Rhygin Racing Cycles

[MisterDangerPants]

My love affair with Rhygin Racing Cycles started with the Small Builders article in the June 1994 issue of Bike Magazine. It featured Christian Jones and the Rhygin Team Custom, a bike designed to be super agile on tight, twisty singletrack. Perfect for the northeast! I was well aware of Rhygin by the time this issue hit the newsstands, but something about the article just drew me in and made me want to get one of these beasts in my grubby little paws. I was riding a 1993 Fat Chance Wicked and sold it to purchase a 1994 Rhygin Ra, a bike I still have and enjoy riding to this day. Since then, I have added a 1997 Rhygin Metax road bike (#541) and a 1997 Rhygin Metax cyclocross bike (#653).

Rhygin Racing Cycles was started in Amherst, Massachusetts in 1991 and built about 675 frames during their brief tenure in the cycling world, which lasted less than a decade. They moved from Amherst on to Somerville and finally ending up in Boston.

Rhygin Racing Cycles didn’t have the cache Fat Chance or Merlin, but the quality of the bikes was certainly on par with those local competitors. Considering Rhygin had quite a few welders employed from the aforementioned fabricators, it would stand to reason that the bikes Rhygin produced were pretty darn nice.

Rhygin, and Columbus Metax for that matter, has a fair amount of infamy surrounding its name. You can't mention Rhygin without hearing some horror story of their business practices (Note: I have no opinion regarding this matter.). I wore my Rhygin T-shirt at the 2011 NAHBS and heard some very entertaining stories.

Columbus Metax got a bad name primarily because it was used for mountain bikes and the tubing was far too thin for such an application (two different Boston-area frame builders have told me this). The road and cyclocross Metax bikes, on the other hand, have withstood the test of time with Metax. I asked the Columbus rep at the 2011 NAHBS why Metax was discontinued and he informed me it was due to the German distributor not being able to meet the demand. Columbus Metax was also very difficult to weld and Rhygin had some of the best frame makers in the Boston area to build these beauties. One of these welders was Scott Spence who had been welding for Merlin Metalworks.

To start things off, I thought I’d show my 1997 Rhygin Metax road bike first followed by the cyclocross and mountain bikes (works in progress).

Here are the current specs:

Frame: 1997 Rhygin Metax
Fork: 2011 Peter Mooney, Henry James crown
Wheels: Mavic Ksyrium SL
Skewers: Cook Bros. Racing
Tires: Continental Grand Prix 4Season 700x28
Pedals: Shimano XTR
Crank: Syncros Revolution 175mm 130BCD with 53/39 Dura Ace chainrings
Chain: SRAM
Rear Cogs: Shimano CS-7900 Dura Ace 11-23 10-speed
Bottom Bracket: World Class titanium 110mm
Front Derailleur: Shimano Dura Ace FD-7900
Rear Derailleur: Shimano Dura Ace RD-7900
Shifters/Levers: Shimano Dura Ace ST-7900
Handlebars: Nitto Noodle, 44cm
Stem: 3TTT
Headset: Chris King
Brake set: Ciamillo (Zero Gravity) Negative GSL
Saddle: Sella Italia SLR
Seat Post: Syncros titanium 26.8
Size: 55.5cm
Serial #: 541
Place of Origin: Boston, Massachusetts

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[MisterDangerPants]

Here's some information regarding Columbus Metax from the Rhygin website (from the Way Back Machine):

No Rust! The first big news in steel in over 40 years. Columbus totes this tubeset as being able to have "chromed" chainstays without the destructive chroming process. A satiny hand-brushed finish is standard, mirror-like electro-polish is available.

Tube dimensions are the similar to EL/OS, but the main tube walls are slightly thicker for greater rigidity and increased resistance to denting. The ride is superb with a zing that will never be matched by the so-called "exotics".

When we tell people about Metax, we often hear the following questions:

If it's stainless, isn't it heavy?

Metax is stainless and exceptionally strong. Metax was developed specifically for off-shore oil drilling where high strength and corrosion resistance is even more important than in the bike industry. Fortunately for us (and you) Columbus got their hands on the stuff, since we sure don't have the budget to develop a material like this.

