Velo City: Bicycle Culture and City Life

René Singer ATMO: Noble Cycles 650b Randonneur

René Singer ATMO: Noble Cycles 650b Randonneur

The American frame builder Richard Sachs has contributed a vast amount to the culture of the custom bicycle, his knowledgable opinion notwithstanding. Sachs’ PegoRichie Tubing and lug sets were created to inject fresh supplies of those essential pieces that hold our bikes together — like this new 650b randonneur from Belgium’s Noble Cycles.

René Singer ATMO: Noble Cycles 650b Randonneur

The lugs that Nicolas Noblet used for his latest creation was a set inspired by the French constructeurs, René Herse and Alex Singer, known for their refined and functional touring and long-distance racing bikes.

René Singer ATMO: Noble Cycles 650b Randonneur

The Richard Sachs lug set is designed for oversized modern tubing and has updated details, such as cast-in cable stops on the lower head tube lug which, incidentally, Nicolas eschewed in favour of a traditional configuration.

René Singer ATMO: Noble Cycles 650b Randonneur

Nicolas used Columbus Spirit tubes in-between the Sachs lugs — one of his favorite sets to work with. The forks were crafted from Reynolds blades and Kirk Pacenti’s Paris-Brest fork crown, a complementary choice for the Singer lugs.

René Singer ATMO: Noble Cycles 650b Randonneur

The components are a perfect mix of function and form: a René Herse crankset from Jan Heine’s Compass Bicycles coupled to a Dura-Ace 10-speed dérailleur, operated by Dura-Ace shifters. Braking consists of Paul Racer calipers and NOS Shimano 600 levers.

René Singer ATMO: Noble Cycles 650b Randonneur

That gorgeous blue was picked from a BMW color chart, and sets off the Gilles Berthoud saddle and 42mm Grand Bois Extaleger tyres. Again, Honjo fenders and SONdeluxe front and rear lights were a well-considered choice.

Noble Cycles Website | Facebook

René Singer ATMO: Noble Cycles 650b Randonneur