Almost there…, originally uploaded by Xvelo Designs. Seat stay caps brazed and zipped in place. Boy it’s almost a real bike! $65 more in silver and I should be able to finish. I sure hope i’m better next time…This shit is expensive. Tomorrow is another trip to the welding store to get supplies and I’ll [...]

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Chain-Seat Jig-4, originally uploaded by Xvelo Designs. Today has been jig day. I’ve noticed that none of the factory bikes that I have are perfectly straight at the rear drop out. I’m doing my best to get the first bike as straight as possible. I’m running fairly long stays on this bike to accommodate mud [...]

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Front Triangle Brazing-5, originally uploaded by Xvelo Designs. The rig is coming along nicely. I haven’t posted for awhile as I’m lazy and I’ve been filing and sanding too much to take pictures. Close(er) up of the head tube/ down tube junction with fork in place. I’ve found that this is the most tedious and [...]

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Does it fit?, originally uploaded by Xvelo Designs. Rechecking length with skinny tire and brake in place. I should be able to run 32mm tires with a fender on this particular fork. At least that’s my plan. The bike is actually a lot further along now than you’ve seen. I’ll be in the garage with [...]

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Cutting tubes, originally uploaded by Xvelo Designs. Building a classic Geometry of 73/74 with 57cm c-c for the top and seat tube. It’s going to be set up as a ?speed Randonneur bike. We’ll see if I regret the 57cm top tube with the VO Porteur bars. I should have thought about a 59 or [...]

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Unbent Fork Leg, originally uploaded by Xvelo Designs. Working on the template for the fork leg to the inaugural bike. I’m debating the 25mm off-set versus the 50-60mm off-set of the old Randonee bikes. I’m shooting for a little faster handling than an old bike but not as fast as my road bike. It’s going [...]

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Box o’Pipes, originally uploaded by Xvelo Designs. To continue with my newest saga. Here is the box of pipes. You read from the other day that Scott and I started working on the jig to make wicked cool steel forks. I burned up all the gas trying to make angle iron hot enough so it [...]

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