show me interesting frame details!

[danson67]

Here are some details from the Highpath 1985. Brazed by David Wrath-Sharman in his Surrey shed...a gentleman's bike.

Brass cable guildes, grease nipple, 110mm BB shell with integrated bearings, and asymetric shaped stays and wheel dish.

Top tube, set tube, stays and laterals junction.

Multi-part handmade double plate fork crown.

All the best

 

[danson67]

Oh, and a new, but very nice Kirk Pacenti fork crown...yet to be fettled and brazed...

And a finished one:

IMHO possibly the most beautiful fork crown ever. Just that bit 'swoopier Art Nouveau' than the 'Chrysler Building Deco' of the 80s Ritchey/Bridgestone one:

and available in 1 1'8" steerer. :shock:

All the best,

 

[doctor-bond]

Oh, and a new, but very nice Kirk Pacenti fork crown...yet to be fettled and brazed...

And a finished one:

That's gorgeous: are these readily available?

PS is that highpath the one from Edinburgh that was sold on here a while back?

 

[danson67]

Dr. B,

Yup, they are available.
Peter at Ceeway (http://www.framebuilding.com/) had them last year, but I think you have to get them from Kirk Pacenti himself at the moment...that's where I got mine from last week: 35USD +shipping http://www.bikelugs.com/store/index.php?strWebAction=item_detail&intItemID=46 I've got a couple spare if you're interested...

The new crown is related to the Highpath. I did indeed buy the ex-chained up Highpath from Somerled in Spring, (definitely one of my unicorns, completely out of my reach way back in 1984) and I'm slowly tracking down a few of the missing bits etc. Got a Brooks Conquest saddle, Suntour XC gears and brake levers, Nitto golfclub stem, cowhorn bars. Cranks aren't quite right yet, but nearly there.
It rides beautifully, very different, not to be pushed, but stable and sure-footed. The steering might be nice and light, but the bike isn't. It weighs like a tank...so I'm thinking of making a modern version in a Neo-Retro style, but still with the 650B/584mm wheels, as Kirk P, Velocity and Schwalbe etc sell the rims and tyres now (and I'm a bit short for 29ers).

All the best

 

[Rod_Saetan]

cool crown...

random detail images (not mine):

http://vintagebicycle.files.wordpress.c ... it2147.jpg
http://vintagebicycle.files.wordpress.c ... it1894.jpg
http://vintagebicycle.files.wordpress.c ... 015979.jpg

I have a pretty weird/interesting 700c fork Ill do pictures of tomorrow.

 

[SeeingisBelievingGTMuseum]

Fillet brazed internal brake cable routing

 

[SwanHouseNappa]

Paragon Machine Works Low Mount Disc Dropouts. Really clean looking, but need to tip the bike up to bleed the rear brake.

 

[Rod_Saetan]

clean, except for the hose routing.

 

[GrahamJohnWallace]

"It rides beautifully, very different, not to be pushed, but stable and sure-footed. The steering might be nice and light, but the bike isn't. It weighs like a tank...so I'm thinking of making a modern version in a Neo-Retro style, but still with the 650B/584mm wheels, as Kirk P, Velocity and Schwalbe etc sell the rims and tyres now (and I'm a bit short for 29ers)".

Hi Dan, welcome to the "Highpath owners club." It is interesting how much the frame details you show differ from those of my 1988 Highpath. But as every Highpath was specifically designed for its owner, no two bikes are the same.

On the weight question, you can shed about 4lbs by swapping the Nokia Hakka' tyres and tubes for some modern alternatives. Schwalbe' Racing Ralphs are a revelation and have breathed new life into my Highpath by reducing the rolling resistance and improving acceleration. It's important to use over-sized inner tubes if you want to experience the full "low pressure" tyre feel that was a pivotal component of the old bikes. Schwalbe and Bontrager make some suitable lightweight tubes.

It has long since been an ambition of mine to build a sub 25lbs Highpath/Cleland style bike, though finding a suitable stock frame with correct geometry will be difficult

regards,

Graham

 

[Rod_Saetan]

That odd fork:

built for 700c wheels, roller cam bosses on the crown.