Steel 650B All-Road Project

How many degrees is the TT sloping? Or is there any slope at all?

Probably an Aliexpress fork to start with. For more bikepacking duties later this summer i'll get a steel one.

Slight slope i'd say. Hard to tell how much without the front end.

Thorn Nomad disc!

Thorn Nomad disc!

Just go with a Surly one for 30 quid less. No?

Me no fancy curved forks currently. Would probably go custom straight fork.

If you do, send me a PM and we'll go double order

Doing a test with the hammerite is, of course, a very good idea.
Painted a lot of metal frames (not the bicycle kind) with it recently. Brief was go quick with a roller because it was invisible in the end. That stuff wants to be applied generously with a brush so the solvents can do their thing.

What I am saying, will probably look great. Might take patience and skills.

Struggling finding a fork that will clear 48's. These are a bit fugly but seem wide enough.


https://www.aliexpress.com/item/3K-ud-Carbon-Matt-glossy-700C-ROAD-Cyclocross-Bicycle-Bike-Fork-1-1-8-1-1/32627217693.html

Also looking for a good value headset. Link anyone?

Very cool proyect, i was looking for a cheap frame and this really nice.
Those 2.1" tyres are 29 or 27.5?

Thanks,

thats actually very shexay.. also subbed because awesome

you could look into 26" / 27,5" carbon forks on ali.
depending on the a-c they could work out and the java ones are cheap an look allright

Incidentally I spoke with a friend a while back who claimed to have done a 'proper' respray of a bike frame with hammerite. Tricky stuff to apply apparently and needed xylene as a thinner which isn't all that healthy, but it can be done. In case you know someone with access to a spray booth.

I'm jumping ahead a bit; which bottlecages are you going with?

Also re: headset - FSA ORBIT Z 1-1/8" 44mm I think will do the trick.

I don't get why you would want carbon forks on a touring bike.

As comfy as steel but lighter?

27.5 2.1 / 650b 54mm

Which OTP steel fork could handle that?

lol dunno.

In terms of headset i guess i need the same type that i used on the Rychtarski with an external 1 1/2" bottom and semi-integrated 1 1/8" top. Like:

Get Hope. Less than half the price of king. Bearings can be replaced very easily

But also not as strong. Plus no mounts.

Surly Disc Trucker does. Rims are not that wide though. And the knobs on the tires are pretty small.

Won't be touring on the carbon fork. Just normal gravel use until i decide on steel fork.

While on that topic. Are cheaper 44mm headsets even compatible with straight 1 1/8" steerers. When i ran a steel fork with the Chris King Inset 7 headset i had to get a devolution crown race to fit the headset. Are there similar options available for other (cheaper) headsets, like Cane Creek or Hope which are the ones i'm looking at currently.

I don't no about step down thingy but cane Creek 40 is amazing for the money

If its a 44mm HT and you are going to use a tapered fork you need ZS44/28.6 top cup and either ZS44/30 or EC44/40 bottom.

If you are going for a steel fork the external cup bottom i.e. EC44/40 would work better aesthetically IMO.

I'm in the same boat regarding headset choice. I need a silver one though. External cup lower.
I've been looking at superstar components, made in UK. As an alternative to Hope.
Don't know yet.