Ordered my new bike!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Ok, I'm rather excited.
After riding my one bike for a year and a half now, I have finally decided on a second bike, and I made the official phone call today to get the process going.

I called Luna Cycles to order a custom steel bike from Margo the owner/builder. I sent in all my measurements plus lots of other info she will need. We have not gone over some details yet, so I'll be talking further with her on the component combinations. There are a few custom bikes in the queue ahead of me, so mine will probably take about 4 months. I will hopefully be riding it in the Spring!

I'm very happy! I've taken about 4 months of careful thinking, researching, and planning before getting to this moment. I know she will make a really swell bike for me.

[mimitabby]

congratulations! we want every stinkin' detail!

i guess you're not getting carbon handlebars.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

congratulations! we want every stinkin' detail!

i guess you're not getting carbon handlebars.

Not after seeing that picture on TE today!!!!
But hey I *am* getting a carbon fork!

[divingbiker]

I called Luna Cycles to order a custom steel bike from Margo the owner/builder.

Lisa, how did you decide on a Luna? I'm curious as to your decision process. As I recall, she doesn't make lugged bikes, right? I talked to Margo a couple of years ago, but ended up buying an off the rack bike. Four months for a custom bike is great!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Lisa, how did you decide on a Luna? I'm curious as to your decision process. As I recall, she doesn't make lugged bikes, right? I talked to Margo a couple of years ago, but ended up buying an off the rack bike. Four months for a custom bike is great!

Ah yes, my decision process....it's rather interesting.

My wonderful lugged steel Rivendell is a great bike that i love. It's very smooth riding and "almost" fits me perfectly. Yet- there is the old familiar woman's problem of the toptube being long and thus the bike is somewhat longer in reach than would be completely ideal for me. I have tweaked everything possible and brought it within a fraction of fit perfection. But to lay down a big chunk o dough for a second bike....well i want it to fit me perfectly...not almost perfectly.
I knew this woman at Luna has been specializing in making women's fit steel bikes for about 12 years now- so she must know her stuff. I suspect most of her customers are women who have had a hard time fitting on generic men's designed bikes. I really like the idea of a highly experienced woman builder making my bike. I've read about her and I like what she has to say. She seemed great on the phone today and inspired my confidence. I have some slightly unusual gearing wants that will require some knowledgeable solutions.

Lugs are mostly pre-manufactured with certain fixed angles for the tubes that fit into them- so there is a limit as to how much you can tweak the tube angles on a lugged steel bike to fit an individual's proportions. Needless to say, most lugs are designed to make typical man bikes. With TIG welded steel, the sky is the limit for angle/geometry on any particular bike. So I opted for better likelihood of perfect custom fit over the allure of lugs. Luna does mostly TIG welded steel bikes.

I don't have the patience to wait 2-4 years for a custom bike like some of the current waiting lists are with customs. (Rivendells customs are well over 3 years wait list now, as are Vanilla and Kogswell, etc)
4-5 months seemed pretty good to me.
Ebisu was of interest to me, but I think I would have had problems conveying my specific female detailed wants and needs. DH has ordered parts from the very capable builder there over the phone and I think I would have had a difficult time communicating all my concerns, between both the language and the gender differences.

I have never ridden any lightweight "fast" road bikes. This last weekend I actually test rode a Roubaix aluminum road bike. Don't get me wrong- I know lots of women love theirs....but I thought my fillings were going to get rattled out of my teeth! When I got back on my steel Rambouillet it was like AAAAAAHHHHHHH......velvet. It was the last little experience that made me want to stick with steel. I love to do long rides and steel has been very comfortable for me thus far. Plus I like the fact that it is largely repairable and doesn't tend to crack in a crash like carbon.

Luna can pick a thickness of steel tubing that will be just right for my weight and my style of riding. My Ramb is a production bike (not custom) and so naturally they chose a tubing that could safely handle a guy my height that might weigh 100 pounds more than me. (!) So going custom will give me a slightly lighter bike too.

Hmmm...so those are some of the reasons I decided to go with Luna. I'm sure i've forgotten some!

Oh yes!- they can make my bike any color I want!

[mimitabby]

LIsa, that's why i opted away from the lovely lugs too But my bike is so sweetly welded, i don't mind.
If you are worried about teeth rattling how come you're not getting a steel fork?

I love mine. I was so afraid it was going to be awful. In fact, it's part of the butter...

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

LIsa, that's why i opted away from the lovely lugs too But my bike is so sweetly welded, i don't mind.

Oh, I didn't realize that about your choosing the non-lugged!
I was so glad when you got your wonderful bike and it was so beautiful and perfect.

