Project Goliath: 32-inch hardtail in the Dreambuild

Do it yourself: our reporter took this motto literally. He soldered the tubes of his steel frame himself, helped out in the carbon production of the wheel manufacturer and visited the fork manufacturer at home.

Now all the pieces of the puzzle are to be brought together to form a long-cherished dream: A highly customised mountain bike with 32-inch wheels. The new wheel size is uncharted territory. So far, only a few ready-to-ride 32-inch mountain bikes are rolling down the trails.

It is only during assembly that it becomes clear whether Timmermann has worked properly and whether all the parts really do fit together. We followed the process in the workshop and show all the parts plus the final weight of the Dreambuild. The finished bike is appropriately named "Leovelo Goliath".

Build your dream

Hobbies are for dreaming. While classic car romantics rave about the rare Porsche, we bikers get weak at the knees when we see lovingly designed bikes. But there is one crucial difference: hardly anyone builds their own Porsche.

It is much easier for bikers to build their own dream piece by piece. Creating a mountain bike from individual parts is an almost sacred experience for bike freaks. It is not without reason that so-called dream build videos generate millions of clicks. When a customised dream bike is created from dozens of small parts, there is magic in the air.

BIKE editor Jan Timmermann soldered his own 32-inch steel frame and helped laminate the carbon wheels himself. Now the Dreambuild follows as a refinement of our Do-It-Yourself reportage series.

Prelude

For me, a bike is not a cold machine, but a highly emotional piece of technology that has given me some of the best moments of my life. Loving care and attentive perception of all components is a necessity for me. Some call it a fetish, others a passion. In any case, the technical aspect takes up just as much emotional space for me as the actual driving. That's why I want to build my freshly painted 32-inch frame myself.

A risky endeavour: Almost every DIY bike mechanic has stood hopelessly frustrated in front of their disassembled bike. Swearing is to screwing as lightning is to thunder and neither luxury parts nor workshop skills can always protect you from unexpected problems. The dream of building your own bike is a delicate soap bubble.

That's why I spent weeks putting parts together and double-checking every interface. By the time I start the final puzzle, I've already assembled and disassembled almost all the components once. All that's missing now is a cold drink and my screwdriver playlist full of rock anthems.

At relationship level

Caught off guard, I look around the workshop. Did anyone notice my satisfied smile as the thickly greased bearing slid into the headset cup? I am as proud as the father of the bride at the wedding of frame and fork. I wonder if my wife would mind a souvenir photo in the living room?

Next, I caress the elegant carbon fibre with my finger in the assembly paste. I caress it for longer than necessary. The warm crack of the torque spanner is music to my ears.

Red anodised aluminium screws turn in the titanium bottle cage and stimulate my salivation. As if in a trance, I feel the nubs of the tyre rubber on the palm of my hand. A little later, as the weight-optimised chain whirs over the shiny sprockets, I am in screwdriver heaven.

Every last detail has been carefully selected, from the feather-light carbon saddle to the perfectly milled seat clamp. The material experience should resonate on every future ride. So much work and dedication has gone into the realisation of this bike - you can speak of romance.

Conclusion

Life is too short for boring bikes - I have been building customised bikes for many years according to this motto. But I've never had a bike as special as this one in my hands. As soon as my gaze wanders over this magnificent piece, I think back to my time in the frame building workshop at Leovelo and the placement of the carbon layers at Bike Ahead. The dream build with exquisite parts is the crowning glory of the project. Now I just have to find out how my 32-inch dream bike rides! - Jan Timmermann, BIKE editor

The parts list: Lightweight and exclusive

Accessories