Cycling / Project Nicasio R
Out onthe rivertrail.
The sky. The sunsets. The wind.
A steel bike, and the fun of making it my own.
Outside, again
A familiar trail.
A different ride.
Open sky, sunsets, and wind that always seems to have an opinion. Those are the things I want more of. Getting on the bike gives me time outside, a reason to explore, and something satisfying to work at after a day at a desk.
In June 2025, I set myself a goal: 300 miles in 30 days. Early on, I described it as “sore, but doable.” Before long, I was riding for an hour and a half or two after work. A small goal was becoming a routine.
By May 2026, I was doing multiple 50-kilometer rides a week. I like the shorts-and-T-shirt approach, and sometimes chasing a road rider to see how long I can keep up. It is play, and a little personal challenge.
Reported September 14
My May 2026 estimate
The trail is
never quite the same.
Some rides are about going farther. Some are about chasing a little speed. Others are just the pleasure of pedaling and seeing where the light goes.
The continuous wind
It finds the gaps.
Into a headwind, one gear left me spinning; the next was too hard to hold. Shift up, lose speed, shift down. That frustration sent me into chainring sizes and ratios.
The sky and sunsets
Look up.
On the way back from a ride, just after sunset, I watched a rocket launch. The miles come with things I would have missed indoors. On a good tailwind day, carrying speed along the trail is its own reward.
The little discoveries
Keep coming back.
There is a bakery I ride past whose wonderful smells make it difficult to think about anything but baked goods. Even a familiar route can give me something new to notice.
Seen from the saddle
River trail photographs & video
Afternoon on the river trail
iPhone 15 Pro Max HDR
I took this at the golf course during an afternoon bike ride on the river trail. I wanted the feel of an early Impressionist painting: taking an ordinary public space and elevating the experience of being there.
HDR on supported displays and browsers.
ARTIC and the Angels’ A
iPhone 15 Pro Max HDR
ARTIC and the Angels’ A, framed beneath a cloud-filled sky.
HDR on supported displays and browsers.
Evening on the river trail
iPhone 15 Pro Max HDR
Golden light over the rooftops, seen from the river trail.
HDR on supported displays and browsers.
Amtrak leaving ARTIC
25-second clip
I filmed an Amtrak train leaving ARTIC and heading south.
HDR on supported displays and browsers.
As the light faded
iPhone 15 Pro Max
I took these moments apart, just after sunset as the light was fading. The long exposure brings out the blue sky and the bridge’s reflections. The ride back was in darkness.
Photographs taken 91 seconds apart. HDR on supported displays and browsers.
A bike changed by riding it
One part
at a time.
I bought the 54 cm Marin Nicasio+ for $600 on OfferUp on December 15, 2025. Steel frame. Wide tires. Plenty to learn. Each version got seat time before the next change.
More fun.
More comfort.
That was the early direction. The old WTB Horizons gave way to GravelKing X1+ tires: more grip, a mountain-bike look, and a feeling like new hiking boots. Red Juin Tech R1 brakes replaced the dull feel of the original cable calipers.
As the rides grew longer, I wanted the same generous cushion with less of a dragging feeling. The build was following what I felt on the trail.
WTB → GravelKing X1+ · Juin Tech R1
“It made the entire
bike come alive.”
The Schwalbe G-One Speeds changed the way the bike balanced, leaned, and gathered speed. On hardpack, I described it as starting to “flow and breathe.” I still had to respect loose transitions, but the bike felt happier moving.
TPU tubes eventually joined them. Getting there took failed installations and a temporary return to ordinary butyl tubes.
G-One Speed · 50-584 · 65 g TPU tubes
Less buzz.
More time outside.
Sore muscles, buzzing hands, and back discomfort made small fit changes worth paying attention to. A saddle angle that helped could also have me sliding forward. A new part did not settle everything.
The Specialized carbon seatpost, RYET saddle, Easton bar and thicker SILCA tape refined the contact points. After installing the bar on July 6, I felt less gravel vibration while steering still felt responsive. I wanted longer rides to stay enjoyable.
Specialized FACT · RYET RT03 · Easton EC70 AX · SILCA
Wrong parts.
Punctured tubes.
Try again.
A replacement chainring did not fit. I punctured TPU tubes during installation, returned a disappointing carbon seatpost, and broke a T20 bit in a T25 rotor bolt. My earlier Urtopia tubeless experiment leaked, too.
The rear freehub wobbled, clunked, and sometimes slipped under me. Those frustrating evenings became part of learning to wrench: work on it, go outside, find out what changed.
The big grin.
“The first ride was transcendent.”
The KBBK carbon wheels made starting feel easier. I could cruise a gear higher and carry speed across bridges and transitions. The handling took some getting used to; by the end of that 20-mile test, I was leaning into corners and enjoying how eager it felt.
Across tire, tube and wheel changes
KBBK · Asymmetrical carbon · Quick release · 36T ratchet
Let the gearing
follow the ride.
