and then....a Black Cat crossed my path

Several years ago, I became interested in the custom frame market and started watching the various blogs and lurking the websites of various custom frame fabricators of the likes of Jeff Jones, Waltworks, Vulture Cycles, and others.

Todd Ingermanson (Black Cat Cycles) came to town recently for the Shimano NAHBS 2010 in Richmond.

I’ve also been a long time admirer of his frames since his web presence surfaced about 3 years ago...
What particularly caught my attention was his revolutionary design of the swinging dropout for single-speed use. His other “standard” of design was the use of short chainstays (16.5” to 17.3”) via a radiused bent seat tube.


On display he had 3 mountain 29er frames including one 29er bike. While we discussed his approach to bike design and building custom frames, he mentioned that one was for sale.



Long story short……
He proposed a price for this custom design, brazed steel frame, which happened to be exactly the right fit….I couldn’t pass up this opportunity.


























You may have noticed by now that I have a thing for green bike frames.

Frame is a mix of True –Temper, Columbus tubing and some other tubing type that I can't spell.
The workmanship of this frame is beautifully executed….now, on to the build…….


http://www.blackcatbicycles.com/