What does it look like?

Bicyclist magazine said "it is a steel with a brighter luster than brushed titanium, though not so bright as polished titanium or chromed steel, and it possesses the slightest blue cast, which gives it a fairly exotic appearance." We agree.

Why doesn't everybody use it, if it is so great?

Try welding it and you’ll know the answer. This stuff is tough to work with. It is difficult to cut and especially tricky to weld. Our welder spent years in the aerospace industry and welded 3000+ frames at Merlin before he could do it well. Not all companies have this kind of welding experience to draw from. We must also make all of the small parts (cable stops, brake bosses etc.) to our specifications in stainless steel.

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We're the first in the US to build with Columbus' best tubeset. Oversized corrosion proof hybrid steel (Nicromox) guarantees long life and an unparalleled steel ride.

What Columbus says about Nicromox: "It is an austenitic/ferritic alloy, high in Chromium, Molybdenum, Nickel, Manganese, Nitrogenum, with a very small degradation in welding overheated areas and a good corrosion strength.

Corrosion-proofing is also due to nitrogenum, which has a stabilizing action on austenite. The above characteristics make this alloy different from the austenitic steels used up to now for the manufacturing of tubes suitable also for bicycles.

Mechanical characteristics: R=1200 N/mm2 Rs=1050 N/mm2 Ap5=10%. Got it?

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We're the first to build with Columbus' best tubeset. Tube dimensions are the similar to EL/OS, but the main tube walls are slightly thicker for greater rigidity and increased resistance to denting. The ride is superb with a zing that will never be matched by the so-called "exotics". Comes equipped with a Time or Kestrel composite fork or our handbuilt Metax lugged straightblade fork.

No Rust! The first big news in steel in over 40 years. Columbus totes this tubeset as being able to have "chromed" chainstays without the destructive chroming process. A satiny hand-brushed finish is standard, mirror-like electro-polish is available.

3.6 Lbs. That's right - it's not only a great steel bike without corrosion, but it's light as well. The lack of paint can save 6 oz. by itself. What you get is a bike that is light, full of zest, and will never, ever, rust.

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The Juke Stainless is built with Columbus Metax (stainless steel) tubing. This is the first big news in steel in over 40 years! We can build a lighter weight frame with the smooth ride you expect and a few benefits: No rust, no scratches, and far less impact on the environment.

Corrosion is not an issue, so like titanium a Metax frame is a long-term investment. Also, Metax frames don’t require paint to prevent rusting. We give them a finish that is easily maintained with a scotch-brite pad. Not painting the frame saves weight and spares the environment. The final benefit is purely aesthetic - we can show off our welds and workmanship. Many companies want their frames painted before you ever see them, but we are excited to have a frame that highlights our workmanship.

[the bottle ride]

Great piece- I too remember the Bike article on Rygin (roots rocks reggae??).

I love the history of this era- especially the Boston brands: the fertile crescent of bike culture in this country.

Do you know if there was there a connectiono to Girvin/profelx and Rhygin? For some reason I have in my mind there was some connection...

As always with your collection- fine bike. Well thought out and put together with period and modern bits.

[MisterDangerPants]

Great piece- I too remember the Bike article on Rygin (roots rocks reggae??).

I love the history of this era- especially the Boston brands: the fertile crescent of bike culture in this country.

Do you know if there was there a connectiono to Girvin/profelx and Rhygin? For some reason I have in my mind there was some connection...

As always with your collection- fine bike. Well thought out and put together with period and modern bits.

Thanks! The article was a small feature on small builders. It also featured Battle, Brew, Cherry Bomb and Nevil.

Not aware of any connection with Girvin/ProFlex, but they did use the Cannondale HeadShok.

By the way, the Rhygin Metax road bike pictured above is getting some sweet wheels from Justin at Luxe Wheelworks. They'll have red Chris King hubs, black spokes and ENVE 45 rims.

