Stripper frame, Mavic open pros, Grand Comp front hub, Torpedo rear, Chris King headset, Thompson post and stem, Brooks saddle, Lino bar, Miche crank (forgot the name of the peddles), 105 brake (forgot the name of the leaver), gators…
Submitted by JQNYC








54 Comments Received
February 20th, 2010 @10:34 pm
yummy
February 21st, 2010 @10:07 am
Nice bike. I like the subtle color scheme, quality parts. Glad to see some “non deep v” rims. Cheers.
February 21st, 2010 @10:32 pm
The Brooks and Chris King really killed this bike for me. Especially CK. Such a waste.
February 22nd, 2010 @2:15 pm
I love my Brooks. Before I had one, I didn’t know what all the hype was about. Now I know.
February 22nd, 2010 @7:38 pm
I think it says Chris King not Christ King.
February 23rd, 2010 @3:10 pm
Which is a euphemism for how anything Christian is rubbish, huh jqnyc? Don’t let browsing this site make you late for your animal sacrifices, okay? family comes first.
February 23rd, 2010 @6:39 pm
Whoa! I knew you wouldn’t disappoint -your getting quite the reputation around here. It was a pretty easy allusion to the idea that a CK headset was simply a headset. Yes, Mr. Luftmensh, it might be a tad over-kill on my humble frame. If that was what you were trying to say. I am (in fact) looking at frames with “upgrade” in mind but these cheapo Kilos are pretty great. Any suggestions? Or, is this all just an opportunity to guttersnipe and creep everyone out? Calling it humor. Which, of course, is fine …but why the need to swing so low? Hum… What would Jesus do?
February 23rd, 2010 @6:56 pm
The beauty of bolting on quality parts is that they are not Welded or brazed on and can be moved around. My Brooks saddle has had 3 locations in the last two years. Interchangeability is a Wonderful thing. JC would be proud in a humble kind of way. Thanks .
February 28th, 2010 @3:50 am
I had a Brompton 3 stolen from me. I believe it was the first Brompton imported into The US/NYC so it had sentimental value. And, I had a honey colored (sometimes called ox blood) Brooks pro on it for looks and comfort. I miss the saddle more than the bike!
Right now I have a Brooks pro and the green one above. I was told to lather up the underside with saddle soap (or whatever) and let it soak in but maybe thats just ritual. There is talk that these are uncomfortable the first few hundred miles. That is, till your butt molds to them but I find them comfortable pretty much right away. There is also that french saddle (name escapes me) –that too looks pretty cool.
March 3rd, 2010 @12:03 pm
Lame!!!!!
March 3rd, 2010 @12:04 pm
what a boring azz bike!!
March 3rd, 2010 @12:49 pm
You picked a horrible spot to chop those bars….
March 3rd, 2010 @1:08 pm
eric you are an idiot. you claim that we are all followers, this bike is well thought out and he used nice quality parts. but because he hasn’t followed the trends (color match chain, tires downhill stem etc…) it’s boring. you’re a hater. plus he’s from ny most guy’s who know anything avoid overtly flash parts because it increases the chance of your bike getting stolen.
March 3rd, 2010 @1:17 pm
Stolen? around Elgin Illinois a town of 999,999 people and 11,000 illegals I have had four bikes stolen since 1995. 3 speed black Raleigh with rod brakes, Trek mt. bike with too many speeds, old girls frame mixte 10 speed black and plain and a 76 Schwinn yellow 10 speed. NY can’t be much worse. Of course I was too much a fool and did not lock up. Now I bring bikes in with me or lock up. Thanks
March 3rd, 2010 @1:20 pm
Seems like you’re cry now Faggot!!!
March 3rd, 2010 @1:20 pm
WSB have you seen a kryptonite ny lock? it’s that crazy big for a reason. btw you did’nt lock them up?
March 3rd, 2010 @1:21 pm
nobody wants to steal that POS pussy!! mind you biz, im just writing what I think about it you pussy!!