The smaller 38T ring helped at one stage. Later, I wanted more at the fast end. The 165 mm GOLDIX cranks and Shimano bottom bracket arrived in July; a 40T stage followed, then the final 48T ring in September.
The ADVENT nine-speed cassette stayed. What I wanted in a headwind in February was different from what I wanted after the summer changes. The bike kept following the rider.
42T → 38T → 40T → 48T final
Same steel.
Different ride.
The frame and fork stayed. The look found a new direction.
The visual inspiration
The original Nicasio reminded me of a ’50s car. This Unbound 2026 build gave me another direction: warm paint, dark wheels, tan sidewalls, and that solid black chainring.
I think I did a pretty good job of capturing the look. I dialed back the off-road emphasis for the riding I actually do—road miles and champagne gravel—while keeping the original steel frame and fork.
The same steel heart, one part at a time.
Project Nicasio R
The final bike.
Same steel foundation, refined around river-trail miles. Open a section for the complete component specification.
- Foundation
- 54 cm / CrMo Steel frame & fork
- Rolling system
- 650B × 50 mm Carbon wheels · TPU tubes
- Final gearing
- 48T / 11–42T ADVENT · Nine speeds
- July weight record
- 11.70 kg 25.8 lb · Before the final 48T ring
Platform
Marin Nicasio+ · 54 cm · Steel frame & fork
Platform
Marin Nicasio+ · 54 cm · Steel frame & fork
| Base bicycle | Marin Nicasio+, 54 cmPurchased used on December 15, 2025. |
|---|---|
| Frame and fork | Double-butted CrMo steel frame; Marin full CrMo disc forkRetained from the original bike. |
Wheels and tires
Carbon 650B · Schwalbe 50-584 · TPU
Wheels and tires
Carbon 650B · Schwalbe 50-584 · TPU
| Wheelset | KBBK carbon, 650B, asymmetrical, quick release, 36T ratchetFinal fitted wheelset. |
|---|---|
| Rim dimensions | 33 mm external, 27 mm internal, 30 mm deep; 584 mm BSDDimensions of the corrected order. |
| Wheelset listed mass | Approximately 1,330 gQuoted pair weight; not a measurement of both bare wheels. |
| Tires | Schwalbe G-One Speed Performance, RaceGuard, ADDIX, folding TLE, 50-584 / 27.5×2.00Installed in late May 2026. |
| Inner tubes | TPU inner tubes, 65 g nominal65 g TPU; RideNow and CYCLAMI appear in different records. |
| Rim tape | SILCA Ultimate Tubeless, 32 mmTape is fitted even though this build uses inner tubes. |
| Skewers | BIKOOCO titanium QR, front and rearTitanium quick-release skewers, both wheels. |
Drivetrain
48T final · ADVENT 1 × 9 · GOLDIX 165 mm
Drivetrain
48T final · ADVENT 1 × 9 · GOLDIX 165 mm
| Gearing system | MicroSHIFT ADVENT 1 × 9; clutched rear derailleurNine-speed shifters and rear derailleur retained. |
|---|---|
| Cassette | MicroSHIFT ADVENT 11–42T; 11–13–15–18–21–24–28–34–42T; HG freehubGear 1 = 42T; gear 9 = 11T. |
| Cassette listed detail | ED Black; no spider; steel cogs / aluminum 42T; 488 g listedListed component mass, not a separate scale measurement. |
| Chain | KMC X9; regularly SILCA waxedFinal link count is not recorded. |
| Crankset | GOLDIX Ultralight Road / Gravel, 165 mmInstalled July 20, 2026; replaces 175 mm FSA cranks. |
| Bottom bracket | Shimano BB-MT801, threadedInstalled with the GOLDIX crankset. |
| Chainring | 48T — final specificationFinal specification, confirmed by me on October 2, 2026. |
Brakes
Red Juin Tech R1 · 160 mm discs
Brakes
Red Juin Tech R1 · 160 mm discs
| Calipers | Juin Tech R1, red, cable-actuated hydraulic discRed calipers; cable-operated controls. |
|---|---|
| Rotors | Juin Tech 160 mm front and rear160 mm front and rear. |
| Housing | Original compressionless housingOriginal compressionless housing retained. |
Cockpit
Easton carbon bar · SILCA tape · Marin stem
Cockpit
Easton carbon bar · SILCA tape · Marin stem
| Handlebar | Easton EC70 AX carbon, 440 mm; 16° flare, 80 mm reach, 120 mm drop44 cm at the hoods. |
|---|---|
| Stem | Original Marin alloyStock alloy stem retained. |
| Tape | SILCA Nastro Cuscino, 3.75 mm3.75 mm thickness. |
Contact points
Specialized carbon post · RYET saddle · Flat pedals
Contact points
Specialized carbon post · RYET saddle · Flat pedals
| Seatpost | Specialized FACT carbon with Zertz inserts; 27.2×350 mm, 0 mm offsetBought used. |
|---|---|
| Saddle | RYET RT03 carbon, carbon railsCarbon saddle and rails. |
| Pedals | Flat platform pedalsFlat pedals are visible in the supplied final photographs; model unconfirmed. |
Accessories
Three bottles · Frame bag · Lights · Mounts
Accessories
Three bottles · Frame bag · Lights · Mounts
| Storage | Rhinowalk 1.7 L frame bagSmall bag mounted inside the frame. |
|---|---|
| Hydration | Three stainless cages; three Under Armour 32 oz bottlesThree cages installed; one came with the bicycle. |
| Mounts | Wolf Tooth B-RAD; Rockbros phone; CYCLAMI out-front headlight/computer mountThe out-front mount carries the headlight. |
| Lights | Bucklos USB-C headlight, 2,000-lumen claim; Rockbros smart taillight2,000 lumens is the headlight’s listed output. |
| Pump | Portable digital inflator, 150 PSI listedCarried accessory; 150 PSI is its listed capability. |
| Valve conversion | Schwalbe Clik Valve Conversion Set, Presta/SVPurchased and included in the August cost record. |
31 component entries. 48T confirmed as final on October 2, 2026. Weight measured July 20; no later complete-bike measurement recorded. Wheelset 1,330 g is the quoted pair weight. Easton handlebar geometry reference.
