NEW BIKE DAY! Lynskey R210 with Shimano 5700 105

Let's say you're looking for an excellent bike to train with on the road.  You already have a triathlon bike for racing, you already have a cyclocross bike, but you want that one single go-to road bike that will do anything.

You need your road bike to cover century rides, it needs to keep pace in a pack, it may see some gnarly road conditions, probably see it's fair share of winter, it has to do everything.

When you come to us with something like that, we recommend titanium.  It's durable, beautiful, timeless, easy to maintain, but most importantly, it rides oh-so perfectly.

This bike was built just for that person.  Someone who will log long miles, group rides with friends, commute, it'll do it all.  And after a quick wipe-down 10 years from now, it'll look brand new.

Here's another breakdown from Lynskey on what they say about the R210:

Ride in any condition, anytime, anywhere with comfort and style while enjoying a geometry that puts you in a slightly less aggressive riding position yet maintains neutral, stable and predictable handling.

The tubeset consists of double-butted round 3AL/2.5V aerospace grade titanium that will give you the look and lines of a true classic U.S.A. handmade ti bike frame, providing you an all-day supple smooth ride.

Worried about tire clearance? Don't be. There is plenty of clearance for a set of durable and comfortable 28c tires.

The hooded wright style dropouts provide the classic look and strength while allowing you to easily replace the derailleur hanger if need be.

A small from Lynskey has great dimensions and their geometry lends itself well to 700c wheels.  Some bikes this small ride and/or look funny with 700c wheels instead of 650c, but we've had great response from the shorter riders.

Have to love the classic hooded Wright-style dropouts.  The welds are top-notch as always, even on an "affordable" hand made frame from Lynskey.  Don't let their pricing fool you, their products are incredible.  Finish is always the best and the ride is dialed.

I may be wrong, but the matte satin appears a little different than it did when we started with Lynskey.  From our early days with them, we strongly recommended the upgraded finishes, but the matte satin that's rolling out these days has been getting rave reviews.  I've had a number of customers who've recently seen this finish comment that it's their favorite.  It's very similar to another titanium builder out of Steamboat Springs, CO.

Easton EC70 fork really helps the ride of this bike and helps to keep the price under control with it's alloy steerer rather than the carbon one that's becoming more and more popular.

Mavic Aksium wheels and matching Mavic tires complete the rolling stock on this bike.  Incredible durability and great performance for the price many brands try to get for just a rear hub.

Shimano shifting, especially the front, is the best in the business.  105 doesn't disappoint with light-action and accuracy day after day.  For someone who is using their bike for training miles, 105 is the go-to gruppo.

NEW BIKE DAY! Lynskey R230 with Shimano 6700 Ultegra

Lynksey has hit another home run with the R230.  Lynskey describes the R230 rider:

I want my bike to be instantly responsive, but also ride comfortably and smooth. Even though I race on the weekends, I still enjoy the occasional century ride with my local club. I’m aware that tube shapes mean increased performance, but I still like something conservative. The R230 is the perfect choice for me.

This bike is stiff without being harsh.  It can be raced or ridden 150 miles at a time.  It's not as stiff as a carbon race bike, it's not as light as a carbon race bike, but it's stiff enough to be sprinted on and will be the smoothest bike in your stable most likely.

With as many as we have built, our customers are trying to find ways to make theirs a little different without moving away from the classic design of a bare titanium frame.  This particular build went for an extremely subdued look, maintaining all of the class of a handmade frame.

Shots from above aren't easy to capture with an XL frame!  Shimano Ultegra shifts as well or better than just about anything out there but costs a fraction of the highest-end gruppos.

The fantastic hand-brushed finish on this titanium frame is set apart with etched logos that are incredibly subtle.

The brake bridge on Lysnkey's frames has a beautiful touch with this clover taken from the Lysnkey family crest, which happens to double as the head tube badge.

Beautiful brass badge with the Lynskey script is classic and perfectly suited to their frames.

The etched logos do add a $250 premium over basic decals, but they are done beautifully, and really finish off a handmade with another touch of class.

Shimano Ultegra cassette is nearly as light as the Dura-Ace version while being a fraction of the price.  We rarely spec the Dura-Ace version because Ultegra is just so good!

No one rivals Shimano's front shifting, and Ultegra is no exception.  Mechanical Dura-Ace and Ultegra both shift as well or better than even their Di2 counterparts in the front.

The Ultegra rear derailleur is an exercise in function.  While I do love the new gray finish, this derailleur was designed to shift first and be sexy second.

Another spot where Shimano shines: their braking.  For 2013 they've changed their design, which is why I predict we'll be selling a lot of these 6700 and 7900 Dura-Ace brakesets for a long time to come.

Ultegra shifters have the same ergonomics as Dura-Ace, and the same shift quality, but only give in to Dura-Ace on weight.  At close to half the price of Dura-Ace, Ultegra is a very enticing offering.

Welcome To My World....

I have seen some of the beautiful views my friends have posted from their offices downtown. Perched in a high rise, overlooking the lake or the loop, through huge windows sitting in fancy office chairs.

Here I sit, on the ground floor, on a Park Tools stool, at a desk I built. But I have an incredible view of two custom Independent Fabrication frames I designed, a Lynskey Cooper and a Ridgeline monstercross, a Boo cross frame, a handful of Niner bikes and frames, and the first publicly available Cielo Sportif Racer SE.

It doesn't get any better than this.

