Cielo singlespeed 29er

So this is in the works at the moment. It started with a cheeky blag, the hope that I could fulfil my lust for a 29er on the cheap... but realistically unless I wanted to accept a freebie OTP that I didn't really want, I wasn't going to be happy.

So instead of accepting or looking for a freebie, I figured I'd think about what I really wanted and see if it was possible to make that come true even if I struggled to pay for it. Which is the reality now... struggling to pay for it.

What is the bike? Well, I wanted a classic looking 29er, something with heritage and quality, but that would be a joy to ride.

I did look at the Niner SIR 29er, and the On-One Scandal and Singular Swift, but to my eye the aesthetics were not quite there and they all struck me as making design decisions so that they would appeal to the widest possible audience. I'm not greatly impressed with eccentric bottom brackets, and so I would prefer a setup that put single-speed first and kept the BB area clean and simple... basically sliding drops.

I remembered the Cielo from the Bike Show at Earl's Court a couple of years ago, and so I started reading the reviews for it:
http://twentynineinches.com/2009/10/05/interbike-2009-ride-report-cielo-29er-single-speed/
http://twentynineinches.com/2010/07/12/cielo-cycles-29er-on-test/
http://twentynineinches.com/2010/07/15/cielo-cycles-29er-out-of-the-box/
http://twentynineinches.com/2010/08/08/cielo-cycles-29er-first-impressions/
http://twentynineinches.com/2010/08/19/cielo-cycles-29er-final-review/
http://twentynineinches.com/2010/09/06/update-cielo-cycles-29er/
http://www.bikerumor.com/2011/09/13/chris-kings-cielo-29er-mountain-bike-gets-updated-stainless-steel-road-bike-stops-hiding/

And loads more reviews that I can't recall links for.

And then I looked at their site and saw this:

And that was it, they had me.

So I've been researching parts, and specifying what I want. Mostly I want the bike in the picture which I fell for, but I also want a squashy front and single-speed... which that bike doesn't have.

The current parts list looks like this, but is subject to change. Most likely to change will be the saddle and grips... just not sure Brooks are right for me, but yet again I know they will look right on the bike so I'll give it a whirl and find out if they work.

The basic components I believe I'm happy with. What's missing from this late thread is all of the back and forth that led to them being selected.

Many people have advised not to go single-speed, but this is LFGSS, what the hell are people expecting?! Single-speed 29er is probably the most fun I can imagine on a bike so I can't wait to be doing it frequently.

Parts selected (and most of which have been acquired already):

• Cielo steel 29er in Pearl White with Navy Blue logo (only colour that matches hub colour perfectly)
  
• Chris King headset, BB and ISO hubs in Navy Blue
  
• Silver Thomson Elite seatpost and Thomson Elite X4 stem
  
• DT Swiss double-butted competition spokes with Stan's ZTR Arch rims (in black, as they don't do silver), Maxxis Beaver tyres to start with
  
• Fox 32 Float 29 100 RLC FIT Taper 15QR forks.... tapered headtube on the frame of course
  
• Brooks leather grips and Brooks Swallow (black) saddle
  
• Middleburn RS8 XC 5-arm chainset
  
• Shimano XTR M988 brakes and calipers
  
• Ritchey Classic flat bars
  
  

tl;dr It's white with blue accent parts, Brooks saddle and black rims

The initial gearing will be a 31:17 which is in the recommended all-rounder GI of 50-55 GI for a 29er singlespeed.

Bromley Bike Company ( http://www.bromleybike.co.uk/ ) are managing the build for me as they are the importer for Chris King and one of the very few places in the UK that could get the Cielo range (being CK importers they obviously have a good relationship, and when you go custom that's reassuring).

They've been great so far, providing good updates of progress, and even speaking to Middleburn to get the cranks modified to make them better suit their single-speed application:

Rather than using the standard triple spider they are going to turn down the back of the spider and remove the granny ring mounting surfaces. This will give you a much neater and single speed friendly finish. Hopefully this will be a real nice detail to add to your bike.

It's the details that make or break a custom build, and that is obsessive attention to detail.

I'll upload a couple of photos from Chris King/Cielo showing my frame being built in a moment.

