 9th July 2009 | #12651 | |
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Interested because.... A) I have a utility bike (based on CycloX frame) with massive rear panniers, and find long climbs annoying because i have to lean forward more than I'd like. To better seat the front wheel. I was curious to the effect of 1.5 Kg or so on the front, as I may invest in some front panniers, simply to better balance the weight. B) I'm putting together a 29er with a bloody light carbon fork, and again am carefully considering front end lift on technical climbs. I have chosen a frame with relatively long chainstays to compensate, so it works in my head (ahem). TBH I was amazed at the number of big name manufacturers making 29er frames with uber short chain stays, so they could market them as 'handling like a 26er'. | |
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| 9th July 2009 | #12655 |
 | It makes sense to use lowriders and a front rack for heavy stuff and use rear panniers for light items (as advised by Gilles Berthoud). |
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| 9th July 2009 | #12656 | |
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b) I wouldn't worry about it so much on a mountain bike, my 29er (Scandal) has long chainstays and light carbon fork and climbs wonderfully well. The bikes with short rear ends (Karate Monkey springs to mind) also climb very well, but like most moutain bike riding it requires a bit more body input to get the balance right. Short chain stays seem to be a West Coast thing, trying to deal with very twisty trails, but I don't think I've read anyone claiming to make a 29er handle like a 26" bike. | |
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| 9th July 2009 | #12658 | |
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but it doesn't matter | |
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| 9th July 2009 | #12660 |
| | Lolo, JDB, Scott. Cheers folks. I'll have a look at front panniers, and sleep a bit easier while waiting for my 29er frame to arrive. BTW I have threaded holes half way down my bontrager cyclocross (or hybrid maybe?) forks. It seems obvious that these would be for mounting a front pannier rack. Just seems a bit weird finding them on a pair of cyclocross forks (although there are also mudguard eyelets). Are the leg lengths of front pannier racks made to some kind of standard? |
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| 9th July 2009 | #12662 | |
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no, still no funny handling...the cane creek bar ends make the bike handle so well to be honest...because your hands point in the same direction as when you're on brake hoods, but the weight is central over the bar due to the bar end extending backwards a bit too, it seems to have a really sturdy feel to the steering. | |
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| 9th July 2009 | #12663 | |
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In some ways its right though, shorther chain stays to make shorther wheel base will help with turing in tight switch backs, and also help make the front end easier to lift, so I suppose this does make it a bit more like a 26" bike. I sounds more like someone trying to address some of the issues the anti 29er crowd seem to think exist with proper sized bikes. With a nice carbon fork you should have 0 problems getting the front of the bike off the ground when you need to, and with 29er tryres and long chain stays you will be amazed by how much rear end grip you have when climbing. | |
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| 9th July 2009 | #12664 | |
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And yeah, most of the "our 29er rides like a regular 26" bike" claims were just to gain acceptance in the early days when 29ers were struggling to win people over. I'd take a 29er over a 26 any day though. | |
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| 9th July 2009 | #12668 | |
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And your bike looks like?? In your own time... Oh, hang on, here it is  Dear fuckin God! There's a thread for that somewhere else..... | |
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| 9th July 2009 | #12670 |
| | Hi, We have a few projects going on at the moment. Check out www.riparatofixedgear.com and see what were up to! Trying to take photos of all the stages of conversion as a source of reference for others starting out. Hope you like it. |
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| 9th July 2009 | #12674 |
| | Finished my first fixed yesterday, here are some pics!     Hope you like... and I already know the bar angle isn't quite right... Cranks and chainring are a place holder, they are williams cottered. I have a set of stronglight cottered TA cranks being re-chromed and a williams chainring to match. currently 44:19, soon to be 49:19, which is the same as 42:16... Frame is a Freddy Grubb from 1957 from Teddy. chrome bars and brake lever, weinnman callipers. 27" deep V rims and surley new hubs, thanks Moog. Everything else came from the local tip and bike jumbles... |
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| 9th July 2009 | #12676 | |
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| 9th July 2009 | #12679 | |
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| 9th July 2009 | #12681 | |
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(being that: pain=Bruceīs a shit welder disappointment=Bruceīs no engineer and joy=Heīs just a softy) | |
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