Saturday, November 6, 2021

Steel road frame with Columbus/True Temper mix

I still have to build a steel fork for this one. This frame has the very last S-3 downtube that I had in stock. This technically is not an Ultimundo but it is almost the same frame, weighing in at only 3 lb. 7 oz. The frame will be mated to a lugged crown steel fork that I will be building next week. I also have to build a stem so this will be a pretty complete package. 
The rear dropouts are a type I have not used- the Paragon 1-1/8" round type. I have used the larger 1-1/2" before but these are maybe half the weight of the larger ones. Usually I don't think of dropouts being a place on the frame where one can save weight but in this case it happened.


The dropouts also have a replaceable der. hanger. This is something I usually don't think of as needed on a steel frame but since the customer asked for it , I made sure that he had it. The hanger is aluminum so it contributes to the low weight of the dropouts. The customer also asked for 14 mm seat stays and these are Tange Prestige- not the old version but the newer Prestige that is currently available from a local Bay Area distributor. I keep forgetting that Tange tubes are back on the market again and after working with these seat stays I think I'll be buying more of it.