To all you 29er's out there!

look at bikes you like the handling of.

That's how I'm going to approach it.

They'll know a shite load more than some nerds on a bike forum.

Isn't Jason Rourke a member of this forum?

Though I expect he prefers to be paid for such advice. ( & rightly so )

Do you mean custom frame?

If so. Do you mean built by a decent builder?

If so. They'll know a shite load more than some nerds on a bike forum.

Other than that, look at bikes you like the handling of.

Now where's the fun in that?

I will of course ultimately defer to the frame builder, I thought it might be fun to think about it first- I tend to understand stuff better if I've had to construct it in my head, if that makes sense.

I think the basic measurements & angles can be roughly worked out with a bit of experience & research. A frame builder can then trash your ideas fine tune stuff & figure out complicated things, such as tubing types & profiles.

Isn't Jason Rourke a member of this forum?

Though I expect he prefers to be paid for such advice. ( & rightly so )

The folks from On-one are often on MTBR. So they're not all idiots ;)

Actually meant folk like myself. Who can spout geometry facts and maths all day. But lack the alchemy to actualy translate that into real would ride quality.

In other 29er news...

I was thinking today about a rabbit hole wheelset, built on fat hubs. For the fatbike (with a enabler fork). For commuting outside of winter. Running 2.35" big apples*.

I want an enabler anyway for winter use.

Probably rebuild the lefty hub onto a rolling darryl rim, and use the offset to fit a 4.8" Bud (if you can, you should I guess)

So I'd effectlivly have two forks and three wheelsets.

(*Would be cheaper just to put black floyds on the winter wheelset though. Definitly want fat slicks of some kind.)

The folks from On-one are often on MTBR. So they're not all idiots ;)

There's also Sam from Singular & Cy from Cotic over on the singletrack forum.

I like the sound of that rabbit hole wheelset.

Now where's the fun in that?

I will of course ultimately defer to the frame builder, I thought it might be fun to think about it first- I tend to understand stuff better if I've had to construct it in my head, if that makes sense.

Still a good idea to pick and mix stuff.

My Fatbike is designed to have the off-road handling characteristics of a Pugsly, while having the fit of a small Mukluk (+ its suspension corrected fork), and the stability of a Fatback.

I basically took the bits from each that I liked. Made a V1 on paper. Then blended the aspects together better for a V2. Now I've ironed out technical details and issues for a V3. As its currently being weilded. I hope that the reality will somehow match the theory. Ultimatly its down to the bike pixies now though.

For you I'd take my favourate agressive CX bike, alter the tube lengths according to a commuter CX for utility, and add the fit of say, your road bike. Thats V1. Which'll be a mess. play with this on bikecad untill you reach V2. Send this to a builder as a rough idea, and they'll tune it to V3

There's also Sam from Singular & Cy from Cotic over on the singletrack forum.

I like the sound of that rabbit hole wheelset.

We'll see.

Riding my hookworms on Kris holmes rims has smitten me for fat slicks. Getting some Rolling darryls makes more sense though.

Considering my tyre fetish. I should never have started a fat bike.

Still a good idea to pick and mix stuff.

My Fatbike is designed to have the off-road handling characteristics of a Pugsly, while having the fit of a small Mukluk (+ its suspension corrected fork), and the stability of a Fatback.

I basically took the bits from each that I liked. Made a V1 on paper. Then blended the aspects together better for a V2. Now I've ironed out technical details and issues for a V3. As its currently being weilded. I hope that the reality will somehow match the theory. Ultimatly its down to the bike pixies now though.

For you I'd take my favourate agressive CX bike, alter the tube lengths according to a commuter CX for utility, and add the fit of say, your road bike. Thats V1. Which'll be a mess. play with this on bikecad untill you reach V2. Send this to a builder as a rough idea, and they'll tune it to V3

and then probably find you have something like a lynskey cooper cx frame

and then probably find you have something like a lynskey cooper cx frame

Which you got hold of quite easily if I remember rightly ;-)

I fancied steel so that it can be repaired and "edited" easily, plus having the builder here in London means I can pop in and see him very easily.

and then probably find you have something like a lynskey cooper cx frame

Which is why I imagine its such an awesome bike.

It would be arrogant to believe you could come up with something truly original. But if you went through the process, and landed at the same place as something designed by Lynskey. You've done a good job IMO.

I fancied steel so that it can be repaired and "edited" easily, plus having the builder here in London means I can pop in and see him very easily.

This...

http://rittecycles.com/ben-jacques-maynes-single-speed-cx/

With an electric alfine and eccentric BB.

That's lovely!

I read a review of the 11 speed Alfine Pompetamine which put me off- the reviewer really didn't like the bike as a whole, despite liking the parts.

Wrong application was the verdict- too much weight, and shifting too ponderous for a lively CX machine.

I'm thinking either 1X10 with a SRAM MTB mech and 11-32, or Ultegra Di2, 12-27+36/46

I read a review of the 11 speed Alfine Pompetamine which put me off- the reviewer really didn't like the bike as a whole, despite liking the parts.

Wrong application was the verdict- too much weight, and shifting too ponderous for a lively CX machine.

I'm thinking either 1X10 with a SRAM MTB mech and 11-32, or Ultegra Di2, 12-27+36/46

I like the idea off having all the gearing weight over the back wheel. I'm also a natural single speeder (read crap gear user). Might have annoying drag though.

1x10 works for most things. Providing you're not carrying anything heavy.

I'm not even having cable stops included for a front mech for the fatbike. Totally committed to 1x10.

There is always XX1.....

Oh, whilst I think about it I went for the 52/36 option- currently running 110 bcd as 36/46, will swap the cranks onto the road bike in April, along with the 46 for the 52.

If you want hydraulic brakes you could wait for Sram, and hope the 10 speed road stays compatible with 10 speed mtb (what I'd do personnally). Use a tt bar end shifter and some cheap cable discs with vee-brake levers while youre waiting.

Is the new ultegra electric compatible with new DA electric? When the hydraulic DA levers come out, it'll be a while for hydraulic ultegra I guess.

This would all be simpler if someone just made a separate hydraulic drop bar brake lever. I'd have drops on the fatbike in a flash.

Oh, whilst I think about it I went for the 52/36 option- currently running 110 bcd as 36/46, will swap the cranks onto the road bike in April, along with the 46 for the 52.

You're on he wrong thread for that many gears.

Stick a bashguard on the crankset, 36t is more thsn enough chainring here ;)

Tektro linear pull drop bar levers + BB5 = awesome braking, then as you suggest a TT bar end shifter- if that could be made to work with a pair of Retroshift V-brake levers so much the better.

This would all be simpler if someone just made a separate hydraulic drop bar brake lever. I'd have drops on the fatbike in a flash.

...or at least the 29er.

Tektro linear pull drop bar levers + BB5 = awesome braking, then as you suggest a TT bar end shifter- if that could be made to work with a pair of Retroshift V-brake levers so much the better.

The bar-end shifter is great for winter. You can change up and down the cassette bloody quickly too.

Boom! No one else bid please.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SRAM-TT-900-10-Speed-Shifter-Set-Bar-End-Levers-TT-Shifters-Triathlon-/170933897254?pt=UK_sportsleisure_cycling_bikeparts_SR&hash=item27cc744826

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=55238&gclid=CO2Sz7fuuLMCFW3MtAodOS0A5A

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=34840

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=87317

I just need a different adapter bar to run a front BB5 on the rear no?