Re: My version of a Homer

[Matthew J]

Very good effort.  Impressed!
On Friday, June 22, 2012 7:57:42 AM UTC-5, Smudgemo wrote:

Last summer I found myself working a block from Riv HQ.  Building bikes is a hobby of mine, and I had begun stopping by for bits and pieces, and reading up on sizing the Riv way.  I finished my this build (my current commuter) a couple of months ago, and it ended up being heavily influenced by Grant and his gang.  Even the color ended up Homer-esque, although I really didn't set out to clone any particular bike.  After years on a nice steel cyclocross for commuting, I was headed in a touring direction.  High bars were not originally on the menu, but they seemed to make sense.  And I guess I just like blue.  

It was originally planning to make it a 58x58, but changed it to 62.5x60 based on advice from Grant and Kevan.  I still haven't installed the Sugino triple I bought there because the current setup works really well even on the hills of Berkeley, so I might simply powder coat the cranks to a silver and use the triple on an future build I've got floating around in my head.  Anyway, much of the build is documented here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/smudgemo/sets/72157628010993990/.  The fork is made of Columbus tubing.  The frame is a mix of True Temper OX Plat and heat treated Verus that i a bit lighter than I'd normally want for a bike of this sort, but I figured I'd experiment.  Lugs and the fork crown are modified Pacenti's, and the dropouts were made by Paragon in Richmond just five miles from my home.  Good folks there, too.

The astute observer will note that the brake bridge changed at one point due to a measurement error on my part (first time building for side-pulls, I guess.)  My thanks to Vince at Riv for trying a variety of brakes just to make sure I couldn't possibly leave it in place as it was.  The rest of the build went pretty well.

-Ryan

[Aaron Thomas]

Nice work. I dig your fastback seatstay junction. Suave.