Kish Fabrication

**veloduffer** · 06-16-2010

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(Note, I had posted this across the hall but figured it was ok to add to the gallery)

I ordered a custom titanium cyclocross bike from Jim Kish (KISH Fabrication - Home Page) at the end of November 2009. I wanted a bike for cross riding and light touring, so it is spec'd with eyelets for racks and fenders.

I measured my current bikes (Richard Sachs, Seven Axiom, Specialized Langster, Gunnar Crosshairs) to provide him with my basics of my bike fittings. Having ridden for a number of years, my bikes are set up the same, adjusting for seat angles et al. I prefer bikes with slack seat tube angles, as my femurs are long in proportion to my legs. I generally don't like bikes that have seat angles greater than 73 degrees; my Langster has the saddle moved back on the rails and with seatpost seat back.

Jim and I discussed (by email and phone) the various things I wanted and would work (different sloping top tubes, head tube length, bb height, saddle to handlebar height difference, etc). We even discussed how the bike would look aesthetically to minimize the spacers.

I also had Jim assemble the bike with Campy Athena 11 speed, since he could get a discount on parts. The bike arrived Friday, as my family and I were getting ready to visit family for the holiday weekend.

IMHO, I think it came out well. It's light, about 16.5 to 17 lbs, considering the wheels and tires are not lightweight (meant for cross abuse).

No ride report yet - it snowed another 5 inches today.

Here are the geometry specs:
Seat angle 72.5
Head tube angle 73.0
Heat tube length 15.1cm
Seat tube length 54.11cm center of bb to top to top tube
Top tube length 56.5cm virtual
BB drop 7.0
Chainstay 43.0
Slope 5.06 degrees