March 3rd, 2010 @1:27 pm
sniper/eric have you noticed that i have not really attacked your bikes. i simply said you should up upgrade the cranks. i haven’t resorted to cursing, attacking your home town, your sexual orientation etc… why? because i don’t have to make you look stupid. you’re doing it for me.
March 3rd, 2010 @2:30 pm
I like it jqnyc, I am in the process of fixing up a Kilo and will use some open pro rims. They are good solid rims and keep in line with a classic look; Brooks saddle and lether tape.
March 3rd, 2010 @2:40 pm
at thr risk of appearing apothetic re:people’s hometown,religion,spelling or vocabulary skills or sexual orientation.May I say this is a very nice bike because of it’s simple lines,and obvious funtionality.lo profile says “lets ride”.enjoy(this is only MY opinion,your milage may vary)
March 3rd, 2010 @2:43 pm
eric/sniper i was discussing locks with WSB do i really have you that upset. i see you stepped up your thuggin’.
March 3rd, 2010 @2:59 pm
WSB i just really read your post, i have said it before but you are one weird (in a good way) dude. fyi in 15yrs of not looking up your bike 4 getting stolen is not bad. if you did that in ny or any major city really, you would be buying a bike everyday.
March 3rd, 2010 @4:41 pm
True, I bought a lock after the Rod Brake Raleigh Roadster was stolen in broad (or is it pussy) daylight from a Hospital parking lot and the Trek was usually locked outside but on a Saturday while working in the office I put it in a trailer 10 feet from the office window unlocked and presto/gone . Someone knows my pattern it seems. (the lock was nicely attached on the seat tube and stolen as well) the cheap Viscount mixte 10 speed left during the night from my carport unlocked way in back during a rainy night. The Schwinn heavy weight 10 speed disappeared while I was cutting grass on a bright day in p.light. I have a good chain but not Kryto and a smaller loop for the Brooks B17 but screw it I usually bring them inside. I have some in a basemt. and with bad luck the place may be broken into again and half may be stolen. snipertoe and erik are like flies at a picnic. Thanks and I do like this stripper bike, it looks ready to fall in the picture if it catches a breeze, nice pro saddle.
March 3rd, 2010 @7:32 pm
Thank you for the compliments and constructive criticism (and comedic digressions of course). This was suppose to be my boring build for the very reasons mentioned. Discretion… but then, of course, I got all carried away with the Chris King etc (geeking out on parts and I couldn’t resist)… to Luftmenshes point! So right away the cockpit became more expensive then the frame. Anyway, the bars are standard (unchopped, sorry) Lino track-bulls. Im happy with every single thing about this bike. Great city ride and this time of year the Manhattan potholes can be… interesting. Love the gators. The only thing is the stem. Its a 1-1/8 Thompson shimmed to fit. This bike asks for 1 inch. It feels a little (visually) thick to me. I have since found a vintage 70s 1 inch track stem but its TOO vintage as (no getting around it) this is a modern bike even if it feels traditional. Now the big question mark from most people I see on the street is “whats up with the torpedo hub?” Call me a wuss but I’m loving the ability to switch in 2 seconds. Im old and I get tired.
March 3rd, 2010 @8:16 pm
What is a torpedo hub? I have an old Puch (20 inch wheels) and it came to me with a Sachs Torpedo duomatic ( 2 speed kick back to shift ) is this the same or what? Thanks
March 3rd, 2010 @9:01 pm
Is that Brooks dark green? If so I’m diggin’ this color combo even more than I already do.
March 3rd, 2010 @9:43 pm
Yes green. The guy at the shop brought out a box marked black (as per my request) but when opened we found a green saddle –a mislabeled box. We put it next to the bike anyway and we both smiled –surprised at how well (and unexpected) it worked. I might go with green tape at a certain point but that might be dorky/over-kill.
Its a SRAM torpedo hub. A new design not to be confused with the old 2-speed. With a turn of a small screwdriver it goes from fixed to free. No need to flip flop… your stuck with an 18 cog though. Its very efficient and well made but no one is buying them except me.
