Custom Independent Fabrication Belt Drive Rohloff Commuter

Custom Independent Fabrication commuter frame built using a blend of road and mountain geometry.

This titanium Independent Fabrication frame was custom-built for a customer looking for his dream commuter bike. He wanted a good looking bike that he could use to comfortably explore the East Coast bike paths and city streets near his home. Above all, he wanted his custom ride to be reliable, so he could jump on the bike any time and not have to worry whether it would shift properly or need any adjustments.

Because our customer was looking for an elegant, handcrafted titanium bike, we recommended New England based frame builder Independent Fabrication. They specialize in custom frames, so we worked out a design with them that uses a mix of mountain bike and road bike geometry for a fast, fun, and comfortable commuter.  After we nailed down the geometry, Independent Fabrication built up the frame with a belt drive splitter, Rohloff cable guides, low mount disc dropouts, and an eccentric bottom bracket to tighten the belt, then finished it with a shot-peened treatment.

The frame was custom-made with a belt drive splitter.

For a durable wheelset with colors that really pop, we anodized Velocity Dyad rims to match the red Rohloff SPEEDHUB and a Schmidt SON generator hub. The robust Dyad rims are intended for uses ranging from commuting to loaded touring, so we chose them to ensure the wheels would roll reliably for years to come. Sapim Laser spokes and brass nipples finish off the package.

The Rohloff/Gates Carbon Drive belt drivetrain is very well suited for commuting. The design of the belt drive system makes it harder to get your pant leg caught in the drivetrain and it requires no oil or lubrication, so it won’t get your pant leg dirty. The SPEEDHUB provides the full range of gears you’d need for riding around the city, and provides the advantage of being able to switch gears without pedaling. For example, you can stop at a traffic light in a high gear, and then switch to a lower gear to make it easier to accelerate when the light changes.

Above all, the SPEEDHUB offers day in, day out reliability without having to maintain the components other than an annual oil change. With the amount of daily miles that commuters put on their bikes, they need to not have to worry about whether their bike will get them across town when they are rushing to get to work or school. 

On the front end of the bike, the Schmidt generator hub ensures you have lighting whenever you need it; you don’t have to remember to bring your light, recharge it, or buy new batteries.

The Schmidt SON generator hub is easy to set up and use.

To ensure the bike was set up comfortably, we used Selle Anatomica’s Titanico leather saddle, Ergon’s GP1 ergonomic palm rest grips, and Salsa’s Bend 2 handlebars, which offer plenty of backsweep. Before we installed the handlebars, we sent them and the seat post collar off to an anodizer to get them colored to match the bright red shade of the wheels.

The bike came together beautifully, and we were happy to fulfill the customer’s desire for a stunning, good looking bike. If you’re looking for a custom bike or wheelset to live up to the demands of daily commuting, contact us to help you put together your dream setup.

Build Details:

• Frame: Independent Fabrication custom titanium
• Fork: Independent Fabrication steel
• Headset: Chris King NoThreadset
• Stem: IRD Satin
• Handlebar: Salsa Bend 2 custom red anodized
• Shifter: Rohloff
• Grips: Ergon GP1
• Seatpost: Kalloy Uno
• Saddle: Selle Anatomica Titanico
• Seat Clamp: Independent Fabrication
• Front Hub:  Schmidt Son 28 generator
• Rear hub: Rohloff SPEEDHUB 500/14
• Spokes: Sapim
• Nipples: Sapim
• Rims: Velocity Dyad
• Tires: Schwalbe Fat Frank
• Cranks: FSA Giomondi Track
• Pedals: MKS RMX Sneaker
• Bottom Bracket: Shimano square taper
• Chainring: Gates Carbon Drive Center Track
• Rear Sprocket: Gates Carbon Drive Center Track
• Chain: Gates Carbon belt drive
• Brakes & Levers: Magura MT2
• Rotors: Magura Storm
• Extra: Schmidt Edelux front light