Monster, Monsteur, Monstour , 26/29+ and Expedition and Adventure bikes

I know I could have used it/something like it on my feeble attempt at bike packing trans Germany last year.
My long distance thing with 47s and drops wasn't ideal in combination with not that much legs.

My long distance thing with 47s and drops wasn't ideal

Essentially what I realised as well. I've done the 650 drops/bike packing thing a few times now, and whilst it's fun, it wasn't an exact eye opener compared to 700x38 or something. I have no need for a bike like that.

I want hench tyres and panniers and to ride at a speed I like. i.e dead ass slow.

https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/gear-spares/thorn-eccentric-front-mech-shim-286-to-349-black-plastic-hand-finished-split/

Enjoy!

It's nothing new for sure, people have been trying to mate derailleurs to chain-sets for time, but will it pull it out enough for boost?

Ta!

New rd and shiftmate. Drilled more holes for threaded inserts. Still debating on brazing on some disc tabs. Would give me an excuse to build a new set of wheels :)

So good! I wish my Marin was this good.
Love the stem. How long is the steerer in there? Did you lengthen it?

I’ve been thinking about brazing disc tabs to mine as I bought it with disc hubs. But can’t find the time with a toddler on my hands :-) now I want to make a stem too. Fuck..

The stem was really fun to make! 120mm stack, 66,6mm reach and zero deg. Had to lengthen the steerer about 80mm give or take.

The V-brakes are surprisingly good paired with 5700 brifters. Better than the JuinTechs paired to 5800 brifters that I have on my Pelago Sibbo that's for sure. I have some cheapo Shimano mech disc brakes but it'd still be a 300€ wheelset (26" semi wide rim, tubeless, DT Comps, SP dynamo) which is a bit too much right now considering all my other projects and the fact that the current brakes work great. Brazing on the disc tabs is the easy part and just a couple of hours of work.

Crust levels are off the charts! (as in Crust bikes)

What rims are you using for such fat tyres with rim brakes?

Pm’d

Cool, was the steerer threaded originally?

What tires are those? They’re massive!

I look forward to some time to spend on my Marin :-) it served me well this winter but would really like a drop bar config like yours.

Was threadless but slammed all the way.

Tyres are 26x3.0" Rangers. Previously had them on my Surly 1x1 and even though I sold that frame I liked the tyres so much I wanted to build something new around them.

https://www.qu-ax.de/en/2018/new-monsterbike-36/?v=f003c44deab6

Kind of want but 36” tyres must be hard to get. I remember blacksheep bikes doing one a while ago?

Check out https://www.unicycle.com/

Quick question re: frame materials for an adventure bike.
Is there any point at all going carbon when your running 40mm tyres? looking at the new Ribble CGR frame sets and just keep trying to convince myself to just go Alu and spend the money saved not going Carbon on a respray. But then the 725 also looks great! Argh!

Depends mostly on what you will use it for. Not sure what you consider 'adventure' but for touring steel is always the way to go.

Have you considered Ti?

Just received my frame, custom geo (I'm pretty tall) with clearances for 700/45 + guards

All in, frame with carbon fork, ~£1k

I suppose what I mean is ‘light touring’ ie small tent some clothing for a few days out and about. Not enough to warrant panniers. Something I can bang along bridle ways/tracks when not loaded. Fair point on the steel, seems to be the way most of these types of bikes frame wise.

1k? From where, all the Ti frame sets I can find are at least 1.5k +. Annoyingly by current Ti rig only has spare for 28mm tyres, which doesn’t really cut it off tarmac on anything worse than pea gravel

I recently came to the conclusion that I am surrounded by enough plastic that will forever polute earth and therefore don't want to ride a plastic frame.
(Not sure if this includes the rodeolabs traildonkey but that's out of reach anyway.)

Had a look at a few options, went with http://www.waltlytitanium.com/, primarily due to @Saffronspokes build

Ah yes I was going to ask about Chinese Ti, good shout

Kind of wish you hadn’t mentioned the trail donkey

Sorrynotsorry.
There also is this that has a good rep if you want plastic.

Decisions decisions