Velo City: Bicycle Culture and City Life

Winter Bicycles Calypte

Winter Bicycles Calypte

Yesterday, while I was scrolling through my flickr feed, I was struck by an image of a very obviously proud new bike owner. It was taken by Eric Estlund of Oregon’s Winter Bicycles and depicted his latest build, a colorful change to the monotone frames which seem to be the current fashion.

To order a custom bike for yourself, you have to be fairly dedicated to the cause, otherwise you’d settle for a mass produced monkey. But when the day arrives that you hold your dream bike in your hands, well, it’s no wonder the face of Eric’s customer has that expression.

Keith Anderson applied the impeccable paint, who’s one of the most talented frame painters in the business and an accomplished frame builder in his own right. The colors were inspired by the plumage of Calypte anna, or Anna’s Hummingbird, a native of the West American coast.

Naturally, it will feel most at home when in flight, helped along by a Dura-Ace 9000 group set. The fillet brazed frame is constructed from what Eric ambiguously refers to as a “builder’s choice” of tubing, and features a seamless bi-laminate head lug, wrapped around Dario Pegoretti’s Falz fork.

Special thanks to Velo Cult‘s Anthony Bareno for the photography. Drop Eric a line via his website.

Winter Bicycles Calypte
Winter Bicycles Calypte
Winter Bicycles Calypte
Winter Bicycles Calypte
Winter Bicycles Calypte
Winter Bicycles Calypte
Winter Bicycles Calypte