Dear friends and especially those who are attending the Cirque in 2008,
Sorry for this fragmented copy. I don't know why it does this lately.?
Since I decided recently that I must attend the new edition of the Cirqu e for a number of
reasons; I also realized that I needed a solution to the mounting expens es I've incurred after
having been to I think 8 Cirques, 4 NAHBS, 5 or so Velo Rendevous, and o ne Legends of
framebuilding in San Francisco. I think all totaled I may be near the to p of the attendance list.
After having such a good experience with selling a (VERY rare) stray fra me, I realized I must
make a frame on speculation to sell for each event I have to attend. It' s actually what
professional knife makers do at the big knife shows. They always have a few pieces for sale on
their table at the shows. Sometimes there is a rush to a famous makers t able to try to score
something cool to take home. All this in spite of waiting lists as long as 20 years (so I've
heard). Herman Schneider is probably one of those. Anyway, this is how I 'm going to bring this
expense situation under control.
After a considerable amount of thought, I have decided upon this announc ement as the best
approach. I want to be fair and give all who might be interested in what I build an even chance
to buy the frame. I am going to describe what I have underway in pretty good detail without
giving away any surprises I might want to throw in. This frame will be 1 00% my project and no one
will have any input as to what the outcome is going to be. I am going to use this as a chance to
make a frame a little bit out of my "normal" style and combine features and a style that is not
the most common to my recent work. I will explain what I have planned af ter I say a few things
about my present circumstances related to framebuilding and how I'm goin g to approach my trip to
the Cirque this time. Here's how it plays out.
First of all, I wouldn't consider doing this if I didn't feel very confi dent that I'm finally in
a position to focus a lot of my time on catching up with my framebuildin g backlog. There is a
paint, frame repair, and touch-up back log which is a separate issue; bu t I think there my be
some reinforcements to help with that this summer. Today for example was the first day since I've
been back from NAHBS that I was able to put in a "normal" day of work. I started early and worked
until lunch, then worked until I had dinner (delicious peanut butter and tomato sandwich washed
down with some pickle juice, yummy) as I caught the bike race on TV. The n back downstairs for
another hour and a half.
I have 6 frames underway in various stages from ready for paint to a twi nkle in my eye. I work on
a number of frames at a time but usually several in the lugwork stage (t he "slow burner",horsing
around with the shapes, putting in seat binders, doing sub assemblies, a dding pieces and taking
things off until you have something you like) and 2 in the "hot seat". R ight now there are 3 in
the hit seat. Lugs ready, tubes washed and mitered, and all sub assembli es finished (dropouts to
stays and fork blades, crown to steerer, BB shell to seat tube, and seat stay caps done (in most
cases). This will gain momentum and frames will continuously roll throug h the process in stages,
as long as I don't get interrupted. This will be a banner year for me ca tching up with my frames.
I have some other exciting plans to develop this year as well. I'm going to treat my trip to the
Cirque as sort of my East Coast showing of my work. It's sort of happeni ng by accident; but it's
going to work out like this. There will be 2 bicycles present at the Cir que that will be brand
new bikes just delivered to customers. I didn't have any new complete bi kes in Portland. I hope
to have the Pacenti bike complete at the show courtesy of KirK (checking on that). And then there
will be this frame. The frame I sold in Portland was a very nice piece o f work. The paint job is
one of the most "interesting" paint jobs I've done in recent years. This frame I have planned (
I'll call her "buttercup" ;-), Bruce will laugh) will be one of a kind p iece. I'll explain.
To get a head start on this project I started with a set of lugs I had p repared for myself quite
a few years ago. I haven't found the right situation to use them yet, so I decided to use them to
jump-start the project. They are Nervex Professional lugs, but I've done a considerable amount of
trimming and I lengthened the points a ways. They are what you might cal l Longpoint Nervex
professionals, but you will hardly recognize them once the bike is built . The rest will just
have to be a surprise, mainly because it's to hard to describe. I'll jus t do it. I've only done
this lug treatment once before and it's kinda cool, I think. The seat st ay attachment will be my
special fastback (split seat lug style). Again, easier if you just see i t. In the case of this
bike, because it will be fitted with a custom AeroTour rear rack system, I have designed a
reinforced version of my original fastback attachment to handle the slig ht extra weight of a rear
bag. Also included will be tail lights. Yes, lights, plural. One Bruce G ordon custom painted to
match tail light is definitely not enough. To be ultra cool you need two of these bad boys on the
bike. I'll figure a snazzy way to work them into the rack. Remember, if one is good, more is
better. I'm also planning a sneaky way of putting the AeroTour rack moun ts on the stays. I'll
figure that out when I get there. Lighting in the front in addition to t he rack. I might build a
matching quill type lugged stem if I feel like it. I'll probably put a s light rise in it.
I'm using NOS Reynolds 531 from the 70's for the main triangle (standard Gage) and 16x29 rake 16
Reynolds fork blades. Seat stays are Reynolds 16mm double taper. Chains tays are Super Vitus 971
also from the 70's. They are rare ovalized, not indented, as commonly fo und. I have a Vitus
forged fork crown I will modify or I may use a Masi twin plate. I'm goin g to make some custom
vertical dropouts from 3/16" plate steel.
Size is 56cm C-T, made for 700c wheels. Top tube 55cm. Chainstays are 43 0mm. 130mm rear spacing.
1" threaded steerer. Stem 11.5cm with a tad of rise. 73 degree head, 72 1/2 degree seat. 8 cm
drop, rake 4.7cm. Expect one of my famous "resembles cheap Santee whores " paint jobs. Just
imagine a bad acid trip; or maybe a good one, I don't know. But expect s omething like that. You
just may like it so much you'll puke. ???
I figured it was best to get this out in the open instead of spring it a s a surprise at the
Cirque. There is going to be a chunk of change involved. How much will d epend upon what I finally
end up doing. It may have a bag or two with it and possibly auxiliary fe nders. Whatever does get
done will be done up nicely and very custom. Expect to pay between 6K an d 7K for this package.
If you think you would be interested in the bike then take a real close look (bring your
magnifying glass if you want) when it is on display at the Cirque. If yo u are still interested
and can pay for it if you were to win a lottery for the choice to buy it or not; then enter the
pool. I'll draw names until I have a buyer that will take it home and wa nts to save a 5 year
average wait for a frame. I suppose technically one could enter even if it isn't their size; but
I see no point in that. I hope this all makes sense and that this is nec essary as a matter of
survival and the continued ability to come and have a good time at the b ike events.
Sorry to go on for so long, but it's what I do.
Brian Baylis
La Mesa, CA