Gives the front end more lateral stiffness.
The bike will track better at high speed. It allows you to use a taper fork with a larger dia steerer tube at the point that matters most. It’s one of the new marketing trends that IMO makes bikes handle better…
It’s a feature that I’d consider In a new bike for sure. If you don’t have a taste for pushing it around corners then you could forgo a taper headset, me personally no way.
spacers under the stem of a custom built frame
maybe this one was done on a friday afternoon
Maybe the owner hopes that flexibility will improve after a program of riding, stretching and yoga.
Or maybe it’s because that plan to install one of these once they get the bike home but didn’t want to tell Darren.
Or maybe they are just another tool with a Baum and don’t want to look like a Hubbard with a 3 ft headtube.
Or maybe Darren has very specific views on headtube length on bikes that aren’t a Burke or Wills.
You’re perfect Alex, so you choose the correct answer. :o
if i had just unloaded many thousands of dollars on a custom frame that i had to wait 6 months for i would want it to have a correct length head tube! it just makes no sense to me. i would demand perfection given the amount of money these things cost.
i am sure the owner has a perfectly valid reason for it though…
Now your just being silly and a pedant (+ raining on somebody else’s parade).
Spacers are lighter than an “extra long headtube”. It also means there’s a little wiggle room depending on how accurate the fit or dimensions given to the builder are (if they’re not done by the builder). It also means that as the rider age’s or if their perhaps off the bike and not as lean/lost some core strength etc they won’t be uncomfortable. Considering the cost/investment it can also mean that they won’t need a new frame as they age, lose flexibility etc or need a riser stem.
- if the owner ever sells the frameset (may not be likely) it won’t be limited to somebody with the extact same dimensions.
Lastly, it leaves a little more room for the possibility that headsets, stems, handlebars change or go to a different standard.
A little wiggle room is not only highly desired imo, I’d think it silly not to have a spacer or two and I think it looks better with them than without.
Nice one Alex … larfin boy’s getting a new frame and something special and all you can do is tut-tut about stems spacers. Often your funny, many times your acerbic and on point but on this one you’re sounding like a dick.
thanks for the essay, but huge dollar custom frame with a stack of spacers is retarded (as is pink rapha newspaper on a frame, but that’s another story altogether)
i am sure larfin boy’s bike will fit him without spacers
as for raining on someone else’s parade, go and police SK’s parlee post if you are that bored. someone’s put a deposit on a bike build, we know nothing about it, the future owner doesnt know what he is going to do yet. 3 pages of high fives and discussion about the pros and cons of a custom frame… i commented on a pic of a custom frame with a ‘compromise’ feature reserved for off the shelf bikes, not something you should expect on your $$$$ perfect custom frame… not sure what the problem is.
Hey, Cav rides with a spacer under his stem when he’s climbing, slammed otherwise.
Anyway, its a custom frame, these kinds of details could just as easily be blamed on the owner
Also, the pink gazzetta newspaper bike made me want to puke, ha
I don’t care if it weighs more than 6.5kgs.
I don’t care if it has spacers.
I don’t care if it’s steel and not titanium.
What I do care is that I can ride 100-200kms on it and can walk when I’m done.
My wrists/elbows/knees don’t hurt and I smile every time I look at it.
And when I don’t smile quite as much, I can take it back to Baum in 5/10/15 years and have
it refinished in a new colourway that will make me smile again because it will feel like a new bike.
These are some of the reasons I have chosen to buy a Baum.
I could have bought a Ken or a Bundy, Kumo or Gellie - but I didn’t.
There will always be ‘other bikes’ and something nicer in another bike that what I have might happen.
My current roadie is 11 years old. There is nothing wrong with it. I have ridden it consistently, barring two shoulder reconstructions and incident involving smashing my knee, for that time.
This bike replaced a steel framed Elan with D/T shifters which I owned for 12 years, which replaced an Italian steel framed bike that was stolen.
I don’t change my roadie every second model year, or worry that it’s not cool enough to roll with the dentists & lawyers.
My road bike is my go to bike. I don’t mess with it, I just ride it. I can get organised and ride with mates or get the shits and ride by myself. And it doesn’t matter, 25kms, 50kms or 100kms - I’m on my bike and zero fucks are given.
A bike that makes you smile every time you look at it is some thing every so called cyclist should own 
makes you smile and makes you want to actually ride it
larfin boy has the right idea
lotsa respect and very happy for you, sir 
Surprised you didn’t mention the more obvious flaw of the adjustable seat post. Surely a “custom” frame would have the saddle welded directly to the extended seat tube/frame, no? No need for fore aft either?
I’ll repeat what I wrote earlier …
Fuck the hate, ride the bike
So much passion and the bike is only in the deposit/planing stage… Can’t say I’m a stranger to such carry on…
I’m stoked for you bro and if you wana put spacers under the stem… Why the fuck not. I’m not a fan of long head tubes unless its a big bike. And you can like my parlee has use a tall cone headset cap to grab 15-20mm of spacer that no one will notice.
Having a truly special bike is awesome. It’s the thing that makes you get up to meet Alex bird in the middle of winter ( didn’t get above 1 degree the whole ride ) in a city you don’t know and ride mt P in total darkness, which was awesome fun
Hater will hate but you’ll have a Baum so they can kiss your ass
Really happy for you, a baum would be at the top of my dream list.
A few things:
-it will end up with spacers, and there is nothing wrong with that. Whats the point of having a non adjustable cockpit thats justs dumb. Bodies change and as mentioned you need to make allowances for that.
-paint. This is a biggie. In my opinion baums older schemes are a lot more refined and understated than the current ‘ford racing car’ style. Too loud and obvious for my taste. Do they still offer the classic schemes?
Look forward to following the build!
Paint is one of those things that’s just so personal.
Zltn with his tweed stylin’. Polly with his Icarus. Marty with the whole Geekhouse/Cuppow thang.
But this is FoA and I will be crucified if I cock it up.
The hot tip is there won’t be any purple or vikings. There are other projects for that shit.
Can you say 90s purple ano and zebra paint… whoops, I’ve said too much.
Tis a journey. Plan to bore you all with photos later…
Need those damn scales.
You’ve gotten me confused with Simon Blight.
This thread should be locked for multiple use of “colourway”.
Yes they do and this is pretty much what you get as ‘standard’ paint. The GTA, GTB & GTR paint schemes are all extra.