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  • 4cylndrfury

    Dec. 23, 2011 8:00 a.m. 4cylndrfury SuperDork

    54" is a lil small IMO, but a lot of people big and small like a smaller frame for a more compact ride/tighter wheelbase for their city fixy/SS, I guess Im just old fashined lol - a rider should fit their bike and vice versa.... I also am a big fan of steel frames, but to each his own. And my only other exception would be the carbon forks, I like the look of a steel fork (and the stiffer feel) on the road over carbon, and steel is stronger (Im 6' 1", and 225 lbs give or take, so strength becomes a concern for me). Ive seen some...errr...catastrophic failures without much prodding from carbon. I know there are some really good, strong carbon forks out there, but I just cant trust em. Call me crazy...

    In general though, getting any bike back on its wheels and under someone is a good thing, so go for it!

  • speedbiu

    Dec. 26, 2011 9:23 p.m. speedbiu Reader

    As for profit you must always build a bike you like and are willing to keep.Aluminum SS bikes have a harsh ride and most people riding fixies are in it for the ride and comfort or freestyling ether way steel is the way to go.Sell the parts on ebay or CL and find an old steel frame

  • thunderzy

    Dec. 27, 2011 9:33 a.m. thunderzy Reader

    Cool build dude. I built a dual suspension mountain bike from the frame up last winter. It was a very enjoyable and relatively easy build.

  • gamby

    Dec. 27, 2011 5:17 p.m. gamby SuperDork

    speedbiu wrote:

    As for profit you must always build a bike you like and are willing to keep.Aluminum SS bikes have a harsh ride and most people riding fixies are in it for the ride and comfort or freestyling ether way steel is the way to go.Sell the parts on ebay or CL and find an old steel frame

    Yeah, I think that's what I'm leaning toward.

    I'm going to get ahold of an older chromoly Trek hybrid super cheap that I'll either tune up and flip or build into some sort of SS cross bike and sell.

    Again, it would probably be smarter just to tune it and flip it. Gotta find some cheapie hybrid tires.

  • donalson

    Jan. 1, 2012 9:35 p.m. donalson SuperDork

    I wanted to add my fun new toy...

    got this for Christmas (mo-in-law) it was to small and I knew it but the price was to good to pass up...

    its an '09 GT peace 9r SS (single speed 29er)

    then talked to my buddy up at the LBS... he had a XL '10 surly 1x1 frameset he got for cheap (new but last years model)... it's one of the early SS only MTB frames and made for 26" wheels but will JUST barely fit 29ers depending on the tire... or can use up to 3" 26er tires

    anyway after talking we agreed to trade frame/forks straight up... so spent sat up at the shop building up my new frame and tossed on some bars I had kicking around... had take off tires in the back room he gave me for the rear

    rear wheel will fit a 2.1 tire max... I spent a little time today with the dremel cutting the fender bracket nub a little shorter (every mm counts)

    up front has a little more room... pic is a 2.2... I was able to get a 2.3 up front (short knobs)

    the bike is tall but feels good... can't wait to get it on the trail... also gives me options down the road... I REALLY want to try a fat bike (3+" tires) also could make a super fun cross bike...

    not a bad bike considering what i've got into it is $100+ less then the MSRP of the frame

  • gamby

    Jan. 2, 2012 1:12 a.m. gamby SuperDork

    Good stuff!!!

    The tire clearance (or lack thereof) on the Surly is a bit unsettling, though. Stay away from mud!

  • donalson

    Jan. 2, 2012 2:40 a.m. donalson SuperDork

    lol yup... where I ride I don't have much mud... still amazing a bike designed in the late 90's is still so popular... and fits 29ers ;-) I think its a better fit with 650b which i'd like to try at some point...

  • Luke

    Jan. 2, 2012 2:54 a.m. Luke SuperDork

    Nice. I love how versatile Surley bikes are. Especially that one.

    Could be tough to find, but maybe you could run a fork with a slightly longer A-C length, giving more comfortable tyre clearance, without messing with the frame geometry. Then again, if it works as is, why bother .

