Graham’s 650B city bike

No, you’re not seeing double or triple. Yes, this is another dark green city bike but there are so many differences. It is the sister bike to Huw’s city bike which resides in London. This is for one of his friends, Graham, who lives stateside. The fact that there are two very similar looking bikes on either side of the Atlantic makes me smile.

The frame is made from a mix of Columbus and Dedacciai tubing with the Nervex inspired “Newvex” lug set from Richard Sachs. Graham wanted a twin plate fork crown like I have done in the past. On this one I ended doing lining on the top to complement the red lining on the lugs. There is no dynamo on this bike but there is a Jitensha studio taillight integrated into the rack. The rack which attaches directly to the cantilever studs was custom made with a drop rail for mounting the panniers so they sit farther back for more heel clearance. This bike has a Campagnolo Record 1×10 drivetrain with a modified thumb shifter mount as the Velo-Orange shifter perch is only compatible with Shimano style shifters. It’s not often that I build bikes with kick stands but this one has a double leg stand. They do add a little bit of weight but it’s the price to pay for convenience. The heavy duty Soma Grand Randonneur 650B tire also adds weight but provides a lot of puncture resistance which is always the trade off.

The first ride reviews are in and I’ll leave you with a quote from Graham, “I have ridden her hard over the last few days. She’s sprinted, jumped curbs, woven in and out of pedestrians, and carried quite the load of groceries and booze. My God is she good. Combining great looks and style with true urban grit—she’s a winner all the way.”