BRYAN'S DARK HORSE / SHINING STEED - Zollner Effect

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Bryan’s ALL ROAD ELITE is a Dark Horse! Ben over at Horse Cycles Paint killing the finish. Bryan wanted to incorporate something unique into the design of the finish and he gave us this amazing optical graphic called the Zollner Illusion. Basically a number of parallel lines with hashmarks striking through each line. The illusion is the parallel lines look angled. The deep dark navy blue and bright metallic gold make this bike both a dark steed and a shining stallion.

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The build is also one to Enve. The Wheels that drive this rig are the new ENVE SES 4.5 AR DISC wheels. Because this bike will be used as a 70% /30% road to gravel we chose a stiffer wheel for grater acceleration when riding on tarmac. The I9 hubs give it the engagement of the highest end mountain wheel for technical climbing on the trail. Paired with the Panaracer gravel kings make this wheel set up perfect for the Bay Area riding Bryan is after. The Chris King Matte Jet headset, Thomson seat post and x4 stem, brooks carved C15 saddle and a full Sram Force Group compliment the frame making it a capable Rig on and off the trail. Keep your eye out for a twinkle in the Bay Area and in the Berkley hills outside of Oakland, CA.

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Salmon All Road Elite

We just finished this custom painted All Road Elite. This build also boasts a set of hand built HED Belgium wheels with some rubber from Pananracer. The Gravel kings, a fast rolling capable gravel choice. The Other subtle but really great thing about the build is the Brooks Cambium saddle and new rubber bar tape which feels like a dream and matches the cream accents in the paint. Full Sram Rival 1 x build with Thomson seatpost, clamp and stem. She’s going to a good home and is sure to have many miles ahead.

Purple People Eater: AKA SPICY ALL ROAD

52cm All Road Elite: Sram rival 1 x group kit. Parlee Carbon fork, T47 oversized BB and those sweet interchangeable dropouts.  12mm thru axle front and rear.  We decided to go with some 80's flair and spice it up with a bit of neon.  Very "Saved by the Bell."  Worthy of the gravel it will be gobbling up in the hills.

GREEN MACHINE: ALL ROAD ELITE / FULL FENDERS

This All Road Elite was paired up with custom paint and matching painted stainless steel fenders.  The Parlee Carbon fork is great for fender capabilities and comes in the same geometry as the Enve carbon cross.  Classic moss green with a throwback gold script logo hints back to the days of the first Urban tour production bikes that came out of the shop almost 7 years ago.

My other favorite part to this build is the Panaracer Gravelking SK gum walls paired up with the Brooks honey saddle and bar tape making it a modern classic.

AUTUMN ALL ROAD ELITE 650B

This a custom-sized All Road Elite special with paint by Ben Falcon. This lady is set up with HED Belgian 650B wheels, and WTB Horizon rubber for maximum contact and speed, room for 700c x 45mm, T47 BB / 44mm down tube / Enve cross up front and through axle all around.  Force Hydro 1X for good measure and Chris King BB and Headset.

Bridget Paulick, who we built this bike for, is an impressive athlete and plans to shred road and gravel alike. Bridget just got back from Hawaii where she completed an Iron Man. We're excited forward to be building for such an accomplished rider. More action shots to come!  Thanks to Nik Karbelnikoff for helping make this bike happen and all logistics. Also thanks to Deluxe cycles for building her up.  

All Road in Bovina: An outside Perspective

Written by: Nik Karbelnikoff

Last summer I became one of the many cyclists who found themselves sucked in by “all road” craze. Before the Winter took full effect, I was pushing my Giant TCR on 25mm tires well past its recommended use and I knew I would need a different bike for the 2017 season. Around the same time, a colleague of mine introduced me to the world of custom made steel bikes. As a former carbon obsessed race bike guy, this was completely new to me. I was instantly obsessed with the craftsmanship, paint schemes, and of course the endless build possibilities. I wanted in!

While searching for steel all road frames I came across a number of great options that were all conceptually pretty similar. As a Brooklyn native, I decided I wanted to work with someone local, and the minute I saw the Horse Cycles All Road Elite I knew I had to have it.

If I was going to go custom I wanted an intimate experience, so to me the big upside of working with a local builder was actually getting to meet them and see their work space.

In mid-February I sent Thomas an email inquiring about the bike. He immediately wrote back and invited me to his shop. The next week I stopped by to discuss the project. We chatted while he gave me a tour and introduced me to Charles, his infamous shop cat. He was so psyched on the bike and the high end build I wanted to do that I knew I had made the right choice. The next day I emailed him again to confirm the frame size and he wrote back – “So pumped. I love this bike and everything about it. Amped to build you one.”

This was my first custom steel bike and the build process did not disappoint. I got to stop by a few more times to check out the progress and consult on components and paint before taking it to Magliarosa NYC to be built up. During my visits Thomas and I casually talked about getting some rides in and maybe taking some photos. I figured that after the bike was done we might set up some time to take high res stills in his shop, high five, and go our separate ways besides a few Instagram tags and some friendly email exchanges.  

After picking the bike up and sending Thomas some nice shots of the completed build he mentioned wanting to get some more outdoor shots, casually texting me – “I’m going upstate this weekend. Anyway you will be up there? Would love to get some nature shots! Let’s chat tomorrow. I’ll know more.” – Two days later he sent me an address and a photo of a beautiful property with a pond and a newly built one room cabin in Bovina New York and said – “Not sure if you have a car. Headed up tomorrow. Will be there until Sunday. You could stay on the property. I have a little shed and a tent and sleeping pad.” - The invite sort of caught be by surprise but after a few more picturesque photos and a thumbs up to bring my dog, I had say to yes.

What ensued was an epic weekend of camping, cooking, swimming, and of course riding while Thomas and his friend Steve finished the newly constructed outhouse, duly named – the poop castle. Thomas’ property is a little slice of heaven in the Norwest corner of the Catskills where the valley views, local farms, and dirt roads to explore seem endless. It quickly became clear to me that his brand is synonymous with what he loves and the property is a perfect way to make his work come to life – chopping fire wood with his hatchets, preparing food with his knives, and exploring the area on his bikes.

On Sunday I went out for a ride just short of 40 miles that was about 60/40 paved to dirt ratio. The terrain is challenging to say the least. I cracked 4,000ft of climbing in under three hours of riding, making me earn every last bit of the fast fun descents that followed each long climb. The hard-packed red clay dirt roads were in amazing shape and outside of Route 28 I saw very few cars at all. It was exactly the kind of ride my new bike was made for and left me wanting to get back as soon as possible to explore all of the roads I couldn’t get to.

That evening I got in my car to drive back to the city, dirty, sunburnt, dead tired, and completely content. What had started as a bike frame inquiry had become more than I ever expected. A month or two prior to this trip I heard Thomas and Ben Falcon speak about their crafts at a Magliarosa: Meet the Maker event. Ben talked about how objects carry meaning and rhetorically asked – “Why not make them special?” I couldn't agree more. As far as my bike is concerned, it's absolutely awesome - but I think the memory of this process and hanging out with two rad dudes in Bovina will outlast it, and that might be the coolest part.

ALL ROAD ELITE dressed up in '82 landrover green

This green machine boasts a 44mm down tube for ultimate stiffness and power transfer making it stable in all conditons, on road and off.  Double internal cable routing for 1X and Hydro disc cable gives it the that clean minimal look that natures creatures love.  Reinforced head tube with gold accents and thru axle front and rear make this frame stout and capable.