We’re just chugging away here in the shop, trying to keep warm now that winter has finally arrived. I recently found the time to put our demo 29er back together. We attempt to keep a few bikes around so that clients have the option of taking a bike for a test ride when they visit. This bike is a pretty decent representation of the majority of mountain bikes we build; 29 inch wheels and an EBB which gives you the option of riding it with gears or single speed. This frame just happens to be on the small side (590mm Effective Top Tube) so it looks like a bit of a dirt jump bike, but I can assure you; the geometry is all cross country.

This is James’ new flat bar touring bike. We build a lot of touring bikes with flat bars for people would like a more upright position or don’t like the feel of drop bars. This very large frame comes with equipped with S&S couplings which allow for  it to be broken down into a smaller travel bag to avoid excess baggage fees. James’ bike comes with an Ultegra triple drive train, Avid BB7 disc brakes, Shimano XT hubs built to Ambrosio Keba Rims and of course a Chris King headset. The paint on this bike really is special and out in the sunlight it really sparkles.

Hugh has been hard at work as of late on a Ti road frame made to work with Long reach brakes.

We spec ‘Wright Style’ dropouts on the majority of our titanium frames as it allows for the use of a replaceable hanger.

Here is a picture of the frame fresh out of the oven, the Ti really shines through in the falling leaf motif.

With the bulk of the frame complete, all this is left is for Hugh to mitre and weld in the chainstays.

Complete and ready for braze-ons.

Here is a shot of the fork moments after the canti bosses were brazed on. Following this, the fork will be soaked to remove the flux and then the finishing work begins.

While the tandem is soaking, it’s time to begin work on the next frame.

We received a new-to-us mill this week. We already have one of these older Adcock-Shipley horizontal mills and are quite happy with it. The move to the country has afforded us the space to have a few more mills. Each mill can now be dedicated to a single task, like mitring chainstays; this means less down time as we don’t have to switch the mill from one task to another.

We just finished up two new Ti bikes this week that couldn’t be further apart on the fit spectrum.

Rick’s new frame is going to look and feel awesome out on the roads next year. It is compatible with long-reach road brakes which means he can run up to a larger high volume tire or a 28c with fenders.

Little touches like hourglass eyelets, welded down tube cable stops and a replaceable derailleur hanger make this a versatile frame that will last Rick many years.

Our friend Jay Filer owns the Winterbourne Bicycle Institute, for those who don’t know Jay, he is also very tall. His new Titanium 29er will fit perfectly and a perfectly fitting bike rides better, handles better and inspires confidence on the trails.

Much like Rick’s bike, Jay opted for hourglass eyelets on the seat stays so he can run a rack if he chooses. He opted to have his name etched on the top tube and for our engraved head tube.

Frank Foglin has been coaching both elite and amateur cyclists in Canada for over 30 years. Most recently he coached Leigh Hobson to the top North American finish at the Women’s Olympic road race in Beijing. Of course we were honored when Frank reached out to True North to build his new road bike.

Frank’s bike features full Campy Chorus, Zonda wheels and an Enve fork.

Graydon’s Ti mixte is slowly starting to take shape.

We started work on Marty’s S&S coupling equipped tandem.

And of course no custom tandem is complete without a matching custom fork.

Hugh is hard at work in this photo on the seat tube collar insert for the tandem.

Here is a close up of the insert being turned on the lathe.

Just in time for the holiday season, we thought we would mention that we now offer a new option on all our frames. Custom headtube badges made for us by Jen Green. They are available in both sterling silver and bronze.

Here is a picture of the new head tube badge on Rick’s frame. Engraved Ti head tubes and our decal are still available.

One of the benefits of True North’s new location in the country is the ease in which we can enjoy the world around us. Being located in Canada, we are far enough north that gazing into the night sky sometimes yields a little more than just stars. Check out this amazing photo of the Aurora Borealis taken from the front door of the workshop.

We’ve been busy as of late, both refining and organizing the new shop and of course, building lots of beautiful bikes. Elise’s flat bar road bike features long reach brakes which will allow her the ability to run larger tires and fenders, but still retain the sporty and effortless ride quality of a road bike. Her bike features a 3×10 Shimano SLX drivetrain and durable hand built wheels.

Frank’s new road bike is optimized for his height and will fit better than any off the rack option. Frank’s new bike features a Campagnolo 11 speed drivetrain, Campagnolo Zonda wheels, ENVE fork and Alpha Q Stem and Post.

George’s new bike is another road bike designed around long reach brakes; a very popular option here at True North. George’s bike features  a slightly upright geometry which will allow him to attain a comfortable position while riding. His bike features a trusty Brooks saddle, Shimano 3×10 105 drive train and of course hand built wheels shod in Cadence rubber.

June’s new road bike features S&S couplings to allow it to pack down easily for travel. The beautiful paint job comes courtesy of our friend Noah at Velocolour. June’s bike features 3×10 Shimano 105 shifting, Mavic Ksyrium wheels, as well as a Thomson post and stem.

