A Race Bike That Ignores the Rules

There is something undeniably charming about a "modern race bike" that completely ignores the last decade of industry standards. Ron’s Bikes just opened the pre-order for the AluMax II, and on paper, it makes almost no sense: quick-release skewers, rim brakes, and a threaded bottom bracket. But then you see it’s welded by the legendary Frank the Welder in Vermont out of high-end Italian aluminum, and suddenly, the logic clicks. It’s not retro-grouchery; it’s a specific flavor of performance art.

The headline update for this second iteration is the shift from center-pull brakes to cantilever/V-brake studs. This tweak pushes tire clearance to a massive 700x55mm, which is practically unheard of for a rim-brake frame. It feels like a bike designed for a rider who wants the snap of aluminum and the simplicity of cables, but with enough rubber to handle actual New England underbiking. It’s a fast bike that refuses to take itself too seriously.

The Specs That Matter

• Clearance: 700x55mm. This is the killer feature. finding a rim brake frame that swallows a 2.1" tire is rare, and it changes the terrain this bike can handle.
• Fabrication: Frank the Welder. It’s not just a generic alloy frame; it’s built by one of the most respected hands in American cycling history using Dedacciai 7005 Aluminum.
• Brakes: Cantilever or V-Brake. No hydraulics here. This allows for easier roadside maintenance and that specific, snappy lever feel you only get from a well-setup cable brake.

ALUMAX II PRE ORDER

I had my chat bot friend make this rendering of what it would look like with bigger tires and some sort of canti brake?. Hope to have my actual sample built up by late January. Updates from Alumax 1 would be the cantilever brakes instead of the direct mount center pulls, allowing for much more tire clearance (700x55)

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