March 4th, 2010 @12:18 am
Yeah sorry man that was definitely overboard in retrospect. The combo of supposed negative feedback of christianity and the whole presence of overpriced parts reminding me of my remedial part in the ongoing class struggle sort of got to me. Guess I read into it too much. My bad. And thinking of my own bike I’ve done some similar things. I’m sure I’ll take a beating when I post mine up here for all to behold.
Cheers.
March 4th, 2010 @5:50 am
Hey, I’m the one who invoked the holy man for a humorous purpose. What I’d really like to do is put a plug in for the proletariat frame. For $199 its one hell of a deal. I already sold my soul to own a revered Bare Knuckle. I put a lot of money into the basket to be a member of that congregation. Nice bike and I do love it but these Kilo TT frames (in this case a Stripper) are manna from heaven… for the masses that is. Worthy of nice bits? Perhaps. Anyway, Why interrupt the trash-fest? I’m loving the gay-bashing illiterates –flailing about with the silly misspellings and multiple explanation points. I especially like the use of excrement to describe a bicycle and sexual body parts to describe the owner. Please. Don’t stop. JEEEEZE!!! You guys are making the rest of us look pretty clever.
March 4th, 2010 @6:19 am
there is that.continue the slap-fight.just don’t forget the bikes.some of us care.
March 4th, 2010 @7:49 am
In the meantime, are any bikes or parts mass produced in the USA ? The trade and dollars keep flowing out of the country, we will be riding bikes because cars are not affordable. The dollar will be worth a dime and Chinese will be what Spanish was to us in 1960. With the likes of some young snipes on this site and the way they talk and think I worry. Thanks NY seems to be a lot smarter than the Midwest on this site also Calif. seems sane on this fixed gear site.
March 4th, 2010 @6:17 pm
Yes, you would think the USA would be able to handle manufacturing the relatively simple bicycle but the cost of labor is high… not for long. The Bare Knuckle frame claims to be from a shop in Venezia Italy contracted by EAI but I’m suspicious. my Bianchi Pista is made in the Italian province of Taiwan. I heard somewhere that 90% of bikes in the whole world are made at the GIANT factory in Taiwan. I think Thompson posts and stems are made in USA. Klein? Trek used to be a US brand… is that right? Its all so confusing…
March 30th, 2010 @11:52 am
Not that the number of “stars” sums up a bike…..but since that’s part of what this site’s about…I’ll go ahead and say this bike is currently underrated.
March 30th, 2010 @1:04 pm
I like it a lot. I love true minimalist bikes. Also, just reading through some of the comments, I’m pretty sure that Eric/snip-whatever is just newcastle. I wonder if his newcastle user name got banned b/c his comments were just too stupid and highly ironic so he decided to make a new couple of names.
March 30th, 2010 @2:52 pm
This is a fantastic ride. Easily one of my better bikes. I can easily “whip” this thing around at a stoplight –launch myself off before you can say Walter Benjamin. Bikes are like shoes. The fit is so so important. Im happy with the discreet look (although anyone can see the nice bits) but its the rubber and metal tailored to ME. The Kilo is just stiff enough for the street without too much road-response and I find my limbs, torso and arms sink in and work well with this combination of parts. Yes, you CAN feel a big difference with a nice headset and well made hubs (and on and on). If that makes any sense. I guess what Im trying to say is that the aesthetics are important in that they encourage you to “bond” with the thing –a good fit coupled with an appropriate frame/parts for your street-conditions) only adds to that? Or is it the other way around? Or… all part of the same argument –quest for a quality ride –which is what this site is about. (?)
March 30th, 2010 @3:22 pm
“I guess what Im trying to say is that the aesthetics are important in that they encourage you to “bond” with the thing”
I couldn’t agree with you more, jqnyc. I impulsively bought a sugino chainring instead of origin 8 because the origin looked so low quality by comparison. and then the chainring ended up being 30% more expensive than the crank itself. and there was nothing wrong with anything else i replaced, the crank, bb, pedals, clips, straps, seat, wheels. but i’ve made it my own and appreciate it for what its become, for what it was, or could have ended up as. love it or hate it, its my baby, plain and simple.