NEW BIKE DAY! Lysnkey R210 Matte Satin

Only a frame for now, this one is being built with Shimano 105, Mavic Aksium, Easton EC70 fork, and an FSA cockpit.  Seems strange to say, but this made-in-America, titanium frame is affordable and approaching "great deal" status.  When compared to mass-produced carbon with similar components, the prices are very comparable.

For now, enjoy the pictures.  Complete build shots coming soon....

NEW BIKE DAY! Lynskey Helix with Ultegra 6700

We never tire of building these bikes.  Lynskey is one of those companies that can be so easy to deal with, or so tough.  Depending on their current work load and schedule, you can sometimes get your bike in 2 weeks.  Other times though, if you catch them at the wrong time, it can be 12 weeks.

Luckily this time around, we called at the right time.  This large Helix was ordered as a part of their special for a complete bike with Shimano Ultegra 6700 for about $5000 a mere 16 days ago!  This frame had been produced and was waiting for it's brushed finish and white decals then it was ready to roll.

Lynskey has a whole pitch on the Helix tubing and it's advantages.  I'll divert to their expertise on the actual tubing, but after spending more than a year on one I can tell you it's super stiff but retains the magical Ti ride.  It's extremely compliant on rough roads but still very snappy.  It doesn't have the low-speed, high-torque sprint of an oversized carbon bike, and it's slightly heavier, but since I rarely race on the road those qualities all sit fine with me.

Nice touches on the bike, like this brake bridge, are something many custom builders are known for.  Lynskey doesn't stop there, though....

They also use these beautiful Ti dropouts with the Lynskey clover and bullets ending the stays.

The Lynskey headtube badge is also available separately as a key chain for the Lynskey-lover in your life.  It's a nice touch as a gift as well to remind someone how much they love their bike.

Welds are top-notch as always from Lynskey.  I always expect to find something less with their pricing level, but they continue to impress.

Decal application is always perfect from the factory.  I've had to install a few replacement decals over the years, and it's shockingly difficult.  The decals are terribly thin and fragile until applied.

ENVE fork is always a staple on a new custom build.  I was happy to see Felt placing ENVE forks on their high-end framesets such as the F1x as well.

Mavic Ksyrium Elite wheelset makes for a killer training and racing wheel.  Not the more aero, but incredibly durable!

Shifting that's head and shoulders above all else, Shimano hollow front chainrings are the best in the business.  Until you've used it, you just can't know.

Here's to a misty morning ride!

Ted Ramos, MIA for months with a new baby, back out for a ride.  Well, I assume for a ride.  It's possible he's resorted to hanging out at coffee shops in lycra to fit in.

Lynskey Cooper - Stars and Stripes Edition

This is a special build that we partook in, though we can't lay claim to the entire bike.  You may recognize the wheels from a few weeks ago, which we were thrilled to be a part of building.  Rims are Velocity A23, hubs are White Industries H2/H3.

Let's backtrack a little.  This bike belongs to a friend of the shop who has served out country in the Army.  From the get-go this bike was to be loud and scream patriotism.  But at the same time, we didn't want to go down a route that lead to a bike that crossed a line TOO far into being gaudy.

The fork was painted locally by a great friend of ours, Duane over at Chester Cycles.  If you need something painted, this is your dude.  Turnaround has always been totally acceptable, his pricing is great, and his work is top-notch.

It's clear that in as many areas as possible, choices were made to stick with US companies, and preferably US-made products.  Of course, it's pretty much impossible to completely pull that off, but Ryan got damn close.

The frame is one that hits close to home for us, a Lynskey Cooper.  I've spent a ton of time on an identical frame, Chase still sports his, and we have a few more team people riding theirs, check them out here, here, here, and here.

The drivetrain is a mix of SRAM Force and Red.  The headset is a Chris King, the stem and post are both Thomson, tires are the wonderfully plush and grippy Vittoria EVO CS.

While the Cooper is considered by some as the "budget" Lynskey, it's far from it.  The tubing is still shaped, the frame is light, and it has one very nice feature some of the other Lynskey frames don't: a replaceable derailleur hanger.  Don't take that the wrong way, a Ti derailleur hanger makes for excellent shifting, but in the case of a serious crash isn't it nice to know that hanger is replaceable?

Nothing "budget" about this bike.  Built with care, each part chosen for a very specific purpose.  I can't help but to assume this bike rides as well as it looks.  Enjoy it, sir.

XS Lynskey Helix, Coming Soon.....

A sneak preview of a build coming next week.  X-small Lynskey Helix sporting some beautiful etched logos.  This is a killer upgrade that adds some stealth and durability.  The stock decals seem to hold up fine, but nothing compared to an etched set of DNA logos.

1-1/8" steerer tube and external headset, standard fare which will be plenty stiff for such a small rider.

Beautiful Lysnkey tubing, twisted for this Helix and finished with etched DNA logos.

ENVE fork, can't go wrong with this one.  It has quickly become that standard that builders reach for.

68mm threaded bottom bracket with asymmetrical  chain stays.

One more beautiful detail of a Helix, the clover dropouts.  These are made by Lynskey and reserved for their top models.  Want excellent shifting?  Try a titanium derailleur hanger.

Another nice little touch on the rear brake bridge: a clover carried over from their logo.

This Helix will be rolling on some 2012 Mavic Ksyrium SL wheels and Continental GP4000s tires.

A nice detail shot of the finish on this beautiful frame.  Not only is it durable, but we can care for it in house if something does somehow scratch the finish.

Great detail shot of the Lynskey DNA etched finish.

You know where this one came from.

More information and pictures coming next week....