# New Waterford Commuter / Rain Rig



## JChasse (Sep 16, 2005)

I bought a Waterford 2200 frameset in the mid 1990s. Had a few problems along the way which required repairs, but a couple were persistent despite many conversations with the folks in Wisconsin.

So more than a decade later, we decided to start over. I hacked up the old frame and sent it back to them for a new frame under their “crash replacement” program.

I decided to make this a do it all commuter and rain bike. We designed it to run long-reach calipers and fenders, and had the fenders fitted and painted to match the frame.

I’ve had a few red bikes, bare Ti bikes, orange bike, white bike, silver bike... and the original Waterford was most recently painted in a red/yellow fade (think classic Serotta scheme). So this time I wanted to do something different. I actually modeled the paint scheme after an old favorite baseball cap I’ve had for years. 

The frameset (and fenders) arrived a few weeks ago. To be honest, when the frameset and fenders arrived, I wished I had picked a little darker green as the main color, but it has grown on me.

The first few rides have me really liking this bike. The fenders do a great job of making wet weather riding fairly pleasant. Yet you really don’t know they are there otherwise (a pleasant surprise…I thought they would be noisy, but they are totally silent). Overall, the bike rides really well. I expect this bike will see a lot of use…


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## longhorn31 (Jan 6, 2005)

Beautiful!


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## Pablo (Jul 7, 2004)

What are the parts spec? I'm having a somewhat similar bike built with Campy.


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## JChasse (Sep 16, 2005)

Pablo said:


> What are the parts spec? I'm having a somewhat similar bike built with Campy.


The build was definately a function over form thing, but with the "form" given at least some consideration...

Drivetrain is Campy:
Chorus (9-speed) levers
Centaur alloy CT cranks - I didn't want carbon cranks on this bike
Chorus front and rear derailleurs
Chorus chain w/ Wipperman link

Wheelset is custom from Justin Spinelli (Svelte Cycles)
DT 240 hubs - I've had great luck with 3 other sets of these hubs, so couldn't justify anything else
Ambrosio Nemesis 32-hole rims (I've always wanted a set of "classics" wheels built with these rims, and this seemed like the right application - light enought, bombproof and sexy IMHO)
DT butted spokes
Alloy nipples
FMB Paris-Roubaix tubulars

I tried like hell to do an all silver build. But after scouring all of the sources that I'm aware of I came to the conclusion (unfortunately) that if you are picky about the contact points, you may have to give up on silver because there's a much wider selection of black stuff out there. 

So the contact points (and associated stuff) are my current tried and true:
FSA Compact bars (I just love them and they were the silver-build deal-breakers)
Ritchey WCS stem (I won't use another stem wothout a removable faceplate)
Toupe saddle


Brakes are Tektro 570, to accomodate the fenders
Fenders are 35mm SKS Composites, mainly because that's what Waterford and Peter White suggested

At that point in the build I was conflicted because of the silver and black hodge-podge, so I decided to make it a deliberate split - silver down low / rotating (cranks, brakes, spokes, cages etc.) and black up in the cockpit.

So the headset is 2 King Sotto Voces - top half black / bottom silver.
Oval seatpost (I had it in the garage and it's black)

Cages are Arundel stainless (after my experience with my carbon Arundel cages and these, it'll take a lot o convincing to use another brand)


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## bigman (Nov 30, 2004)

Great job!


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## sw3759 (Jul 10, 2004)

man thats one of the best looking waterfords i've ever seen!congrats,hope you enjoy many happy miles with it.

Scott


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## David Loving (Jun 13, 2008)

really nice job!


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## Dave Hickey (Jan 27, 2002)

Stunning bike......and I love those handlebars......


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## Pablo (Jul 7, 2004)

JChasse said:


> ...
> I tried like hell to do an all silver build. But after scouring all of the sources that I'm aware of I came to the conclusion (unfortunately) that if you are picky about the contact points, you may have to give up on silver because there's a much wider selection of black stuff out there.
> ...
> At that point in the build I was conflicted because of the silver and black hodge-podge, so I decided to make it a deliberate split - silver down low / rotating (cranks, brakes, spokes, cages etc.) and black up in the cockpit.


Thanks for the info. My bike will be ti with Campy and will accomdate fatter tires, like yours. I'll have a ti bar and ti seatpost, so I hope I can keep all silver as well, including an aluminum crankset. The only black I want to have is black leather tape and a black Regal.


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## ClassicSteel71 (Mar 5, 2009)

sw3759 said:


> *man thats one of the best looking waterfords i've ever seen*!congrats,hope you enjoy many happy miles with it.
> 
> Scott


Agreed. I always liked them, but thats special.


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## kykr13 (Apr 12, 2008)

Wouldn't change a thing - well done!

I have a set of SKS fenders that are about to go on my Gunnar Crosshairs. Never thought about having them paint to match...


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## stelvio1925 (Oct 29, 2008)

Congrats! It's beautiful build! In fact, if I owned that bike I wouldn't dream of riding it in the rain & getting it dirty.. . Kidding aside I appreciate both the beauty and functionality of the whole concept: a go anywhere, all weather, beauty of a bike. :thumbsup:


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## repartocorse40 (Feb 23, 2009)

that is probably the nicest rain bike i have ever seen


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## moschika (Feb 1, 2004)

repartocorse40 said:


> that is probably the nicest rain bike i have ever seen


no kidding. that's a great looking ride. i dig that you're using tubies for your commuter/rain bike. :thumbsup:


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## Smoothy (Jul 6, 2006)

*great job*

Sorry to come late to this thread, but I just saw the pics and spec and am super impressed. 

I think we share similar sensibilities on the spec, especially on the wheel. I'm torn between reflex and nemesis now for a current build, but love my 240's in all weather. 

The paint is very tastefull. 

My only gripe is to suggest you fit a canti that's befitting a domestic hand-built frame such as this. For me, it's the Paul touring canti's, machined in Chico, CA. 

Like the other poster, I've done a ti build with similar spec and like you, I started trying to do the alloy look, and like you I really like the FSA Wing Pro compact bars. I also gave up on the all-alloy look pretty quick as it involved other sacrifices and reduced function. 

Thanks for sharing!


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## Indyfan (Mar 30, 2004)

I also came a little late to this party. But I really like that bike. Nice color and the parts kit is very nice. As for the brake set mentioned above, if you wanted to go with a Paul brake, you could do the Racer with the bolt mount. I've been considering it with my Gunnar Sport, although the long reach Shimanos I currently have on it are great brakes.

Bob


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## davidmclee (Nov 29, 2009)

This is a stunning bike. I've just bought a red and white bike but I was going to go for this one. Congrats on getting yourself a sweet ride.

David

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## JeffreyT (Nov 16, 2001)

That is a beautiful bike! Great color, great build, and great style! Turn around just once, and I'll steal it!


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