Bike Jerks: The Most Custom 29er You Have Ever Seen

Today (I'm writing this after midnight) I stopped by Peacock Groove to borrow some tools (if there's one thing Erik is good for, it's a favor. He never turns down a bro in a jam), and had the opportunity to snap some pics of his workshop and my buddy Ezra's 29er. This is the most custom and raddest 29er you have ever seen. The bike is way low slung (the way the customer wanted) and very very light. There's way too much going on with it to explain it all in this first paragraph so I'll get to that as I drop the photos.

What I really like about this bike, is that if you know Erik or watched the video you know that Erik is completely off his tits. He's a little ball of hell and builds some of the raddest bikes you'll ever lay eyes on. He's also always talking about how underrated he is and how little credit he receives (both are completely true, but to hear him tell it you'd think his workshop would be equipped with a cross that he could climb up on whenever he's feeling under apppreciated. Make no mistake though, I love that guy and am happy to know him and call him a friend, he's a true bro with a huge heart, and if you ever have the opportunity at NAHBS I suggest you take the time to meet him. It'll be memorable if nothing else. Dude's a classic character.)

One of the things Erik talks about when speaking about his craft is the word "custom." This word takes on many meanings in the realm of handmade frames, to the majority of frame builders out there it means "made to measure." You go to a builder, he does a fitting, and builds a bike in his style to suit your physiology. (example: you're not going to go to Richard Sachs and ask for a welded mountain bike, you're not going to go to Jeff Jones and ask for a lugged steel roadie) Then there are the builders like Peacock Groove. To Erik custom means you can walk in off the street pitch him a bunch of crazy ideas and he'll build it. Whatever you want, that's what a Groove is. It's not lugs, it's not TIG, it's not fillet, it's whatever the customer dreams up.

*charming as ever*

Erik claims (often) to be one of the most innovative frame builders working today, and bikes like you are about to see show why he can say that while looking you dead in the eye. This thing is a masterpiece, and definitely the most ambitious custom bike I've ever layed eyes on. Try naming another builder working today who pulls stuff like this off. (your mom rides a Vanilla) Every single piece on this bike is custom.

Before we get to the bike though let me tell you a little about the owner. It belongs to Ezra Taylor. Ezra's a monster on any bike. In cross he races the B's and wins, then turns around and races the A's and places top 5 all on his singlespeed. I don't want to spend too much time going down on EZ (his confidence and swagger already match his skillz), but you should know that the quirks to this bike are because it's precisely the way the customer wanted it. In case you were wondering the bike is all rusty because EZ wanted to race it at Chequamegon and didn't want to wait for the gold plating to be finished. Yeah that's right, if you thought his copper bike was hot, wait till you see this bitch in straight up gold.

Because this bike is not yet plated I have neglected to post a whole bike shot, choosing instead to focus on the custom details. Once it's done though I'll post it up real nice for sure.

notice the tubing shape, notice the stem, the forward facing seat collar (EZ's preference to keep muck out), where's that hydro hose going?

custom stem, which mates to a Salsa Cromoto front cap

custom headset stack spacer

front hose entrance and beautiful crown

front hose exit

hose entrance

exit of hydro hose on top tube

I don't care who you are or what you ride, that hose routing is freaking ridiculous

seat tube cutout

Integrated Campagnolo Ultra Torque bottom bracket. I know it's hard to see because of the mud, but there are no BB cups. You just pop the bearings onto the arms and ride. Erik had "cups" machined out of steel that match the Campy spec, then attached (brazed?) them onto the bike's bottom bracket shell. Ezra's PG cross bike also has this feature.

*edit, the BB shell and cups are all one machined piece, not brazed on as I speculated

Peacock Groove signature dropout (filed down to save some weight)

Think about it, almost every single piece of that bike is unique and custom in some way. It's crazy ambitious, and he pulled it off beautifully. One of the great things about having a custom bike built for you is the ability to say "there's not another one like it" this bike takes that sentiment to the next level.