Melanie’s road bike is another bike making use of long-reach brakes. The extra clearance allows her the room to run the slightly larger Grand Bois tires we are so fond of here at True North. Not only does the extra volume smooth out even the roughest of roads, but the tan sidewalls look amazing! Melanie’s bike features a 3×10 Campagnolo drivetrain, hand built wheels featuring Campy hubs and Ambrosio rims and of course, a venerable Brooks saddle.

Richard’s new bike is another road bike optimized for use with a flat bar. Many people enjoy the efficiency and speed of a road bike, but prefer an upright position. With a custom bike this is never an issue, as you can have your cake and eat it too! Richard’s bike features a 3×10 drivetrain that boasts a mix of Shimano SLX and XT components. Again, this bike is built with long reach brakes which allow for the larger volume Grand Bois tires as well as fenders.

One of the best things about building custom bikes are the bikes we build for people who really do require a custom bike. They could be too small to fit on a stock bike or in Jefferson’s case, there is no bike on the market big enough to fit his large proportions. Those are 29er wheels to put things in perspective. Jefferson’s bike features S&S couplings to allow it to break down for travel, a Shimano 3×10 105 drivetrain with Pauls  ‘Thumbie’ shifters and Avid cable actuated disc brakes for powerful and reliable braking. A Thomson post, Brooks saddle and Chris King headset round out this very nice (and very large) bike.

With custom bikes there is the potential to build very complicated and ornate bikes, but in John’s case, there is also the ability to build a very beautiful and simple bike. John’s single speed features handbuilt wheels, Conti Contact tires, a Shimano SLX crank and a Brooks saddle. John has the ultimate do-it-all city bike, but retains the ability to toss on some more aggressive rubber and hit the trails if he desires.

We’ll leave you with a parting photo of the construction of Graydon’s new mixte-style frame. In case you’re wondering; yes that is a mixte made from titanium.

Stay tuned…..

John’s new touring bike is both comfortable and reliable; perfect for long rides through remote locales. The bar end shifters provide consistent shifts and the Shimano 105 drivetrain is reliable and boasts a wide gearing range suited for both long grinding hills and quick descents. The Avid BB7 disc brakes provide surefire braking in all conditions and the Tubus racks will allow John to carry large panniers loaded with clothes and equipment.

James’ new Ti S&S coupling equipped road bike is a travel bike of another sort. Perfect for bringing along on a business trip or for a spur of the moment weekend escape; the great thing about S&S coupling equipped bike is that it can be packed up into a bag small enough to avoid excess airline luggage charges. This bike features a Campagnolo Chorus 11 gruppo, an Eriksen ‘Sweet Post”, Enve Fork and Campagnolo Zonda wheels.

Every fall, members of cycling industry meet at various trade shows around North America. This year Shimano decided that it wanted a unique manner in which to provide all of their industry friends with a cold refreshment at the end of a long day on the show floor.We worked with Shimano Marketing and Technical Specialist Ben Pye to create the perfect solution. Ben stopped by the other to pick up the new Shimano Beer Delivery Bike and judging by the smile on his face, I think he’s happy with his new bike. This bike features lot of the latest Shimano and Pro components and just in case you were wondering, that is a Dura Ace 7900 handle for the tap; I think the Campagnolo corkscrew may have just met it’s match!

Mari’s bike features an XT Dyna-sys 10 speed drivetrain,  Fox 29 Fit RLC fork complete with Kashima coat, Chris King headset and Eriksen ‘Sweet Post’. Mari and her husband love to travel and this bike will enable them to hit up the trails all around the globe in style and comfort.

 Cathy just picked up a new step-through city bike that she received as a gift for her birthday.

Cathy’s bike features an Shimano Alfine internally geared drive train, Avid BB7 Cable actuated disc brakes, Brooks saddle, Velo Orange fenders and a colour-matched rear rack. These parts mean that this bike is as durable as it is classy looking. A beautiful birthday present that will last a lifetime!

Dave stopped by recently to pick up his new Ti S&S coupling equipped 29er. This bike is going to feel amazing on the trails and still pack down into a box small enough to avoid those pesky airline bicycle fees.

Dave’s bike features Chris King to Stans hand built wheels, a Shimano XT drivetrain, Eriksen sweetpost and a Fox F29 Thru Axle Fork with a tapered steerer and Chris King 1.5 headset.

Dave’s better half Mari also got herself a Ti S&S equipped 29er. We will feature that bike in our next blog post.

Jennie got a new S&S equipped 29er as well. This 29er is made of steel as opposed to Titanium and will be heading home with Jennie to Sweden.

Boasting much the same build as Dave’s bike, Jennie’s True North features Chris King to Stans hand built wheels, a Shimano XT drivetrain and a Fox F29 Thru Axle Fork with a tapered steerer and Chris King 1.5 headset.

Marc stopped by with his S&S equipped steel road bike he got from us in January. The smile on his face says it all.

Stephen got himself a very large disc brake equipped cross bike. When you are this tall, often a custom bike is the only option.

Here is a photo of Hunter’s new all-purpose road bike. This bike can be outfitted with fast rolling 23mm road tires or larger more durable tires like the Schwalbe’s pictured. The disc brakes will stop in all different weather conditions and the Shimano drivetrain will provide reliable smooth shifting for years to come.