  • donalson

    Jan. 2, 2012 11:25 a.m. donalson SuperDork

    actuall ya I can get very small fork length increases all day long without issue thats a 413mm 420 is a pretty common size and would add just enough extra clearance for a bit more comfort... but i've got a little more room with the tire that i've got up there right now... so not worried at the moment...

    plan to hit the trail tommarow with it and experience the whole SS thing

  • Taiden

    Jan. 2, 2012 11:41 a.m. Taiden Dork

    That 1x1 is pretty much exactly what I want for a campus bike!

  • gamby

    Jan. 2, 2012 3:12 p.m. gamby SuperDork

    donalson wrote:

    lol yup... where I ride I don't have much mud... still amazing a bike designed in the late 90's is still so popular... and fits 29ers ;-) I think its a better fit with 650b which i'd like to try at some point...

    Did it come with the disc brake mounts or did you have to add them on???

    Disc brakes were in their absolute infancy in the late-90's, right???

  • donalson

    Jan. 2, 2012 3:26 p.m. donalson SuperDork

    surly started selling the 1x1 in like '98... in the early mid 2k they added disc tabs... they haven't really changed the frame beyond that untill the '11 update

    discs are good...

  • gamby

    Jan. 2, 2012 4:10 p.m. gamby SuperDork

    donalson wrote:

    discs are good...

    ...oh, I know. My MTB is a Decathlon Rockrider 9.2 (unheard-of-in-the-States Euro brand). It's 2005 full-suspension Deore LX bike with Hayes mechanical discs. That was the bike that made me see the light on full suspension and disc brakes.

    These days, I rarely ride off-road, though. I used to be WAY into the MTB thing, so my bikehandling skills come out of dormancy very quickly. I did some really technical singletrack at the beginning of the summer and was like "wow--I can still handle a bike". Granted, the years of skateboarding helped that a ton in terms of picking a line and committing.

  • donalson

    Jan. 5, 2012 4:09 p.m. donalson SuperDork

    got everything finished up on the bike... removed a link from the chain and installed a 1/2 link and got the tension set... tossed the 2.3 exiwolf tire up front (very short knobs so fits nicely and good cushy tire)

    my gearing is super low (32/20) 46.4 gear inches... stock on the GT was 32/18 so 51.6 gear inches... rode around the block with my 8y/o girl on her 24" schwinn cruiser bike and had to spin pretty hard to keep up with her when she was mashing hard lol... so we'll see how the gearing is once I get it on the trail

    most road bikes run around 65 or so gear inches...

    anyway haven't gotten it out to the trail... just around the block... it's a heavy bike by SS standards 27ish lbs)... but it's a 22" frame with a heavy cockpit, heavy wheelset, and heavy crankset, heavy brakeset and VERY heavy bars... but it's still a good bit lighter then any other MTB i've ever had and super easy to bunny hop and very quiet (SS has very little drivetrain noise :)

    if tommarow turns out like today I'll get her on the trail for a slow spin

  • donalson

    Jan. 6, 2012 10:05 p.m. donalson SuperDork

    got her out to the trail... fat boy on a SS who hasn't ridden in the last year and 1/2 = frequent hike-a-bike

    but pretty good on the trail :)

  • Luke

    Jan. 7, 2012 4:05 a.m. Luke SuperDork

    Lookin' good! How do you like those bars?

  • donalson

    Jan. 7, 2012 11:12 a.m. donalson SuperDork

    dig em... they are quite comfortable... easy to control even on DH (thumbs hook under the cross of the bar so they don't slide to far forward like some other "alt bars" i've used in the past)... I need to fine tune the angle and get my ergon grips on there still but I dig em :)

    also standing up its a very similar feel to being on bar ends (which i've always liked)... no reaching for the bar ends THEN standing to grind

    biggest issue is they are a PITA to use geared... I used them on my old 29er "road bike"... lots of hand positions and comfy even for 100k rides if you aren't a roadie that likes to grab into the drops to really yank these are a pretty good... decent aero tuck up at the front (or on the trail nice for grinding up hill slowly)

  • gamby

    Jan. 7, 2012 5:28 p.m. gamby SuperDork

    donalson wrote:

    got her out to the trail... fat boy on a SS who hasn't ridden in the last year and 1/2 = frequent hike-a-bike

    Good. At least you got out there.

