Rodriguez had been on my list of builders for a long time. There were two steel bikes in the fleet that I was looking to modernize. One is a Bilenky built with Columbus Spirit and Life tubing, fillet brazed, which rides magnificently. However it has rim brakes and can barely fit 26mm tires. Very light though, at about 15#. The other was my Surly Crosscheck with S&S couplers. So I was mulling over asking Rodriguez to build me a superlight steel road racing bike, with clearance for 32 or 34mm tires (ie: their Outlaw) or to build something like a contemporary version of the Surly…steel, S&S couplers, big tire clearance, disc brakes, various frame mounts… In the end I commissioned David Kirk to build a Reynolds 953 stainless steel rim brake road bike with larger tire clearance than the bilenky…fillet brazed of course. And so, after stumbling onto D Klein’s review of his Rodriguez, was inspired to finally contact Rodriguez about a year ago. My frames are small - around a size 50-52cm - and I have really enjoyed my Calfee Manta RS adventure/bikepacking bike built specifically for 650b wheels..and so that’s why I wanted to design this frame for 650b wheels. Plus since I would be using larger tires, the 650b wheel size is excellent for packing into the S&S case as well. So the main thing was have a relatively high BB since there would also be times when I would be using this bike for road touring and might use 28, 30, or 32mm tires. I didn’t want to worry about pedals hitting pavement going around corners. I have had that experience previously while riding my No 22 Drifter with 28mm 650b tires (which it was not designed for). So the BB drop on the Rodriguez is 58mm. Disc brakes of course. I liked the Rodeo Labs Spork Fork so we designed the front end around that fork. Then I made sure to have them match the rear clearance to whatever the fork can handle. The clearance is pretty big…around 61mm. The frame is drilled for Shimano e-tube wiring however I am currently using a SRAM drivetrain with a White Industries gravel crankset. Current chainrings are 46/30 with a 10-36 rear cassette. There are a plethora of frame mounts for racks and fenders, although I usually use a rear bikepacking saddle bag or the tailfin rear system. There are mounts for a top tube bag, another set of threaded mounts under the top tube for a small frame bag (I am using a storage bottle I 3d-printed in that position now). I am using 650b wheels with a SON front dynamo hub. Routewerks front storage bags and Wizzard Works offset front headlight mount. There is also a third bottle mount under the downtube for a water bottle or additional storage/small bag. This is handy for long summer rides. I saw the non-drive seatstay bottle opener in a bike photo gallery on their website and thought that would be fun to have, so that’s on there. The rear brake routing is external slotted cable housing barrels. The slots allow me to fully disconnect the handlebar for packing purposes. With this kind of mounting I can run either cable disc brakes or hydraulic disc brakes - right now I am running cable-actuated. It’s a super fun bike to ride! Below is the geometry. Enjoy!
Forgot about the color….it’s not banana yellow. I had it painted the exact same color as New York City cabs.
SB
Lots of fantastic and cool bikes in this thread, as well as a bunch of good questions and advice. There’s not really much info on how to travel with a bike, such as cases, tool kits, tips & tricks, etc. I humbly offer some information here: Traveling With a Bike Sucks – MAMIL Musings: A Middle Aged Man in Lycra Considers Cycling . It’s rambling, long-winded, and highly opinionated, so consider yourself forewarned. Hopefully some of it is helpful.
I always use a S&S hard case. I like the safety of a hard case. I use S&S pads. The only damage ever done was due to my poor packing, and that has only been scratches on my frame. I try to pack everything with the thought that TSA can see everything with just the lid opened. They still unpack stuff I have packed with the bike and repacked it differently, but have never pulled out the bike that I know of. I am paranoid about spokes breaking in transit, which has never happened, but always carry spares. If I use a tool to take apart the bike while packing, it or a version goes into the bubble envelope I use for tools. There is not much in there. When asked about the contents of the case when travelling, I always tell them sports equipment. They usually put it through with my other checked bag. Only once in Barcelona have I had to take the case to oversized luggage. Schlepping a S&S case is easier than a larger bike case. I have never had an issue with a taxi, bus, plane, or hotel. The photos is of the full case before Japan and the second an older photo I use to remember how to pack it. It has never been packed the same way twice, photo or not. (I miss those Mavic Cosmic Carbone Premiums!)
I like your comment about never packing it the same way twice - I have the same experience! Once you do it a few times, it goes a lot faster. I think taking it apart also gives one the opportunity to really inspect every part of the bike and/or get it really clean. When I started traveling with coupled bikes 15 or more years ago I would try to cram as much stuff in there as possible - clothes, shoes, etc… But now it seems TSA is opening a lot more luggage and so I am afraid of having something fall out and not get placed back into the case. So things like pedals, cranks, and rear derailleur get taken off the frame, packed in small bags, and placed into the case. But I zip-tie these items to the frame so it’s not possible for them to be easily separated. Provides some peace of mind at least. And I always use the “compression members” and TSA net as well.
