Custom Rob English MTB

The stem is almost done now too....it just needs the top of the steerer cutting off at an angle, then the mounting plate for the aerobar pad mount brazing on top.
The 'spacer equivilent' under the stem is there to allow a space for the gastank bag's strap to wrap around.
The bottle mount position has been decided upon, hence the cable tied cage...I've decided to have the Salsa Anything cage mounts on the front of the legs, to give the option of water and extra storage, rather than one or the other.

The almost finished stem/steerer...minus it's chamfered top.

Mounting points everywhere! :]

Thank god i'm not any taller! :]

The tubing has arrived for the front rack now too...so he'll be onto that soon....then we're almost there! :]

Aren't you're worried about the Salsa Anything cages being vulnerable?

To nuclear attack? Rabies?
To what? :]

You know what I'm on about Scott, kept hearing how easily they break (but then again, most of the breakage can be down to carrying too much on it instead of the usual sleeping bag).

I didn't know what you were on about...you said vulnerable, which normally refers to something being in a position where it could be more open to damage, so I thought you were meaning because of where I was putting them...rather than their own strength.

I would be using them purely for lightweight items like extra clothing etc...and they'll be less exposed than fork mounted panniers.

I'll have my mini rack above the front wheel, full frame bag, front and rear gastank bags, and a saddlebag...so these would be purely for extra storage, and won't even be on there a lot of the time...I'd just like to have the option.

I like the dual fork mounts. Very neat.

The anthing cages are as strong as a bottle cage. So a stable 1Kg load should be totally fine. Thats a decent amount of storage, just on your forks.

What an amazing project.

It won't be long in my opinion before Salsa brings out an updated version...either just beefed up, or made from steel.
If they don't, someone else will.

A lot of people seem to be bodging the mounting too because of not having the triple mount on their forks.

steel would be fantastic, wouldn't need to have triple mounts on their fork.

Broken cages.

not having the triple mount on their forks.

I have them :-)

*smug

Looking great so far!

I think they'll do their job perfectly, and will buy a couple soon.

On the road bike I dont think twice about heading kms from home with my only water held to the bike by two of these. Anything gages look like tanks in comparison.

I suppose they'd be fairly vulnerable in a crash. There are probably more important things to worry about when crashing in the middle of nowhere though.

Like what's going to come along & eat you :-s

steel would be fantastic, wouldn't need to have triple mounts on their fork.

Broken cages.

Again though, a lot of people are mounting with hose clips, and many are over loading them.

Triple mounts will always be better because of the longer length...and if there was a steel version it could carry more weight, so the triple mount will be better.

A titanium version would be nice. :]

I'm also hoping the whole thing will fit in the travel case. The two rear wheels might be pushing it though width wise. I may need the 12" wide case instead of 1O", which would be just over the checkable dimensions...but will sometimes be allowed if the person checking isn't being TOO anal.

Just had an expensive thought. If I'm none too keen on running an expensive lefty suspension fork on the fat bike over winter. But also not so keen on having to build an expensive fat wheel in addition to my fatty lefty wheel.

Could I order a Rob English steel lefty, with custom strut spacing, to fit the dish of my current fat lefty wheel?

You could...I know the waiting list was a full year when I ordered, but perhaps it's different for smaller projects?

You could...I know the waiting list was a full year when I ordered, but perhaps it's different for smaller projects?

A year would be fine. If I get it up and running for this winter. I wont be thinking of swapping the fork before the winter after anyway. Need to weigh the cost up against buying a fat front wheel + enabler, storage saved, and the added awsome.

I know my A-C, offset, and the width needed from center to say left bearing face. So it would just be a case of modifying his existing design.

Very interesting indeed.

This is brilliant. I'm a bit sick of seeing road/track bike builds at the moment, but this is superbly weird. Subscribed.

Awww man.....Living the dream here, Scott. I know this has been a while in the making but sounds like it's all going above and beyond expectation. looks and sounds amazing!

I can't wait to work on a custom build and with an equally great builder. Bit naive, but the Shed Tinkerer in me always has the fear it would be like winning a gold medal at the home Olympics, with a sudden sense of that's it, can't get any better. What now, the one show?!?
Oh no, it means no more trial and error, just enjoy the rest of my life with a perfect bike to ride and keep filling the shed with as many old bikes as relationships will allow(+1)

This definitely seems to be a bit more organic and problem solving opening up new ideas. Reminds me of Richard Wilson speaking about his revolving building facade, when he approached engineers they were like. "It's not possible"
To which he replied (something along the lines of) "okay, but if we were going to do it, what would we do"

hey presto! Something great happened. Love it... and can't wait to see this realised.

...... full frame bag, front and rear gastank bags, and a saddlebag...

Snap, right? :)

You cannae beat a nice piece of custom, machined aluminium! :]

Something to do with the aero bars,

Bingo! :]

Genius.