Feather Cycles - Lugged XCR Modern Classic

Simonhi

I posted this bike elsewhere here a while ago but was waiting until I got the fender hardware before mounting them and now they are fitted I thought it deserved a thread of its own.

A little over a year ago I placed an order with Ricky Feather at the Bespoked bike show at Bristol. About six months later Ricky invited me up to his workshop just outside of York to be measured for the bike and to discuss the build. I pretty much left it to him after that.

The idea was for an everyday bike that was a little more comfortable than my Enigma and to be for long days in changeable weather so fenders were a must. I told him how I liked the look of lugged steel frames of times gone by and knowing that Ricky builds exclusively with steel I knew he would take this on and add his spin to things.

He hand carved the Richards Sachs "Nuovo Richie" lugs and built the frame up using Columbus "XCR for lugs" tubing, the paint scheme is based on a really cool 1968 Porsche 911R custom built by Magnus Walker which I saw in a short documentary about Magnus called Urban Outlaw which was released whilst Ricky was building the frame.

The build is Campag Chorus, Nitto Mod 177 Noodle bars, Mick "Busyman Cycles" recovered Fizik Arione and bar tape with imbedded blue dots to match the theme of the frame paint scheme. I built the wheels using Royce hubs laced all round with a 28 hole 3 cross spoke pattern using CX-Ray spokes to join with the H Plus Sons Archetype grey anodized rims which are currently running Vittoria CX pro clinchers tyres with latex tubes. When the fenders are off I use 25mm FMB Paris Roubaix tubs on another set of wheels I built which are again Royce hubs but this time laced to Nemesis rims with CX-Ray spokes. The stem is a custom built Feather Cycles 17 degree, 120mm long nickel plated and brushed finished. Pinstriped Honjo 36mm fenders built into the standard drop brake setup completes the build.

I picked the bike up after this years Bespoked and have covered just under 3,000 miles since. It is such a sweet ride, I've barely covered 10% of the same distance on my Enigma since !!!

Anyway, enough waffle, pictures !!!



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meursault

That is one sweet looking ride. I love that the cassette has a silver/blue hue. Is it undignified to ask about rough costs?

inseine

Perfect. Nicest bike I've seen on here for a long time.

FocusZing

Classic Columbus cool. The fenders look really good, it makes a lot of sense to do this.

Yellow Peril

Wow! absolutely incredible. a joy to behold.

napoleond

meursault wrote:

That is one sweet looking ride. I love that the cassette has a silver/blue hue. Is it undignified to ask about rough costs?

Basic xcr frame from feather is about 2300, then you need to add fork, paint, custom goodies.

It looks absolutely stunning!

Yellow Peril

NapoleonD wrote:

meursault wrote:

That is one sweet looking ride. I love that the cassette has a silver/blue hue. Is it undignified to ask about rough costs?

Basic xcr frame from feather is about 2300, then you need to add fork, paint, custom goodies.

It looks absolutely stunning!

Please tell me that's Zimbabwean dollars or you'll crush a dream!

tlw1

Looks fantastic - loving the Porsche paint job

napoleond

Yellow Peril wrote:

NapoleonD wrote:

meursault wrote:

That is one sweet looking ride. I love that the cassette has a silver/blue hue. Is it undignified to ask about rough costs?

Basic xcr frame from feather is about 2300, then you need to add fork, paint, custom goodies.

It looks absolutely stunning!

Please tell me that's Zimbabwean dollars or you'll crush a dream!

Heh, unfortunately not. I was looking at getting one 18 months ago but nearly fainted when I saw how much what I wanted was going to cost!

Here is the 2012 price list-



2012 Pricelist

Reynolds 631 or 725 Frame only - £1500 - £1600 w/custom fork
Reynolds 853 Frame only - £1600 - £1750 w/ custom fork
Columbus Life or Spirit Frame only - £1700 or £1950 w/custom fork

Stainless steel frames start at £2300

Also offered is a service of specifically hand picking tubing for the exact job in hand. Rather than just using an ‘off the shelf’ tubeset I can guide you on each individual tube so that the bike performs just the way you want and need it to. This service offers the most out of a custom frame and starts from £1700.

All frames are built using only the best braze-ons and fittings available. The prices are based on the frame being lugged or fillet brazed and painted in a single colour with painted on downtube graphics.

Stainless Steel Frame dropouts w/polished or brushed face - £110 plus £10 per face for paint mask
Stainless Steel Fork crown, polished or brushed from £150 plus £30 for paint mask
Stainless Steel headtube lugs, polished or brushed from £200 plus £40 for paint mask
Stainless steel seattube lug, polished or brushed from £150 plus £20 for paint mask
Stainless Steel Chainstays, polished or brushed from £150 each plus £30 each for paint mask
Stainless Steel Headtube polished or brushed £120 plus £30 for paint mask
Stainless steel downtube polished or brushed for downtube graphics – £120 includes stainless tube.​

Bi-laminate headtube construction starts at £150
S&S couplers from £500
Internal Cable routing £70 each
Disc brake compatibility starts at £120
Rohloff compatibility starts at £120

Hand carved lugs are charged out at £40 per hour, this is the best way to have unique one of a kind detailing to set your frame apart and to make the wonderfully functioning machine a work of art in the process.