SB
Practice, practice, practice. Never pack for the first time the night before you fly. Lash everything down in the case. Practice packing in a poorly lit room and drop something critical, because that’s what will happen in your hotel before you head home.
TSA opens the bike cases to look inside because they are too big for X-Ray machines, and they are looking for CO2 and anything that looks like a bomb. Make it easy for them to put it back together. I’ve seen frustrated TSA agents smash lids back on to overstuffed cases- don’t be that person. Once I saw a hardshell case that had a large stainless dog bowl and a whiteboard, just because you can put something inside with your bike doesn’t mean that it’s a good idea.
Once you get your packing dialed, unpack it and take a photo of each layer. Save these photos in a folder on your phone so you can find them- hopefully you have a long flight and plenty of time to finally clean out your photos anyway.
Someone asked about wheel bags or protection for carbon wheels, I have simple covers (kind of like old-school track wheel covers) that are just elastic and fabric that stretches over the wheels. They have no padding but protect from scratches and keep any dirt on the tires from getting loose.
All cases should use compression members- these are just 1/2" PVC feet and plastic flanges. The nylon flanges can be brittle and crack if the PVC isn’t exactly perpendicular in the case, but a bit of TPU and a 3D printer can take care of that. Check with CMH Designs if you don’t have a printer. Odds are high your case will go on its side in the airplane’s pit. Single-aisle planes have holds under the floor, these are often only 34" tall and the best way to stack bags is flat, so pack for your bike to be on its side under other bags. Orucase and Post Carry (plus full size soft cases like Evoc & Scicon) will most likely be on top of the pile, but if you plan for the bottom you are improving your odds. My S&S hardshell is definitely going on its side on the bottom.
All good advice. I have to drop off or pick up my S&S hard case at oversized luggage at least half the time. (Same when I travel with the Pelican 1615 Air Case I use for scuba gear, which is also at the 62” total limit for standard airline check-in, but in a more rectangular form.)
I make a point of not putting anything in the S&S case that might look like a bottle, let alone a CO2 cartridge. I bring an Airshot in case I need to reseat a tire, which I carry in my hand luggage, and TSA has never singled that out.
SRAM derailleur batteries are easy to remove. What about Shimano seatpost batteries? Does everyone remove those and place them in carry-on luggage?
SB
Ah, right! Also, I avoid rechargeable batteries, or anything that resembles those, in my S&S case. For me, that’s lights and computer, as I don’t use electronic shifting. I have sometimes had CR2032 coin batteries in a power meter or my spares kit that I forgot to remove, and that’s never been an issue.
Nope. Di2, GPS, and lights all into the bike bag.
Two SRAM batteries in the bike case on the derailleurs. They are not spares and are on the device. Two backups in my carry on. TSA seems to be more worried about power banks. Batteries inside devices are supposedly okay in checked baggage. Wahoo Roam in the case. Backup Elemnt in carry on. The small battery powered pump in case.
Good to hear that electronics in the case is generally working out for people. For my part, I want to minimize TSA’s interest in opening the case, and in searching around if they do open it.
Weirdly, the thing I travel with that most often gets hung up at TSA is a Porlex Mini coffee grinder, which is stainless steel, ceramic and plastic.
My wife and I have done two trips with our bikes. Each time, TSA opened up each bike and we did not have any issues. I was so worried when I saw the TSA note the first time, but everything was present and seemingly undisturbed. Our bikes were packed in Post Carry Co Transfer Cases.
Sam built me a custom hardtail during Covid with Fox suspension and super boost axles and frame to accommodate up to 88mm tyres. I run it with studs in winter, required to commute here in Saskatoon, and have a set of Nobl rims to run 44mm tyres for summer commuting.
He did an amazing job and the bike just fits!
Great thread and some awesome bikes. I am a little less traditional and travel most everywhere with lew-fri, a custom Bike Friday that easily fits into the back of the car, the Bike Friday soft case or Samsonite hard case.
This bike has seen some things! My husband’s Lynsky that fits in a checked bag. Alpe d’Huez, Stelvio, Ventoux, Tourmalet. I don’t think it ever gets packed or put together the same way! As chief logistics officer, I rent or motor pace.
Nice! Sam’s such a great builder. His combination of skills acquired from being Provincial champion, human powered vehicles record holder and theatre set designer mean his bikes are the complete package from performance, build and aesthetics. No wonder Armstrong and Robin Williams bought bikes from him.
I met my first Naked in 2014 on Dallas Road: Mical Dyck sped by my son and I and though we tried catch up she was gone in a couple of hundred metres. She was riding a Naked all-road and I was impressed as it resembled my custom Strong Frame. I met Sam at the 2020 Vancouver Bike show and was impressed with his frame knowledge and the quality of his builds. Negotiations ensued and my son picked up the Naked for me. The frame suited my age and health requirements and I use it for all sorts of riding. I still have the Strong Frame, lives on the Island, and a Pursuit all-road and the travelling Bike Friday.
Summer configuration!
Cool story, Lewis and very cool Naked!