Bike Check: Sam’s Tomo
Attending one of the biggest fixed gear event this year, I knew I was going to experience some serious eye-candy, and because I’m a nice person, I’m willing to share that with you all. How cool right?! I mean, I wasn’t going to carry five kilos worth of camera equipment for a week straight, to keep all these pictures for myself.
On top that, I got so lucky that when I randomly asked to take pictures of a nice build… I had no idea that this precise bike and its rider would end up standing on the second march of the podium at Rad Race this year. So let’s take a look at Sam’s Tomo and bless you the secret recipe to go very fast on a tight track, whilst looking good.
And you’re going to see, that literary everything here has a story and/or a purpose. How poetic! Starting with this frame from, Tomo Bikes. The frame actually started as a university study that ended up getting crushed in shipping. I can’t even imagine the terrible feeling of seeing your precious handmade frame destroyed by a logistic company, but Sam carried on with his project.
Sam and Jon, the builder at Tomo Bikes, decided to tweak the geometry by introducing some elements from other bikes Sam had ridden. Finally, Jon reused the BB shell and the dropouts, to create this brand-new frame, just in time for the last race of the 2021 season.
The final geometry, as Sam describes it, is halfway between a very aggressive track bike and a road bike with enough stability for training on any road. But mind you, the bottom bracket is 20 mm higher than a standard track geometry.
The fork is out of a PlanetX and the paint job is also hand curated and inspired by the Lotus F1 Gold Leaf livery to give the bike that extra pop. Pretty clean for a spray can attempt.
Of course for RadRace LWMS, you want to go with a light gear ratio and Sam went with the smallest chainring possible on that aero rotor crank-set. A generic Tibia 42T teeth ring that is apparently more than 20 years old, and comes directly from the parts bin.
On the rear you’ll find an 18 teeth Miche cog with their quick change system that allows Sam to switch his ratio in a matter of minutes if he feels like it. Super practical in a race situations like this.
Wheels are Farsport carbon rims laced to Novatech hub using sapim CX rays, but with a twist! Every bearing has been replaced for premium SKF steel bearings, and the front axle has also been swapped for QR skewer. Why? Well now Sam ca also use this front wheel on his trial bike, and that is just smart!
The cockpit setup is nothing ordinary, with the very narrow Pro Vibe Pursuit Alloy, 36 cm center to center bars, strapped to a Prime Doyenne 130mm stem. Having long arms, Sam was looking for a combo with an extra long reach. And if you add the custom printed hoods, you’re probably getting closer to the ideal crit cockpit setup.
Let’s not forget that Garmin mount paired with the Go Pro mini for the sweet POV footage that you’ll find on Sam’s Instagram.
Detailed Parts List
Frameset
Custom Made Tomo
Chainring and Cog Tibia 42t, Miche 18t Cog
Crank Rotor Aldhu 165mm
Seatpost and Saddle
Thomson Elite, Fizik Volta
Stem and Handlebar
Prime Doyenne 130mm, Pro Vibe Pursuit Alloy, 36cm
Wheels Farsport 65mm laced to Novatech hubs
Tires Continental GP5000 STR 25mm
But I kept the best part for the end. The seating situation on the bike is on another level of hack and bodges. Let me explain: The seatpost is a Thompson Elite 25.4mm, shimmed to 27.2mm to fit the frame. Sam got it for free but it was missing its clamp kit, so after drilling it out to take the upper clamp from a Brand-X post, Sam used the lower half of a Deda post that he also had to cut down to save weight. The saddle is Fizik Volta that has been re-covered with black vinyl because it was originally white and blue. Still in the hacking spirit, I just love it.
Again if you wish to follow’s Sam’s adventures on Instagram you can find him here, along with the special training he developed.
Rename your parts bin as “treasure chest”.
🎞: Expired Fuji Xtra 800
📷: Nikon F100
📍: Berlin
