We first featured the work of Minnesota’s’ Alex Cook and his A-Train Cycles back in 2013, when he exhibited on the New Builders Table at the NAHBS that year. These days, he builds frames for the local legendary bike shop, Angry Catfish, as Northern Frameworks.
Alex was brazing frames for about a decade as A-Train Cycles before establishing Northern Frameworks, which has itself now been in business for around three years. The requests are always different and today we’re featuring a sublime 650b shredder.
Most bikes in the Northern Frameworks portfolio are made-to-order customs, ranging from cyclocrossers to roadies and even the occasional titanium balance bike, but this order was fulfilled in order simply for customers to admire its details.
It’s a TIG-welded modern beauty designed around a 67.25-degree head tube angle, a 625mm effective top tube length and 425mm chainstays which will comfortably accommodate a 27×2.8″ tire.
Naturally, it’s built up with all mod cons: SRAM AXS Eagle wireless shifting, including a White Industries M30 crankset, Derby carbon rims, XT brakes, Fox Factory 120mm forks and a Transfer dropper post.
Mod cons aside, it was the ombre paint scheme that drew us in, like a baited hook. What we’d do to take it for a test ride around the Minneapolis mountain bike trails, then head back to the shop to discuss the sale over an espresso.
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