Holt my beer, again, Faran and others

is that some sort of dyneema lanshan 2?

Good to see some rear rack usage

Tailfin can get right in the bin

This last one should be in their promotional materials

Or (as round the world tourers used to do) thread the (longer) bolts in backwards so the head is on the inside of the frame then get a nyloc nut on the outside to clamp it all together. Means you won’t lose a bolt, and if in the worst case it shears off you can still get the bolt out and replace it as the head is on the inside attached to the frame and not lying in the dirt 👍

Looks like a fantastic trip, and great photos to boot

Or (as round the world tourers used to do) thread the (longer) bolts in backwards so the head is on the inside of the frame then get a nyloc nut on the outside to clamp it all together.

Genius, using a nut & bolt had crossed my mind but had not thought about direction

As long as it doesn't foul the high end of the cassette...but good idea if it fits

Yeah, tight tolerances need not apply! Helps if your mounts are slightly higher up the seatstay rather than right at the dropouts for sure.

Excellent hack. I've often backed up bolts on touring bikes with a nut but this is inspired 🌀🌀🌀

Perhaps looking for validation that I could pack small(er), like one of those proper bikepackers, I ordered some Tailin 10L "mini" panniers. On paper they'd be more secure on the Holt which had developed a habit of ejecting my other less small panniers. This was likely the fault of the tumbleweed rack or the user but I glossed over these facts.

..But on arrival, they were indeed too small and were re-packed immediately, left on the mantelpiece to be returned another day.

Later, my partner asked if I'd returned the bags, they weren't by the mantelpeice.

No, wait, they're...here by my desk. Isn't that odd, now? And yet, why not? Why shouldn't I keep them?

I think you should return the bags. Is that so hard?

And then the dopermine addiction kicked in.

Well, no...and yes. Now it comes to it, I don't feel like parting with them! They're mine, I bought them! They came to me! Why can't I build a bike around them?

There's no need to get angry.

Well, if I'm angry, it's your fault! [caresses the bags] They're mine! My own, my precious.

One bike to rule them all, I thought. Ah shit, here we go again.

The itch to cosplay as a long distance tourer, really just packed for a long weekend, had won. Depsite @PhilDAS efforts to make the Arkose cool again, mine is going to be the donor for a new build, and I'm doubling down on carrying more stuff, panniers front and rear.

TLDR: Midnight blue Faran frameset has been ordered.

Hoping to keep the shopping list really small, the only thing I'm after for now is a front rack.

Anyone have a black Tubus tara (700c) going unwanted?

Looking at this thread again has convinced me that @Hulsroy needs to make me a rear rack for the croc.

Ha!

What a downgrade!

Let's do this

Yes yes, let's see more interesting MTB racks please!

A week early, the box arrived. A box that marks the end for the Arkose. Grinduro, Dirty Reiver, BITW, loads of trips to Wales, Scotland and just work and back, you get strangly attached.

Not going for a farewell ride, but fitting it ticked over 10,000 miles.
However, looking at the state of it, the Faran frameset is going to be doing a lot of heavy lifting to look pretty.

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Last weekend, I joyfully stripped and rebuilt the track bike, ahhh the simplicty. This weekend, hydaulic cables, ahhhh.

The chances of cutting the Arkose internal hyraulics and then fitting these to the larger frame are zero. Have a spare cable at the ready and suspect I'll have to take apart the shifters to swap the cables (left rear onto right front/ new cable on left rear).

First impressions, this is a lovely frameset, the tubes are skinnny and doesn't feel heavy. The bronze is nicer than the silver too IMO. Indifferent on the top tube morse code.

First up, heli-taping..

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Nice. Will ride so much nicer than the akrose.

much nicer

pls translate

I've always found aluminium to be a nice jarring, especially cheap ones. Where as the steel of the fairlght will soak things up a bit more, less harsh. The same way running 38s at 50psi to 23s at 90 feels.

It'll be interesting to hear the experience.

Stripped down the Arkose, a lot of parts to clean.. need to strip the levers to swap hoses.

It all looks too nice, feeling the need for a Hope stem.

Frame is a nicer shape, and the bottle bosses are pleasingly lower, can hopefully run a frame bag and not need the Wolf Tooth B-Rads.

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That ano pops! Nice.

Really enjoying my faran, as both a road and off road bike.

What size is this?

What size is this?

54t

Now nervously looking at the look-books, they all have about 4cm steerer on show.
The 54r was too low at the front and this a little high.

Reassuringly, @stelfox build looks to be slammed, so not all Faran need a tower under the stem.

Don't want to hack off all the steerer right away, could a -12 or -17 degree stem can work aesthetically...