Kilian Reil has spent most of the European Bike Challenge photographing other builders' bikes, but now it's his turn to step in front of the lens and show off his own creation. Kilian hasn't built his own bike, but he's worked in partnership with
Project 12 Cycleworks, a small Dutch builder, to create a steel-framed, gearbox full suspension bike that, as you'd expect, has components from European brands from head to tail.
Project 12 was started by Michiel Burgerhout who, after more than 10 years as an architect, decided to follow his passion and move into frame fabrication. He builds road, mountain and gravel bikes and uses a combination of water-cut parts, CNC, and silver and brass solder to bring his creations to life with a focus on bikes that are as nice to look at as they are to ride.
Burgerhout offers pretty much infinite customisation with the frame he is commissioned to build, his only restriction on this frame is that the seat tube angle must sit between 75 and 77 degrees. Reil specified the wheelsize, geometry, and travel of the frame and loosely based it on a Santa Cruz Tallboy, as he was looking for a bike that was comfortable on long tours and multi-day events like the Swiss Epic. The build took Michiel a month and a half to complete and is the 31st bike his brand has produced. The full geometry sheet can be found below:
While a steel frame may not be the first material you would think of for a long-distance ride, Kilian has drawn on his experience touring through Siberia and Central Asia when speccing his dream build. Despite the many miles he is expecting to rack up on this bike, reliability and sturdiness were more important than gram pinching. The result is a 132mm travel frame with aluminum wheels, a coil shock and a Pinion gearbox but also a Berk carbon saddle, Beast carbon bars and Tune hubs.
Spec
Frame: Project 12 Pinion Vertigo custom frame (132mm travel) (Netherlands)
Shifting: Pinion C1.12 gearbox (Germany)
Fork: Intend Hero (130mm travel) (Germany)
Shock: EXT Storia Lok V3 (Italy)
Pedals: Pembree R1V (UK)
Rims: Rad15 Ozone 30 (Nederlands)
Spokes: Sapim Spokes (Belgium)
Hubs: Tune Singlespeeder Boost rear, Tune King Kong boost (Germany)
Tires: Continental Trail King Tires (Germany)
Handlebar: Beast Handlebar 25mm rise and MTB Stem (Germany)
Grips: Tune Grips and plugs. (Germany)
Brakes: Trickstuff Diretissima Brakes, Pads and Discs (Germany)
Dropper: Vecnum Nivo 182 (Germany)
Saddle: Berk Lupina (Slovenia)
The intricate shock mounting and linkage is a work of art
You do have to work with a twist shifter, but a single cog on the rear wheel dramatically reduces the unsprung weight.
The pink brake adapter is a neat flourish.
For more info on Kilian's bike and the European Bike Challenge follow the European Bike Project,
here. A North American partner page has also been set up,
here.
Translation: "these pedals are heavy AF so they're called 'e-bike specific', but a lighter version, which we will call 'enduro specific' because we think you're all idiots, is on the way"
Seriously though not sure what the difference between flats for different disciplines (on dirt) would be......
Guess that needs a correction, too.
Why? Touring bikes, the benchmark for long-distance rides, probably were the last category to move to materials other than steel.
What material are you assuming we would think of before steel? And what kind of riding would you assume we _would_ think of steel for?
"despite the many miles"? I would think he wants it to be reliable and sturdy _because_ of the many miles planned. Who f*cking cares about grams if your shit breaks in the literal middle of nowhere? Well, I suppose if it breaks, it's less weight to carry out, hahaha
projectxii.nl/en
"Pembree pedals are designed for e-mtbs primarily but an enduro version is coming soon"... lolz
maybe bigger/Stronger axle? thuogh the pedal input itself won't be higher than on a normal bike as the cheatertorque is added "later"
It's super stupid to assume e-bikers don't care about weight, because every extra gram means the battery charge will last that much shorter. If a big selling point of e-bikes is to be able to go further in less time, then lightness should still be a factor so you can actually go significantly further on a charge.
I can't help but wonder whether the whole 'weight isn't important' thing is just being pushed by companies to make e-bikes seem more reasonable. Granted, I've never had a sub 30lb full suss/proper weight weenie bike, but I've never made a bike lighter and not thought it felt better/more fun (shitty skinny tyres aside).
*takes tinfoil hat off*
BUT lighter is almost always better, especially if weight is removed from unsprung and/or rotating weight. That's just a fact for all wheeled things.
If you want more up to date info on what I am working on check my Instagram: www.instagram.com/project12.cycleworks/?hl=nl
I tend to be a bit slow in updating the website...
Its 100% custom, each bike seems to be build custom to a person. If you want 60degree head angle, you can have it!
26" wheel specific
63deg HA with a 140mm travel fork
95mm rear travel
425mm chainstay
470mm reach
400mm seattube or less
75deg seat tube angle
It is close to what my hardtail has (custom geometry too) so it sure must be a blast to ride!
Will this gearbox design bike be available for a build for all customers?
More please
I have the same seat (just the non padded version) on my road bike and it's the most comfortable seat I have ever used. But you need to be careful when using it for MTB - if you have any steep descents and you are behind the seat it becomes very dangerous (thin wings that can slice you open). It's the only thing that's keeping me from using it on my MTB.
This is a one off custom bike. And it's beautiful!
I wouldn't change a thing.
I once tried 2 city bikes at a bike shop, exactly the same bike, only one with derailleur and one with internal geared hub, and the 2nd one felt like pedaling against the wind after trying the derailleured version first. It is really a noticable difference and quite annoying after you test it.
Because if this inefficiency you will never see one on road or XC bikes.
That said, the gearbox and internally geard hubs do have their benefits and their places where they make sense. For example on city bikes that are locked in the streets every day of the year in all weather (it's sealed so safe against water) and for bike touring as they are much more reliable. I can imagine having one for bikepark bikes and non-racing downhill bikes as well, as they dont have a derailleur sticking out and you don't pedal uphill / long distances with those.
so please dont post half knowledge if you not really into it. sorry
shifiting under full load - no, shifting under little load - yes, practicing to shift while in the deadspot - doable
the problem with motors and gearboxes is, that they all have different mountings, there is no DIN - so the manufacturers have to build a frame around it. also it is easier to stick what you know...
So yes - before labeling all gearboxed bikes as excessively draggy, people should look at their own chain cleanliness, derailleur pulley lubrication, and chainline, because they might be at Alfine 11 levels of resistance!
edit: pinion is also a tad havier then deraillure. you need a motor and a battery to shift... even more technic and money.
pinion is also all about long lasting. so the last thing you want on that is a motor...
trigger shifter are now available
Want. Drool emoji.
And the total weight?
Did you by any chance keep track of how much the filler rod contributes to the framesets final weight ??
i got an PP shan No5 with 15.5kg and a carbon simplon with 12.5 kg. both 160mm front. the biggest difference is geo, suspension design and pedal efficiency. sure you notice the 3kg weight difference if you accelerate but while riding down the trail i cant notic a big difference. i kinda prefer the weight while jumping somehow...
Also would work better for longer if covered that chain to keep it clean!
As for the chain, I feel chains aren't that finicky if they're not used with a derailleur system. You can accept up to 1% strain and they still won't skip (provide you keep the chain tensioned).