Still working on this bike . . .

On Aug 27, 1:24*pm, Mike Rocket J Squirrel
wrote:
On 8/27/2008 9:01 AM landotter wrote:

On Aug 26, 11:20 pm, Hank wrote:
Most road triples (which again, probably wouldn't
work with a FD supplied with that range of FB-road bike.

How about start with a mass market $4-500 flatbar bike from Kona/Giant/
Trek/Whatever, replace crankset with a cheapie FSA Vero compact, BB
with something narrower, and if ya can't make it shift, throw a
friction shifter on the bar. With the $200 left over, put top notch
35mm tires, bars, and saddle on the bike, go ride.

Now yer talking! This is the kind of kitbashing that I like.

Let's see, "cheapie FSA Vero compact" crankset, from, say, Jensen USA or
similar for $70.

Find some flatbar bike w/ 68mm BB which can take 37mm+ tires. Ideas?

The BB's not gonna be a problem--but the clearances are. I'm familiar
with the Kona because that's what my LBS sells the snot out of and I
ride all over town--they're just a big ole rigid mtb when it comes to
the clearance end of things, and then they've got most of the braze on
doohickies like double eyelets, lowrider mounts, and fender holes that
you see on touring bikes.

Lemme see what Giant's got...

It's standard hybridy thing would be the FCR3 which comes with 32mm
tires. It's around $500 bucks. 8speed rear, nothing shocking, probably
a little tighter than the Dew.

Trek...

Soho 1.0 $650

Comes with your disks. Clearances look good in the pics. Square taper
Acera cranks could be swapped for a compact and a narrower BB. Might
be your ticket to ride.

http://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes...n/soho/soho10/

On 8/27/2008 11:43 AM landotter wrote:

On Aug 27, 1:24 pm, Mike Rocket J Squirrel
wrote:
On 8/27/2008 9:01 AM landotter wrote:

On Aug 26, 11:20 pm, Hank wrote:
Most road triples (which again, probably wouldn't
work with a FD supplied with that range of FB-road bike.
How about start with a mass market $4-500 flatbar bike from Kona/Giant/
Trek/Whatever, replace crankset with a cheapie FSA Vero compact, BB
with something narrower, and if ya can't make it shift, throw a
friction shifter on the bar. With the $200 left over, put top notch
35mm tires, bars, and saddle on the bike, go ride.
Now yer talking! This is the kind of kitbashing that I like.

Let's see, "cheapie FSA Vero compact" crankset, from, say, Jensen USA or
similar for $70.

Find some flatbar bike w/ 68mm BB which can take 37mm+ tires. Ideas?

The BB's not gonna be a problem--but the clearances are. I'm familiar
with the Kona because that's what my LBS sells the snot out of and I
ride all over town--they're just a big ole rigid mtb when it comes to
the clearance end of things, and then they've got most of the braze on
doohickies like double eyelets, lowrider mounts, and fender holes that
you see on touring bikes.

Lemme see what Giant's got...

It's standard hybridy thing would be the FCR3 which comes with 32mm
tires. It's around $500 bucks. 8speed rear, nothing shocking, probably
a little tighter than the Dew.

Trek...

Soho 1.0 $650

Comes with your disks. Clearances look good in the pics. Square taper
Acera cranks could be swapped for a compact and a narrower BB. Might
be your ticket to ride.

http://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes...n/soho/soho10/


Wait -- I didn't quite get that. "Square taper Acera cranks could be
swapped for a compact and a narrower BB." -- whazzat mean?

How fat a tire do you think could fit that frame? Comes w/ 32mm, narrower
than I'd like.

--
Mike "Rocket J Squirrel"

-snip-
landotter wrote:
The Dews shift a pretty tourcentric 48/38/28 with a craptastic Tourney
top swing--and hilariously well I might add, I don't see two teeth as
being an issue. It should take a 60mm tire. Mine's ridiculous fun--
bought it as the "low expectations" bike and ride it most of all--
might actually go the compact route with it myself with a more roadie
cassette when the current one wears out.

