Frame and fork fabricated by Waterford Precision Cycles in Waterford, Wisconsin! Vari-Wall THERMLX tubing with Henry James box top fork crown and Ritchey dropouts. Doesn't get more "MUSA" than this.
Frame:
Milwaukee Bicycle Co. Road (59cm) by Waterford
Fork/Headset:
Waterford / Milwaukee Bicycle Co.
Crankset/Bottom Bracket:
FSA Vero (172.5) (deanodized) / Velo-Orange (103mm)
Pedals:
Look Keo
Drivetrain/Cog/Chainring/Chain:
Sunrace (12-32) / FSA (48t/34t) / KMC X11SL Gold
Derailleurs/Shifters:
SRAM Rival 10
Saddle/Seatpost:
Selle Italia Flite Ti / Procraft (27.2mm)
Brakes:
Tektro R539 (+ Kool-Stop salmon pads)
Front Wheel/Hub/Tire:
Mavic CXP-22 / Formula / Challenge Strada Bianca (30c)
Rear Wheel/Hub/Tire:
Mavic CXP-22 / Formula / Challenge Strada Bianca (30c)
Accessories:
Diacompe fenders
More Info:
Getting close to permanent configuration with the current bar-stem combo. Add in a nicer seatpost with less setback and I'm not sure I would touch a single thing on this bike forever! That being said, this bike will be getting a respray and slight modification in 2025 (braze-on FD tab, third set of water bottle bosses on the downtube, front rack mounts, maybe even braze-ons for centerpull brakes) to transform into the dedicated randonneur it wants to be!
Bike History
Click a link below to see past stages of this bike.
Current Stage Info:
Stripped down to frame and fork and treated the insides of the tubes with WD-40.
Added by qwixoticle. Last updated 3 months ago.
24 Comments
I'm planning on getting one of these soon! were you able to order it with the fork crown painted like that or did you do it yourself?
Posted 7 months ago
Hey! I actually purchased this second hand, so not sure how the original owner managed the paint. I'm guessing that this was a custom order. Do you know who Ben's is using for building the frames now that Waterford has closed? I love this bike a lot - and I'm sure you will love yours, too!
Posted 7 months ago
I believe they've just been using what remaining stock they have for now. I called a while ago and they had just ran out of my size unfortunately, but I was told that they're currently looking for a US frame builder to continue production.
Posted 7 months ago
Aw man, very sorry to hear that! Are you still going to wait until they find a new builder? I would also recommend just trawling eBay and other places for a Gunnar or something like that. I had been looking for an All-City Mr. Pink (with a steel fork) for a long time before I found this, and I'm really glad that I did, because the build quality and steel on the MKE was much nicer. I can't really think of any other semi-custom framebuilders now that offer a simple frame/fork for under $2000. It's definitely a tough time to be into rim brake steel road bikes!
Posted 7 months ago
this is your best build yet. I'd like to see how it looks with a modern saddle and maybe some blingier wheels.
Posted 10 months ago
watch out for that front fender getting caught on a log or stone
Posted about 1 year ago
Love the bike...and the car! Looks like a customized '52 Mercury. Do the colors match between the bike and the car?
Posted over 1 year ago
This car is frequently parked on the street in Bedstuy along my training route, so I see it all the time. After I acquired this MKE, I knew I had to snap a picture. The shade are not quite an exact match (the MKE is a tad darker) but I do love the '50s seafoam color, regardless!
Posted over 1 year ago
Excited to see this built up!
Posted over 1 year ago
Predictably the sizing is weird... executing a preliminary build to see if it's going out the revolving door LOL
Posted over 1 year ago
Thanks man! All the parts are arriving by this weekend, so this is my airborne toxic event shut-in project!
Posted over 1 year ago
Photos
nightstalker says:
How is it using wd40 as a framesaver vs actual framesaver spray?
Posted 4 months ago
qwixoticle says:
Couldn't find framesaver over here in Germany. WD40 does roughly the same thing but just doesn't last as long. Will report back once I tear the bike down again this Fall and prep for Winter!
Posted 4 months ago