Anatomy of a Custom Bike

What really makes a bike custom? Sometimes it’s the geometry. Sometimes it’s a special paint job. Sometimes, though, it’s literally everything. Some customers come to us with a good idea of what components they want, how they want the bike to handle under specific conditions, and what overall aesthetic they’re aiming for. These kind of customers want to make sure each component of the bike it optimized to fit their vision of the bike, and helping them fine tune their vision is one of the most satisfying parts of our job. When you help someone craft a bike that’s just right for their needs it’s a great feeling.

This blog post will be the first of many detailing the entirety of a bike like this. Not just a parts list, it will explain the logic behind each decision and hopefully serve as an inspiration for those who want to build just such a bike for themselves.

Gary’s Bandito

Today we’ll be taking a close look at Gary’s Bandito. Gary is a randonneur and he built this bike in large part to ride the 2019 Paris-Brest-Paris ride. For the uninitiated, that’s a 1200km (750 mile) ride that must be completed in under 90 hours. It’s the kind of ride that requires a trained athlete and a reliable bike. Gary also wanted a bike that was as gorgeous as it was functional, so it got a beautiful paint job as well. Let’s take a look at some of the details.

Let’s start with the wheels. Gary chose DT Swiss 180 hubs, so named because the rear hub weighs only 180 grams. These hubs come standard with high quality ceramic bearings which reduce both weight and rolling resistance. The rear hub is equipped with the DT Swiss patented Star Ratchet system freehub, which provides excellent engagement while being incredibly reliable and easy to service. These hubs may be the best combination of lightweight, reliability, and performace available. Perfect for a grueling long distance ride.

The rims are also DT Swiss. They’re the 700c XR 331 model, which is a well balanced disc-only rim that offers stiffness and strength in a lightweight package at only 380 grams per rim. The spokes are DT Swiss Competition double butted spokes with the DT Squorx nipples. Rounding out the package are a set of Compass (now Rene Herse) Stampede Pass Extralight tires. These are some of the lightest and fastest rolling clincher tires on the market and provide a famously supple ride. Overall, these wheels are very light without sacrificing durability or ride quality. They’re as light or lighter than most wheelsets with carbon rims and less expensinve. They’re also easily serviceable at any competent bike shop. They’re as close to “worry free” as a high performance wheelset gets.

The crankset and bottom bracket on this bike follow a similar theme, combining lightness, durability, and function. The Easton EC90 SL cranks are some of the lightest and stiffest cranks on the market. Gary went with a chainring combo of 46/30, which is a popular combination for randonneurs. The real prize, however, is the bottom bracket. The Enduro TorqTite with XD-15 bearings is one of the toughest, lightest bottom brackets on the market. Ultra smooth ceramic cartridge bearings that are nearly indestructible, it holds up to heavy use and abuse.

Believe it or not, this bike did not have an unlimited budget. Gary chose to save a little bit by going with Sram Rival instead of Sram Red shifters, derailleurs, and hydraulic brakes. This saved a bit of expense with only a minor weight penalty. That same thinking led to the choice of Shimano PRO alloy handlebars and a plain alloy stem. Some of that weight was mitigated, however, by using a traditional 1-1/8″ headtube and straight steertube Whisky No7 carbon fork. This setup saves a bit of weight over a tapered headtube and matching fork. The FSA Orbit X headset weighs about the same as a Chris king but at half the price so that was an easy choice for Gary.

All of this is to complement the Rodriguez Bandito frame we built for Gary. Made of our ultralight steel tubing blend and custom fit to Gary’s measurements, it’s the perfect frame for a rider that spends long hours in the saddle. The supple ride quality of a steel frame is legendary for a reason and is still the go to choice for many serious riders. We’ve been building custom steel frames since 1973 and we’ll be happy to keep doing it well into the future.

