I especially like making frames for people that truly need custom frames, many times really tall, or short, people. Since they fall outside the bell curve, it's hard to get something that fits and performs well.
AR is a competitive racer, does time in Europe, and is friggin' tall, so when he contacted us about a cross bike, I was immediately excited to work on his frame. We got the dimensions of his frame nailed down, got his positioning right for his size. Then we used even-more-than-normal oversized thin tubing to give him the stiffness and light weight that is needed. And here it is:
I can't wait for him to get some miles on it!
I truly enjoy projects like this. This frame has made me push the bounds of what I'm used to from a design standpoint. Getting a tall frame that is strong, light, and stiff is challenging, but completely possible. This frame hits it, this thing is going to be a fast and fun race bike for someone who wants a nice steel ride. It's great to get challenged with projects like this. This is the first frame that we've made that's actually too "big" for me. Granted, with a 100mm stem I could pull it off, but it's the biggest frame we've made to date.
It's inspired me to look at things a tad differently, and allowing me to think of what I want to try next. From the sizing from a design standpoint, to the design from a performance standpoint, even down to the color concept, this frame and fork have allowed me to see things in a different light, or maybe just from a different angle, and that only helps make the next ones better. It is all a progression, there will never be a point in which we don't learn something from each frame we make, every project we do makes the next one(s) better and better. Progress, and progression, are good things.
Cheers!
Mike
Proletariat Bicycle Co.
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