Moots bicycles are not super popular in Santa Barbara. I expect this is because, even though these things have a significant dollar value attached to them, many Santa Barbarians would rather stick to the bigger name brands. When most people of my economic status think of this bike, I think of a Fred who forks out a huge wad of cabbage for something he really doesn’t need. He would then get kitted out in his finest spandex emblazoned with the latest team to achieve a victory in the most recent big race (Omega Pharma Quick Step from Paris-Roubaix). Setting out to do a hard 20 miles of flat, sun-drenched coastline ride, he makes sure to choose a good route where he is sure to attract the attention of other Freds and hopefully, the Lycra Mafia with his expensive steed and brilliant team (which has no idea who he is) colors. But this is not the case with Stephen. Stephen is from Portland, Oregon. Portland, or PDX if you’re cool, is where riders are made of tougher stuff than us California folk. Most of us tend to be fair-weather riders only. It rains nine months out of the year in Portland. The weather sucks yet it is home to a huge cycling culture. Even Chris King, who used to have his workshop right below our little bike shop here in SB, moved there and now employs something like 80 people. People in Portland tend to know their bikes…well.
The bike that Stephen rides is a Moots Vamoots CR. For those of you who don’t know, Moots is all about handmade titanium frames. This being the first time (right?) that I have seen a Campagnolo Super Record 11 gruppo on a bike, I grabbed my camera so fast I almost broke the lens from the sheer G-forces I placed on it moving it up to my eye. This bike is pretty cool, and you can tell Stephen rides the shit out of this thing. It is not sparkling clean. It is a well-used and well-cared-for bicycle. That makes it all the more awesome. Please check out the gallery below for some rad closeups of this fine conveyance.
Hi TB, The post mentions a gallery but I didn’t find a link. A CR is for sale in my area and I’m gathering information on the model. Thanks
Hi Tom. Sorry. I guess I missed that one! I don’t have that many shots but I placed them at the bottom of the post. Hope you like them.
One day, one fine day I’ll be lucky enough to have a titanium bike. Until then it’ll remain an unobtainium dream.
holy smokes titanium and campy record!?!?! thats one heck of a ride, id take that any day over a run of the mill trek or specialized
So true. Although you can get that group on any road bike, riding titanium is a whole different experience.