Welcome back to this month’s rummage through the internet bike shop back room where we find bikes and parts whose native countries foods they are renowned for, would come to create something brilliant. An American burger, some Danish Bacon, and some Swiss cheese. Let’s dig in!
Neuhaus Metalworks
You might be forgiven for thinking I was starting in Switzerland but no, Neuhaus are based in Marin County, California, where they hand make steel hard tails in small batches, in 13 (thirteen!) different sizes which, unlike many other brands, really are different sizes. Reach, stack, chainstay length and of course seat tube length all increase or decrease as you move around the size chart, which Neuhaus encourage you to do, giving advice to size up or down, dependant on the characteristics you want the bike to have. People north of 6’5’ or south of 5’3” are also catered for, with custom sizing at no extra cost.
So the bikes themselves, the first is the Hummingbird, a modern geometry XC 29er hardtail aimed agile handling, whilst remaining stable. It’s based around a 120mm fork and 50-60mm stem *mutters something about that being a long travel freeride hardtail back in the day* so you can make the most of the 66.5 degree head angle and longish wheelbase. But enough words, here are some lovely pictures.
See that seatstay/toptube/seattube ensemble? That’s additive manufactured, you know.
Oh, go on then, just one more, if only to show off the paint…
Speaking of the paint, the rainbow is your limit, essentially. Tell them what you want ant they will give you options, as long as it can be powder coated.
Next up is their Solstice, which is similar to the Hummingbird, just a little more progressive still, marking it very much as a trail bike, built around a 130mm fork and 35-50mm stems and again 29 inch wheels.Here it is.
And finally, for those interested, here are allll those sizes
Pricing is best described as ‘premium’, starting at $1800 for a base frame (ISCG mounts another $150 for example) and if you want one, you pay a 50% deposit, and the rest when it ships, sometime in November if you order now. Check out nuhausmetalworks.com for more info or @neuhausmetalworks on the ’gram.
Stridsland
Something you may have noticed if you are a regular reader of this feature, is there is a lot of new this, progressive that, and that is no accident, but sometimes the old standard stuff that just works is what you need, not to go faster, harder, gnarer etc. Nothing sums that up more than Stridsland’s strapline. ‘Ride Slow, Die Whenever’.
Ride Slow, Die Whenever
A dream that started in 2013 became a reality in 2019 when Matias Stridsland registered his eponymous company in Denmark and began to make bike parts and accessories for retro bike conversions. Namely, 26”, suspension corrected forks and chainrings in ‘obsolete’ bolt patterns.
Available in 5 bolt 94BCD and soon to be 110 BCD, his chainrings will give those old Middleburns in the back of the spares box (as they were too nice to bin or sell) and new, colourful, lease of life. Available in 32, 36, 38 and 40 tooth sizes, 8-12 speed compatible so they will work well with modern cassettes, when not blinding passers by…
Prices are 550 Danish Krone (£63 ish) and the next lot should be ready around August.
The Barnacle fork is has either a 1 or 1 1/8” steerer, QR or 100x15mm axles and enough mounting points to take everything you might need with you, anywhere, it has v brake mounts and disc mounts (disc only on the through axle version) and a 400mm A2C means it’s a good fit to replace a rigid fork, or any suspension fork up to 80mm travel. Offset is 43mm, clearance allows you to run up to 26×3” tyres, or a frightfully modern 27.5×2.6 number. Prices are DKK 150-1995 (approx. £200 – £230) dependant on spec.
Head over to www.stridsland.com or @stridsland_journal for more info.
612-Parts
For the final part of our bike burger, the Swiss element. 612-parts are Felix Lüttin, a self confessed bike nerd, making parts for other bike nerds, when he isn’t out collecting punctures. Founded earlier this year, he is aiming first at brakes and chainrings.
The chainrings are fairy simple things, CNC Aluminium, 30 or 32t, boost offset, in SRAM 3 bolt fixings, in stock now, price seemingly on application.
Of more interest, to me anyway, are his brakes. They’re currently just 4 pot callipers, with meaty 17 & 16mm pistons but can be supplied able to use DOT 5.1 or Mineral oil, so you can use your existing Code RSC or XTR levers (one assumes others also) and use fairly standard Hope V4 pads.
The look of the first prototypes is fairly functional , if not bling.
But there are more designs in the works, if this snazzy render is anything to go by.
Felix is also working on his own lever, which will be available to anyone who buys the £200 each calipers, due in stock in the next few weeks at a discount, once he has finished development on those, but things are coming along nicely from the looks of his Instagram updates, @612_parts on Instagram (website is under construction still).
And Finally…
All these things are all very nice, but what about the totally pointless, unnecessary, expensive titanium bits?
Enter Ogle Component Design, with his 15 gram, titanium, $155USD, Centerlock Lockrings…
Head to @oglecomponentdesign for more of a gawp at some of the other beautiful, no doubt ruinously expensive things he makes…
Peace out.