I’m delighted to have finished this custom build for Joao. The bike is for a very special person in his life and was commissioned with the following key ingredients: an old skool frame with lightweight steel tubing in very small size. For touring/adventure/leisure use with flat bars and bar ends, with some purple details. Mostly classic silver components with traditional touring gear ratios and powerful brakes. And here it is! The frame has been refinished with a matt clearcoat added after media blasting, and minimal new decals added. The build uses mostly new or NOS components with robust handbuilt wheels, lightweight tyres, a leather saddle and ergonomic grips.
Ladies and gentlemen, may I introduce Eleanor…
Frame & Forks: 1996 Marin Bobcat Trail, size 13.5″ (Tange Triple Butted Cro-Mo tubing)
Finish: raw steel with matt clearcoat, NOS decals
Headset: VP Modus 1 1/8″ threaded (NOS)
Stem: Oxford quill (new)
Handlebar: Oxford flat (new)
Grips: Ergon GP3 (new)
Brakes: Shimano Deore LX (NOS)
Brake Levers: Shimano Acera
Thumbshifters: Microshift 9 speed CNC (new)
Front Derailleur: Shimano Exage Mountain (NOS)
Rear Derailleur: Shimano Deore XT M772, GS cage
Cassette: Shimano HG400 11-28 (new)
Chain: KMX X9 (new)
Cranks: Spa Cycles triple 165mm (new)
Chainrings: Stronglight Dural 48/38/26 (new)
Bottom Bracket: Shimano UN26 (new)
Pedals: Wellgo flats (new)
BB Cable Guide: Shimano (NOS)
Hub Skewers: Shimano Deore (new)
Rims: Rigida Ryde (new)
Hubs: Shimano Deore (new)
Nipples: brass (new)
Spokes: stainless steel (new)
Tyres: Panaracer Pasela 26 x 1.75″ (new)
Tubes: new
Saddle: Selle Italia Epoca (new)
Seatpost: Kalloy (new)
Seatpost Binder: new
Cables: Jagwire (new)
Pannier Rack: Blackburn EX-1 (new)