Pompetamine Monstercross/tourer

I was talking to a mate yesterday and we started planning for some touring next year. Big miles, varied terrain, but travelling light; handlebar/seat post bags - no panniers. For this I would need a new bike. Overview of initial plan: Dirt drops, aero levers, hub gears, disc brakes, 32/35c tyres, full mudguards painted to match the frame. Sort of a light tourer/bad weather commuter/light off roader. I believe the term is Monster Cross?

I’m on a massively restricted budget though, but am happy to take my time and maybe have some parts to take from outgoing bikes. Saying that, all the talk of touring got me a little carried away and a few minutes later I had a Pompetamine f&f on order and have just taken delivery.

I thought it would be dead easy to figure out exactly what I wanted and how I’d go about it, but I’m finding it harder than I thought. I’m having trouble finding any examples that are just what I’m looking for. Hoping to get pointed in the right direction here. My main issue are gears/shifters/brakes.

I was thinking Alfine 8 speed hub, but it seems that may work out quite pricey. The only thing I could find to shift are Verso shifters or those Retroshift things (maybe, not sure if they’d work with the Alfine). Not sure of the other hub options (SA?). I’m starting to wonder whether some of those tugs with mech hanger and a 1x10 set up wouldn’t just be easier and cheaper. BB5 or 7 for brakes (anything better/cheaper?), though not sure of my options for levers.

I have a Haro Mary that I’m looking to sell. I could split it and use it for cranks (Truvativ Stylo /w 32t), pedals (cheap Wellgo SPD), saddle (Romin), maybe headset. But it has some older Hope M4 brakes with a 203/180mm rotor setup. I’m now thinking it may be an idea to try and use them and find a bar/gear setup that would allow me to run with the Hope levers.

Any suggestions for the build, things I’ve missed, not considered or gotten wrong? Even a point to some bikes that may spark a light would be helpful.

J-tek bar end shifter for the Alfine?

Bit like my current project. Lots of bits, but nuthin' fits. Got suntour stem shifters and derailleurs. But campag chainset seems too far for front mech to reach outer ring. I'm thinking single front ring and 8spd cassette. Should be enough for East Anglian fens.

I was thinking of turning my Pompetamine from fixed to 1x10 with flat bars. The frame came with a mech hanger attachment (not sure where I placed that) so I believe it will be possible but I can't find any examples on the web.
I wasn't to sure either how easy it would be to set up with horizontal dropouts, disc brakes and using gears with derailleur.
My other option I was thinking was try to find a bargain bike on ebay with an alfine., sell the rest of the bike on and keep the Alfine.

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/genesis/day-01-alfine-8-2012-cyclocross-bike-ec030769#features

?

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/genesis/day-01-alfine-8-2012-cyclocross-bike-ec030769#features

?

Nice, i must say i'm leaning more to 8spd as a faff free alternative to my 12spd mix 'n' match bodge job.

http://www.gumtree.com/search?q=subway+8&search_location=London&category=bicycles&min_price=&max_price=

probably gone by now,
but Subway 8s do show up now & again.

Cheapest way to a 8-gear hub I found.

Ebay automated search set up!

Like the J-tek. If I was to use the brakes and levers from the MTB, then I could use the money saved for the bar end shifter.

I was looking for exactly what you described last week. The old Alfine was called Nexus, try searching for that too

I ended up buying a used Pompetamine with Alfine and the Versa shifters, it's brilliant, you can have a go to see if you like the gear setup if you're near putney

Im considering a pompino with a sturmey archer s3x for similar duties.. just need to save up for the s3x, dam pricey

Ebay automated search set up!

Like the J-tek. If I was to use the brakes and levers from the MTB, then I could use the money saved for the bar end shifter.

The big bonus is that with the shifter separated from the levers you can get V-brake drop levers, that actuate MTB cable disc calipers. This works notably better than road lever actuated cable disc calipers.

You might find some inspiration on here.

http://forums.mtbr.com/29er-bikes/i-beg-you-more-monstercross-355649.html

Currently 74 pages worth of monstercross bikes.

My experience with the aftermarket Versa drop bar shifters designed for Alfine 11 was pretty poor. My other half and I did a lot of research for a good commuter bike, went for the Pompetamine Versa 11, but sent it back. Primarily due to the shifters.

They are over-priced, poorly made and aren't able to work properly with cross top levers. I'd avoid them like the plague.

The old Alfine was called Nexus, try searching for that too

Not really...the Nexus is to Alfine what Sora is to 105. I think Alfine was also the only model rated by Shimano for XC use.

There was the curious Nexus Red Band which seemed to have the same internals as an alfine hub but no disc mount and could be respaced to 126mm.

+1 to the bar end shifter and V brake levers. Personally I'd avoid the integrated shifters - I've never used them in anger but having copped a feel in Evans they felt...bad. The standard alfine trigger shifter was great though.

I’m starting to wonder whether some of those tugs with mech hanger and a 1x10 set up wouldn’t just be easier and cheaper.

I canny find a photo but I have done this on my Pompino.

Works great but does occasionally jump off at the front. I have bought a cheapo front mech to act as a chain guide.

The big bonus is that with the shifter separated from the levers you can get V-brake drop levers, that actuate MTB cable disc calipers. This works notably better than road lever actuated cable disc calipers.

Very true- this is what I'd do:

http://www.retroshift.de/shop/cxv/

Not really...the Nexus is to Alfine what Sora is to 105. I think Alfine was also the only model rated by Shimano for XC use.

There was the curious Nexus Red Band which seemed to have the same internals as an alfine hub but no disc mount and could be respaced to 126mm.

+1 to the bar end shifter and V brake levers. Personally I'd avoid the integrated shifters - I've never used them in anger but having copped a feel in Evans they felt...bad. The standard alfine trigger shifter was great though.

AFAIK the only difference now between the Nexus and Alfine is that you can mount disc brakes with the Alfine. All the Nexus versions available online are the 'red band' version (SG-8R36).

Okay, I've been making progress with this. Think I have everything I need bar some single ring chainring bolts and the front wheel. I was taking my time, but got carried away with some classifieds/ebaying and now sitting here at work with a 15 mile commute ahead of me and a snow storm raging outside I've gone and ordered most of the parts to finish the build.

Just need a saddle (can take one from another bike) and front wheel. In the end I decided to try it out with the stock Alfine shifters. Can't see why they'd be worse or less functional than a bar end jobbie.

Frame has been painted and I'm waiting on stickers. Pictures maybe to follow tonight.

looking forward to photos. I have a hard time deciding on paint myself.

In the end I decided to try it out with the stock Alfine shifters. Can't see why they'd be worse or less functional than a bar end jobbie.

It's fine - if I was going to build another alfine bike I'd go this route. You can also use the nexus grip shift as a kind of bar end shifter as well - I remember seeing this on Sheldon's site somewhere.

Where did you get the alfine wheel?

Can't see why they'd be worse or less functional than a bar end jobbie.

How ae you going to run thumb shifters on drops though.

^ clamp it on the bars like a bar end shifter. Something like this I'd imagine:

Thats actually nice and neat. You'd need long drops though.

Or use one of those bar space extender things- short length of tube on a bracket.

I agree it looks quite neat on the end of the drop though.

Does the Alfine spacing not match any other bar end shifter spacing?

J-tec to a bar end shifter, but no, Alfine has it's own special pull ratios. In the photo it's actually the Nexus twist grip shifter but that's compatible with Alfine. The trigger shifter would also work on the bar end but wouldn't be quite so neat.