Cutlass Velo: Pursuit of Perfection

The bike industry is a fascinating place - a deeply interconnected web of true enthusiasts ranging from racing and touring to collecting, building, and everything in between. To get to know someone who has deep experience in all of those sectors, produces exquisite work, and is genuinely easy to get along with? That is a true rarity. Enter stage right: Tommy of Cutlass Velo.

I don't exactly remember when I first met him. It was either at the Philly Bike Expo back when it was still at the Armory, through Chris Bishop, or somewhere else entirely - but I feel like we immediately hit it off. We could riff about the absurdity of the industry, what riders truly need, and life's intricacies, but what really bonded us was his utter devotion to the craft. Over the years, I've been lucky enough to follow him through three different workshop spaces, watching him truly grow into his own.

Take his wheel builds, for example. Finding a genuinely good wheelbuilder nowadays is worth its weight in gold. Tommy’s wheels are built to stand - and in wheelbuilding speak, that means they stay dead true. Lacing and truing isn't just a mechanical process; a proper wheel needs to breathe and remain confident under all sorts of loads. It takes years to develop that kind of tuned ear and hand, and Tommy has it down to a science.

You've probably also seen his handlebar tape jobs on Instagram. They are so incredibly crisp, perfectly spaced, and labor-intensive. It’s pure poetry.

But that obsessive attention to the tiniest details isn't just for aesthetics or convenience; it’s a matter of safety. Tommy works on a lot of high-end carbon bikes, as well as modern steel frames paired with carbon forks. He consistently spots the tiniest, cattywampus issues coming from other shops or straight out of the factory - hidden flaws that could lead to premature wear or, even worse, carbon delamination and catastrophic failure. He catches them before they leave his stand. That matters.

When he told me he was riding Grinduro this year, we knew we had to get him on a Chessie frameset. He needed something that could clear massive tires, be happily thrown around, and remain intuitive enough to just hop on and go.

Let me tell you, his finished build is absolutely stunning. I was stoked to take some pristine, fresh-out-of-the-stand photos, but I'll be honest... I'm more excited for the mud, grit, and dirt caking his bike. That’s where a bike like this, built by someone like Tommy, truly shines.

For the drivetrain, he went with the Campagnolo Ekar GT groupset. It is the perfect choice for a punishing event like Grinduro - retaining that legendary, ultra-tactile Campy 13-speed mechanical shifting feel but packing a wider, more adventure-ready gear range (thanks to that massive 9-42t cassette) to crawl up the steepest fire road sectors. 

The groupset is paired with Fulcrum wheels - rugged, reliable, and built to take a beating - wrapped in Schwalbe G-One R Pro gravel tires. Those tires are brilliant; the small, tightly spaced block tread rolls lightning-fast on the paved transfer sections, but they bite with surprising confidence when you lean them hard into loose, dusty corners.

Up front and holding it all together is a beautifully clean Ritchey cockpit.

The entire build is stunning. I was stoked to take some pristine, fresh-out-of-the-stand photos, but I'll be honest... I'm more excited for the bike to be caked in mud, grit, and dirt. That’s where a bike like this, built by someone like Tommy, truly shines.

Here's the complete build list:

• Frame:
  • Velo Orange Chessie, Size Medium
• Cockpit:
  • Ritchey Butano Comp 42cm
  • Ritchey 4-Axis Comp 100mm
  • Ritchey Comp seatpost 20mm setback
• Bar tape: Ciclovation
• Saddle: Selle Italia SLR Boost
• Gruppo:
  • Ekar GT controls + calipers
  • Ekar GT crank 36t 170mm
  • Ekar/Chorus 160mm rotors
  • Ekar 9-42 cassette Ekar GT chain waxed w/ Molten Speed Wax
• Wheels: Fulcrum Racing 5 DB wheels
• Schwalbe G One R Pro 700x45 Boyd, with tubeless valves w/ Clik Valve cores and Orange Seal Regular sealant
• Headset: Velo Orange tapered
• Spacers: White Industries