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1998 Rhygin Metax Cyclocross

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misterdangerpants

· underachiever
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257 Posts
Discussion Starter · #1 · (Edited)
So, this bike found me. I wasn't looking for it, or any bike at the time for that matter. In August of 2009, an e-mail showed up in my Inbox with the following:

Found your website and interest in Rhygins.
I have a man's custom built Rhygin Cyclocross.
Built by Mad Dog Bikes, maybe 10 years ago.
Hardly ridden as I found out I had asthma. Been trying to get on bike, but it's not going to happen.
Been in award show at InterBike, Las Vegas.
Jewel quality welds.
Any Interest?

Apparently, the owner Googled the term Rhygin and my 2009 CycleKids Boston Marathon blog came up. Upon request, he forwarded me some photos and the asking price. Bike was amazing. Price was not. I responded informing him as much and went along my merry way. I wrote him periodically over the next couple of months asking if he had sold it yet, and he hadn't, so I made a lowball offer. Some time passed and the owner e-mailed me back with one word: my offer figure. Coincidentally, my fiancee and I were driving down to her parents the day we wrote and I was passing through his town so I took the plunge.

I was told by the original owner that he rode it for maybe a few miles. I can't verify this, but the condition of the gruppo would dictate this bike was never ridden. Everything looked NOS, and I consider the frame/fork to be NOS also. Even the frame, though it was stored in the owner's garage and/or basement for 12+ years and acquired a few nicks in the decals during that time, was perfect. That being said, it was in amazing condition. Here's a photograph of what it looked like when I picked it up:

View attachment 200599

Here are the specs of the original build:

Frame: 1998 Rhygin Metax Cyclocross (55.5cm)
Fork: Steelman
Groupset (crankset, cassette, controls, derailleurs, hubs, bottom bracket): Campagnolo Veloce 9-speed
Rims: FiR Net 97. Wheels hand-built at Baystate Wheel Company.
Handlebars: 3TTT Forma
Stem: Profile
Headset: Chris King
Brakes: SRP Mr. Grumpy's
Saddle: Selle San Marco Squadra M HDP
Seat Post: Some sort of shock absorber thingy.
Place of Origin: Boston, MA. Bike was assembled at Fat Dog in Westwood, MA.

Both Rhygin and Metax have a fair amount of infamy surrounding their names. You can't mention Rhygin without hearing some horror story of their business practices (Note: I have no opinion regarding this matter.). Metax got a bad name primarily because it was used for mountain bikes and the tubing was far too thin for such an application (two different Boston-area frame builders have told me this). The road and cyclocross Metax bikes, on the other hand, have withstood the test of time with Metax. Columbus Metax was very difficult to weld and Rhygin had some of the best frame makers in the Boston area to build these beauties. I'll post some Metax information from the Rhygin website below.

I picked up this gem and immediately dismantled it. Threw everything up on eBay. This offset the cost of the bike and I pretty much got the frame/fork, headset and brakes for free. Considering Independent Fabrication charges $3850 for a new 953 frame, and this frame is certainly of equal quality, I'm pretty happy. Anyway, the current build contains quite a bit of NOS stuff as I really like the parts from the 1990s.

I christened this bike on a maiden voyage yesterday. 35 miles of pure enjoyment. The moment I hopped in the saddle it just felt really nice. It's snappy and super smooth. Digging the 33mm tires on the terrible roads we have here in the Boston area. Will write more later, but I'm about to head out on another ride!!!!

Here's the current specs:

Frame: 1998 Rhygin Metax Cyclocross
Fork: 1998 Steelman
Rims/Hubs: Phil Wood with NOS Mavic Open Pro
Skewers: Cook Bros. Racing titanium
Tires: Rivendell Jack Brown 700x33.3
Pedals: Shimano XTR
Crank: NOS Syncros Revolution 175mm 130BCD with 46/39 Shimano 600 chainrings
Chain: SRAM
Rear Cogs: NOS Shimano XTR CS-M900 12/28 8-speed
Bottom Bracket: NOS Kooka titanium 123mm
Front Derailleur: Shimano Dura Ace FD-7800
Rear Derailleur: NOS Precision Billet ProShift
Shifters: Shimano R400 8-speed
Handlebars: Nitto Noodle, 44cm
Stem: 1996 Moots titanium 120mm 0/90 degree
Headset: 1" Chris King threadless (original to the bike)
Brake set: SRP Mr. Grumpy's (original to the bike)
Brake levers: Cane Creek SCR-5C
Cable Hangers: NOS Ringle MoJo
Saddle: 1992 Sella Italia Flite
Seat Post: Syncros titanium 26.8
Paint: None
Size: 55.5cm
Serial #: 653
Place of Origin: Boston, Massachusetts
 
misterdangerpants

· underachiever
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257 Posts
Discussion Starter · #4 · (Edited)
Rhygin Metax

Here's some information regarding Metax from the Rhygin website (from the Way Back Machine):

No Rust! The first big news in steel in over 40 years. Columbus totes this tubeset as being able to have "chromed" chainstays without the destructive chroming process. A satiny hand-brushed finish is standard, mirror-like electro-polish is available.

Tube dimensions are the similar to EL/OS, but the main tube walls are slightly thicker for greater rigidity and increased resistance to denting. The ride is superb with a zing that will never be matched by the so-called "exotics".

When we tell people about Metax, we often hear the following questions:

* If it's stainless, isn't it heavy?

Metax is stainless and exceptionally strong. Metax was developed specifically for off-shore oil drilling where high strength and corrosion resistance is even more important than in the bike industry. Fortunately for us (and you) Columbus got their hands on the stuff, since we sure don't have the budget to develop a material like this.