If you are worried about teeth rattling how come you're not getting a steel fork?

I have discussed it with several people i trust. One man in particular used to race steel bikes for years and still loves steel bikes. He told me that a carbon fork on a steel bike was the smoothest and most responsive steering combination he ever rode. He told me that was the best single piece of advice he could give me. Apparently a carbon fork flexes very nicely with a steel frame. Also, I am trying to lose a few pounds off my next bike where I can, so that only adds to the appeal.

[sandra]

CONGRATULATIONS!

What color is she going to be?????

[elk]

That IS SO exciting!!

[emily_in_nc]

Lisa,

What wonderful news! I followed your struggle with your original too-long stem, and your issues with your newer shorter one, and I always felt like your Riv was probably a bit big for you. I think Luna is an excellent choice; they would be at the top of my list if I were in the market for a custom as well. I used to have a steel Terry Isis and could really tell a difference when I switched out the original steel fork for a carbon one. I saved weight and smoothed out even more road chatter on our bumpity rural roads, so I agree with your decision there. I also love the idea of buying a bike made for a woman by a woman, and I think Margo does a great job, judging from the bikes I've seen on her site (I've never seen one in person, unfortunately). I can't wait to hear all about your Luna, the various components you choose, and especially the color! Keep us all posted!

Congratulations!

Emily

[7rider]

Ooo. Congrats on the new bike!
Can't wait to hear all about it, and especially see it and get the skinny on the ride! I do think you will like the carbon fork on the steel frame. It dampens any road vibration and the steering and handling is spot-on.
Are you getting a road frame? Will this bike replace your Rivendell or will it fit another niche in your riding?
Best of luck with the new ride!
(p.s. Seven makes beautiful steel frames, too! Just sayin! )

oh...btw...what's the story with carbon handlebars? What did I miss??

[Zen]

If you are worried about teeth rattling how come you're not getting a steel fork?

I just take my teeth out - see?

[DebW]

Ah yes, my decision process....it's rather interesting.

Lugs are mostly pre-manufactured with certain fixed angles for the tubes that fit into them- so there is a limit as to how much you can tweak the tube angles on a lugged steel bike to fit an individual's proportions. Needless to say, most lugs are designed to make typical man bikes. With TIG welded steel, the sky is the limit for angle/geometry on any particular bike. So I opted for better likelihood of perfect custom fit over the allure of lugs. Luna does mostly TIG welded steel bikes.

How exciting that you're getting a custom bike. I opted for a lugged steel frame recently from a local custom builder and am very happy with it. The builder explained to me that even though the lugset comes with fixed angles, there is some wiggle room in the angle when he puts the frame together. For my bike, he used rather narrow lugs which probably didn't constrain the angles too severely. I also got a lovely steel fork with a nice rake. I've read that most builders use TIG welding now because a lugset costs almost as much as a tubing set. Different esthetics, but equally fine frames.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Hey thanks all of you for the good vibes!

It's so great to have a place where bunches of other women totally understand my bike obsessions and excitements!

Sandra- the paint decision could easily be a couple of months away...and I *could* change my mind in the meantime....but....right now I am leaning towards a soft Bartlett pear color- sort of halfway between yellow and green. Rather Spring-like.

Emily- Yes I hear you. My Riv is not too big for me overall- just the pesky toptube length! But to be fair, with the medium stem and the seat way further back it is mostly quite comfortable now. But not perfect fit, and I'd like to shoot for perfect on my next bike.

DebW- Yes that is a great lugged take-apart bake you had made! I remember when you got it and posted the pix....

Regina- I'd have several Sevens in my "stable" if I could! I considered them too, but went with the woman builder concept.
I had also considered Sweet Pea (also a woman builder of steel bikes)....but I liked Luna's many years of experience.
Yes I am getting a road frame- but it will be able to handle 28cm tires for our rough gravel roads, and it won't have an extreme racing posture setup. I want to be comfy on 70+ mile rides all day. It will also have very low gears for the hilly area we live in. So I guess it would be a "modified road/touring" bike (...sort of like my Rambouillet but a bit lighter and tighter).
I want a second bike partly so I can keep riding when one is in the shop or otherwise out of commission, so yes I am keeping the Ramb. as far as I can foresee. Twice I have had my bike in the shop getting changes made, and both times I went out of my MIND not being able to ride for a few days! DH has 3 bikes, so I figured why shouldn't I have a second bike.

Zen- funny.

[elk]

Zen...you crack me up....

Lisa...that warm yellow/ green looks great with a warm red....kinda like the Bianchi Milano? That is one hot looking ride...but yours, I'm sure willl be even hotter!!!