escarpment

just picked this up,



seemed like too good a deal to pass up, Ive been looking for a good frame I can strip and repaint. There was no real description of the frame other then it being a 57, says no dents or big scratches, reputable seller.

anyone ever ridden one?

Homebrew01

CDR loves them. I think he has 2.

carpediemracing 

The Tsunami Bikes have a story. Originally an aerospace welder started making frames for himself and some fellow workers. I think he worked at Reynolds (the wheel company) when they were located in Vista CA. He started making frames for locals. In that area "locals" include former Olympians and such. Racers rode his frames to various championships.

At some point the two people doing Tsunami separated. One moved to Arizona. He is the welder, he welds the frames himself. He is the person behind tsunamibikes.com. He doesn't stock frames. If you want a frame he builds it for you. Every frame is custom, from tubes to geometry to size to paint.

I bought two frames from him. I specified what I wanted (seat tube angle, seat tube length, effective top tube length, head tube length, head tube angle, and chainstay length) and left the rest to him. After the first frame I realized that I wanted a shorter chainstay so I got a second frame, trying an aero theme for that one. I really liked the shorter stays so I sent my first frame back to get the stays shortened. I had the frame painted locally since he didn't want to paint the frame. I just started racing the repainted, shortened frame.

Of course right now I can't get to his page, not sure what's happening.

The other I don't know much about. He's the one that imports the frames and sells them on eBay. He apparently stocks frames. They are stock builds. He doesn't offer custom frames.

The two are not associated other than the name and the fact that they know/knew each other. They use different decals.

My original Tsunami (note the decal font). The basic specs - 40 cm seat tube, 75.5 deg seat tube angle, 56.5 effective top tube, 73 deg head tube angle, "shortest possible" head tube 9.5 cm, 40.5 cm chainstays.


Original with the second "aero" frame draped over the bars. Note the dent in the orange bike's top tube from a fall. The black frame is virtually the same except the chainstays are 39 cm versus 40.5 cm and it has an integrated seat post.


The now-red frame, no decals. I did some finishing on the welds and the local painter used an expanding primer to smoothing things out even more - no more dent in top tube. Note the distance between the tire and the seat tube - the chainstay is 1.2 cm shorter now:

escarpment

thanks crd.

Im thinking that I got the latter of the builds. The asian import frame, doubt I got a custom built frame.

but it looks to be built well and has decent welds and tubes. Ill find out soon enough.

robncircus

This is mine before it was stolen a few years back:


Awesome bikes.

David Broon 

Helluva Geometry.

mulliganvi

Try here:

https://www.tsunamibikes.com/www.tsun....com/Home.html

Looks like his (their) webpage could use some work.

carpediemracing 

It's all in my proportions

The builder toned down my initial request, seat tube is 1/2 degree more slack and top tube is 0.5 cm shorter.

In action it doesn't look as radical. My friend took this picture as I just lost touch with the field on a uphill/rise so I'm a bit forward:

escarpment

I realize we are now talking about 2 different companies. But why are all your frames so tiny? Looking at the one I just bought makes me scared. Im about 5'10'' with long legs. Other bike is a 56ish with the post about 6/7 inches up.

Granted Im looking at you on the bike CDR Im guessing your around 5'6'', 5'7''



I think I should have no problem on this thing but it now looks bigger then a 57 to me

carpediemracing 

I'm 5'7" but I have short legs. I used to ride a size S Giant or a size 52 Cannondale. My Tsunamis are modeled after a size S Giant (aluminum TCR), Cannondale's somewhat standard (for a reason) head tube and fork rake, but with a longer front end. If it's really a 57 you're probably going to fit, at least in terms of saddle height.

Because various things can make a frame look big or small I can't guess what that frame is. For example if the BB is higher than normal then the head tube will be longer than normal. My 51 track frame looks like a 53 or 54 at first glance.

ILUVUK

Tsunami bikes...not popular around the Indian Ocean rim...too soon?

David Broon 

Do you know roughly how tall it is to the bottom of your saddle from the BB? Just wondering if you essentially created a super-compact Geo.

carpediemracing 

With 175s it's 66 cm from the top of the saddle to the center of the BB. 170s makes it 66.5 cm.

I just changed saddles to try and find a new saddle that I can use (and buy - the Titanios have been gone for 10+ years now) and I had to raise the post by 1 cm to get the saddle top in the right position. I may be raising it a touch more.