Finally we have Brian’s new Cross frame. Black on Black with a carbon rear end. This bike is going to look amazing when it is all built up.

Before we started to pack, we managed to get a few last bikes out the door. Here are Roz and Jeff with their brand new matching S&S coupling equipped touring bikes.

We brazed on V-brake mounts and repainted a beautiful old Mariposa tandem for the Ducommun’s.

Marilyn insisted that she a get a photo with Hugh and her brand new touring bike. It’s a beautiful bike and she is quite happy to finally have a bike that fits as it should.

Anne brought her bike in for a set of hammered Velo-Orange fenders and some Brown Hudz hoods for her brakes. We think it looks really classy.

Here is John’s new long-reach brake equipped road bike. It’s equipped with Campy Athena 11 speed, Grand Bois tires, Shimano Long Reach Brakes, Chris King headset and an Eriksen post.

I’ve included a few photos of the move. Our friend Chris helped out with his truck and trailer and we had a bunch of friends show up and help out as well.  Moving lathes and mills and our one-tonne surface plate. Once we have everything organized at the new shop, I’ll put up some photos of the new place.

This white road bike with LSU inspired colours is going to Mike in Louisiana. Hugh and Mike have known each other for a long time and back when Mike was a university student Hugh built him a bike. Unfortunately, Mike was hit by a car last year and not only did he sustain some pretty bad injuries but his bike was totaled. Now that Mike is on the mend, his thoughts turned to a new bike paying homage to his Alma Matter. Mike’s old road bike pre-dates the Bikecad software we now use, so we had to get a little creative with finding his existing bike’s measurements. You can click on the photo below to see the photo-shopped picture he sent us. To give you an idea of the damage to the frame, check out the seatstays. Those were originally straight, they aren’t DKS or Terraplane or anything along those lines; the frame is simply that badly buckled. The old bike now has a special place on Mike’s wall at home.

For his new bike Mike chose SRAM Red with the Limited Edition Tour yellow graphics. This bike features Zipp 404 Firecrest wheels, a Chris King headset and a very cool Ano purple Salsa Lip-lock seat collar.

Mike’s (not the same Mike) new mountain bike features the very cool 11 speed Alfine rear hub. We do a fair amount of bikes with internally geared hubs as they just make sense for a lot of people; all the gearing range with the simplicity of not having to worry about derailleurs.

Mike’s new bike features a Brooks Saddle and a Titec H-Bar for the very best in contact points, as well as a King Headset and WTB tires. My favorite part is the very cool matte green paint job.

Finally we have Paul’s new city bike. Paul wanted a bike that wouldn’t attract a lot of attention (you’ll note it doesn’t have a downtube logo) but fit great, handle better and would be adept at both city riding and mountain biking. The frame is made out of some very cool Tange Prestige Ultrastrong tubing that we had stored away. If you’re at all familiar with 1993-1995 Kona and Norco mountain bikes then you will probably recognize this tubeset. This bike is equipped with an Alfine hub, Sugino cranks and Avid V-brakes.

John’s new road bike turned out amazing. It features a Columbus Spirit tube set and a matching lugged fork. What really sets this bike off is the beautiful pearl white paint job, the pictures don’t do it justice, it looks amazing in person.

John’s bike features a mix of Campy Record components, a Chris King headset, Eriksen Ti post and handbuilt wheels with Ultegra hubs and Mavic Open Pro ceramic rims. Ultegra Hubs and Campy components you ask? Not something we do every day, but in this instance John already owned a very nice wheelset but wanted Campagnolo shifting; so with the help off a Shiftmate adaptor, we made it work.

Jennie’s new touring bike makes use of 26 inch wheels to help her achieve the perfect fit. Smaller wheels increase standover and reduce toe/tire overlap which are two important factors to consider when a bike such as this is fully loaded for an extended tour. This bike features a complete 105 triple drivetrain and hand built wheels with  XT hubs and Ambrosio rims. The Avid BB7 disc brakes will provide powerful and reliable braking for years to come.

 Jennie decided to outfit her bike with stainless Velo Orange fenders which are not only super classy looking but also plenty useful for mitigating the effects of poor weather.

Graydon’s S&S coupling equipped touring bike stands in stark contrast to Jennie’s bike. He is far taller than her and therefore had a whole host of different considerations that factored into the design of his bike.First off, this bike is titanium. Every once in a while we get a request to have a Ti frame painted and on this frame the bare titanium shows through around the S&S couplings and on the True North down tube font. Graydon has really large feet and requested very long chainstays in order to provide ample heel clearance while using panniers. In fact the chainstays on this bike are so long that even with a 35c tire and a fender, a full water bottle can still be mounted behind the seat tube.Finally Graydon wanted to use the superb Schmidt SON dynamo front hub to power a light and rear blinker. Hugh welded on extra mounts on the top tube which allow for the wiring to easily attached and taken off when the bike gets broken down for travel.

This bike features a SRAM Apex drivetrain with R2C bar end shifters and such gems as a Phil Wood rear hub, stainless tubus racks and the ultra rare and super stunning Titanium Chris King headset.