7005 WCCX frame

This one will be the team pit bike and the first in the big batch that will be the first aluminum frames of 2024. I was hoping to start a few weeks ago but time got away from me.

I wanted to do one for practice as I had not welded aluminum for a few months. Funny, I picked up where I left off and this one looks really nice. I guess all of that steel welding and brazing did something.

 

Steel single speeg 650 boost MTB frame

I still have to build a steel fork for this one but I will do that tomorrow. This one will never see a shock fork. The head tube is long so that the bars are up in a comfortable spot for casual riding. That said, the frame and fork will take up to 2.6" tires so it could be used for rough conditions.

The frame has Paragon 'rocker' dropouts and with a wireless setup this frame could also be set up with a 1X drive train. The customer assured me that it would spend its whole life as a single speed though-I applaud that.
 

Steel path racer going to Montana

This is officially the first "Sadoff" re-issue frame , although it really isn't the first. There are two others but they will not see the light of day before this one. I used NOS Bocama lugs, a Cinelli crown, a Takahashi BB shell and some older cast front dropouts that might be Sampson. All the tubes are new Columbus SL-I didn't want to give this customer rusty crusty old tubes from the stash as this bike is not a wall hanger.

The fork is really stiff - a combination of the super solid crown and the addition of some fork tangs. I used bronze rod to build the fork except for the dropouts which were such a precision fit that I used 50% silver.

The brake bridge and diamonds were also from the Enoch's garage sale. I have a lot of this stuff, more than I could ever use in my remaining lifetime, however long or short that might be. I will try and use what I can and distribute what I don't use to other builder friends. 

The top head tube had to be modified to get the head tube spec the customer wanted. It took a bit of brain work to come up with a plan that would add the needed height with the most seamless look. The head tube lug extension is tig welded on-the only welding on the frame. I  didn't want to just braze it on-I wanted it as structurally strong as if it were one piece.

 I hope the customer likes what I built for him. I really had a good time building it.

Steel gravel frame for a local

The owner of this frame works at the local bike shop and he requested chrome decals. I had to wait awhile for them but I'm very happy what Screen Specialty shop in N.C came up with. They truly have the chrome shine. 

The frame is also capped off with a Jen Green silver headbadge. At this point I'm only waiting for the fork to show up-at that point I can have the customer pick it up. I'm working hard to get all the inventory out of the shop as I will need all the frame hooks for the upcoming aluminum batch.

 

All-road steel frame going to Chicago

Yes, this really is the all-road model. The steel frame is paired with the Enve 'All-road' fork that can take up to a 700x38 tire. That makes this road bike much more than a typical road machine.

You can tell from the rear stays that this one is not a full gravel build , a bit sleeker and shorter wheelbase. Should be a kick to ride it just about anywhere except in deep mud.

 

Steel 29er for a local

Nice when a local rider decides to go with a local builder......kinda keeps it all local. 

This one is made to take a beating as this rider gave me an idea where and for how long he goes out on dirt excursions. This frame should not let him down. It has a big 44 mm Velo Spec down tube and a Jen Green sterling silver head badge, along with a Paragon intergrated head tube.

 

Steel MTB going to Auburn, NY.

What can I say.....been a real strong winter for fat tire frames from my shop. This one is in a color I have not had anyone order until now- it is called "Terra cotta" and I like it. 

 

Carter 650 boost frame going to Alabama

This is probably the smallest one of these that I have ever built. The owner has a super short inseam so getting standover was not going to be easy. I hope that he is happy with what I built. There's still two bottle mounts, one on the top and one on the underside of the down tube. This one should be good for really bumpy terrain.

The frame is made to take 2.6" tires, just like all the rest of them .

 

Steel fully rigid 26" wheel MTB frame for Marin county

I also built a steel stem for this one but didn't get a chance to photograph it after it was painted. 

There's some NOS tubes in this frame and fork- stuff to make it as close to what I built 35-40 years ago. It has been nearly 40 years since I built the first Rock Lobster MTB frame. I still have it in my shop, along with # 2. I'm sure that this frame is far superior in construction but the geometry is faithful to what worked back in 1984. 

 

Steel gravel frame going to Simi Valley, Calif.

This will take up to 700x48 tires so it should handle the rough stuff well. Frame weighs a hair under 4 lbs.

 

Steel gravel frame going to SF

nice look to this one with the gold powdercoat and beige decals. It also has a Jen Green copper head badge.

The Enve fork has been painted to match by Joe's bicycle painting in Watsonville, Calif. 

 

Steel gravel frame for bay area rider

Late in the day I finished this one. The rider is 17 years old and she competes in the NICA MTB races. I hope that she has fun branching out into gravel and maybe some CX. This should be a durable frame for either sport and it also has rack mounts in case it turns into a commuter .

 

This is what custom frames are all about

Yes, this frame is something that does not exist anywhere but in the world of handbuilt custom bicycles. The bike itself is not new or cutting edge but it has a bunch of features that when put together in this combination make for a really unique build

For starters it has 650 wheels that will be stopped with cantilever brakes, most likely Paul Component Neo-Retro. There are rack mounts front and rear. There are also bridges with fender mounts. Now here's where it gets ...well......different-the tubing is  Columbus SL except for Zona S-bend seat stays for tire clearance. The tubes are classic road frame dimensions. There's a 1" threaded steerer on the fork. The head tube is longer to allow the use of a large handlebar bag and also for an upright cockpit for commuting. Another thing I don't do often is fillet brazing. Along with that there's a cast seat tube sleeve with an integral binder- something I used a lot, but maybe 35-40 years ago. The owner of this frame and fork has a pretty long commute to work and the bulk of it is on rural gravel roads so the big 650 tires will be a way to smooth out the bumps. One last thing- the dropouts are NOS Shimano that have been in storage since the '80's . It was a real experience opening the package that ha stayed sealed for more than half of my own life. I hope the bike rides well for the customer and I had fun taking all of his ideas and making a bike out of them. 

 

I'm starting a youtube channel

 Yes- I have had a youtube channel about guitars for about 12 years now but have not made one about bikes. I will call this one 'Rock Lobster cycles shop' and it will be stories about the shop and its history. There's been a lot of bikes though my hands over the last four decades but not until recently have I had a proper place to display all the bikes I have going back to my first frame. There are a lot of bikes made by other people as well and each one has a story. Over the coming months I'll be telling these stories in short videos shot in the shop. There's nearly 50 bikes in the shop right now so this will take time. I want to do this as I know that nothing lasts forever and this wonderful shop that I have will some day be gone. Before it is too late I want to document as much as I can about the collection and the life experience I have had building and riding for all these years. I hope some of you check it out.

Steel road frame and fork going east

All I need for this one is a shipping box and the silver King headset to arrive and I can send it out to the patiently waiting customer. The frame was at first painted the wrong color so that added a couple week's delay but now that it is properly yellow it is prepped and ready to go.

The fork has my favorite 'Mitsugi' crown and Columbus blades. The Paragon dropouts have a replaceable hanger and are nearly indestructible.