Six-Eleven Bicycle Co.

San Fransisco Bound Road Classic

This bike was a particular joy to plan and build, as I was given quite a bit of creative freedom. The general concept was vague: vintage, military, navy…

(Click to enlarge)
Frame consists of NOS Columbus SP tubeset and minimally modified lugs.

For the seat stay, I dissected the seat lug and turned it into a nice fast-back transition over the fillet brazed toptube/seattube junction.

The component selection was based on the overall look of the bike while keeping a budget and functionality in mind.
Traditional downtube shifters were used, but a modern 10 speed Shimano drivetrain keeps things up to date.
Leather bartape with matching red waxed twine and TRP retro levers feel good in your hands while matching the bike’s vintage feel. Everything on this bike was chosen for its timelessness. The intent was to create a truly timeless bike that just gets better with age. That consideration was applied to the component selection, bar tape, saddle, etc.

For the wheels we went with a traditional hand built wheel: Shimano 105 hubs laced to a Velocity 823 rim.
Traditional pedals with clips and toe straps were used to make it functional and rideable without requiring additional gear or clothing.

This bike is the first to feature a new detail that I’m particularly proud of. I have been playing around with a toy I bought a while back: a 1963 New Hermes Pantographing machine. This machine has been in service in the local area since 1963. I was fortunate enough to acquire it a little over a year ago, and have been finding exciting new ways to incorporate this into frames for further customization and details. This chainstay protector is brass that I pantograph the rider’s name in, then braze to the frame prior to paint. The brass is masked during paint, and the letters are filled in and painted to match. It’s a fairly time consuming process, but I feel the end result is well worth it. The brass can be kept polished, or left to weather for a beautiful patina over time. This will be a $200 optional add-on for all frames.

- more after the break -

I used a brass headset spacer bell that I stripped the lacquer finish from so it would match the exact finish of the chain stay protector.

Brooks Saddle (of course)


Again, I’m very pleased with how this one turned out. I can’t wait to see it after 10 years of rolling around the San Francisco hillside.