Fine-tuning the ride
Follow the gearing.
The final 48T ring raises every ratio by 20% over 40T. Same nine cogs, shifted upward. Try the two versions.
| Gear / rear cog | Ratio | Relative length |
|---|---|---|
| 1 / 42T | 1.143 | |
| 2 / 34T | 1.412 | |
| 3 / 28T | 1.714 | |
| 4 / 24T | 2.000 | |
| 5 / 21T | 2.286 | |
| 6 / 18T | 2.667 | |
| 7 / 15T | 3.200 | |
| 8 / 13T | 3.692 | |
| 9 / 11T | 4.364 |
Lowest → Highest
1.143 – 4.364
The final 48T chainring, installed in September 2026, with the ADVENT 11–42T cassette.
The spaces between the cassette’s gears stay the same in percentage terms. The chainring changes where the whole range sits.
Ratio = front teeth ÷ rear teeth. Fixed-scale bars compare gearing. Speed also depends on cadence and tire circumference.
Receipts & revisions
What went into it.
The August 4, 2026 snapshot includes the used bike and the recorded build purchases. It predates the final 48T ring; its later price is unrecorded.
$2,293.26
Recorded total · August 2026
$2,041.42 main bike + $251.84 accessories
Earlier experiments, rider equipment, wear-item chain costs and the unmounted Fanttik kit are outside this total. The rim-tape price includes the full roll.
Open the itemized August build ledger
| Part or accessory | Record note | Recorded USD |
|---|---|---|
| Main bike | ||
| Used Marin Nicasio+ | $600.00 | |
| KBBK carbon wheelset | $467.76 | |
| Juin Tech R1 brakes | $183.73 | |
| Easton EC70 AX handlebar | $165.56 | |
| Schwalbe G-One Speed tire pair | $130.94 | |
| RYET RT03 saddle | $127.37 | |
| GOLDIX 165 mm crankset with 40T ring | Earlier 40T included; later 48T price unrecorded. | $85.75 |
| Used Specialized FACT seatpost | $70.69 | |
| SILCA Nastro Cuscino tape | $56.54 | |
| MicroSHIFT ADVENT cassette | $39.97 | |
| BIKOOCO titanium skewers | $32.61 | |
| Shimano BB-MT801 | $31.79 | |
| SILCA rim tape full 10 m roll | Cost of the complete 10 m roll. | $27.19 |
| CYCLAMI TPU tubes | Label in the pricing sheet. | $21.52 |
| Main bike subtotal | $2,041.42 | |
| Accessories & equipment | ||
| Rhinowalk 1.7 L bag | $48.93 | |
| Two purchased stainless cages; third included with bike | Three fitted; only two purchased for this record. | $31.00 |
| Headlight | $34.79 | |
| Three Under Armour bottles | $32.64 | |
| Wolf Tooth B-RAD | $27.14 | |
| Portable digital inflator | $21.74 | |
| Schwalbe Clik Valve kit | August addition. | $20.65 |
| Rockbros phone mount | $14.13 | |
| CYCLAMI out-front mount | $11.73 | |
| Rockbros smart taillight | $9.09 | |
| Accessories & equipment subtotal | $251.84 | |
| Recorded total | $2,293.26 | |
Another sunset to catch
Back outside.
Ride it again.
I like understanding why the bike feels the way it does. I like talking through the changes, then letting someone ride it and feel the result.
There is still a trail to head out on, wind to work against, and another sunset to catch. That is what all the tinkering is for.
My riding notes, photographs and build records, 2025–2026. Riding impressions are personal. 48T is the final spec; weight and cost keep their recorded dates. The sunset artwork is an illustration; the Unbound reference shows another rider’s bike. The Nicasio photographs are mine.