Nice writing style. I can now read a paragraph like that, smile and
think 'landotter' without looking at the header.
--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org/
Open every day since 1 April, 1971
** Posted from http://www.teranews.com **

On Aug 27, 3:21*pm, Mike Rocket J Squirrel
wrote:
On 8/27/2008 11:43 AM landotter wrote:



On Aug 27, 1:24 pm, Mike Rocket J Squirrel
wrote:
On 8/27/2008 9:01 AM landotter wrote:

On Aug 26, 11:20 pm, Hank wrote:
Most road triples (which again, probably wouldn't
work with a FD supplied with that range of FB-road bike.
How about start with a mass market $4-500 flatbar bike from Kona/Giant/
Trek/Whatever, replace crankset with a cheapie FSA Vero compact, BB
with something narrower, and if ya can't make it shift, throw a
friction shifter on the bar. With the $200 left over, put top notch
35mm tires, bars, and saddle on the bike, go ride.
Now yer talking! This is the kind of kitbashing that I like.

Let's see, "cheapie FSA Vero compact" crankset, from, say, Jensen USA or
similar for $70.

Find some flatbar bike w/ 68mm BB which can take 37mm+ tires. Ideas?

The BB's not gonna be a problem--but the clearances are. I'm familiar
with the Kona because that's what my LBS sells the snot out of and I
ride all over town--they're just a big ole rigid mtb when it comes to
the clearance end of things, and then they've got most of the braze on
doohickies like double eyelets, lowrider mounts, and fender holes that
you see on touring bikes.

Lemme see what Giant's got...

It's standard hybridy thing would be the FCR3 which comes with 32mm
tires. It's around $500 bucks. 8speed rear, nothing shocking, probably
a little tighter than the Dew.

Trek...

Soho 1.0 $650

Comes with your disks. *Clearances look good in the pics. Square taper
Acera cranks could be swapped for a compact and a narrower BB. Might
be your ticket to ride.

http://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes...n/soho/soho10/

Wait -- I didn't quite get that. "Square taper Acera cranks could be
swapped for a compact and a narrower BB." -- whazzat mean?

I was thinking ya could swap out for a compact two ring 34-50 crank
and a narrower BB since you're losing the inner ring. Alternately,
just a narrower BB and drop the inner chainring--but I doubt you can
get those cranks any closer to the bracket even if you drop the ring.


How fat a tire do you think could fit that frame? Comes w/ 32mm, narrower
than I'd like.

All the sexy urban lifestyle pictures make me think the thing should
easily take a 37, probably more depending on what the cluster area
looks like. The stock "Nebula" is looks to be OK for banging around
town, especially with the reflective stripe. You don't warrant much
bigger do ya?

On Aug 26, 7:15*pm, Mike Rocket J Squirrel
wrote:
Is there an off-the-shelf bike that would fit this list o' desires?

* Sub-$700 (hope, hope)
* Q of 140 mm-ish (essential, certainly not 165 mm),
* a triple (could go double if required to achieve the Q),
* no sus (not needed),
* tires at least 35mm, 40mm better,
* disc brakes (could give up on this one),
* flat bars (gotta have),
* and small frame (my road bike is 51 cm).

Here's something, although I don't know if it fits the Q factor, being
that it has a Deore BB.

http://www.rei.com/search?cat=450000...enture+Touring

There is also this: http://www.rei.com/product/762222 REI has all
sorts of odd bikes with flat bars and discs, including the Cannondale
Bad Boy. Ooooh, you can be ultra-bad for just $1,3000. -- Jay
Beattie.

On Aug 27, 5:11*pm, Jay Beattie wrote:
On Aug 26, 7:15*pm, Mike Rocket J Squirrel

wrote:
Is there an off-the-shelf bike that would fit this list o' desires?