Gary’s bike is a good example of what goes into a fully custom bike. Every piece of the puzzle was considered as to how it fit with Gary’s overall vision of the bike he wanted. When Gary wasn’t sure about a component, he was able to draw on our experience and find the right choice from his many options. This kind of project can be deeply satisfying for everyone involved and in the end, we produced the bike Gary envisioned. To us that’s a job well done. In future blog posts, we’ll look at other dream bikes and see what decisions brought them to fruition. For a full gallery of Gary’s bike, go here. You can see a full list of Gary’s parts below:

  • shift/brake levers – Sram Rival 22 hydraulic
  • derailleurs – Sram Rival 22
  • brakes – Sram Rival hydraulic
  • rotors – Sram Centerline CL 160mm front 140mm rear
  • crankset – Easton EC90 SL
  • chainrings – Sram 46/30 double
  • bottom bracket – Enduro TorqTite w/XD-15 ceramic bearings
  • cog set – Sram 11-34 11 speed
  • chain – Sram 11 speed
  • hubs – DT Swiss 180 ceramic w/11 speed freehub
  • rims – DT Swiss XR331 700c alloy
  • spokes – DT Swiss Competition 14/15g double butted stainless
  • nipples – DT Swiss Squorx
  • tires – Compass (Rene Herse) Stampede Pass Extralight 700×32
  • skewers – Loaded Xlite titanium
  • headset – FSA Orbit X 1-1/8″
  • stem – basic alloy – custom painted
  • handlebars – Shimano PRO Vibe
  • bar tape – black cork
  • seatpost – FSA Energy alloy
  • seat collar – Salsa
  • saddle – Fabric Scoop titanium
  • fork – Whisky No7 1-1/8″ straight steertube carbon – custom painted
  • fenders – Portland Design Works Full Metal Fenders Road Plus

Brake Talk: Flat Mount vs Post Mount Disc Brakes

The bike industry is an ever changing beast. Evolving technologies are always redirecting the state of bicycle performance and aesthetic. Sometimes this is a real benefit, like threadless headsets, but some things don’t hold up over time. Remember Octalink bottom brackets or U-brakes?

A more detailed article explaining the differences between flat mount and post mount can be read here

One newer piece of equipment causing some confusion is the flat mount disc brake caliper. Developed by Shimano and introduced in 2015, the flat mount caliper is supposed to be simpler and sleeker than the post mount caliper that became standard on mountain bikes. Intended for road bikes, the flat mount caliper sits directly on the chainstay or fork blade, taking up less space than a common post mount caliper. For aesthetic minimalists, mounting the brake inside the rear triangle is better looking. What are the mechanical benefits, if any?

A Sram flat mount caliper on a Rodriguez Bandito. The smaller size and less conspicuous mount allow for a more traditional rear triangle

Modern disc brakes started out using IS (International Standard) mounts, often called “disc tabs”. These have two threadless holes running parallel to the hub axle that are used to mount an IS caliper or an adapter for a post mount caliper. The lack of threads meant users were less likely to damage their frames accidentally during maintenance or installation. Post mount calipers are often adapted to IS mounts because the variety of adapters allows for tremendous flexibility in rotor size. A post mount caliper affixed to an IS mount can use any rotor size between 140mm to 203mm, depending on the adapter used.

Post mount calipers, like this TRP Spyre, require more room in the rear triangle. Note the taller dropout style that creates space for the caliper inside the rear triangle.

Flat mount calipers are designed to look cleaner. There are only two small adapters and flat mount calipers are limited to 140mm and 160mm rotors. This is reasonable since these are the standard sizes used on road bikes. Adapter plates are small and sandwiched between the caliper and the frame, saving space. There are weight savings, but they are somewhat negated by the frame and fork being beefed up to provide mounting points and withstand the braking forces incurred.

You can see these two approaches to disc brakes here at Rodriguez Bicycles. Our Phinney Ridge uses post mount calipers adapted to IS mounts for the greatest range of flexibility. Our Bandito disc road bikes have a focus on road performance and light weight and we use a flat mount caliper in the rear triangle. The Bandito often uses a post mount front brake due to limitations in fork design availability. We prefer a straight 1⅛”  headtube because of the significant weight saving it offers. However, this currently limits us to carbon forks that use post mount calipers. This is one area where we feel the weight savings is worth it.

Disc brakes have become a dominant force in modern cycling. They have opened up frames to ever wider tires and brought hydraulic braking to more riders. For those of us that ride year round in the Pacific Northwest, they have given us a reprieve from excessive rim wear caused by the wet grit that coats our wheels in the winter. While not perfect for every application, they are a technology that has proven itself a valuable option for many riders. If you’re interested in a bike with disc brakes, we’d be happy to discuss which options are right for your cycling goals.

To see more examples of Rodriguez disc brake bikes, check out the Phinney Ridge and the Bandito. The Makeshift is also available with disc brakes.

Here’s an older article about the history of disc brakes in the cycling industry from 2012.