Nagasawa: Bikefanclub.com

Today I put the finish on the new Nagasawa road bike. The frame is silver with orange decals and yellow accents, understated and absolutely perfect in ways only comparable to the cleanest, most elegant American builders in steel. I waited about a year for this custom 61cm and I wasn't about to rush the build. The last hold-up were the Toshi straps and MKS clips---I had Cinelli and Bindas in the box but I waited to complete the bike in Japanese style. Ironically perhaps Mr Nagasawa is known for building his road bikes with Campagnolo (and his more renown track bikes in complete NJS form). But I took the Japanese-only root but for the Dugast tubulars on the one wheelset ---Dugast 22mm silk sew-ups on Mavic SSc Paris-Roubaix rims with DA hubs---(and Rivendell RPs on the clincher set), using DA 9spd with dt shifters (I'm finally done with STI and Ergo building...cost, aesthetics, putative superiority, etc., I am just as happy with downtube shifters though I lament the loss of the friction mode in 9 and applaud Shimano for still making them in 10 when Campagnolo apparently can no longer be bothered). The Fujitoshi leather bar wrap was a bit less substantial than I would have liked and it took _hours_ to apply it since unlike tape it demands all sorts of fussing with the brake levers. I'll post pictures sometime this week when I can get the right light and weather. For all the frames I have ever owned this one is simply the most graceful, elegant, and understated for its true brilliance in construction.

dbrk