Tom’s 700c road bike

Tom is a tall fellow and was interested in having me build a bike around a 650b wheel size. After plugging in all the numbers and designing the frame, he went with a 700x38c for a more balanced bike. The frame ended up being 64cm with standard oversized tubing and a tapered down tube. It is definitely a road bike but as a lot of the bikes I build, there are fenders, a custom rack, and an integrated pump.

I don’t get to build with the Pacenti oversized lug set too often but it’s a lot of fun (and extra work!). They come with a lot of meat on them so I get to carve them down considerably. On a frame this size, they are great as they have a bit of an extension over the top tube. I added a couple of rings to the top and bottom to also add a horizontal element to this already tall frame.

The fork crown was heavily modified to become the twin plate version you see here. The swooping points were carved to complement the lugs.

The parts selection was nothing short of stunning. Phil Wood hubs, bottom bracket, and skewers, Rene Herse brakes and crankset, Dura Ace 7700 drivetrain with bar-end shifters, Cane Creek classic headset, Honjo fenders, Brooks B17 Imperial saddle and tape, and a Nitto M177 Noodle handlebar and S65 seat post. The list goes on! The fillet brazed stem was custom made by me and chrome plated at the same time as the rack.

Tom came up from Virginia to pick up the bike and ride along the southern coast of Massachusetts/Rhode Island. It was a beautiful day for a shakedown ride as can be seen by these photos.