March 30th, 2010 @8:08 pm
Then… the failures! I have my share. Wrong size, thought I liked aluminum frames, pragmatic about parts, poor design. “questionable vintage frames” Mountain bikes, three-speed, 10 speed… on and on! I’ve also managed to spend WAY too much on bikes that just were not right and …I wasn’t sure why!! Sometimes its just personality. (craigs list is a Godsend for fools like me) So far I haven’t been seduced by carbon or Titanium (well, not yet anyway –lets hope it stays that way). Then (of course) the worst. Failure to lock a bike up properly. Theft! I’m pretty sure I’ve spent more time, energy (money) on failed projects than ones that have worked out (beyond just bikes too)
Then… occasionally… I get it right. Will someone please tell some of the fools on this site to man up, get back to it and build it up right? We may not always get the criticism right but please… read between the lines. If more than one person says your bike sucks… it probably does. Some people don’t like purple, some people think risers and oureys are too trendy. Leader frames vs. old school Frejus… whatever. if it works –its undeniable.
April 14th, 2010 @2:50 pm
I agree with lots said here. You can sink a lot of cash into buying the next great thing or keeping up with a particular trend. Once you eventually find a set up that’s comfortable it becomes a bit cheaper.Saddles have been a particular sore point in the past.(Pun intended) The only Brooks I’ve had were inherited with bikes I’ve bought in junk shops. Never comfortable as they were broken in by some other ass. Bit like trying to wear anothers shoes. I would love to try a Brooks from new, but the outlay puts me off. Yeah, I’m a tight git. This bike does look good. Nice to hear how it came about. Thanks all.
April 14th, 2010 @3:20 pm
I got curious about the saddle. I’ve never seen a green one. Had a look on the Brooks site. Found two in green. A Swift Titanium, retailing at over £200 and one called a Finnesse for the ladies. I didn’t check the price on that. A lot of dosh. Probably more than a certain purple sofa. Ha,ha. Hope yours didn’t cost that much and you got a good deal.Someone was asking about getting Brooks recovered. There’s no mention of any service like that on the site, so I guess it would be best to take it to a shoe maker who likes a challenge. A green saddle would look good on my Morris. It’ll also match my green eyes. Envy is a spitefull master. He,he. Cheers again. Nice bike and it got me thinking.
April 14th, 2010 @4:29 pm
I think this saddle is called a B-17 Pro –distinct from the standard because of the large rivets. In green obviously. I also have a Brooks Professional. Im gay for the large rivets… what can I say? Saddle fit is a tough one. I have had so many. As of late the big bike companies have gotten it together and a lot of the off-the-shelf seats that come with new bikes are quite good. No reason to upgrade if you bought a decent new bike these days. But then again, the shape of ones’ tush is not easy to gauge. For me the Brooks design is perfect. At least these two styles. Theories of how to break them in abound. My “trick” is to buy new and slop on the Brooks saddle soap (or what ever its called) to the underside ONLY. Put it on thick, like butter on bread and let it soak… and soak… and soak. I do not wipe off the excess and let it get a little funky. it will dry up soon enough, jut watch the corners. Then put it on the bike and ride… and ride… and ride… breaking it in? Whatever. I find them comfortable pretty much right away. I guess you could say that you break them in… or does your rear end conform to the seat over time? Yes, they are a little bit pricey. My Professional is on its third bike. Sell the bike, keep the seat.
April 14th, 2010 @4:31 pm
HOT TIP!: Somebody gave me a gag gift of a pack of three shower caps from the .99 cent store. Guess what? they are prefect… and I mean perfect bicycle saddle covers. Waterproof too.
