Bacchetta Bella frameset ordered

[UpWrong]

I'm very excited to have ordered a Bachetta Bella frameset which is now on its way. It'll be interesting to compare it with the Stratus XP. Bought the Bella because of its folding trick and because it's aluminium so I don't have to worry about rust if I run it without mudguards.

[UpWrong]

The frameset does not include a seat, fork or steering pivot. Bacchetta are out of stock of the first two of these. I have a RANS sling mesh seat which I hope to install, and a T-cycle Glideflex stem. I'm looking into getting a custom titanium fork fabricated. It's gonna be good

[UpWrong]

I had a query about the folding trick, so here's a photo:

That should be enough to get it in the car, and it takes 42 seconds!
https://bacchettabikes.com/blogs/news/b ... -recumbent
You could make it even shorter by swapping in a 20" rear wheel. The RD would then still be protected.

[UpWrong]

Just paid the import charges to UPS on the frameset. This is prior to delivery. Ouch. In truth only £10 more than I expected. Looks like I timed it all badly on the currency conversion. The dollar has weakened by around 2% since I paid BentUp Cycles.

[AM7]

Out of interest, can I ask how much the postage and import charges were?

[UpWrong]

Out of interest, can I ask how much the postage and import charges were?

Around £610. Shipping £330, import charges £280 approx.

[AM7]

Thanks. I was half considering maybe getting a CA3 frameset as they’re on sale at the moment. Not that I need another bike - I haven’t finished building my last ‘bent purchase yet!

[UpWrong]

Thanks. I was half considering maybe getting a CA3 frameset as they’re on sale at the moment. Not that I need another bike - I haven’t finished building my last ‘bent purchase yet!

Nice. I see the Bella frameset is sold out now.

BTW, I had to order via the BentUp cycles store to enter UK delivery address rather than the Bacchetta website store.

[UpWrong]

The frameset arrived today after a false alarm yesterday. UPS gave me an "out for delivery" notification for yesterday morning which became a "by the end of the day" notification. It didn't happen. I wasted a day staying in. But it came this morning.

Wow, I mean wow! I don't think I've ever seen such an impressive frame in terns of structural strength. Talk about a triangulated truss frame, this frame has it with bells on. This thing is not going to flex. The bottom bracket is at the juncture of 5 tubes. This is my 4th recumbent frameset. I've built up the Stratus XP, the Paseo and the P-38. They are all beautifully engineered in different ways, and this is another one. They are all so different, and yet all are beautiful works of art which deliver in their own way. Uprights are just boring in comparison.

[deejayen]

Sounds good!

I was always impressed with the quality of my Bacchetta Giro 26ATT, and have considered one of their LWB or CLWB bikes over the years. I can't believe how much the shipping and import costs are now, though! It doesn't seem too long ago that you could buy a complete frameset in the UK for not that much more!

[UpWrong]

Still no real progress. I think I have the P-38 in its final config so am starting to think about the Bella. Plans for the gearing are a Spa XD-2 triple with 160mm cranks and 26/36/46 rings, on my titanium BB if it's wide enough to allow the granny ring to function, Not sure what FD at the moment. I have some Shimano FD-R443s lying around, though I can never work out if they meant to work with MTB or Road shifters. The R in R443 suggests road but they seem to have more leverage than a Sora. The cassette will be a 9-speed Tifosi 11-34. Not the lightest but I like the unusual gear steps.The RD will be an SRAM X5 and the shifter probably an X-7 grip shift.

I'm undecided about wheels and brakes. I have front and rear 70mm drum braked wheels to install, but they are 36 spoke with 20mm riims so wondering about building/buying something lighter. The Bella will take a V-brake on the rear so I might pinch the Mavic Crossride from the Paseo. I could build a new front wheel using the Hope4 disc hub from the 349 wheel which was formerly in the P-38.