Who are we? We are our stories.

Thursday, July 7, 2011

Here's the Kvale ...

...sort of. I was going to hold off on pictures until it was built up, but the delay on the stem is pushing that out a little. Here's a few detail shots of my interpretation of a town bike/light day tourer. There are fenders, rack, etc, but they'll have to wait for a little down time. The red is a little darker than the photograph indicates. The ivory has a pearl clearcoat, the red does not.

(The little scratches around the rack hole are mine, not CKC's.)





27 comments:

Anonymous said...

now you're cookin'

mw

delectable

reverend dick said...

That cable guide before the DT stop...very nice.

And painted to match pump=practical elegance.

Anonymous said...

Very nice! -Tony

Doug said...

YES!!

...and I never do double exclamation points.

Oldfool said...

What is it and what's it for?

Anonymous said...

Now build it. Ride it. Get it all scratched up n' stuff.

Rick Moffat

Anonymous said...

stunning. one of the finest seat clusters I've ever seen. Hope the stem arrives soon so that you can ride that bike ASAP!
Allan Pollock

Gunnar Berg said...

I have a temporary stem/bar on it. I have obligations for the next couple of days, then I RIDE it.

Tom Sanders said...

Gunnar, You specified that twin plate fork crown? I don;t think my Kvale has one...wish it did!
Tom

Tom G. said...

What a beauty! What's her name?

Gunnar Berg said...

@ Tom S,
I'm almost certain that this is the first bike Chris has built with the double plate and Rene Singer lugs. The second with Anderson dropouts. I pushed Chris a little out of his comfort zone, but I think he enjoyed the possess. I know I did.

Gunnar Berg said...

@ Old Fool,
It's called a bicycle and it's used for getting from one point to another as effiecently as possible.

Gunnar Berg said...

*Tom G,
No name yet. The only bike I have with a name is the Ghost of Elvis and that was so dubbed by others. I'll probably call it The New Kvale.

George A said...

Very nice Gunnar! Can't wait to hear about your first impressions out on the road.

Johann Rissik said...

Congratulations! Enjoy the ride.

Margadant said...

Really nice! You're almost ready to join the Garmin fantasy team with Thor, Hincapie, Tyler, Cavendish, and Merckx. Going to make for heady training around Lanesboro.

Oldfool said...

It looks like jewelry. Comparing my rusty,scratched, rattlecan painted machine that I call a bicycle to that is like comparing a rusty hammer to a Rolex. I still use mine to get from one point to another as efficiently as possible but if yours is a bicycle I'll have to call mine something else. I'd be afraid to take that one out of the living room.

Gunnar Berg said...

I had a discussion with Kvale about that. He finds making a living turning basic transportation into jewelry an uncomfortable dichotomy. On the other hand he's not interested in building basic TIG welded frames either.

Anonymous said...

It may begin life as jewelry, but honest use, coupled with reasonable...not fanatical...care will endow it with the beauty of a well-used wood chisel, or a 1945 Gibson J50, or 20 year-old pair of Gokeys. I have no problem with bike-as-jewelry...but under the sexy paint, that sucker is a brick house that begs to be hammered on.
Grant P., who is often be too precious for my taste, calls it "Beausage", (Byoo-sidge)referring to fancy bikes acquiring the lovely patina of wear that only hard use can provide.

Best,

Rick M.

Gunnar Berg said...

Kvale has told me he enjoys repainting his bikes because it means they have been used. Another observation, most chips are not from riding, they tend to come from doorways and car racks.

Gunnar Berg said...

Aldo Ross claims when he gets a new bike he scratches it somewhere inconspicuous just to get the first chip trauma behind him. I don't think I can do it to this one.

Anonymous said...

I thought you'd already done that . . . the first chip . . .

mw

Gunnar Berg said...

I suppose I did, although the little spots around the hole are actually flakes from inside the hole test fitting the rack.

Jonny Hamachi said...

beautiful

Silk Hope said...

Classic! Are you happy? When will you be done? Can we have a whole frame shot. Finally when will you install some Panaracer knobbies on it and have some mud on it?

Back from Yosemite. Had a great time riding in the valley. I think it is the first time a McLean (Pinot Express)has visited the valley. Photos to come on Echelon 133.

Masini said...

WOW... That's outstanding. And I can't wait to see the final shots. Enjoy that bike, please!

virag said...

this is wicked wicked. there's an amazing amount of talent on display.