Anyway, here's a copy of the article:

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[MisterDangerPants]

Here's another article in Dirt Rag #20 (November 15, 1991) which included a review of Rhygin #1. Pretty cool.

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[MisterDangerPants]

Here's another article with a review of a 1997 Rhygin Metax road bike. This is from Bicyclist Magazine from July 1997.

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[MisterDangerPants]

One more: A Bike Rag, Issue #59 from July 1, 1997 with a review of a Rhygin Juke SS.

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[Justin Spinelli]

needs red hubs....

[suspectdevice]

Aermet tubing was made in Massachusetts. That's pretty cool.
The same place makes the raw material for 953 and XCR.
That place is crazy.

[pdxharth]

I remember reading that article when it came out - those bikes inspired daydreams, for sure. In fact, that article was instrumental in the design of my Vanilla mtb. I dug it up when Sacha and I were looking at seat tube angles and it helped to solidify the decisions.

Thanks for all the other info and photos. Those are nice welds on that road bike!

Harth
Wabi Woolens - Quality Wool Cycling Jerseys

[MisterDangerPants]

needs red hubs....

Hurry up and build 'em! The Bicycle Magazine article posted above was the inspiration to go with the ENVE 45s. Initially I didn't think the bike would look good (with deep carbon rims) but after seeing the article I was sold!

Aermet tubing was made in Massachusetts. That's pretty cool.
The same place makes the raw material for 953 and XCR.
That place is crazy.

I did not know that!

I remember reading that article when it came out - those bikes inspired daydreams, for sure. In fact, that article was instrumental in the design of my Vanilla mtb. I dug it up when Sacha and I were looking at seat tube angles and it helped to solidify the decisions.

Thanks for all the other info and photos. Those are nice welds on that road bike!

Harth
Wabi Woolens - Quality Wool Cycling Jerseys

Thanks. Yeah, the welds on both my Columbus Metax frames are quite nice. Kudos to all who worked on these lovely frames!

That Bike Magazine issue is the only bike periodical I've ever kept. Daydreaming is a good description of what I'd do while checking out all the beautiful handmade frames in the article. Cool you referenced it for the design of your Vanilla.

So, here's a few shots of my 1994 Rhygin Ra. In 2009, I thought it deserved a fresh coat of paint (not that it needed it) for its 15th birthday. Toby Stanton (Hot Tubes) did a fantastic job. He was one of the original painters for Rhygin so I was pretty psyched to have that connection.

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First build after paint:

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With some period correct tires (well, the entire bike is pretty much period correct), Ritchey Megabite Z-Max World Championship Series 2.35 (favorite tire ever!):

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Here's an action shot from the 2007 24 Hours of Great Glen:

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At the moment, it's going through another build so once I get that complete I'll post some detailed photos.

[henry g.]

Here is my custom Rhygin Metax (made in '98) with a newer Terraferma steel fork that replaced the old Time Equipe CF fork.



To accomadate fenders and 28c tires I had Mike Terraferma make some changes to the rear triangle so I could use an old set of Campagnolo cantis.



I had a head badge made for it:



In it's current form it's suited my current riding perfectly but now that Mike is making me a Terraferma Corsa GT and this won't be my only ride I'm regretting I did not preserve the Rhygin in it's original form - 9 speed alloy Record, Campy Montreal rims with Record alloy hubs - skinny Time Equipe fork - it was a period classic.

[EnginCycles]

Aermet tubing was made in Massachusetts. That's pretty cool.
The same place makes the raw material for 953 and XCR.
That place is crazy.

That is actually false information. The Aermet tubing as well as 953 were made at Carpenter Technology which is a PA company. They are in Reading for offices and Wyomissing for the facility. The XCR tubing has no connection to Carpenter. There is almost no difference between Aermet and 953. They both start life from the same parent material.

-Drew

ps- I loved my Rhygin metax mtb and it was my inspiration to build a 953 29R that did not break. I have many of the bad stories as well but they have no place in this thread.

[MisterDangerPants]

Here is my custom Rhygin Metax (made in '98) with a newer Terraferma steel fork that replaced the old Time Equipe CF fork.

