Arctostaphylos de Acero
Steelman Manzanita (SS)
Another steel single speed mountain bike. This is eventually going to be the Voodoo replacement. I’m just trying to decide if I should use a period-correct CNC aluminum crankset, or a more modern carbon fiber one. The frame was originally built for 26" wheels, but I had it modified by Paul at Rock Lobster for my preferred wheel size of 27.5", or what we had called 650B back in the day. This Steelman build straddles the new-school / old-school divide. It took me about 2 years to decide on the paint color. 2 years on, I’m still undecided.
I had a nearly perfect White Industries ENO crankset with the matching titanium bottom bracket. Square tapered and all. But when I got the frame back after paint, the build started heading in a new direction. A couple new parts mixed in with the old and the picture above is how it sits today. I don’t know when I’ll ever finish this thing. But I love seeing it up in the rafters. Once in a while I’ll pull it down and admire the frame, the paint or the parts. I bet it’ll ride super nice, and I’m a bit disappointed that it’s just for decoration now.
Manzanita branches are popular as decoration, due to their unique shape, color, and strength when dried. Florists sometimes use them as centerpieces at wedding receptions and other events, often adding hanging votive candles, beaded gems and small flowers to them.
This might be one of the last frames out of Brent Steelman’s shop in Redwood City. A veteran framebuilder from the earliest days, Brent’s touch with the torch is unmatched by most. He was one of the premier custom builders who did road and mountain bikes equally well. The Manzanita was a standard mountain bike, but this one has custom made Paul’s sliding dropouts. They look like the standard track-ends, but the left side has a CNC’d insert to hold a disc brake. That makes the 650b conversion a no-brainer. I had the Paul’s hubs rebuilt with 27.5" rims and found some NOS Pacenti tires. Kirk was the guy who brought back 650b size to the mountain bike world. His work with Panaracer to make tires to fit his rims was a long and arduous journey. He doesn’t get nearly enough credit for it. A lot of us in the bike industry don’t.
Bike shouldn’t just be decoration. Bikes should be ridden. But this Steelman is the closest thing I’ve got to a “NAHBS build” in my collection. It is really is art.
