For the bike nerds...

Probably down to poor production technique. The 531 steel mechanical properties are produced by heat treatment. The heat generated when brazing the lugs reduces the tensile strength. If the head tube has been excessively heated where the tube thickness changes this will be a definite weak spot.

Bruce,

your new frame is looking really gorgeous, and those [tig welded?] joints look far tidier than what i have on my economy size Trek

what's your group-set and finishing kit?

are you going to ride it on rainy days?

Debs

Yes, or when removing and replacing the same headset. Which I did once during the life of the bike. It was a Campy steel headset and took some persuasion to remove as I recall. I think you're also right about the heat treatment possibly weakening or em-brittling the steel. It cracked at the stress-riser where the lug ends. When it finally failed (it had been creaking for a week, but I hadn't noticed the developing crack), the bike went all wobbly, but the lug itself stopped the head-tube falling off completely. I was able to ride it home!

Reynolds 501 tubing! Robust, and in the right frame as light or lighter than the famous 531 sets, is the thing! More flexible, and not prone to heat weakness.

Better than gas piping, but not more popular among afficianados.

When I had my [properly hand made Carlton Kermesse] frame reconditioned at Argos Racing Cycles in Bristol, they were delighted someone would be happy to have a 501 frame brought back to good condition! A real touring frame, but responsive enough to still be a pleasure when the mood takes one!

ATB from George

Debs

Watch this space for the finishing kit, I'll post pics when I get around to assembling it. It is Tig welded.

It is intended to be ridden, and in view of my location that means probably in the rain quite often!

I have bought it to enjoy the craftmanship but also to get out on it too. Lets be honest, I already have a very nice carbon 'fast' bike and another custom steel frame for winter rides so I did not in any way need a new bike. I had however always promised myself something unique and special and this is clearly something that can last for ever. I ride quite a lot, even this poor weather year I'll manage in excess of 3000 miles so there should be opportnity to use it plenty.

Bruce

Does it have storage space for medicinal supplies?

Lance

Only had one frame fail - when it was ridden at approx 25mph into a car which pulled out without looking. Carbon imploded at both toptube and downtube junctions with the headtube. The front wheel (DA C24 factory built jobbie) took the full force but was still true and has done 000s of miles since!

Or a motor

Fabian Cancellara.

Yep, that will do it.

Bruce, loving the bikers mea culpa / justification and implication that the custom steel for winter rides was not already unique and special. Completely understand but lets tell the rest of the story...after each use in non-dry conditions it will be painstakingly cleaned and rebuilt. My preferred approach to the chain can be found below...

http://sheldonbrown.com/chainclean.html

Enjoy your bike. Looking forward to seeing the full finish!!

Actually I'm not that obsessional about cleaning them (unless it has been salty). I have a friend who has been known to use a cotton bud to get at the last bit of muck. My bikes get cleaned after a few months, and serviced once a year unless something goes awry.

I make no justification for the purchase, it is purely for my pleasure!

Bruce

One of my fave bike obsession threads (not on here) was 'where do your store your bikes?'. You know how peoples living space is sometimes a little overtaken by hifi. This was something else. Four bikes in the living-room, blocking doors, in the kitchen. Great stuff. Helps to be in an all biking household though I find!

We have a little guest house on the property. The adults' bikes and associated paraphernalia are in there. I made a rack for 4 of them but there are still another 3 that need proper racks.

Winky....seven bikes??? Including family ones. There are two ways forward 1) stop depriving yourself or 2) the family bikes have gotta go

The home storage options in the original thread were all the more ridiculous as its contributors were nearly all small flat dwellers in the inner city.

That said, your coup in commissioning a home on your property (this is one of those Canadian ranches right?) for your lovely bikes under the cunning guise of a 'guest house' would probably still be discussed in awe to this day and you would certainly be honorary life president of the bike club in question.

Well, it is actually nine bikes if I include the kids' bikes.

n=(x+1) Where n = bikes you'd like to own and x is current ownership.

We run to 6 between the two of us.

We recently created an annexe next to our house. The ground floor is a bike workshop/gym, upstairs a Studio for my wife and an office for me. See below.

Bruce (sat at his desk at home, working on NHS commissioning rather than building (or indeed riding) his bike!)

That is the formula! Have RM Blizzard, Moots and Condor tourer. Sold the Santa Cruz Blur a while back so feel a bit short!

Beautiful place Bruce. Canal must be good for commuting. With the new bike on its way you've got some tough decisions about the wife's studio coming up!

Beautiful. I love the romantic evocation of a rural lifestyle, now not possible for most. The two-story stone building is new?

There was a stone building (converted from a pig pen) originally, sort of comprising the bit nearest the main house but it was unheated and pretty much unfit for any use. We added the central section for a door and staircase and then another matching 'block' plus the greenhouse and garage.

Best thing we ever did, it is a lovely space inside, especially then open-plan beamed upstairs and my wife has great fun with the greenhouse.

The main house was the lock-house originally.  A series of locks starts to the right just out of picture. The house was in very poor repair when we bought it. We re-named it Polyfilla villa after a while.

Bruce

Bruce,

Glorious home in a wonderfully evocative location - you have done a very fine job enhancing it in keeping with the original house.  Re: the bicycle I am following this with great interest so keep the photos coming!

I'm currently enjoying this book: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Its-Al...272367205&sr=1-2 and recommend it as the perfect companion to your build!!

Here's an extract:

The bicycle saves my life every day. If you’ve ever experienced a moment of awe or freedom on a bicycle; if you’ve ever taken flight from sadness to the rhythm of two spinning wheels, or felt the resurgence of hope pedalling to the top of a hill with the dew of effort on your forehead; if you’ve ever wondered, swooping bird-like down a long hill on a bicycle, if the world was standing still; if you have ever, just once, sat on a bicycle with a singing heart and felt like an ordinary man touching the gods, then we share something fundamental. We know it’s all about the bike.”

Jonathan

Just reading that myself.

I'm just now migrating the 'summer bikes' upstairs into a spare bedroom - 2 of mine, and one of SWMBO's. Funny how the garage seems so much bigger in winter! MInd you, I'm screwed if we have too many guests to stay

DSC_4733-Edit by winkyintheuk, on Flickr

This is the new bike. Well, a few months old now...

Impressively aggressive position. Not sure I'd manage more than 60 miles or so like that myself..