Spalding: David Harmon's Alfie Webb Fixed
Even a Eurosport commentator can't resist the lure of fixed...
Posted: 13 February 2008
by David Harmon
A couple of photos of my Alfie Webb. For those who have never heard of Alf, he is one of life's great characters, an ex-policeman with an ever present smile who now teaches bike mechanics in the flatlands of Lincolnshire.
Known as 'Spalding', it was built by me from new using one of Alf's own-brand all-aluminium 21" compact road frames. I opted for the shallower rake aluminium fork rather than Alf's own quick steering carbon fork as this is a year-round road-going bike. The two are held together by a 1 1/8" Cane Creek headset.
Big thanks to Easton and Brooks who respectively provided the carbon EC70 seatpost with a useful layback and classic B17 Narrow saddle, helping accommodate my bad back. Handlebars are Zoom alloy 44mm constant radius bend on a 130mm ITM Spyder stem. Originally I built Spalding with a Alf Webb alloy seatpost and Selle Italia saddle but the replacement combination just sits me back a little more comfortably.
Stopping comes courtesy of Ambrosio dual pivot calipers and Sun Race levers should they be required in addition to leg pressure.
I built the wheels up on high flange 32 hole Ambrosio hubs using double butted Sapim spokes crossing 3 times onto Mavic Open Sport rims, which give a little extra comfort. Tyres are excellent and cheap Schwalbe Blizzard Sports.
Someone had given me an unwanted but really rather lovely old 170mm Shimano 600 double crankset a year before I started building Spalding and, with shorter chainring bolts it's made a super 42 single set that drives a KMO Narrow chain onto a Miche 17 tooth sprocket. That gives gearing a shade under 66 inches, which, believe me, around here in Shropshire, is more than enough....
Ride safe
David
Discuss this story
Yeah, top guy is Alfie Webb and very knowledgeable on all things cycling, engineering & training and an influential cycling guru for me!! I completed one of his courses, including wheel building and listened with great interest on his stories and theories of frame building, which I would have loved to have experimented with, if I didn't have to work for a living!!! Nice to see one of his bikes on the forum.
Posted: 15/02/2008 16:45
I wish I was flexible! I think it's got more to do with the foreshortening of the image by the camera lens. It's actually set up exactly the same as my Museeuw road bike.
Posted: 16/02/2008 00:29
Ho Ho Geoff, As ever see what you wish to..which clearly isn't perspective.
Posted: 23/10/2008 20:37
David, You should learn that when displaying your beloved bikes on the forum or site that we all take the micky out of the surrounding area as well as looking and studying the bike. On your wages, get a decent gardner to get rid of the old weeds and the blue string on the old rickety gates. What would Sean say if saw that..... Nice bike though. As you say its the way the bike is photographed and the stem is raised as well.
Posted: 24/10/2008 10:34
hi there DH,,as a old sog, with many years of riding 59 fixed in winter and 74 fixed in summer,, ), i admire your choice of bike, but it does look a mighty bit small,, i see its not a low profile, so its a nice compact frame, but for riding around your beloved welsh/england borders, is that position really necessary, i fink not.. and are you putting mudguards on or just riding it when the sun shines,,i missed your ES worlds rr stuff.. was attending the funeral of mi mate of 52 years Stu Holdsworth, ie dave rayner fund sec,,,,,bon courage.
Posted: 24/10/2008 11:27
I was very sad to hear of Stuart's death, I'm sure much more will be said in a couple of weeks time at the Rayner dinner. Brian Rourke is building me a new fixed this winter, which will be nice! No mudguard eyelets on Spalding and to be honest I'm not a great fan of 'race blade' type mudguards, Rourkie's one will have though. Like i said before if you look at th piccy it's th perspective that makes the position look odd. The back wheel looks much bigger than the front, clearly it's not, it's not a radical position at all to be honest, just the way the shot's taken. Coming to the Rayner?
Posted: 26/10/2008 11:53
I will of course be free to escort you, David. I charge by the hour, but as you are a celeb I may find it in my heart to give you discounted rates... 
Posted: 26/10/2008 13:27
ha! a male excort....hmm don't think so somehow...
Posted: 27/10/2008 08:11
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