    I had a FANTASTIC road ride today. Just a quick 17 miles on the Trek, but it was a ridiculous 60 degrees today (that doesn't happen in January in RI), so I had to get outside. Yay bikes.

  • speedbiu

    Jan. 10, 2012 4:04 a.m. speedbiu Reader

    In reply to donalson:

    Very cool bike I've always been a fan of Surly bikes.Maybe I missed it but how was that gearing on the trail? That front tire looks tight on there,I did that one time and got away with it till debris got cought in that tiny gap and locked up my front wheel.That was on a high speed DH on the Issaqueena trail in SC.

  • donalson

    Jan. 10, 2012 4:32 a.m. donalson SuperDork

    the exiwolf 2.3 (above) is actually roomier then the 2.2 nevengal... if I was dealing with muddy trails or anything but what I ride it may be an issue... but i've never had an issue with clogging tires :)

    my biggest issue is i'm very out of shape... i'm an ubber clyd that hasn't had a ride for the last year and 1/2 and i've never done SS... the gearing is very low and a good SS could climb the rockies with that kind of gearing... I pretty much wanted to be in a gear higher at minimum for most everything except when the trail turned up to climb... and then If I had any stamina I could make every climb (for FL we have a lot of elevation change)

    saving $$$ to buy a 29er but the 1x1 won't go anywhere (although it may gain gears, 650b, or some fatties)

  • 4cylndrfury

    Jan. 10, 2012 9:17 a.m. 4cylndrfury SuperDork

    Luke wrote:

    Nice. I love how versatile Surley bikes are. Especially that one.

    Im a lil late to the party, but I loved my Surly Instigator, hardtail mtb frame. It was great, had geometry that lent itself to more aggressive riding, and cromo is the only way I roll...I cant say enough about Surly.

    I hope you enjoy yours Donalson

  • speedbiu

    Jan. 10, 2012 9:39 a.m. speedbiu Reader

    In reply to donalson:

    I'm out of shape too,I use to ride 500 miles a week and now I'm lucky to get 30 in a week.I have put on some lbs too.lol.If you have a spacific bike your looking for I get most bikes at cost due to the work I do for local bike shops and teams.I might be able to save you some $$$,but I'm all about supporting LBS too.

  • donalson

    Jan. 10, 2012 1:04 p.m. donalson SuperDork

    speedbiu... sent you a msg... LMK if you don't get it

    this is my 2nd surly... my first was a karate monkey... I LOVED that bike... it's not pretty but it was a very comfy ride that I could beat on and not worry.

  • donalson

    Feb. 27, 2012 12:28 a.m. donalson SuperDork

    and i'm keeping this thread alive :)...

    my new rig... '11 trek/fisher sawyer

    26x4.7" front tire on there ;-)... she's not officially done yet... have some XT dual control shifter/brakes for her and xt calipers (waiting on the shop to get the brake line in) and then there is the detail of getting the fit dialed in... I cut the steerer tube WAY long

    so far i'm very pleased with how she rides

    the brakes and shifter bits currently on the sawyer will make its way over to the surly 1x1 which is being built up as a geared pavement pounder... waiting again waiting on a few tidbits on the shop to finish her up

  • gamby

    Feb. 27, 2012 12:41 a.m. gamby SuperDork

    The front tire/wheel on that first one is BAFFLING for a bike that doesn't see snow use. My lord...

    About to re-do my main road bike. She'll be getting a major upgrade. Shimano 105/Ultegra/SRAM Apex drivetrain, new bars, stem, bar tape...

    However, I bought a Tiagra cassette from a shop on amazon and they sent me the wrong one.

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