Bill Talbot's green Witcombe completely knocked my socks off with it's suggestions of what could be. It was drop dead georgeous too, just in case you were in a different zip code.
Now, I find myself obsessing over the design of another frame that will come out of my shop; not a tourer, racer or rando unit but road. Road, as in sparse, reasonably light, responsive to the pedals, nimble, comfortable, fast, no racks but yes to fenders, seatbag, battery light - just incase. A sporting day tripper for good to bad pavement. It will use vintage components I have on hand like an SL tubeset, 3-CS lugs, Superbe long reach brakes, Cyclone GT changers and a sensible double. It will go to school on VBQ steering geometry articles. 700C was the assumed choice, with Roly Polly or similar width/type, but then I considered my #5, a 650B fixed with Grand Bois Cypres tires. A great experiment, that bike has introduced me to much, not the least of which were the tires; I am far from expert, but even so it's obvious to me that they are like nothing I have ever ridden. So, that's the problem.
Upon which tire do I base the design? There are no wheel size/interference issues with me and it matters not that 650B tires aren't stocked locally.
The Cypres is so fine that I really am tempted to base the whole project on it but 700C asthetics are a powerful counterforce. I've never ridden the Roly though and an exceptional tire is mandatory; I am now tire spoiled. If it were a frame that might use a wider tire one day then it would be 650B without question but, as it happens, the Cypress is absolutely the widest it would ever fit. So, if you were in this situation, where would you lean, and why?
Thanks much, John Clay Tallahassee
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/
---------------------------------
Yahoo! Sports Fantasy Football 06 - Go with the leader. Start your league today!