I really like what you've done to your Rhygin! I followed the build on your website. Such a beautiful example! Wow!!!!

I had a head badge made for it:

Me too! I had Jen Green do mine for my MTB but ended up going with a decal.

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In it's current form it's suited my current riding perfectly but now that Mike is making me a Terraferma Corsa GT and this won't be my only ride I'm regretting I did not preserve the Rhygin in it's original form - 9 speed alloy Record, Campy Montreal rims with Record alloy hubs - skinny Time Equipe fork - it was a period classic.

My Rhygin Metax CX also came with a Campy gruppo, though mine was a touring groupset with a triple. The entire bike was NOS so it would have been nice if it was Record!

I have the original Time Equipe fork that came with my road bike. It's in excellent condition and I'd love to use it for something else. Here's how the road bike looked when I got it (with the Time fork):

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That is actually false information. The Aermet tubing as well as 953 were made at Carpenter Technology which is a PA company. They are in Reading for offices and Wyomissing for the facility. The XCR tubing has no connection to Carpenter. There is almost no difference between Aermet and 953. They both start life from the same parent material.

-Drew

ps- I loved my Rhygin metax mtb and it was my inspiration to build a 953 29R that did not break. I have many of the bad stories as well but they have no place in this thread.

Thanks for clarifying!

[MisterDangerPants]

Although my wife says I'm never finished with any of my projects, my Rhygin Metax road bike is done. I updated the wheels (Chris King hubs, ENVE rims, Sapim CX-Ray spokes), bottom bracket (Phil Wood), stem (McMahon Racing Cycles) and handlebars (Origin 8 40cm).

A shout out to Justin Spinelli at Luxe Wheelworks for building me a wicked nice set of wheels. Fantastic customer service and a guy you can shoot the breeze with as well.

Thanks to Kevin at Firefly for pointing me towards T.O.C. Polishing (which is located just a block from my old place in Davis Square!). They did a great job on the McMahon Racing Cycles stem.

Anyway, here's how it looks now:

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Also, I put the spider on the correct way, and it shifts a heck of a lot better!

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Next up is the Rhygin Ra....

[suspectdevice]

Drew,
The information I have came from Lon, so I assumed it was true. He has just about 20 years of Columbus catalogs stored in his head...

[Britishbane]

Very sexy bike. How're the GP 4 seasons treating you?

[nahtnoj]

I can't stop looking at that fork.

Car Tech - a Reading institution. Reading is mostly a relic of the past but there are still a few things made there.

[th_boone]

I had that issue of Bike magazine. Recall the Rasta bike like it was yesterday.. I owned a rode a Nevil Devil for many years from the late 90s through early 2000s. Now, looking at the bike, it looked hilarious, but it rode really well up technical climbs. I was wondering years and years ago why the Metax bikes never caught on. Now, I have been riding an 953 IF SSR for two years. Perfect.

OPs Rhygin Metax road is absolutely incredible..

[MisterDangerPants]

Very sexy bike. How're the GP 4 seasons treating you?

I can't stop looking at that fork.

Car Tech - a Reading institution. Reading is mostly a relic of the past but there are still a few things made there.

I had that issue of Bike magazine. Recall the Rasta bike like it was yesterday.. I owned a rode a Nevil Devil for many years from the late 90s through early 2000s. Now, looking at the bike, it looked hilarious, but it rode really well up technical climbs. I was wondering years and years ago why the Metax bikes never caught on. Now, I have been riding an 953 IF SSR for two years. Perfect.

OPs Rhygin Metax road is absolutely incredible..

Thanks folks! Regarding the tires, so far so good. Not as grippy as the Schwalbe Ultremo tires I had on prior but they'll suffice.

Update: I ended up slapping the 3TTT stem back on and had 20mm of the stem cut off. It's perfect. Also swapped the Zipp cork brake pads for yellow SwissStops. Researching the ENVE pads at the moment, too. Finally, I got rid of the 23s in favor of 28s (same tire) and even though it's a tight fit up front, I'm sticking with the more cushy ride!