I have built and repaired hundreds of bikes for use on the “roads” of St Thomas & St John in the US Virgin Islands. During that time I’ve developed an understanding of which bikes work and which won’t on our varied road surfaces, elevation changes and weather conditions.
Many customers to my shop ask for a bike that is relatively light weight and fast rolling on tarmac but with wheels and tires that can handle the occasional pothole. Strong powerful brakes are also high on their priority list as well as gears low enough to handle climbing some really long steep hills. A good bike for the islands should be corrosion resistant to protect from the salty sea breeze. Stylish lines are also a good choice while cruising the waterfront or when on a daily group ride. Who doesn’t want to look good? For these reasons my choice of frame material is aluminum alloy. It is light weight, corrosion resistant and many alloy frames are hydro formed in a sleek aero style. Taking all this into consideration, I decided to build a St Thomas Island “gravel bike” to fulfill a much needed niche in the bicycle market.
Starting with a frame made from 6061 alloy in road/cx geometry with a full carbon fiber fork, I built up a set of bulletproof Shimano Deore hubs onto 28mm alloy rims with 36 stainless steel spokes and nickel plated brass nipples. In the past I’ve used this wheel recipe for continent wide touring rides with no issues. These are very tough wheels that can handle rough roads and heavy riders.
Wrapping the wheels in a pair of Kenda Kwest tires in 700x40mm ensures a fast rolling yet supple ride even on loose gravel and uneven surfaces. For brakes I chose the excellent Juin Tech hydraulic/cable actuated disc calipers. These brakes have the simplicity of cable brakes with the stoping power and “feel” of hydraulics.
The drive train is the strong Microshift Advent system with an 11-42 cassette and heavy duty long cage derailleur. Coupled to a Shimano SLX crankset and 38 tooth narrow/wide chainring, this bike has ample gearing to tackle even the steepest of island hills.
To keep a streamlined appearance I opted for internal full cable routing. The handlebars are Cannondale C3 in 44cm and the saddle is a Specialized Romin Expert with titanium rails. As a bonus, this frameset has bosses for up to four (4) water bottle cages plus attachments on the fork and seat stays for touring racks or anything bags so it can double as a bike packing rig if you are feeling adventurous.
The whole package weighs in at just under 25 pounds including pedals which is respectable for a bicycle of this strength and caliber.
Completed price on island $1,899.00 in customer’s choice of size, colors, saddle and pedals.
It usually takes about a ten day lead time for custom parts to arrive and for the bike to be assembled, tuned and lubed. All in house wheel building is guaranteed for the first two years with complimentary truing and lubrications.
If you are looking for a “forever” bike that fulfills your need for exercise, commuting or recreation at a very reasonable price, look no further.
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St Thomas Bikesmith
(340) 626-3301
websupport@deserthawk.com