The 'Vergine' by Zullo of Italy. Built with Columbus XCr stainless steel tubing
The latest masterpiece from San Diego, California legend Brian Baylis.
A 2006 're-working' of a 1961 Masi, by Californian master Rob Roberson.
Close-up of the Masi 'Clone Project'; stunning from any angle.
Frameforum's 'Bike Of The Year': the minimalist beauty of Fixie Inc's 'Five Star'.
Superb in every detail; nothing is left to the ordinary on Fixie Inc's 'Five Star'.
Frameforum is a site dedicated to the art and craft of the handmade bicycle. It’s about the people who make them; it’s about the people who ride them. Frameforum is the place to be if you’re considering the 'custom alternative' – a bike that gives you everything 'off-the-shelf ' bikes don’t.
It’s about you - not Mr or Ms. Average. A custom bike is more than just a paint job. A custom bike isn't about shaving grams for bragging rights either. It’s about you and your builder considering every aspect of the bike. The process starts with finding the best dimensions, followed by designing and building the frame, then deciding on each and every component part of the bike - your bike.
A bike that's been custom-built for you will fit you better than a stock bike ever could. It can be as individual as you are; it can suit your particular style of riding, your particular needs and be built from a material that suits you ... not the coffee stop crew.
Frameforum is also a great place those who build, or aspire to build, custom bikes. In the forum section, you’ll find members embarking on their first steps in framebuilding as well as some of the greats of the framebuilding game; iconic builders making iconic bikes. If you want to ask questions and get answers on frame building from the folks who actually build them, this is the place.
In short; if handmade bicycles are your thing - whether rider, collector or creator - make Frameforum your first port of call!
Alistair Gow has been a stalwart of the West of Scotland cycling community for more years than he cares to remember (or admit!).
He’s the archetypal ‘clubman’; a tireless worker for his club Glasgow Nightingale CC and a font of knowledge on all things cycling.
Over the years, he’s helped literally hundreds of Scottish cyclists find their feet when they first enter the sport; just read the chapter of Graeme Obree’s autobiography on his formative years in the bike game to find out the part "Big Al" played in Graeme’s transition from 'gringo’' to world beater.
As if that wasn’t enough, he’s also a first-rate wheelbuilder and mechanic.
With his encyclopaedic knowledge of hubs, rim types and spoke lengths, he’s the man Scottish bikies go to when they need ‘real’ wheels. The West of Scotland is hard on riders and hard on equipment. In this age of boutique, factory-built hoops with exotic lacing patterns, he’s as busy now as he ever was. Gram-shaving ‘for racing only’ stuff doesn’t really cut it around here.
Alistair’s talent for building wheels means his small but well-stocked shop, Wheelcraft, in the picture-postcard village of Clachan of Campsie, is a magnet for local riders. Pick up your wheels from Alistair, and he’ll tell you to drop them back for a quick check-over after a few hundred miles. Chances are they’ll need no adjustment, thanks to Alistair’s ability to get it right first time and his good judgement in applying just the right number of turns on the nipples.
For this set of wheels, only one requirement was made – silver rims. Alistair settled on the Ambrosio Evolution for their consistent quality, their resilience, and importantly, the cost of replacement if a rim gets pretzelled. Like I said, the roads round here are hard on equipment and no rim is invulnerable to Scottish pot holes.
If you’re ever close by, pop in and say hello. You’re sure of a warm welcome, a hot coffee or a cold beer. Oh, and a disapproving glance at your boutique wheels.....
Alistair after all, knows best!
{mosimage}
Former Motorola professional and two-time British Pro road champion Brian Smith is running the New York Marathon on the 2nd of November to raise sponsorship for the Geoff Thomas Foundation.
Brian, one of the UK's most successful riders of the '90's, is a former teammate of Lance Armstrong. After a stint with Motorola, he went on to ride a couple of seasons with Team Plymouth, setting up home in Scottsdale, AZ.
He's no stranger to supporting good causes; on return to his native Scotland, he set up the Braveheart Fund in 2003. The aim is to help young Scottish riders realise their potential by assisting with training, equipment and financial support. The end result is to guide funded riders along a structured career path into racing full-time in Europe.
Geoff Thomas is a former pro soccer player who was struck down by leukaemia in his mid thirties.
He battled hard against this life-threatening condition to make a full recovery. However, others are not so fortunate, something Geoff became fully aware of during his long, painful months in a hospital bed.
Inspired by the acheivments of fellow sporting cancer survivor Lance Armstrong, Geoff made the decision to dedicate his time and energy raising awareness and much-needed funding for research into the treatment and cure of leukaemia and other forms of cancer.
Geoff's first fund-raiser was to ride the entire route of the 2005 Tour de France, a feat he achieved just a few months after undergoing chemotherapy and a life-saving bone-marrow transplant! He set up the Geoff Thomas Foundation a year later and since then has been a tireless campaigner for his cause, riding the Tour route again in 2006 and 2007, the London-Paris in 2008 and taking part in many other sporting events. This will be Geoff's second marathon, having completed the London event earlier this year.
Today, the Geoff Thomas Foundation is committed to fund the essential research nurses and scientists at five major leukaemia units across the UK. This will not only extend treatment options to patients for whom no effective treatment exists but also create a team of committed doctors and scientists who can work together to crack this disease.
This is Brian's first-ever crack at a marathon. He's taking on a huge challenge on the back of a season sitting in a TV reporters' chair, giving his spot-on big-race commentary for Cycling TV. The NY Marathon takes place on the 2nd of November, so don't delay!
Show your support by sending some $, £, or € his way by going to his fund-raising page HERE:
