A quick tacking of the tubes and Rich's frame is all ready for the final brazing after I install the brake bridge and check the alignment. This is a pretty big frame, the largest one I've built to date. Rich is roughly 6'6" but he knows the riding style and frame measurements that work for him so it made it fairly easy for me drawing it up. The goal was to build a "big boyz" bike yet keep it tight and not have that unproportional look that a lot of big frames have. Today, all the carbon frames have those super-fat mega-tubes that makes the largest frames look pretty compact but it isn't quite so easy with steel tubing when you are trying to keep the weight down as well. This frame here is roughly a 62 cm frame with a little longer head tube (238 mm) to accommodate his preferred riding position. The head tube is 1 1/8" and I used one of my favorite down tubes, the Pear to Penta, while the top tube is an OX Platinum 31.8 mm. We put about a 5 degree slope on the tt and it tightened the whole thing up quite a bit. Should be plenty strong for those outta the saddle digs when you go on the attack. We also decided on some s-bend chain and seat stays because everyone loves a curvy rear end and it gives Rich a little extra space for running larger tires. In the winter time I love training on 28-30c tires. We are gonna put a steel fork on this frame as well so I'm thinking this bike is just gonna roll like a Cadillac. I am really curious to see what kind of paint scheme Rich chooses for this. We'll just have to wait and see. Stay tuned. Chao.
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