Project Nü Romantics - Monstourer / Gravelgrinder

New project, this time a tourer/gravel/romanceur-build based on a Gary Fischer Hoo Koo E Koo from '97-ish.

Plan is to kick up the front with a Salsa Cromato 26" 425mm a-c fork, put on either a Pizzarack or a Blackburn Outpost in the front + Bigtop barbag.

XT out the back. 12-34 on the cassette (testing that as it could work) and a 34t wide narrow in the front on 175mm LX cranks.

Rat Trap tyres on whatever cheap/light silver rims there are IF the base wheels are shit.

Fronthub is going to be a Hope Evo Pro 2 6bolt in red. Rear is a Hope Pro 2 Evo.

Thought is to run a TRP spyre in the front and a Tektro long reach out the back. I guess that's doable considering all the magic happens down in the caliper.

Base.

Stuck seatpost that I will have to either saw or Coke the shit out of. STX whatever on there, shit cranks. Fork is decent as well as the shifters and brakes.

BikeCad on the thing. Tubes are somewhat fatter tha IRL, never mind that as I don't know the dimensions of DB True Temper tubes. <:-)

**Edit, now with properer dimensions.

Stuff inbound. 9 speed chain because of the Surly chainring. Should work with the SGS 7speed.

Got a Wald Medium basket that I will fit to this. Hope hubs are going on the CX build.

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Bike Cad geo looks like a whole different frame!

That manitou is either 80/100mm travel so a 425 fork won't 'kick up the front' .. You'd need at least a 440 fork for that. Orange did an r8 fork at 460mm.

However, the HA already looks too slack with the manitou - at least to my eyes. I'll wager the bike is earlier than 1997 - (by which point almost every bike was specced with V-brakes) so the fork is a later (longer) addition.

Frame with 425 fork.

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Bike Cad geo looks like a whole different frame!

My thoughts exactly:

Could be perspective though.

Regardless, still has potential and plans look promising!

You might actually be right, will do a check if the dimensions are off.

About the forks not kicking it up might also be true as per this post, a few down - http://forums.mtbr.com/shocks-suspension/rigid-fork-choice-844697.html
A 425 will probably be equivilant to the manitou.

Any 440mm a-c rigids that are equal to the Salsa one?

Take a look at Surly for forks maybe

http://www.singlespeed.nl/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=35_50_180&products_id=1201

A little on the tall side perhaps though

^ I'll chuck that into BikeCad to check it out

You'd be better off with a Troll fork for all the mounts

15 euros shipped. Not bad. XT M730

Am looking for an XTR rear mech in good condition and an XT 27.2 seatpost.

Watching a pair of 26" wheels on eBay that if there when the funds are in will be mine.
Fingers crossed.

Thumbies! Left one I won't need at the moment.

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Why not a more modern gruppo if overhauling? 10 speed zee is dirt cheap.

This is a bin-parts build essentially. As cheap as it can get but still keeping true with the 1x8 monstour/romanceour vibe.

Fair do's. If you're London based, give me a shout. I have a bunch of 8 speed stuff I'm not using.

Sweden based, but am willing to pay for postage... @Chak

a tourer/gravel/romanceur-build

^ furg yuh

The homoeroticsim in that pic is through the roof haha

Alright, am debating on what color scheme this should have.

Liking the Pollock-esque paint scheme like:

Red flat base, hot green neon and blue as this maybe?

Splatter paint is always good!

Splatter paint is always good!

Good man.

Looking at canti breaks they use middle pull on the cable which is all fine at the back but in the front that won't work with me having a rack and such.

Are the Avid SD7's still the best bang for the buck v-brake?

+1 for splatter paint, will look RAD

Looking at canti breaks they use middle pull on the cable which is all fine at the back but in the front that won't work with me having a rack and such.

It can work. You mean because of the bracket that attaches to the brake hole in the fork? I drilled a hole in it an glued a tiny bit of outer brake cable in it, to guide the inner brake cable.

I've an XT seatpost, chainset, cantis and mechs. The rear mech isn't pretty and has lost its sticker, but functional, and the rest is pretty scuffed up as it came off my old skool colnago cross bike but maybe its up your alley so to speak?

Oh, and there's a guy selling a surly troll fork here: http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/wanga-steel-frame-surly-troll-fork-650b-wheels-bb7-single-speed-kit-spoon