Dolan FXE commutenger

On the other side of the fence i could an Africann voice, but couldn't see anyone.
Wasn't until i had cleared enough mud and rode off again i could see the safari bus coming along.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQaSRKP8Dho

James who was waiting up the track for me was excitied as he had been watching a Hyenea.......we had found a track alongside the dual perimeter fence line of the local safari park....... gladly i didn't have a Hyena come and laugh at me for taking a Tarck bike down a muddy track :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q8LFyu1AdlI

Everything worked apart from my knees on 15x42 in mud :)

Had twitchy knees this week.

Starting back with bike commuting next week.
Swapped out the 15t sprocket back to 16t, just been for a quick spin, now to reset the lockring and whack the rear rack back on.
Bars have been trimmed down a bit more, now sporting endcaps and have a very door and stairway friendly bar width, but not silly narrow.

50 shades of stealthy blackness is allright in a Johnny Cash kinda way, but added a touch of colour to the fork and rear triangle.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t51MHUENlAQ

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Still enjoying this thread! Did you spray the inside of the stays and fork?

@alialias no paint, just plain old electrical tape.

It's very early.
Last night was very late.
I am tired.
So tired.

Dear Dolan,

It's not you,
It's me.
I have drifted away from you, maybe found another.
I think i want a divorce.
It's been fun, i am sure we can be grown up and part on good terms.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DftCIarV03o

:)

don't know if that means you're selling but if so, dibs, I've wanted something like this for a while

lols
No mercy, one in one out :)

At the moment platypus........... it will take a few weeks for the new ride to gather some parts.
I might keep the Dolan fork, but frame/headset/seat post/clamp will be looking for a home.
I shall honor your "Dibs" and PM you when me and Dolan reach a final divorce understanding.

I am so happy and maybe tired right now my face hurts :)

Right, my quick fling with coke can material is drawing to an end.

It's been fun.
Only done a couple of hundred miles, learnt how to spin fixed wheel, done a sportive, and commuting on the FXE.
It really has been faultless as a frame set.
Build up was easy enough, and had no issues with seat post fit.

Just stripped it down to bare rideable bike, as in photo's, no extras, no speedo, no rack, no cages/pump/saddle pack.
On the bathroom scales i got a reading working out to 8kg and a couple more readings around 8.5kg

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NDS photo.
The red on the frame is just insulation tape.
Wheels are around 2kg.
Tyres 1kg.
The stem and handle bars are super duty downhill/dirt jump spec.
Loads of room to shed weight, i reckon i can shed nearly a kilo with ease, and 500g straight away off the tyres alone.
A fairly light build on a budget should be doable.

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At the time the only off the shelf square taper at the local halfrauds was 118mm spindle.

As i commute in clumpy work boots and big flat pedals a bit of extra Q-factor wasn't a major issue.
Chainline was reigned in by using inner tabs on chainset, bike ran smoothly and scary quiet and had room for improvement with a narrow BB spindle and quality chain ring and sprocket.

I ran shortest wheelbase possible, this took a bit of getting used to.
Ride was at first twitchy at speed (fixed wheel) but super agile, i get the appeal of using a track bike for fast city commuting. Dragging the wheelbase out would have calmed things down.
Steering and handling took some getting used to as it's fast. I assume the pure bred Pre cursa is more lively.

Power transfer is very direct, this was a learning curve for me, i soon adapted.
I ran 28c tyres, play around with PSI for a smoother ride, if i ran tyres too hard, the ride was very fast but a bit harsh, this is track pedigree being used on rough tarmac.
If i was keeping the FXE i had looked into 30mm CX dry condition tyres, i reckon i could still fit mudguards and have a nice ride.

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2nd dibs on the FXE frame/headset/seat post/clamp.
Not surprised your keeping the fork, that red electrical tape is nicely done.

About to strip bike down.
Brakes and chainset are moving over to a Steamroller, i will try the Dolan fork on the Roller as well.
I totally get why the Pre Cursa is popular, the FXE is more everyday useable with 2xcage mounts and rack mounts.
Rack mounting was solid with only 3 points of contact, no issues with only a few kilos of work day bag lashed to the rack.

Being a bit older i watched the early Alu frames come through with round profile tubes, then Klein's with multi profile tubing at heavy cost, to Hydro forming etc etc.

The amount of work on the tubes for a cheap frame is unreal.
Headtube, intergrated headset and machined.
Toptube is sort of Oval.
Downtube is heavily profiled.
Seat tube, plain boring round profile.

Why switch back to steel ?
I know steel, i like steel, and the chance of a new frame £150 below RRP and i had the money.....
I would have another FXE though, my flirtation with Alu has been most pleasant :)

@Kuss
The Vultures circle the yet undead FXE :)
Dibs noted.

I need to strip down, play with Rollins, i quite like the Dolan FXE fork, i suspect i will keep that and sticker bomb it.
The catch for me is the Dolans and Surly are 1" 1/8 steerers which is what i wanted as 1" steerers are a it flexy for me.

It begins.
The Slow death of FXE.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BuY6D1LYSoM

So...... 14 hours ago i started to take it down.

Fucker tried to have my finger off, managed to remove pedals and one crank bolt.

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More progress.
Finger hurts with big bite marks.

Frame stripped and washed the dust off.
Now to clean all the parts and carry on over on my Steamroller thread.

Little bit more to come over here.
But more weirdness over there https://www.lfgss.com/conversations/304842/

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