IF Club Racer Project: Getting Close
We’ve made good progress on the Independent Fabrication Club Racer project bike. I was able to take it out for a ride for the first time the other day. It’s a lovely bike. The frame is lively, the steering is precise, the drivetrain is crisp and accurate, and even though it’s not light by today’s racing bike standards, it’s relatively light compared to most of the bikes I’m accustomed to. The best feature of the bike is the fact that the frame is proportioned specifically to fit my body. It’s been a number of years since I’ve been on a custom frame and I had almost forgotten what an excellent fit feels like.
At this point I’m waiting on small parts and tires. As I was afraid of, the Honjo fenders are turning out to be anything but a simple bolt-on affair. The Club Racer is designed for relatively beefy tires (it is, after all, a “light touring” bike), but a 32mm Marathon Supreme, combined with a long reach Shimano caliper, is asking too much; the combination simply does not allow enough clearance for a Honjo fender on the front. The solution is to drop down to a 28mm Panaracer Pasela, but it will still require denting the fender to create enough clearance under the brake. I also have a fork crown daruma and a pair of Problem Solvers on the way which should simplify the process.
This is turning out to be an interesting bike. The build is quite eclectic and represents an almost odd mix of the retro and the new. That said, it all works together quite well, and with such a beautiful frame at the heart of it, it’s almost impossible to go wrong.
A number of people have asked how I’ll use the bike, and to be honest, I’m not quite sure yet. I suppose I’ll end up using it like I use most of my other bikes, for a mix of commuting, errands, light touring, and weekend joy rides.
Hopefully, the next post in the series will be on the completed bike. —Alan
11 Responses to “IF Club Racer Project: Getting Close”
Does IF make that neat-o seatpost?
@Croupier
That’s a Nitto..
That seatpost is sweet, I’m a sucker for lugs. I can’t wait to see the finished bike.
Hey Allen, the bike looks great! On my Surly Travelers Check build I also found that the Honjo’s take a little time and patience to get it right, but the finished product is worth the effort. Another note about the fenders, I have the really long version. On the front they bounced around a bit without the front rack installed. The mounting point on the front rack made all the deference in the world. I have been using the bike for about 90% of all my riding, and plan on taking it with me to Cycle Oregon. Should be fun!
Aloha!
Thanks John! And thanks for the tips on the fenders; they’re turning out to be a test of patience but I’ll eventually get it all worked out.
Regards,
Alan
The amount of seatpost showing seems huge, although the fistful of seatpoast days are long gone. This would lead me to think the frame is too small so I’m surprised to hear how well it fits you. Looks great.
@Tom
Thanks!
Different builders build with different philosophies. The amount of seatpost showing is pretty average for today – rest assured, the fit is correct. :-)
What a bike! My husband was considering an IF a while back and the ones we saw in person were all works of art. I look forward to living vicariously through your posts :)
Is there a name for that colour, Alan? Looks like a less saturated, metallic version of British racing green.
Very classy.
_WHICH_ Shimano long reach calipers- I had thought that only tektro were making them today!
@William
BR-R650. The reach is 47-57mm; depending upon where you look, they’re either listed as “mid-reach” or “long-reach”. The Tektros, for comparison, are true “long reach” and have a reach range of 55-73mm which is too long for this bike.
The terms “short” and “long” have different meanings in regards to brake reach depending upon what decade you were born in.. ;-) This, from Sheldon:
“Some people refer to “short reach” “normal reach” and “long reach” calipers, but this is a recipe for confusion, and such terminology should be avoided. As fashion has changed, the 47-57 mm size that used to be “normal” has become “long” and the longer-reach calipers have become nearly extinct, aside from very long BMX calipers.
Currently, “short reach” calipers usually offer a range of 39-49 mm. This has become the de-facto standard for “road” calipers, and can now be considered “normal”, though it is also correct to call it “short.”"
Now that we’re all sufficiently confused… :-)
Alan