Tijmen's Bikes and Related Projects

Wow, that looks superb!

Getting rid of the spacer mounted bell next. And need to fashion some strap keepers as Vwaa-leh doesn't make them for the Nano straps.

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Built my first set of wheels today, cheapest everything I could get to replace the dying Fulcrum Racing 5 set in the Eroba. Remerx Dragon L719 laced to a Shimano Tourney hub in the rear and a Shimano dynamo hub in the front, total cost was 75 euros. Will be getting dynamo lights when daylight starts to disappear again.

Starting to fantasize about a set for the Kona as the Fulcrum Red Power XLs are creaking again and I don't want to replace the bearing another time if the service life is roughly 6 months. Current thinking is straight-pull DT Swiss 350's to wide-ish aluminum rims like the Duke Lucky Star Ultra.

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I made my bagel bag prototype into a bum bag to find out that @platypus was right, very sweaty back and not very comfortable. I tested it by bringing coffee gear on my ride, comfort might be better with softer and lighter stuff in it but back will still be sweaty.

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I like using my OMM bumbag as a little sling body bag I'm on a t-shirt ride, I sewed on something to clip it on from the other direction to stop it swinging about and really can't complain - much nicer than using it as a bum bag!

Built my first set of wheels

Well done, I can imagine you're pretty satisfied. Nice bags as well.

I cut the webbing too short for that. :/ I’ll see about lengthening it and trying it like that. Good shout!

Yes, a bit frustrating initially but very rewarding once I got the hang of it. Great skill to have, many of my wheels are not true enough to be good but not far enough out of true to bring to a bike shop, now I can just sort it myself on a rainy Sunday.

And thanks, slowly getting the hang of it. :)

Crimps have been made, should easily clear 700x50.

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Need a tote, don't know why, just do... superb work!
If ever you go full flung commercial, heck yes.

I’ll let you know!

In other news, the Kona is now officially a gravel bike. Racing Ray on the front, evolution because I’m worth it, and the old Ralph on the back. Good combo, much more confidence inspiring now I actually climb and descend. Could have done with Marathon Supremes in flat Holland, but not here.

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Big up to @Jaap

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Outers still a touch long, and the saddle and lever position needs some tweaking but I’m happy with its new riser guise.

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Not 100% why, but I've just started the ordering process for a Marino to replace the Kona. Thinking about replacing it made me appreciate it far more, but it has a couple of quirks I wouldn't mind solving. The main triangle is tiny, offering me only one bottle, the second cage under the downtube helps but it's not great. It also has a QR rear wheel, the Fulcrums are up for replacement but I don't want to invest in such an old standard. Wouldn't mind a dropper and a bit more travel / slacker angles to get rowdy, so here we go.

Looks like this currently, 68 degree HT might be a touch conservative but I think it's enough, 74 degree ST because that worked on the Kona, 425mm stays because chuckability, lots of mounts because I still fantasize about using all the bikepacking gear I've been buying and making, seattube just short enough that I can put in a 125mm dropper. Thinking matte powdercoat because his paint doesn't look that great, I think matte hides that a bit and it's a good reason to have it resprayed if I plan on riding it for more than a couple of years.

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great, I was going to do something like this but now I can live it vicariously through you

Owning a bike made by Marino I would recommend opting for their nicer steel option, it being q u i t e heavy. Possibly the heaviest bike I’ve ever owned.

We opted for the heat-treated 4130 as that is basically what we understood 725 to be, I'll ask for a guesstimated weight for the different tubing options, might be cheap weight savings. Thanks!

Design freeze on both frames, let's see what Marino says.

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My order partner got impatient and ordered an OTP bike, unsure if I should continue now.

My only real problem with the Kona is its tiny main triangle, with a Marino I could carry 3 bottles on long rides and have considerably more frame bag space when bikepacking. But I'm not sure if that's worth spending a grand. Would also get me a 12 speed groupset, lighter wheels, a dropper, more suspension travel, and modern standards all round. But I don't really need any of those things, or do I?

Thinking of getting the Aeropress Go but would like to know if it will fit in my current pot. Any chance you could measure the max external diameter with and without the red top?

Evertything is sqround so it's hard to give a diameter but the red top should fit in a 10cm circle, without you should be able to fit it in a 9cm ID pot. I don't have calipers, so take these measurements with a grain of salt, but I think it'd sooner be 88mm than 92mm.

If only you knew someone else who could do cheap frame builds/modifications

Amazing, thank very much man. Should fit my current setup with ~5mm to spare.

Yeah but that person is pretty swamped with my other build and approx 600km away. And it’s not really something that’s fixed with a couple of braze-ons. And I just want a new mountain bike, so could you please tell me a Marino is the way to go?

I'm hurt