Oliver Gravel Bike Frame Building Course FAQ

Hello Robert,

As you know, my bike has been finished for a while now. I wanted to take a few more photos but unfortunately never got around to it. I am really very satisfied with the result.

It’s hard for anyone to believe that I actually made this bike myself, as there are no visible welds, and the bike is actually more beautifully finished than a bike you can buy in a store.

Painting also went well; you have to be very precise to find the spots where perhaps too much or too little paint has been applied.

The geometry and riding behavior are really great, just as I hoped. No neck pain or hands falling asleep, even on longer rides.

You asked me how the Growtac brakes are; now I can give you an answer. As for braking performance, they are really superb (on the longest descent, 700 meters of elevation loss with consistent braking performance without squeaking and good modulation). You don’t necessarily need a hydraulic brake; they are definitely better than the TRP Spyre and comparable in performance or effort when braking to a Shimano MT200 hydraulic brake. Unfortunately, I have no comparison to the Paul Clamper, but I believe the two should be comparable. Also, the Ratiotech conversion of the mechanical SRAM shifters works really well.

Thank you both so much for your help, expertise, and the relaxed time I was able to spend with you. Without you, I would never have achieved such a beautiful result.

Thank you for everything and best regards to both of you,
Oliver

How did you come up with the idea of building your own frame?
I had been toying with the idea of building a new bike because I wasn’t completely satisfied with the geometry of my old bike. When I happened to see a video of you on YouTube, the idea was born. Then, when my wife asked me what I wanted for my 40th birthday, it was pretty much a done deal: I’m building myself a frame!

Why did you choose this frame? What do you plan to do with it?
I like the beautiful thin tubing and the comfortable ride quality of steel frames. Since we live in the mountains and enjoy multi-day tours, the bike should be an all-rounder; agile enough for off-road terrain but still stable when fully loaded.

What is special to you about your self-built frame?
That I made it myself, and somehow nobody really believes that you can achieve such a result on your own.

How was your time in the frame building course?
The 7-day course flew by. The relaxed, carefree atmosphere and the great, varied restaurant selection for lunch made it feel like a vacation for me. It was also really nice to see the daily progress of the frame and fork. Here again, thank you both for your help and the good time I was able to spend with you—it was really fun, and the result looks good, too.

How does your finished bike ride?
The geometry and riding behavior are exactly as I hoped. No neck pain or hands falling asleep, even on longer rides. I’m also very satisfied with its off-road suitability; short single trail sections are no problem.

How did you find me, and how did you hear about the frame building courses?
I stumbled upon you by chance on YouTube, and it was the right decision to attend the course.

Full List of Components
Headset – Chris King Nothreadset
Bottom Bracket – Chris King Threadfit 30
Axles – Robert Axle Project
Wheelset – Panchowheels Craze Alloy 700C
Tires – Maxxis GR Reaver 700×45
Tubes – Tubolito Cyclecross Gravel All Superlite
Brakes – Growtac Equal
Rotor & Brake Pads – Swissstop Catalyst Pro CL & Disc 34 RS
Shifters – Sram Rival Mechanical 12 Speed Ratiotech Mod
Crankset – Sram Rival 40 Tooth
Rear Derailleur – Sram GX Eagle Ratiotech Mod
Cassette – Sram GX Eagle 10-52 Tooth
Chain – Sram XX1 Eagle waxed with Optimize Graphite Hotwax
Handlebar – Deda Elementi Superzero Gravel Alloy
Stem – Deda Elementi Zero 100
Seatpost – Deda Elementi Zero 100
Saddle – Prologo Dimension 143