Functional bikes. Not Porn not Anti

Wrong thread before…

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Extra wald stays on a pizza rack is an interesting concept.

You can’t engage the triangles properly because it doesn’t quite work with the fork. It moves when you get some weight on it so the wald struts are there to brace it (it works).

Got one of these on order atm, good inspo 👍

Here's mine. Very unflattering photo. Don't have any others. Will be dismantling it soon and cleaning off the winter scum.

I consciously went with black on the bottom and silver up top. Downtube shifters. Pdw fenders.

One of favorite builds I've had, but its a quirky bike. Very much a low trail bike. I hope you're ready for that. Handles perfectly with with low panniers and a pretty decent tire pressure.... otherwise quite a handful. Mines usually got bags on the front of it.

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Spotted this 1987 Bianchi Gizzly in a local charity bike coop. They want 250 notes for it. Might need some dirt drops .. but otherwise pretty cool

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Very nice! Do you get shimmy at all at speed? I've had a low trail before (VO polyvalent) so hoping it's not wildly different.

My daily

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Sick!!!

That pink lasted well!

Very nice! Do you get shimmy at all at speed? I've had a low trail before (VO polyvalent) so hoping it's not wildly different.

Lots to say....

When no hands? Yes I do absolutely. Especially if the Psi is running low. But I genuinely think it's the fault of the rack being incorrect for the bike. That's a giant touring rack.

Here's been my experience. I've never used a proper rando bag with it. Only that rack +/- panniers.

If I put any kind of weight on the top of that rack and my psi is <30, I get bad shimmy every time. Take the weight off and I can fight it. Bring the pressure back up to 40 psi and it's almost perfect. Remove the rack all together and I don't get shimmy at all... Just a very low trail bike.

On the other hand put some loaded low panniers on that rack - I use the ortlieb gravel packs - and the bike has wonderful neutral handling. With those tires and loaded panniers I can ride no hands on loose gravel at a clip easily. It's a really nice thing. Perfect lite touring bike.

Probably the issue is is that massive touring racks are not the right rack for the bike. I wanted to run the Tubus Low Rider, but it blocked access to the axle when mounted with the hardware that I had available to me in my garage.... and I got that current rack at a huge discount. One day I'll figure out how to get the Tubus to work and do away with that platform rack.

For now I just deal with the shimmy, and find that platform rack to be quite useful for carrying shit.

None of this bothers me and I love the bike.

Typing this all out makes me want to switch the rack tomorrow.

Went ahead and did it. Lowest panniers on earth. Looks the absolute business. Completely stoked about it. Needs tidying and fender redone.

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Looks lovely! Didn't realise those Soma's were 1"

Interesting. I'm planning a soma demi porteur rack and a rack bag, with a roller bearing headset as the reports of whole bike shimmy on the rim brake models were a bit concerning. Apparently the disc model lengthened the trail slightly and a roller bearing headset helps.
The low rider panniers looks great.

nice!

Interesting. I'm planning a soma demi porteur rack and a rack bag, with a roller bearing headset as the reports of whole bike shimmy on the rim brake models were a bit concerning. Apparently, the disc model lengthened the trail slightly and a roller bearing headset helps. The low rider panniers looks great.

what wheels/tires? those are 650x48c. i went from a 650x42 to that because the 42c were defective (the entire lot - they sent me 4 replacements). Despite the casing being wobbly, i recall much less shimmy. i'd recommend - if going 650 b - to use a 42.

all this aside - great bike. One of my favorites i've owned. I just think it gets a little moody when putting weight above and in front of the axel.

I’m loving my functional thorn. Had a pannier free ride around the woods today before we head of to do the Way of the Roses Tomorrow.

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42mm Grand Bois.

Love this contrast of the fattest tyres and the skinniest noodles for stays and forks

.

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Oh, I love that matte paint job on this Marin.
Sometimes when I am back in London I get to ride a very similar bike from a friend and it's so cool. I even took it bikepacking.

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That Panasonic is an absolute dream bike.

strong

Ooh yeah, loving the Panasonic