Custom forks start at £180
Custom stems start at £160
Custom Handlebar and stem combo start at £230
Custom Racks start at £350


Paint Extras

Metallic paint - £30 extra
Pearls - £30 extra
Candies - £50 extra
Headtube painted in contrasting colour starts at £30 extra.


Stainless dropout faces masked - £10 per face
Stainless headtube lugs masked - £20 each
Stainless seat lug masked - £20
Stainless chainstays masked - £30 each
Stainless fork crown masked - £30

There are many, many more options all around the board so please ask if you have any particular ideas.

napoleond

Op- can we have some close ups of the Busyman handiwork?

FransJacques

The seatpost really sets that all off. The fenders are massive, I've never seen a front that's longer than the rear.

Is the top tube 1 1/8th or larger?

I love the base silver paint. Is it metallic?

declan1

That is my all-time favorite bike on this forum. I can't believe how beautiful it is.

Those fenders actually look really good as well - fitted properly and matching the lovely paint scheme.

I WANT ONE!!!

napoleond

declan1 wrote:

That is my all-time favorite bike on this forum. I can't believe how beautiful it is.

Those fenders actually look really good as well - fitted properly and matching the lovely paint scheme.

I WANT ONE!!!

Indeed. I cant stop coming back to look at it!

Simonhi

Thanks for the great responses to the bike, it's great to get other peoples reactions.

NapD is about right on the price, add a bit for the hand carved lugs, internally routed rear brake cable, and the paint would have added a bit too, I think the whole frame, fork stem and fenders worked out about £3,500. Not that I have worked it out but all in I think it's about £5k maybe £500 either side of that figure. Bar tape and saddle was £500ish, groupset £850, wheels would be about £650 including tyres and tubes.

It is greater than the sum of its part though, it rides so nicely for a "heavy" bike, the best part being that the few 200km rides that I have done it's not left me as fatigued as my Enigma does, so the aim of the bike has been achieved for me. It's just a great fun bike to rider and makes me smile every time I ride it.

Pics of Busymans work ...





Lug work and lug lining ...

maxlite

That is a lovely bike

napoleond

Stunning!!

APIII

Wonderful! The attention to detail and execution is just superb.

mark3chapman

judging by the head tube and the price im guessing your a nba basketball player! lovely bike

fuddymox

Truly exquisite!

velocissimus

That's beautiful and very elegant. The stem looks stunning. I think I would struggle to keep my eyes on the road if I were riding a bike that nice to look at.
Could you can manage without the cadence sensor? It looks out of place on such a lovely looking bike.

ugo.santalucia

Can we have a full photo with the Nemesis on and without the fenders?
It's what in the past they would have called "a folly", but as such it's probably nicer to ride than other bikes...

PS: if you put so much effort in the details, you should really shave your legs...

antlaff

Amazing looking bike..

jordan_217

The bar has been raised to a whole new level. Stunning, absolutely stunning. Well done, enjoy!

oldmuthariley

Simonhi wrote:

Thanks for the great responses to the bike, it's great to get other peoples reactions.

NapD is about right on the price, add a bit for the hand carved lugs, internally routed rear brake cable, and the paint would have added a bit too, I think the whole frame, fork stem and fenders worked out about £3,500. Not that I have worked it out but all in I think it's about £5k maybe £500 either side of that figure. Bar tape and saddle was £500ish, groupset £850, wheels would be about £650 including tyres and tubes.

It is greater than the sum of its part though, it rides so nicely for a "heavy" bike, the best part being that the few 200km rides that I have done it's not left me as fatigued as my Enigma does, so the aim of the bike has been achieved for me. It's just a great fun bike to rider and makes me smile every time I ride it.

Pics of Busymans work ...





Lug work and lug lining ...

that is sublime 8)

Here's your saddle's long lost cousin (on my stainless Rourke now)

rajMAN

Speechless :shock:

Big_Ring_Rider

Simply beautiful. A real work of art.

rolf_f

FransJacques wrote:

The fenders are massive, I've never seen a front that's longer than the rear.

They aren't - the rear is over 180 degrees, the front under.

Actually, the mudguards are the only bit I don't like - the paint on them is too much for me. I think they'd look a lot better in plain silver. But it's a lovely thing and you can't help but admire Rickys work. They look even better in the flesh.

Simonhi

@ugo.santalucia ... here is a pic with Nemesis / FMB, sans fenders ...



Can't shave legs, the wife would divorce me if mine were smoother than hers. I would just look wierd, being bald on the legs and hairy everywhere else. If I started racing and having regular massages I would shave the lot, up to the eyebrows !!!

marcusjb

Staggeringly beautiful machine.

matt-h

that is lovely.
i like it most with the Hplus son and mudguards.

Very very special

Matt

ugo.santalucia

Simonhi wrote:

@ugo.santalucia ... here is a pic with Nemesis / FMB, sans fenders ...



Can't shave legs, the wife would divorce me if mine were smoother than hers. I would just look wierd, being bald on the legs and hairy everywhere else. If I started racing and having regular massages I would shave the lot, up to the eyebrows !!!

Nice... the Nemesis suit the frame. How do you find the FMB? A friend had two explosions... we assume it was because he rode them at 90 PSI... we then got informed that Mr FM recommends 80 PSI for the 25 mm Roubaix... he could write it on the damn things instead of wasting people's time and money!!!!! He lost 150 quid in the process (as Mr FM refused to refund or fix them free of charge). That has put me completely off artisan's tyres... only Vittoria for me!