Warning not much Retro in this topic, except mabe the craft of the Dutch Fabricator Project12 Cycleworks https://projectxii.nl/en/.
I am sharing this bike here as my love for steel was shaped by my time on Retrobike. Some of you may like this, YMMV.
A few months ago I was pondering a new 100mm XC frame for 2020; Santa Cruz Tallboy, Yeti SB100 and the likes. In an online discussion topic Michiel of Project12 Cycleworks suggested why not custom steel? Love for steel all right, but that does not make a competent XC bike. And mind you, this is to be my Go-To every Sunday weekend-warrior-50km-ride-with-my-mates bike.
So I tested the green prototype Project12 Vertigo shown in the pictures in this thread, and another Vertigo owned by Lars, a former bikemagazine test editor, a size Large XC oriented Vertigo in 29”. And we talked bikes over a coffee, and another coffee.
Both bikes rode really well, I will say remarkably well for such a small builder. Turns out some really savvy Dutch bike designers supported the development, and did good. The 27,5” bike with trail rubber mounted and a sturdy parts spec never “felt” sluggish. And the 29” XC bike was outright fast, Strava medals fast. And not unimportantly, both bikes were mechanically solid and quiet. No creaks, no bolts loose, no play in the pivots. An achievement that is not to be underestimated, kudos to Project12. And thus the Vertigo became a contender.
Michiel and I exchanged ideas and drawings, fired Q&A over WhatsApp and landed on a design. What did help is that I know my riding position from classic 71/73 Norba style up to modern long & slack bikes. And we developed a good understanding, so I confirmed the order and Vertigo Project 12.023 was GO, the tubes could be ordered.
With the Project12 signature dropouts
And worked the characteristic Yoke for the chainstay junction and main pivot
This is another area where Michiel earned my respect. I simply gave him a spec sheet: 100mm travel, Boost spacing, 29x2.4 and 27.5 x 2.8-3.0 tires to fit and a single 36t chainring on the crank. With sound engineering and creativity he consolidated it in a new Yoke design in his Vertigo concept.
The concept centers around the spine that is the seat tube and bottom bracket cluster. It contains all hardpoints for the rear suspension pivots and damper mounts. And in the useable seat angle range a full custom geometry can be spec’ed by the client. And it works, giving an array of options. What is left to do is “just” to express the client fitting and build requirements in steel. And that takes a combination of communication, creativity and craftsmanship.
And this is what it looks like
And this is the product, a vision in steel
It has been really special to see Michiel craft this frame step by step. The expression of a vision in steel that began as a concept on a napkin over a coffee. Every detail what is on the frame or not on the frame for that matter has been thought through to make a conscious choice. With the frame now being prepped for paint waiting for it to be ready is getting nigh-on impossible to do.
The pictures are of a mock-up with some choice parts to giave an idea of the bigger picture,
Enjoy!!
I am sharing this bike here as my love for steel was shaped by my time on Retrobike. Some of you may like this, YMMV.
A few months ago I was pondering a new 100mm XC frame for 2020; Santa Cruz Tallboy, Yeti SB100 and the likes. In an online discussion topic Michiel of Project12 Cycleworks suggested why not custom steel? Love for steel all right, but that does not make a competent XC bike. And mind you, this is to be my Go-To every Sunday weekend-warrior-50km-ride-with-my-mates bike.
So I tested the green prototype Project12 Vertigo shown in the pictures in this thread, and another Vertigo owned by Lars, a former bikemagazine test editor, a size Large XC oriented Vertigo in 29”. And we talked bikes over a coffee, and another coffee.
Both bikes rode really well, I will say remarkably well for such a small builder. Turns out some really savvy Dutch bike designers supported the development, and did good. The 27,5” bike with trail rubber mounted and a sturdy parts spec never “felt” sluggish. And the 29” XC bike was outright fast, Strava medals fast. And not unimportantly, both bikes were mechanically solid and quiet. No creaks, no bolts loose, no play in the pivots. An achievement that is not to be underestimated, kudos to Project12. And thus the Vertigo became a contender.
Michiel and I exchanged ideas and drawings, fired Q&A over WhatsApp and landed on a design. What did help is that I know my riding position from classic 71/73 Norba style up to modern long & slack bikes. And we developed a good understanding, so I confirmed the order and Vertigo Project 12.023 was GO, the tubes could be ordered.
With the Project12 signature dropouts
And worked the characteristic Yoke for the chainstay junction and main pivot
This is another area where Michiel earned my respect. I simply gave him a spec sheet: 100mm travel, Boost spacing, 29x2.4 and 27.5 x 2.8-3.0 tires to fit and a single 36t chainring on the crank. With sound engineering and creativity he consolidated it in a new Yoke design in his Vertigo concept.
The concept centers around the spine that is the seat tube and bottom bracket cluster. It contains all hardpoints for the rear suspension pivots and damper mounts. And in the useable seat angle range a full custom geometry can be spec’ed by the client. And it works, giving an array of options. What is left to do is “just” to express the client fitting and build requirements in steel. And that takes a combination of communication, creativity and craftsmanship.
And this is what it looks like
And this is the product, a vision in steel
It has been really special to see Michiel craft this frame step by step. The expression of a vision in steel that began as a concept on a napkin over a coffee. Every detail what is on the frame or not on the frame for that matter has been thought through to make a conscious choice. With the frame now being prepped for paint waiting for it to be ready is getting nigh-on impossible to do.
The pictures are of a mock-up with some choice parts to giave an idea of the bigger picture,
Enjoy!!