April 15th, 2010 @11:36 pm
jq; good tips. That proves the haters wrong. We do know our stuff. Oh, and google helps sometimes.
April 15th, 2010 @11:43 pm
One more tip. Cutting cables. If anyone has had any problems cutting cables and finds the usual pliers ect make a hash of it+the ends are a bit, well, wiry. Try using a sharp cold chisel. It’s a bit like a bolster you would use to chop bricks with, but narrow.Just lay the cable across a lump hammer or similar HARD surface, put the chisel on the cable and give it a sharp tap.As long as the chisel edge isn’t dinged about from previous misuse you get a clean cut every time.
April 16th, 2010 @5:32 am
For cutting cable, I had two cutters without luck all ragged and another made in Sycamore Illinois for electrical wire, no luck, grabbed an OLD pair of linemans pliers made in Japan and squeezed hard and made a clean cut. Most of the tools today are junk. The old Japanese plier did the job.
April 24th, 2010 @4:21 pm
Never said a truer word. Snapon tools make good pliers. MJ says you can cut car handbrake cables with them. Probably pricey, but like a Brooks saddle will last for years. You do get what you pay for with certain things.
April 24th, 2010 @5:25 pm
BTW. I have a nearly identical set up with BK custom. Same Shimano-105 brakes and same approximate bicycle geometry, weight, size etc. BUT BK Custom has Mavic open pro (black and silver). This bike has Mavic open pro (ceramic). Both bikes now have brand new wheels and essentially new brake pads. (I replaced the wheels from the ones in the photos of BK Custom) but the difference in stopping power on these two different wheels is astounding. The ceramic is stealthy-er and much more money. The regular Mavics are nothing to cry over but …If stopping is your thing… Ceramic baby. I’ve gone over the bars on both these bikes but the transition from two wheeler to unicycle (unintended and unfortunate balancing on the front wheel as a taxi swerves in front of me) was much faster on this bike.
April 24th, 2010 @5:38 pm
use a SHarp coal chisel on cables.whip the ends with super glue.cut to length,prep cables before inserting into houseing.but wait-fixies don’t have cables do they?never mind.
April 24th, 2010 @5:47 pm
Brake wires are the only wires I’m concerned with. Used a steak knife when I was desperate and tool-less, now I use a built-in wire cutter on a multi-tool. Cuts everytime.
April 24th, 2010 @6:19 pm
JQNYC; The only place I can think of where that kind of stopping power would be desirable is on a long,steep,twisty decent in the Yorkshire Dales. I have experienced what I call “on/off braking” It’s either fully on or off. When I bought my 1st pair of Kool Stop synthetic brake blocks I still had chrome steel 27″ wheels.They stopped in half a turn! Those blocks are what made me switch to alloys. So much more feel with alloys. Thank you Kool Stop.Being 17 and ignorant I had put off buying alloy because I assumed they would be weak and soft compared with steel. Kool Stop began my education. Cheers Matey.
April 25th, 2010 @9:14 am
Interesting. I suppose I could start experimenting with brake pads. I was looking at this as apples to apple but I’ll look into it.
May 14th, 2010 @4:03 pm
Still nice.
May 15th, 2010 @4:50 am
yes still nice.simple,quiet,useable,individual style galore.enjoy
June 17th, 2010 @12:29 pm
is this the bluestar paint job?
Mercier Kilo Stripper frame?
June 24th, 2010 @4:50 am
Yes, its the darker of the two blues for the stripper frame (Kilo TT). Called Blue star. I got it from Bike island for $199. Very satisfied. The paint job is nicely done, subtle–very tasteful. I originally bought a regular Kilo TT but disliked the flat color. Sold it on Craigs list for $180 as Bike island wasn’t making the return easy but I cant remember why. Maybe it was just easier to post on Craigs list and I got lucky with a visiting Canadian that would have had to pay import delivery charges. I then asked for a discount on this frame but they politely told me they make next to nothing on the sale in the first place. Anyway, I like them and they have a slew of cheap and interesting frames. Sorry if this is boring.
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