# New custom Kish titanium



## veloduffer (Aug 26, 2004)

I ordered a custom titanium cyclocross bike from Jim Kish (www.kishbike.com) at the end of November 2009. I wanted a bike for cross riding and light touring, so it is spec'd with eyelets for racks and fenders.

I measured my current bikes (Richard Sachs, Seven Axiom, Specialized Langster, Gunnar Crosshairs) to provide him with my basics of my bike fittings. Having ridden for a number of years, my bikes are set up the same, adjusting for seat angles et al. I prefer bikes with slack seat tube angles, as my femurs are long in proportion to my legs. I generally don't like bikes that have seat angles greater than 73 degrees; my Langster has the saddle moved back on the rails and with seatpost seat back. 

Jim and I discussed (by email and phone) the various things I wanted and would work (different sloping top tubes, head tube length, bb height, saddle to handlebar height difference, etc). We even discussed how the bike would look aesthetically to minimize the spacers. 

I also had Jim assemble the bike with Campy Athena 11 speed, since he could get a discount on parts. The bike arrived Friday, as my family and I were getting ready to visit family for the holiday weekend. 

IMHO, I think it came out well. It's light, 17.6 lbs without pedals, considering the wheels and tires are not lightweight (meant for cross abuse).

No ride report yet - it snowed another 5 inches today.

Here are the geometry specs:
Seat angle 72.5
Head tube angle 73.0
Heat tube length 15.1cm
Seat tube length 54.11cm center of bb to top to top tube
Top tube length 56.5cm virtual
BB drop 7.0
Chainstay 43.0
Slope 5.06 degrees


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## Dajianshan (Jul 15, 2007)

Wow! Looks nice. You have a nice stable already and now one more.


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## JustTooBig (Aug 11, 2005)

excellent ......

is that a Joe Bell paint job?


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## veloduffer (Aug 26, 2004)

JustTooBig said:


> excellent ......
> 
> is that a Joe Bell paint job?


Spectrum Powderworks did the paint.


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## FatTireFred (Jan 31, 2005)

you didn't want the fork to match?


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## innergel (Jun 14, 2002)

That guy should be on anyone's short list for frame builders. Looks awesome. LOVE the paint.


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## Lifelover (Jul 8, 2004)

I said it there and will repeat it here, Wow!


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## Henry Chinaski (Feb 3, 2004)

Nice! So how would you compare it to your Crosshairs?


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## boneman (Nov 26, 2001)

*Nice one*

That is one sweet looking ride. I happen to like painted Ti frames and your bike came out really nice.


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## DY123 (Oct 5, 2006)

Sweet... I love the colors.


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## sonic_W (Sep 2, 2008)

it's beautiful... 
please, could you post more photos of the stable?


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## veloduffer (Aug 26, 2004)

Henry Chinaski said:


> Nice! So how would you compare it to your Crosshairs?


Being away for the holiday and snow on Tuesday, I haven't ridden it yet. I probably won't get to ride it until Sat and Sunday. More to follow...


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## veloduffer (Aug 26, 2004)

sonic_W said:


> it's beautiful...
> please, could you post more photos of the stable?


If you insist... 

More pics here at www.racerx.zenfolio.com

Serotta Concours CX









Richard Sachs 25th Anniversary









Seven Axiom Ti









I don't have a pic of my Langster and the Gunnar was sold to pay for the Kish.


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## Pancho's Balls (Aug 15, 2009)

FatTireFred said:


> you didn't want the fork to match?


I don't understand the whole non-matching fork, custom frame thing, irrespective of powdercoating.


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## veloduffer (Aug 26, 2004)

FatTireFred said:


> you didn't want the fork to match?


To be honest, I didn't think about it, as I was more focused on the geometry. But to me, I like the black fork and think it complements the other black parts (wheels, seatpost, spacers).


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## erol/frost (May 30, 2004)

That Serotta is delicious


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## barry1021 (Nov 27, 2005)

Your bikes rock. I am not a big sloper or carbon fork guy, but...your bikes rock. I think the unpainted fork really works on the Kish, balances with the post and seat. Did I mention that your bikes rock?

b21


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## Dajianshan (Jul 15, 2007)

I like them all. They are all bikes I have been thinking about lately. I am slowly plotting my future custom Ti.. but whenever I do... I always think about how great it would be to have a steel Sachs. Still... the only reason anyone should be allowed to have that many great bikes is to torment the rest of us who don't. ;D


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## rook (Apr 5, 2009)

The Kish looks cool, but what is the frame weight?


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## RussellS (Feb 1, 2010)

The carbon crank does not work with the Sachs. You need an aluminum crank. I have aluminum Chorus on my Waterford and would never ever put a carbon crank on it. It would look wrong.


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## veloduffer (Aug 26, 2004)

RussellS said:


> The carbon crank does not work with the Sachs. You need an aluminum crank. I have aluminum Chorus on my Waterford and would never ever put a carbon crank on it. It would look wrong.


Yeah, I know. Right now there is 9-spd Campy on the Sachs with a Record Compact crank. I might change the drivetrain to 11 speed but would lose the alloy shifters. The only other choice is to get an older Centaur alloy crankset.


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## veloduffer (Aug 26, 2004)

rook said:


> The Kish looks cool, but what is the frame weight?


Not sure of the weight since I had Jim Kish do the complete build.


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## lanpope (Nov 16, 2002)

Beautiful bike....Kish is top notch for sure. Seems he has turned it up on the details lately.

The bikes proportions are perfect IMO. 

I'd love to know the bikes actual weight (verified on a digital bike scale) with pedals.

16.5-17 lbs seems light for that build.

LP


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## armybikerider (Oct 27, 2009)

Not typically a fan of painted Ti....but that Kish is really sweet.

Any intel on the tubing used?........straight guage.....butted?......3/2.5?

Very nice,

David


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## atpjunkie (Mar 23, 2002)

*nice*

toss some knobbies on


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## desmond88 (Feb 19, 2010)

very nice bike!!
woohoo!!


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## barry1021 (Nov 27, 2005)

veloduffer said:


> Yeah, I know. Right now there is 9-spd Campy on the Sachs with a Record Compact crank. I might change the drivetrain to 11 speed but would lose the alloy shifters. The only other choice is to get an older Centaur alloy crankset.


I probably have one, pm me, i am looking to get rid of a lot stuff


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## veloduffer (Aug 26, 2004)

rook said:


> The Kish looks cool, but what is the frame weight?



The frame weight was about 3.2 lbs. I measured the total weight at 17.6 lbs without pedals, not too bad for a cyclocross bike. If I went with lighter wheels, I'd probably shave another pound off the weight. Similarly if I went with carbon stem and seatpost, etc.

Thanks for the kind words.


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## Len J (Jan 28, 2004)

Sweet bike.

I agree on painting the fork....but that's a nit.

great job.

Len


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## enio (Mar 29, 2009)

that kish is absolutely gorgeous !! fork is so so.i would've gone with matching fork as someone said it before...


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## keninshiro (Jun 27, 2007)

Awesome bike, great color combination and pictures too! 

Eric.


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## chandne (Jan 22, 2004)

Nice indeed! What saddle is that on the Kish?


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## veloduffer (Aug 26, 2004)

chandne said:


> Nice indeed! What saddle is that on the Kish?


It's a Felt Carbon 1.1.

Thanks for the compliments. RBR just posted an interview with Jim Kish in anticipation of the San Diego Bike Show

http://reviews.roadbikereview.com/blog/sdcbs-kish-fabrication/


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## tsidkenu84 (Mar 6, 2012)

i like Seven Axiom Ti, what is the brand of the stem? they match with the frame..


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