Bike Check: Rob’s Custom FGFS Frame
What? Two bike checks in a row? Must be Christmas or something, right? Well, what can I say, maybe you’re just lucky that I have so many amazing bikes around me! This week we have our friendly Rob a.k.a. @Cairnsy.co coming all the way from Berlin to Paris to show off his skills and custom handmade track bike. We already had Rob twice on the podcast, on episodes 3 and 24, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he’d come back again! It’s always a great moment to talk to someone so genuine and deeply involved in the culture. If I have the story right, Rob first came to Berlin to follow a 5-day frame building course. Rolling out of there with a frame made with his own hands and a ton of knowledge on bike geometry and welding. Little did he know, Rob would still be in Berlin a year later.
It’s a pretty straightforward bike but it gets the work done, and you don’t always want to put your craziest parts on a bike you’ll literally slam to death at some point. This being said, it’s beautifully used and it shows how time and riding style can shape something quite simple into a truly special bike. Let’s start with the frame that is the result of Rob’s first go at frame building with Big Forest frameworks. He told me that he took part of the geometry of the Mash Work and tweaked it to be a little more compact for any form of trick wizardry. Add to that a FGFS fork he found for 40 euros off eBay and you’ll get a street fighter, ready to bunny every curb and face any trick you could try.
I would be lying if I were to say that raw steel frames don’t make me feel a special way. It’s a beautiful material that shows how time runs through something and how badass you are to “not care” about the rust. (I do that too and I totally consider myself a “rust nerd”) This being said, I’d like to try this experience with a painted frame. It probably takes longer but I’d be curious to see the result.
Detailed Parts List
Frameset Custom made frame with Identiti FGFS fork
Chainring and Cog 48T Sägeblatt, 18T BLB cog
Crank 165mm BLB Notorious
Seatpost and Saddle Thomson Elite, “What’s left of a” Spank Saddle
Stem and Handlebar Thomson 90 mm 0 rise, Spank Spoon Bar 65 mm rise
Wheels Dt Swiss 511db on Miche track hubs
Tires 35c Continental Contact
Back to the parts! Rob’s BMX background is pretty clear at that point. 35c slick tires for maximum slider action, hi-risers/short stem combo for the classy barspin ballet. A pair of extra-wide plastic flat pedals, and finally some @angelo.loco straps to send you and your bike up in the air when you try to jump these stairs. One special mention for the color coordination between the fork, grips, and pedals! At last a carefully laced pair of Dt Swiss 511db on Miche track hubs to resist everything that’s gonna be thrown at them. If you didn’t know already, Rob recently started his custom wheel building service, so you can take a look on his website cairnsy.co
My favorite detail about it? The rear bridge without a single doubt! It’s just classy but also says: Can’t even put a break, even if I wanted to… Typical British move.
Rob is one of the rare people who approach things in a similar way as I do. You want to make things interesting and the right way. Surround yourself with exciting and clever people. Frame building requires patience and years of experience, but if it’s a one-shot test run, then going towards skilled people is the right way to do it. My eternal respect to all the frame builders out there who create or created the bikes we ride on today. Sorry, not sorry we took them to the streets.
Here is a small gallery for more details and the now traditional “moody shot”. Evey picture (except the black and white one) has been taken on my Nikon F100 but under a quite bright yet cloudy day. Interesting colors came out of that one, let me know what you think!