* Sub-$700 (hope, hope)
* Q of 140 mm-ish (essential, certainly not 165 mm),
* a triple (could go double if required to achieve the Q),
* no sus (not needed),
* tires at least 35mm, 40mm better,
* disc brakes (could give up on this one),
* flat bars (gotta have),
* and small frame (my road bike is 51 cm).

Here's something, although I don't know if it fits the Q factor, being
that it has a Deore BB.

http://www.rei.com/search?cat=450000...921&hist=cat%2...

That's a splined BB, but cheap enough to replace with a square taper.
Nice inboard mounting of the rear caliper--big thumbs up on that!
Makes rack and fender mounting a breeze.


There is also this:http://www.rei.com/product/762222* *REI has all
sorts of odd bikes with flat bars and discs.

Yup, my REI has great bikes--and terrible service. My LBS has mediocre
bikes, brilliant people.

On 8/27/2008 2:03 PM landotter wrote:

On Aug 27, 3:21 pm, Mike Rocket J Squirrel

Wait -- I didn't quite get that. "Square taper Acera cranks could be
swapped for a compact and a narrower BB." -- whazzat mean?

I was thinking ya could swap out for a compact two ring 34-50 crank
and a narrower BB since you're losing the inner ring. Alternately,
just a narrower BB and drop the inner chainring--but I doubt you can
get those cranks any closer to the bracket even if you drop the ring.

Oh -- gotcha. Thanks.


How fat a tire do you think could fit that frame? Comes w/ 32mm, narrower
than I'd like.

All the sexy urban lifestyle pictures make me think the thing should
easily take a 37, probably more depending on what the cluster area
looks like. The stock "Nebula" is looks to be OK for banging around
town, especially with the reflective stripe. You don't warrant much
bigger do ya?

Warrant, schmarrant -- I likes me the looks of somewhat fatter tires.

--
Mike "Rocket J Squirrel"

On Aug 27, 5:50*pm, Rocket J Squirrel
wrote:

Warrant, schmarrant -- I likes me the looks of somewhat fatter tires.

In that case--get you some trucker slut mud flaps and go nuts!

On 8/27/2008 11:43 AM landotter wrote:

On Aug 27, 1:24 pm, Mike Rocket J Squirrel
wrote:
On 8/27/2008 9:01 AM landotter wrote:

On Aug 26, 11:20 pm, Hank wrote:
Most road triples (which again, probably wouldn't
work with a FD supplied with that range of FB-road bike.
How about start with a mass market $4-500 flatbar bike from Kona/Giant/
Trek/Whatever, replace crankset with a cheapie FSA Vero compact, BB
with something narrower, and if ya can't make it shift, throw a
friction shifter on the bar. With the $200 left over, put top notch
35mm tires, bars, and saddle on the bike, go ride.
Now yer talking! This is the kind of kitbashing that I like.

Let's see, "cheapie FSA Vero compact" crankset, from, say, Jensen USA or
similar for $70.

Find some flatbar bike w/ 68mm BB which can take 37mm+ tires. Ideas?


Hang on now. Wait just a minute here. All this talk about modifying a
new bike to get a narrower Q factor by putting on a thin double w/
square taper crank . . . why can't I just do that to my existing MTB? It
has a 68mm BB. See pictu

http://picasaweb.google.com/j.michae...53725672759602

--
Mike "Rocket J Squirrel"

On Aug 27, 7:22*pm, Rocket J Squirrel
wrote:

Hang on now. Wait just a minute here. All this talk about modifying a
new bike to get a narrower Q factor by putting on a thin double w/
square taper crank . . . why can't I just do that to my existing MTB? It
has a 68mm BB. See pictu

http://picasaweb.google.com/j.michae...photo#52393537...


Nothing's stopping you. Like Hank said, a double's far less poodley
about the mech cage, so you should be able to bodge the existing kit
to work. Are ya gonna go full bore and git you a rack and milk crate
for the thing too so it's a hardcore mtb conversion?