* What does it look like?

Bicyclist magazine said "it is a steel with a brighter luster than brushed titanium, though not so bright as polished titanium or chromed steel, and it possesses the slightest blue cast, which gives it a fairly exotic appearance." We agree.

* Why doesn't everybody use it, if it is so great?

Try welding it and you’ll know the answer. This stuff is tough to work with. It is difficult to cut and especially tricky to weld. Our welder spent years in the aerospace industry and welded 3000+ frames at Merlin before he could do it well. Not all companies have this kind of welding experience to draw from. We must also make all of the small parts (cable stops, brake bosses etc.) to our specifications in stainless steel.

----------------------------------------------------------

We're the first in the US to build with Columbus' best tubeset. Oversized corrosion proof hybrid steel (Nicromox) guarantees long life and an unparalleled steel ride.

What Columbus says about Nicromox: "It is an austenitic/ferritic alloy, high in Chromium, Molybdenum, Nickel, Manganese, Nitrogenum, with a very small degradation in welding overheated areas and a good corrosion strength.

Corrosion-proofing is also due to nitrogenum, which has a stabilizing action on austenite. The above characteristics make this alloy different from the austenitic steels used up to now for the manufacturing of tubes suitable also for bicycles.

Mechanical characteristics: R=1200 N/mm2 Rs=1050 N/mm2 Ap5=10%. Got it?

----------------------------------------------------------

We're the first to build with Columbus' best tubeset. Tube dimensions are the similar to EL/OS, but the main tube walls are slightly thicker for greater rigidity and increased resistance to denting. The ride is superb with a zing that will never be matched by the so-called "exotics". Comes equipped with a Time or Kestrel composite fork or our handbuilt Metax lugged straightblade fork.

No Rust! The first big news in steel in over 40 years. Columbus totes this tubeset as being able to have "chromed" chainstays without the destructive chroming process. A satiny hand-brushed finish is standard, mirror-like electro-polish is available.

3.6 Lbs. That's right - it's not only a great steel bike without corrosion, but it's light as well. The lack of paint can save 6 oz. by itself. What you get is a bike that is light, full of zest, and will never, ever, rust.

----------------------------------------------------------

The Juke Stainless is built with Columbus Metax (stainless steel) tubing. This is the first big news in steel in over 40 years! We can build a lighter weight frame with the smooth ride you expect and a few benefits: No rust, no scratches, and far less impact on the environment.

Corrosion is not an issue, so like titanium a Metax frame is a long-term investment. Also, Metax frames don’t require paint to prevent rusting. We give them a finish that is easily maintained with a scotch-brite pad. Not painting the frame saves weight and spares the environment. The final benefit is purely aesthetic - we can show off our welds and workmanship. Many companies want their frames painted before you ever see them, but we are excited to have a frame that highlights our workmanship.
 
misterdangerpants

· underachiever
Joined
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257 Posts
Discussion Starter · #8 ·
erol/frost said:
Beautiful frame and you have it built-up very tasteful. Nice details, Columbine chainhanger I presume it is?
Click to expand...
Ventruck said:
Thanks for the very detailed post with pics. The entire build is awesome, but those Jack Brown tires... if only they came in 25's. Fun to look at.
Click to expand...
Thank you for the kind words. Yes indeed, that's a Columbine chain hanger. I even got to use when I recently when I swapped wheels. Works like a charm! And the Jack Brown tires are a treat and handle nicely and roll fast (well, fast enough for me). I haven't had skinwall tires in years!
 
Opus51569

· What the what???
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12,985 Posts
#13 ·
It's a fantastic bike! Those welds are pretty amazing.

This may sound strange, and I never thought I'd say this, but the DuraAce doesn't really seem to "go" with the bike. The crankset and the RD have such a distinctive, almost industrial, look to them. The FD seems somehow out of place. JMHO.
 
KenS

· What it is
Joined
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705 Posts
#15 ·
Beautiful bike; beautiful build. I remember seeing an article on the Rhygin Metax bike and immediately experiencing bike lust that lasted for a couple of years. I hoped there would be a trickle-down/diffusion to other makers but this never happened. One question I have always had: How does the ride of a metax bike compare to titanium?
 
misterdangerpants

· underachiever
Joined
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257 Posts
Discussion Starter · #16 ·
Opus51569 said:
It's a fantastic bike! Those welds are pretty amazing.

This may sound strange, and I never thought I'd say this, but the DuraAce doesn't really seem to "go" with the bike. The crankset and the RD have such a distinctive, almost industrial, look to them. The FD seems somehow out of place. JMHO.
Click to expand...
Any suggestions? The Dura Ace front derailleur is just a placeholder. I know much more about "vintage" MTBs than I do road or CX. I'd really like to get a Paul Components or Precision Billet....

cs1 said:
Beautiful bike. Can I ask why you got rid of the Campy group?
Click to expand...
I debated keeping the Campy gruppo, considering it was NOS, but really wanted this build to be a bit more custom. I'm happy with the results. :)

KenS said:
Beautiful bike; beautiful build. I remember seeing an article on the Rhygin Metax bike and immediately experiencing bike lust that lasted for a couple of years. I hoped there would be a trickle-down/diffusion to other makers but this never happened. One question I have always had: How does the ride of a metax bike compare to titanium?
Click to expand...
Well, I really don't have any titanium CX bikes to compare it. I recently sold my 2008 IF titanium Crown Jewel and as far as road riding is concerned, I like the Rhygin much better, though I prefer steel so I'm somewhat biased.

Thanks for all the nice compliments. :D
 
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misterdangerpants
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