TomvanHalen's tourer - Raleigh 853 (sick flames ITT)

For shorter stuff it's great, but can't get comfortable over 70km or so. Want more stable sitbone support. Doubtless I could find more suitable bib shorts too, it's all a complete ball ache

Did you go for the Composit? Really want to try one but price etc etc

Nah, copy from China. Looks like the same shell as Composit but thin padding. Shall report back

So many people compensate for bad saddles with bib shorts. SMP means you don't even need pads :)

Edit @Chak pm me about composit

SMP means you don't even need pads :)

Right on, touring unpadded is a lovely thing.

No need to do the Dance of the Bibshort.

Less sitbones support is what you're looking for (especially with SMP).

I get that feeling with the Brooks, they're instantly comfortable like a cushion, but like a cushion, it still press against your nerves.

Might be interested in that there Composit also pls

I'm not selling it, just as a loan/test. I suppose I could bring it up to Thetford if you could post it back?

oic. That's very tempting also, I've always been undecided on whether to drop the cash

whether to drop the cash

I can save you the trouble; yes!
:p
I want to try and strip one of the fake ones and see if they have a similar shell underneath as the composit

If I enjoy mine I may strip it in order to recover it anyway, would be interesting to see

@TomvanHalen Back off!! Mine!! hissss @branwen Pm'd

Get the cheap official SMP Extra

Yeesh, it's not cheap cheap is it, even. Will see how this clone goes

compulsory autumnal fiery colours bike magically standing on it's own in the woods pics

Build's not going to get much better than this so went up to the heath with the bokeh machine. Shortly afterwards rode down some singletrack with two lightly-loaded Ortlieb Back Rollers on the front and didn't die, so I'm declaring the build a full success and ready for adventure.

Love it including the paint job.

Looks like it was so supposed to look like that all along!

Fantastic !

No XTR hubs anymore? Looks really good mate!

Keeping them as summer wheels. Rims are too ancient to handle big tubeless tyres

Yeah this is great, looks so much fun.

Such a rad bike, and great photos too!

You gonna make a deal with @Hulsroy for mudgaurd mounts if you get rid of the paint? Id be really excited to see it with a new paintjob tbh, but thats just my opinion. Something that'll make those hubs pop!

I feel an X4 is a bit chunky for how elegant the rest of the bike is.. Is the headtube 1" or 1-1/8" ?

Outstanding work nonetheless.

Thanks all :)

@t0-ster - It's tricky, I've thought of what I'd do for paint if I got the frame modified and haven't really settled on anything. I actually really love the yellow, so it would be good to keep that element. Anything like that is a way off though - if I started getting anything welded onto this it would include disc mounts for more wheel options, probably twinned with upgrading my mountain bike platform to something actually built this century with suspension and discs and 650b and whatnot, so I could continue to share wheels. Mad dollar, basically.

Edit: 1 1/8" headtube. I get what you mean with the stem but the seatpost is basically the only good 30.0 option so I think this is the best I can do on the other end. Don't much like X2s and not a lot of options for that length/rise

Thomson kit is a perfect nod to 90s MTB.

Disc mounts for better rim choice, true.. But canti/Koolstop combo is gold!