U.S. Built Custom Bicycles in Titanium and Titanium-Carbon Mix
By Matt Pacocha, US editor, in Madison, WI
When Seven Cycles put Maureen Bruno-Roy (MM racing) on their new prototype carbon fiber and titanium cyclo-cross bike, the top tube said �Mohoney� � a play on the name of their Mudhoney 'cross line. The Mohoney has since turned into the Mudhoney Pro, which will be a production bike in 2012.
The new bike, which was released as a prototype in October, incorporates additional carbon tubes into its design, when compared to the Mudhoney SLX bikes that Bruno-Roy has ridden for the past four seasons � not just the same model mind you, but the same exact frames.
While the SLX has carbon top and seat tubes, the Pro trades out its titanium seatstays, head and down tubes for carbon as well, in an effort to lighten the frame and further dampen the vibrations that reach the rider, while retaining the terrain hugging suppleness and feel of titanium.
The mudhoney pro uses a carbon head tube that�s wrapped in titanium, mo's is just 90mm tall: the mudhoney pro uses a carbon head tube that�s wrapped in titanium, mo's is just 90mm tall
The Mudhoney Pro uses a carbon head tube that�s wrapped in titanium; Mo's measures just 90mm
Bruno-Roy�s Mohoney race rig was the first �cross bike Seven assembled with carbon rear stays, which are an adaptation from the company's Elium SLX and 622SLX road bikes. �This rear triangle was completely novel for them, in terms of �cross,� Matt Roy, Bruno-Roy�s husband, team manager and mechanic, told BikeRadar. "So this was the first one and it became the basis for the new Mudhoney Pro.�
Rob Vandermark, Seven's founder, laser-cut all of the titanium lugs for the Mohoney frame by hand. On the SLX these lugs are structural but on the Mudhoney they're there purely for aesthetic reasons, as the carbon tubes are mitered and bonded to each other. The new bike is roughly 1lb lighter than Bruno-Roy�s SLX rigs. �I don�t think they expected it to be that much lighter," said Roy.
Bruno-Roy�s Mudhoney Pro gets the SRAM treatment, in terms of groupset and accompanying kit � Red with a compact crank and 44-tooth Thorne Components outer ring, and Zipp�s Service Course alloy cockpit. The handlebar is Zipp�s new Service Course CSL, which is made especially for smaller handed riders and has a �super-short reach� and two-degree outward bend in the drops.
A compact gxp crank with 34-tooth sram inner ring and 44-tooth thorne outer ring: a compact gxp crank with 34-tooth sram inner ring and 44-tooth thorne outer ring Mo uses a 44-tooth outer ring. Since SRAM only make a 46t ring, she opts for one from Stu Thorne's Thorne Products. Also note the 'late model' Shimano PD-M970 pedals, which remain more popular on the cyclo-cross circuit than the M980 model due to their better mud performance Deviations from the SRAM brand come in the form of Bruno-Roy�s TRP EuroX Mag brakes and Mavic wheel choices. She has both Cosmic Carbone Ultimate and R-SYS SL tubular models. The former are mostly used with Challenge Grifos (with both standard Challenge and FMB casings), whereas the R-SYS are set for mud with Challenge Limus and FMB Super Mud tires. Roy takes a meticulous approach to the upkeep of his wife�s bikes and it shows through in the finished product. When we saw the bike the day before the USA Cycling cyclo-cross nationals in Madison, Wisconsin it sparkled and gleamed, with touches like fully sealed and shrink wrapped cables, custom stickers on the Fi�zi:k TK saddle and an expertly taped handlebar.
Maureen Bruno-Roy�s Seven Mudhoney Pro prototype
Bruno-Roy sticks with TRP�s old-school EuroX Mag wide-profile brake
Bruno-Roy�s Mudhoney Pro carried her to a top 10 finish at the 2012 USA Cycling national championships
SwissStop Yellow King pads for the TRP EuroX brakes
A compact GXP crank with 34-tooth SRAM inner ring and 44-tooth Thorne outer ring
Shimano�s stalwart XTR M970 pedal
Fi�zi:k�s Arione Donna women�s saddle
Matt Roy hand placed the Fi�zi:k logos
The Mudhoney Pro uses a carbon head tube that�s wrapped in titanium. Mo's is just 90mm tall
The Mudhoney Pro also employs a carbon down tube...
... and a carbon seat tube
The mixed carbon-Ti seatstays
The Ti sheaths extend so to hold the brake bosses
Mo�s bike
Inspiration from the mechanic - that�s an alien with a ray gun
The steel caged SRAM Red front derailleur
Seven�s carbon CX fork
Roy uses Aquaseal on the sidewalls of Challenge�s Grifo
The Mohoney turned into the Mudhoney Pro
An expert tape job with a custom finish
Zipp�s Service Course cockpit
The Service Course CSL bar has a compact bend with a super-short reach
The Red GXP ceramic bottom bracket
Roy finds that clamp-style front derailleurs are stiffer and shift better; Seven use a set of shims to more evenly distribute the clamping load on the carbon seat tube
Mechanic Matt Roy running us through Mo�s bike
Custom sealed cables
Roy uses shrink tubing found at electronics stores to seal the cable system
He even seals the cable as it exits to the rear derailleur anchor bolt
More custom sealing
Seals on the front derailleur; Roy also uses the shrink wrap as a cable end cap