Kim’s 650b loaded touring bike

I’m not going to lie, light colored bikes are near impossible to keep clean. But in due time, this pristine ivory colored touring bike will find its natural patina. Kim came to me looking for a bike capable of loaded touring with front and rear racks, disc brakes, integrated lighting, and the ability to charge a phone. I was unsure about that last one but it came together.

I worked with David Dean at Sinewave Cycles who supplied me with the hardware that resides in the steerer tube of this bike. It was conveniently 7/8″ in diameter which slid right down to the butting of the steerer. The hardware is wired to a Busch & Müller connector which was integrated into the Cinelli twin plated fork crown. A phone or GPS device can be connected here for charging.

Kim went with a traditional touring triple drivetrain. The crankset is the IRD Defiant that was anodized black. The Shimano 105 STI shifters have no problems moving from ring to ring smoothly. The Nitto Randonneur bars were also anodized black to go with the monochromatic theme of the bike. The stem is a custom fillet brazed one that was powder coated black.

The custom racks were also powder coated. The rear rack has two tiers for easy pannier attachment and tying down anything else he might want to carry on the top. The front rack is great for everyday riding with a handlebar bag. And the detachable low riders are convenient for scaling the amount he’s going to carry when on a tour. So many options!

The wheels are Velocity A23 rims with Compass 650b tires set up as tubeless. The hubs are White Industries CLD in the rear and a Schmidt dynamo up front, both of which are centerlock disc compatible.

The frame and fork were built with loaded touring in mind. The tubing selected is a variety that takes strength and the braking forces of the discs into consideration. The Richard Sachs lugs are classic but not too fancy. The twin plate fork crown was carved to match the lugs.

The ivory paint is a Porsche color from the 60s. The fenders and pump were painted to match. The fenders were also hand striped with black to complement the black components. There was a lot of time and effort put into this bike and I can’t wait to see photos of it on the adventures that Kim gets to go on!