Classic Rendezvous refers to Albert Eisentraut as the dean of modern (post Korean War) USA custom frame builders. He has passed his skills on to many students such as Bruce Gordon, Joe Breeze and Mark Nobilette. Bill Holland was another who learnt the art of framebuilding from Albert, who in turn now produces some of the most striking titanium frames in the world.
Holland Cycles are located in Spring Valley CA, where Bill and his staff, who share over 10 decades of experience between them, build ti frames of the highest quality and most distinctive forms. Holland’s ExoGrid® design is a combination of US-milled aerospace grade titanium, laser cut into a lattice and reinforced with a tube of custom-laid high-modulus prepress carbon.
Each diamond is then filled with die-cut carbon shapes which are heat-and-pressure molded together, producing a smooth tube that is more rigid than standard, can then be cut to any length and assembled in any geometry. Both materials combined give a more comfortable ride than a pure ti or carbon frame, weighing slightly more than a carbon frame and less than a titanium.
Notice the seam underneath the mast binder bolt? It’s an optional extra available to Holland Cycles customers: the Ritchey Break-Away design, which allows the frame to be disassembled and packed into a standard S&S travel case. It’s an ideal bike to travel overseas with, hovering around the sub-8kg mark, built with Shimano’s Dura-Ace Di2 group.
This model, built up by Tucson’s Fairwheel Bikes, is a hefty chunk of boutique machining, assembled with a full suite of KCNC components, such as stem, seat post, handlebar and top cap will be a contributing factor, of course, especially those spiderweb-like chainrings. A pair of Pacenti rims and Tune hubs fore and aft guarantee a smooth ride.
Special thanks to Danny Pagano for the photos.
PS: Another Fairwheel Bike is featured in the 2014 The Spoken Custom Bicycle Calendar, an angelic Cherubim. Order yours today to enjoy the best of The Spoken over the next year.
