State 4130 All-Road Gravel Bike – Custom Build

Last year, I decided that I wanted to buy a modern gravel bike to see what all the hype was about: one-by drivetrains, tubeless tires, carbon wheels, disc brakes.   After extensive research, the State Bicycle Co.’s 4130 All-Road caught my eye.  I was attracted to the cool semi-raw phosphate finish, having experimented with different unpainted metal finishes in the past.  I was also impressed with the clearance it has for super-wide tires, bigger than any other stock gravel bike at the time.  That’s a feature that’s increasingly come into style over the past twelve months, and which proves that the folks at State know what they’re doing.  Originally, my plan was to buy just a frameset and build it entirely custom.  The price for a complete 4130 All-Road was so low, I decided to get one stock and customize it by replacing parts over time.  Read on for details on my custom build and more photos!

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C.N.C. Special Randonneur

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Cycles C.N.C. is a fairly obscure French brand that hand made exquisite custom bicycles for over fifty years, starting in the 1930’s.  This particular example is one of their finest,  with an all-Reynolds 531 frame and crisp lug work.  I restored it over the holiday season, taking my time to get all of the little details correct.  Read on for more information and history on this gorgeous bike! Continue reading