30 Jul 2011

I just noticed that my new Thylacine Tephra XK was actually finished in Feburary, before it got a grand tour of the US including going to Strong frames where it was deemed “unmediablastable” (I have it on good authority that’s a real word), then to NAHBS where it was deemed “unshowable”, before going back to Idaho, then on to Spectrum Powder Works in Colorado where it sat in the queue for almost 3 months, then Arizona for freight consolidation, before finally making it to sunny Melbourne Australia and Thylacine HQ. It was one of five frames I had to prep and ship this week, so it’s been a bit full-on.

Take a second now to catch your breath.

Half of that is highly unusual, but the Spectrum part isn’t, so it’s pretty safe to say that if you want your frame Powdercoated, your 2 month leadtime is now 5. Or thereabouts. Which sucks quite a bit, but hey, a custom frame is for life, not just for Christmas, so suck it up. I had to.

As per usual, I was incredibly slack with ordering the parts for this frame, so I’ve been caught with my pants down a bit. It’s going to be a bit of a ‘Ghetto’ build because I don’t use new glamour stuff for bikes that are going to be my Daily Rider. Initially the only new parts are going to be ones that are specific to ‘Cross frames that I don’t currently have - namely, forks, tyres and brakes.

For forks, I’m still up poo creek. Enve have still got their fingers up their bums and can’t ship to us plebs down here in the Antipodes, so I have a Wound-Up on order, but of course they don’t have any in stock. I could go with a steel fork but that would take even longer to get made, to the ceramic coaters, and then to me here. Still don’t know what the heck to do with that one.

Tyres are a bit of a struggle, too. I really want to get some new wheels with wider rims so I can fully take advantage of 35c tyres, but that’s going to have to wait. This bike spends almost all of it’s time on-road, so nothing too ‘Cyclocross-y’ is the order of the day, but I don’t want them to be too wussy, either. Currently on the list are Maxxis Overdrives, Schwalbe XR / Dureme, Conti Cyclocross Speed, or the WTB Pathway.

For brakes, I got some TRP’s for a really good price, but something tells me I’ll end up with Pauls.

The wheels I’ll probably end up getting are a set of Hope Pro 3’s or White Industries laced to these new rims I stumbled upon by a company called H Plus Son. Styled after the ubiquitous Ambrosio Nemesis, but 24mm wide and clinchers with a machined sidewall. Classico!

Also temped by the C-4 hubs but they’re a little bit of an unknown quantity, but I should give them a shake because I already know the Hope and WI hubs are good, so why play it safe, eh? Afterall, I expect my customers to pick me.

So, enough already, show us some pictures of this new frame. Why, I’m glad you asked…..

So what do you think? Is the new Tephra XK ‘unmediablastable’ and not worthy of a NAHBS unveiling? I’ll let you be the judge.

Thanks to KVA Stainless Steel for their support.

Posted by warwick @ 9:26 am

Leave a Reply