Like most frame builders, Robert Piontek of Germany’s Big Forest Frameworks heads up virtually every role of a small business. It’s a tough — yet rewarding — role, especially when the fruits of his labors will carry a young rider through her racing season.
This uber-efficient racing machine will be the workhorse of Nica, who rides for the Berlin-based team of BRC Endspurt. Big Forest Frameworks, located in nearby Potsdam, is sponsoring the team for this racing season.
Robert built this road frame for Nica and a cyclocross frame for her team mate Timo. So far Nica has been having quite a successful season, so who knows what she’ll be able to achieve with her new Big Forest racer.
The frame is a sleek piece of work, with a few interesting details. It’s a fillet brazed mix of Columbus Spirit and Life tubing, and Robert says that most of the tubes were shaped in some way to improve performance and achieve a particular look.
“The opposed bi-oval downtube improves stiffness at the bottom bracket shell as well as the head tube, leading to improved power transfer and quicker, more responsive steering performance,” Robert continues.
“It also gives the impression of a larger diameter tube, without increasing weight,” he says, “and gives a feeling of flow from front to back along the bike.” The side profile certainly gives the impression that it’s no rambler.
“The tapered head tube allows for a tapered steerer, saves weight compared to a straight head tube, and looks great, too. Even the top tube is tapered, with a 32mm diameter at the front, and 28mm at the rear, eliminating the need for a lug at the seat cluster.”
The Big Forest tree logo is brazed to the seat tube, and Nica’s race number is also stamped in brass and brazed to the inside of the non-drive side chain stay. Robert applied stainless steel adapters on the seat tube for the front derailleur and the seat post clamp.
The paint colors are BRC Endspurt’s team colors and the build is finished off with a Campagnolo Chorus groupset, 3T fork, stem and seat post, and 50/60mm carbon tubular wheels. Quite a winning machine.
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