguard. The chainguide is also from Paul Components, and has also been polished here at NYC Velo. The chainring guard is a cut and polished 39-tooth Campagnolo Chorus 10s chainring, repurposed.
Should you happen to run across this bike in the streets of New York, take the time to check it out, it’s a stunner. And yes, Pollo, it’s for coffee.
5ive Points with Jeff Jones
NYC Velo is proud to present a 5ive Points interview with Jeff Jones of Jeff Jones Custom Bicycles, a custom bicycle builder from Medford, OR. Jeff’s bikes have garnered a staggering amount of acclaim throughout the bike world, as well as in the design world – he was featured in New York City’s Museum of Arts and Design exhibit, Bespoke: The Handbuilt Bicycle, in 2010.
In Jeff’s own words, “I’m a cyclists committed to the non-suspended bicycle. My ideas and passion have created an exceptional ride – a geometry that delivers superb handling, comfort, and efficiency.”
We, like many cyclists, are big fans of Jeff’s work and look forward to seeing more of his bikes here in NYC!
NYC Velo: What bike do you ride?
Jeff Jones: I have about five bikes built up and ride them all. Recently I’ve been riding a new bike I built up with a longer wheelbase. Yesterday I rode with the kids to school on my old GT tandem.
NYCV: What’s your favorite ride/route?
JJ: Ride from the shop, over the mountain, sleep in the woods and ride home the next day.
NYCV: What’s your favorite post-ride food?
JJ: Homemade pizza and a big fruit smoothie.
NYCV: What’s one think you always carry on a ride?
JJ: My tool kit with my old Ti Cool Tool.
NYCV: What’s next for you in cycling?
JJ: More bikes and riding.
29er, 5ive points, custom, Mountain biking
Bikes Of The Week: Pegoretti Cicli Luigino Track X2
As NYC Velo’s “Month of Dario” continues, the bar is raised yet again for the Bike of the Week feature as this week brings 2(!) Pegoretti Luigino lugged steel track framesets. These framesets are noteworthy for a number of reasons, beyond the obvious pedigree.
The Luigino is one of only 2 lugged steel models that Pegoretti Cicli produces, and is available only as a custom order (and a 12-18 month wait list), with few exceptions. In this case, Dario fabricated both framesets specifically for tradeshows, making them some of the only “stock” lugged steel Pegoretti’s in existence.
In the Luigino, Dario brazes the Columbus Nivacrom EL-OS tubes to investment cast lugs and dropouts. The fork, crown lug and all, is also steel and of the throw-back one-inch steerer tube variety. While both of these frames have 55cm top tubes, the seat tube is slightly longer on the yellow version and both are finished with horizontal track dropouts and Campagnolo Record headsets, $4650 apiece.
Bike of the Week, custom, dario pegoretti, Fixie, Italian, Lugged Steel, NAHBS, Racing, Road Biking, Style, Track
Interview: Dario Parla Bici #1
On the heels of our recent Pegoretti Reponsorium Bike of the Week post, and continuing the Month of Dario theme, the crack NYC Velo investigative team is initiating a monthly dialogue with Dario Pegoretti, speaking to him directly from his studio in Caldonazzo Italy. The life of this frame builder, his every day, and where he finds his inspiration are a sample of the topics of covered in this ongoing conversation. Cyclists (or fans of cycling, art, machinery, and all things fatta a mano) who are interested in what this artist is up to, the new frame designs he’s working on, the art he’s into, and the wine he’s drinking should stay tuned to the NYC Velo News “blog” and Facebook pages for more.
NYC VELO : Where do you find inspiration? Are there specific artists that you look to (or return to) when thinking of a paint scheme for a frame? From what other sources do you draw from and/or possibly reference in your painting?
DARIO PEGORETTI : Something that I read or I see walking on the street can spark inspiration. Sometimes I scketch on a paper before I make a drawing on the computer and design the paint-scheme. My Ciavete frame (Ciavete frames are a hand painted one at a time, each completely different from the next and based on what ever is inspiring him at the time) paint-schemes generally come from a specific painting or something I might see in a magazine. Some years ago I painted some frames using the colors that are common in the adobe style structures I saw during a visit to New Mexico. I love abstract expressionism. Some specific painters that inspire me, Emilio Vedova , Scanavino, Mathieu and others. I have a passion for street art too, stencils and graffiti. Aboriginal art is full of passion and the colors are amazing. Japanese design and calligraphy intrigues me too.
custom, dario pegoretti, hand-built bibycle, NAHBS, Road BikingBike of the Week: 2012 Interbike Pegoretti MXXXXXO
This week’s BOTW is a special one as it kicks off the “Month of Dario” here at NYC Velo. The shop is a well-documented fan of Dario’s work, in addition to be an authorized representative of his brand. In an effort to celebrate the bikes of Pegoretti Cicli, November is now being referred to (around here at least) as the “Month of Dario” and will include Pegoretti Bike(s) of the Week(s), interviews with the builder himself, and more!
The focus of our attention this week is the Pegoretti MXXXXXO (or Marcelo) from the 2012 Interbike trade show. The frame is a stock 55cm steel Marcelo frame with Dario’s new Falz fork (developed with Italian tubing and carbon fiber manufacturer Columbus) and Chris King’s oversized D11 headset (developed specifically to work with Pegoretti’s new oversized headtubes). The paint design is an indication of the 2012 stock Marcelo design, though this particular bike was painted using a dark gray, textured Dura-coat-style material, setting it apart from the crowd.
Campagnolo’s Chorus 11 groupset and Eurus wheels, along with bits from Fizik, 3T, and gommitalia, complete the build on this truly unique bicycle. This complete Pegoretti is currently for sale at NYC Velo for $7800.
