Gravel & Monster Cross Custom Bike Shootout!

[andyrtmorgan]

Is that an eBay fork? How do you find it? I'm looking for a rigid carbon fork and have been battling to find one locally... everyone's out of stock!

 

 

Had a 26" Sintesi frame laying around and a test LTWOO A7 drivetrain.IMG_20190830_085107.jpg

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[Taki]

It is. I bought is about 5 years ago and I have used it on multiple build experiments with no issues. I even used it on a 29" frame with a custom spacer to correct the geometry and it took the beating on downhill trails.

 

Is that an eBay fork? How do you find it? I'm looking for a rigid carbon fork and have been battling to find one locally... everyone's out of stock!

[NixM]

Finally finished the 2 projects I started when lockdown left me with plenty of spare time.

Both bikes were single speeds but hardly ever got ridden (old age, unfit and too many hills in Cape Town). Niner is a MCR and On one is a 26 Inbred.

 

Parts were scavenged from my garage, bikehub (thanks everyone who responded to my wanted ads) and forks were sourced from Keanbikes who got them imported (straight steerers were impossible to source locally)

 

The idea was to create 2 touring/flat bar gravel/ridged mtb/monster cross bikes, not sure what I am supposed to call them.

 

The Niner has turned out beautifully, the One one is a bit of an ugly duckling but fun to ride.

 

[Karakoram]

Trek 920 converted to flat bar and friction shifters. Story here: https://community.bikehub.co.za/topic/188856-conversion-of-gravel-bike-to-flat-bar-and-friction-shifters/

 

[Hennie 15]

Converted an Steel Vintage Hansom Frame into this Gravel bike.  Running 9 speed Sti 105 shifters with an 9 speed mtb long cage derailleur with 38t Narrow wide chainring.  11/36 Cassette at the back.  Running 28c Panaracers Gravel king tyres that i did the Eroica this year.  Unbelievable tyres, had not punctures on the 89km off road course.

[Monark]

My little gravel build - 50c tyres and thin gorgeous ti tubing 

[Hennie 15]

Hansom Steel Vintage Gravel bike build fitted with 700x30c Schwalbe cx pro tyres

[Karakoram]

On 5/28/2021 at 12:29 PM, Monark said:

My little gravel build - 50c tyres and thin gorgeous ti tubing 

Just love the suspension forks.

[Yusran]

I haven't posted in forever but, here's my one and only:

Japan tour 2019:

2020 re-spray:

 

 

 

[NickGM]

59 minutes ago, Yusran said:

I haven't posted in forever but, here's my one and only:

Japan tour 2019:

2020 re-spray:

 

 

 

 

That's fantastic. What was japan like for bike touring?

Also I recall somebody saying (on a thread about rapide wheels) that they toured Japan with a rapide wheelset and they held up very well. Was that you by any chance?

[MORNE]

1 hour ago, Yusran said:

I haven't posted in forever but, here's my one and only:

Japan tour 2019:

2020 re-spray:

 

 

 

 

thats some bucket-list type stuff. awesome 

[Yusran]

2 hours ago, NickGM said:

That's fantastic. What was japan like for bike touring?

Also I recall somebody saying (on a thread about rapide wheels) that they toured Japan with a rapide wheelset and they held up very well. Was that you by any chance?

That was me indeed! That wheelset is still going strong btw, it's been temporarily moved to my MTB for now though. 

Touring Japan was the best thing in the world. My first time flying overseas ever, and such a magical place to travel...

The place is beautiful, the people are so helpful, humble and kind and it was so safe. I left my fully loaded bike outside a supermarket one day, not locked (lost my lock somewhere along the route that day) just resting against a pole in the bike parking, and came back 45mins later - everything was still there an untouched. 

And the drivers give you so much space, they literally give you the entire lane and move across a full lane to overtake. 

We camped all over the place, my tent was my house for 6 weeks!

Very much looking forward to going back there one day, hopefully sooner than later. 

[Yusran]

2 hours ago, MORNE said:

thats some bucket-list type stuff. awesome 

Bucket list stuff indeed... I wish we could do these types of things more regularly!

[NotSoBigBen]

So ..... Got some bits and have an idea knocking around

 

A 'short travel' monstercross, the only thing that's holding me from my usual built in a day or 2 bike is reducing the travel in a RS Recon fork .... Some thoughts would just be interesting

 

- is there an 'easy' hack?

- is there only the air spacer option meaning strip down as I understand it?

- can I just run very little air i.e. lots of sag 😎

 

Will certainly visit my go-to guy, Grumpy, Monday for this and other questions but would be interesting if anyone has perhaps done it already

[Toasted marshmallows]

You would be cutting travel going from a 26er to 29er lower. If it's 100 mm you would look at a 55-65mm travel. Did a swop on an old 26 sid to 27.5 lower and was down from 80mm to 60mm

Even upgrade the steerer with a NA tuned alu one to cut weight.... 

Suspension for the win on a gravel setup...

Edited November 25, 2023 by Toasted marshmallows

[DJuice]

11 hours ago, NotSoBigBen said:

So ..... Got some bits and have an idea knocking around

 

A 'short travel' monstercross, the only thing that's holding me from my usual built in a day or 2 bike is reducing the travel in a RS Recon fork .... Some thoughts would just be interesting

 

- is there an 'easy' hack?

- is there only the air spacer option meaning strip down as I understand it?

- can I just run very little air i.e. lots of sag 😎

 

Will certainly visit my go-to guy, Grumpy, Monday for this and other questions but would be interesting if anyone has perhaps done it already

Of no help with the techical details, looking forward to the custom spray job!!!

PS some Klein retro style