Edit: Jump to finished bike: http://www.lfgss.com/thread77402-3.html#post2749541

And photos: https://photos.app.goo.gl/MeLtQ7P3ggCGC4Lq9

I'd change the brakes for Hope if I were you. Then you can have the same on both bikes, makes maintaining/buying for them easier.

I did think about the Hope, and they serve me well on the Mather. But I didn't think they fitted the look of the bike and having done some reading the Shimano's come out well and were recommended by Bromley Bike too. It wasn't just the calipers that sold me, the levers on the Shimano brakes are pretty sexy.

Photos from the Cielo factory... apparently that's my bike, but you can't really see any detail, just that it's being worked on.

2 Attachments

Middleburn RS8 XC 5-arm chainset

Why not Uno? Seems much neater than a separate spider and chainring.

Could've gone either way, but aside from a BMX I owned I've always had separate chainrings and been happy with them. Couldn't see any good reason not to continue doing so, and figured (before I'd decided on a 31t chainring) that it would give me a wider selection of chainrings in the future should I wish to change.

Creaking chainring bolts seems like all the reason I'd need to drop the component count by 11 pieces, and presumably the Uno is a bit lighter too. You can always replace the Uni ring with a spider later if you want to use different/more chainrings

Oh, so this is the reason for the new sub-forum!

Suddenly it all becomes clear ;)

Haha, nooo... but I am trying to kickstart it. Thought about digging out the hundreds of photos that make up the Mather project & build.

Do it!

I also think Smallfurry should be hounded mercilessly to catalog his work.

Hope are sexier and has a Union Flag on it too!

..Shimano brakes are pretty sexy.

http://static.lfgss.com/attachments/47269d1324550935-assembly.jpg

nice bike dave ! just needs a whole bike attached to that head tube and it'll be looking sweet !

The new Shimano levers are really nice to grab on (we got some 2012 bicycle with XT levers on)

Loved the Sportif as it's my idea kind of bike paired with 32c tyres, but then I need custom if I were to spend that kind of money;

I just had the new xt brakes added to my 29er. It is now fully operational. The brakes have so much more modulation than the previous xt deore iteration and the rapid fire shifters mount onto the brakes.

I'm very tempted to get the XT as it felt so much better than the Deore that come with the SS.

Question is, why go XTR when the XT work brilliantly? the only thing I'd go for the XTR is the shifter, which felt a million miles better than the plastic feel of the XT one. (I'm talking 2011 one).

why go XT when you can get an avid bb7 for the same price ?

Don't Avid brakes had lots of issues?

[/no experience of this]

...
Bromley Bike Company ( http://www.bromleybike.co.uk/ ) are managing the build for me as they are the importer for Chris King and one of the very few places in the UK that could get the Cielo range (being CK importers they obviously have a good relationship, and when you go custom that's reassuring).

They've been great so far, providing good updates of progress, and even speaking to Middleburn to get the cranks modified to make them better suit their single-speed application:...

http://www.lfgss.com/post1216139-186.html (from the Cycle Shops thread, Feb 2010)

Popped in the Bromley Bike Company yesterday. Nice shop, and quite well equipped - with a good workshop at the back. Not much single speed stuff, but they did have a black 2010 Langster, a Genesis Day One Cross, and a couple Specialized Globe 1 bikes. They concentrate on MTBs, but also have some very high end roadie frames and bikes, which would give virtually no change from £6000.oo.

Welcome back to SS/FG cycling site-boss.

why go XT when you can get an avid bb7 for the same price ?

wut? mechanical vs. hydraulic?

why go XT when you can get an avid bb7 for the same price ?

A hydraulic brake is much better than a mechanical one. Especially going down a twisty downhill bit of a trail.

why go XT when you can get an avid bb7 for the same price ?

jokers gonna joke

Looks like that is going to be a fun ride, David!

oops
i am more than happy with my BB7's they work as well as any disc i have ridden# stopping power top notch .... do they heat and loose efficiency then ?
maybe i haven't used them in extremis then

#haven'triddenanyotherdiscbrakeitmustbesaid#

The bb7 are a great cable operated brakes, but it does need adjusting every now and then, more than v-brakes generally.

Even a well set-up cable operated brakes cannot water to hydraulic.