Ventus Custom Cycles of Ames, Iowa – If the name sounds familiar, BikeRumor’s Anna Schwinn featured Ventus in an article during her series, Road to NAHBS: Ventus Custom Reinvents. The bike pictured above is the finished product by builder Mark Kargol, the man behind Ventus. Mark not only specializes in unique frame designs, but is also renowned for custom paint.
Mark’s NAHBS frame is 100% carbon fiber construction, featuring a continuous top tube / seat stay to help reduce the transmission of road vibrations to the rider. Construction of the frame begins with 3D printing of high impact polystyrene molds, for areas such as the bottom bracket / seat tube junctions, lugs, top tube, etc.
The molds are wrapped in carbon fiber, the carbon is cured, and the molds dissolved with Limonene, a food grade citrus based solvent. All other tubes on the frame are supplied by third party carbon fiber vendors.
Finishing off the bike, is Campagnolo’s Super Record 11 speed groupset. You can see more of this bike, in Bike Rumor’s post, NAHBS Best Campagnolo Build Bike Test – Part 1. Check out their Facebook page here.
VLAD CYCLES
Vlad Dolinsky of Vlad Cycles creates custom bicycles, designed one at a time, working directly with the customer at all stages of the process. The head tube badge on every Vlad bicycle pays homage to his heritage, and symbolizes Troika – a traditional Russian carriage / sleigh, a method of transportation across Russia in the 18th century. This symbolization also represents speed, endurance and free spirit, which epitomizes how many of us feel about cycling today.
Vlad made the trip from Boonton, New Jersey to NAHBS 2015, to showcase his unique 650B plus frame, that accepts 27.5″ wheels with tires up to 3″ in diameter, as well as 29’er wheelsets. The frame is constructed from Dedacciai tubing, with Vlad’s moniker residing proudly on Deda’s oversized and tapered head tube, measuring 45mm / 56mm outside diameter.
The frame features the new Paragon / Syntace X-12 rear dropout system, which enables toe and camber adjustment of the rear wheel, courtesy of the right side dropout eccentric thread insert.
More detail of the Paragon / Syntace X-12 thru axle.
Vlad’s NAHBS bike also features a Vlad built rear rack, Rock Shox Reba 29’er 100mm travel fork, modified Shimano XT 10 speed drivetrain with Wolf Tooth 42T cog, and a 32T single chain ring up front. Rounding out the bike is paint by Vicious Cycles.
Price start at $US 1,300 for a painted steel frame, or $US 1,550 a painted steel frame and fork.
Photos and article by Gravel Cyclist.
Jayson O’Mahoney is the Gravel Cyclist: A website about the Gravel Cycling Experience.
