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Nick Legan’s Harvey Rapha Continental bike

  • By VeloNews.com
  • Published Jun. 20, 2011
  • Updated Jun. 22, 2011 at 2:05 PM EDT
  • All Rapha Continental bikes are steel and use SRAM Force parts, FSA cockpits, fi:zi'k saddles and Chris King headsets and hubs. Kevin Harvey of Harvey Cycle Works in Indianapolis, Indiana, built this beautiful filet-brazed, S&S-coupled bike for the occasion.
  • Kevin Harvey works for Andretti Autosport in the race car builders' shop as a machinist during the day and carefully constructs steel bicycle frames in his spare time. His skill meshes new tech and old world craftsmanship. www.harveycycleworks.com
  • The Rapha Continental is hard to define. But for me it's about pushing my limits while taking the time to cherish the world we ride through. Travel by bicycle is a unique way to see the world; quickly enough to cover ground without taking away the ability to experience nature. S&S couplers make the Harvey a perfect Continental bike.
  • fi:zi'k sent me a Rapha-edition saddle for the Continental. The pink accent matched the bike perfectly and was a great seat for the views we encountered.
  • SRAM provides Force groups to the Continental crew and most of us rode compact cranks for the long Colorado climbs. I also installed a K-Edge to keep my new frame protected from fallen chains.
  • When it comes to a custom bike, it's the details that often set it apart. For the first time I have my name painted on a frame.
  • Rapha make wonderful cycling clothing. They also produce some amazing photographs and short films that show the beauty of cycling. As lovers of the sport, I'm proud to have Rapha's logo on my top tube.
  • The wheels for my Rapha Continental Harvey were built by Sugar Wheel Works of Portland, Oregon. Pink Chris King hubs and DT Swiss rims are nothing to complain about. Not once did I have to touch these brand new wheels even after dirt roads and pot-holed roads. Michelin Optium tires are a personal favorite. (The rest of the Continental crew rode Continental Gator Skin tires with only one puncture after six days and hundred of miles)
  • To match the stainless S&S couplers, I bolted on Arundel Stainless cages. They look great and hold a bottle over the roughest terrain. I also used their Dual seat bag.
  • FSA sent a zero-setback SL-K seatpost. The adjustment was super simple and the finish is great. (Also note the flawless filet brazing at the seat tube junction. Makes me smile....)
  • I ran out of time to build the bike exactly as I wanted so to speed up the process I didn't install cable splitters to make the bike extra packable. They'll go on soon.
  • Keith Anderson painted the bike and even after some rough miles, the black, champagne and pink finish looks amazing. Anderson's work was also on the 2010 NAHBS Best in Show bike of Mark Dinucci. www.keithandersoncycles.com
  • Chris King has sponsored the Rapha Continental from the beginning. The company's reputation in the industry is well known and the parts on the Harvey performed flawlessly. Very elegant dropouts are from Keith Anderson and feature stainless steel inserts. The 11x28 SRAM cassette came in handy.
  • Keith Anderson also painted the Enve fork to match. Shimano skewers aren't technically sponsor-correct, but they are my favorite.
  • From the frame brazing, to the paint, to the parts spec, my Harvey Continental bike was absolutely perfect for the Colorado ride. (There are no decals on the bike, even the head tube logo is painted).
  • It's easy to overdo color accents, but the Cateye Strada Wireless matched the FSA accent perfectly. (note the upside down stem face plate; I was in a rush to build the bike. Sorry FSA)

Fresh (or stale?) off his Dirty Kanza 200 adventure, VeloNews tech editor Nick Legan returned to Colorado for a week-long tour through some of the state’s most beautiful roads as a temporary member of the Rapha Continental team. For this effort, Nick used a brand new custom Harvey Cycle Works road bike, painted and accessorized to match the Rapha team’s chromatic sensibilities. Nick, of course, outfitted the bike to suit his tastes and the planned rides.

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