# What is your fantasy Great Divide bikepacking rig ?



## DIABLO-V (Sep 19, 2014)

In the interest of refreshing the state of the market discussion to 2014 standards, what is your ultimate bike packing rig ?
We will use the Great Divide Mountain Bike Trail for this example.

So, what make and model (currently available) would you buy ?

What gear setup? 
Fork setup? 
Wheels and tires? (Or rims+hubs for those who will use custom).
Tubeless or tubeless with spare tubes? Or tubes all the way ?

If building from frame, what make of frame and why?

Your budget (OK I said "Fantasy" but lets have a budget) is $6.5 K without the wheels, allowing an additional $2.5 K for those.
Racks and bags are not included in the pricing.

The bike (basic frame, wheels, and fork) must be durable enough to 
survive the 2700+ miles with only minor repairs needed during the ride.
The typical load would be a 175 Lb rider +30 Lbs clothing and backpack worn, plus 30 Lbs additional mounted cargo max.


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## SimpleJon (Mar 28, 2011)

Don't know too much about the Tour divide, but it is pretty mixed terrain right - not all single track; where you can restock food water every 100 / 150 miles?
My choice for that type of thing is 
- Frame: KM / Ogre / El Mariachi or similar 29er hardtail frame
- Fork: 100mm rockshox SID or equivalent 15mm
- Front Hub: SON or SP Dyno front hub - CW with e-werk and battery to keep GPS / phone charge and for lights
- Rear hub: Rohloff speedhub 14 speed.
- Rims: probably something like Flow EX's
- Tires, for that specific route I don't really know enough but I generally like to run tubeless snakeskin ralphs or with maybe a nic up front for bikepacking trips. But something reasonably fast rolling and not too heavy above trail suitability; even if more caution on techy descents is required
- Cockpit: probably run a thudbuster, Selle italia saddle I use on my tourer and a straight bar with Ergon GP5 cork grips
- Pedals: Clipless XT/XTR trail 
- Frame bag, 12L Seat bag, medium bar roll and my 12L Hydropack - Solo I reckon 3 to 5 days+ is OK with that set up. 

Where I do most of my touring / bike packing I need no sleeping bag or cold weather gear also water is never an issue as long as you filter and steripen / boil it. So I can go 7 days plus here if I am minimalist about it. Rinse out clothes and the like

FWIW I certainly wouldn't want 30lbs on my back though for long days in the saddle. Assuming 3lbs of water carried at a time I would be looking at another 30lbs on top of that being at or above the upper limit of what I would carry (less with careful planning) I have never actually weighed my frame / seat / bar bags but I have toured with 60lb panniers before, 3 to 5 days worth of kit in the bags is barely noticable in comparison:
For three days, where water is available daily this is what I work on:
- Food dried 6lbs (1 to 2lbs emergency)
- Water 3lbs per carried at a time
- Hammock 2lbs
- Stove fuel/ pan etc 2lbs 
- Bags 2lb
- Spare clothing 2lbs
- rain jacket 1lbs
- Other stuff (bike tools / spares, med kit, wash kit, water filter etc), 6lbs to 7lbs

That would leave another 6lbs for bag, warm clothes and an air mattress for colder weather some of which could be ditched for extra water bladders when you move into the hotter parts of the tour divide.

I reckon that would come in at $5K ~5.5K ish for the bike, wheels and bags- I really don't see how spending $9K would make it 3.5K to 4K better for long distance adventure touring, unless you want to competitively race it, in which case you would probably be looking at carting 10 to 15lbs of kit tops. A bespoke handbuilt frame would be a nice to have though


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## clydeone (Aug 9, 2009)

Custom titanium 29+ frame (previously would have been Quiring ... When I was in Michigan)
Drivetrain XX1 (durability?) or Rohloff definitely Rohloff for the divide
XTR brakes
700 mm handlebar with 8 ish sweep (enve?) I want bar ends so I might have to go ti or aluminum
ESI grips
Stem - *ummmmmm ........
Fork - rigid - ENVE or suspension lefty modified for 29+ not sure which way to go...
Pedals - Time ATACs
Crank - 180mm spiderless ? No pressfit my only complaint with SRAM GXP is bearing durability so I could get a Chris king or enduro BB for SRAM*
seatpost - ergon CF-3 not sure I trust this but would like to try it - otherwise eriksen custom or i like the Zipp service course aluminum I have
Saddle - specialized toupe
Headset - I suppose since I am dreaming CK or CC 110
Front hub ???? Depends on fork*
Rims - nexties 29+
Spokes - Sapim*
Tires - knards tubeless

Bags porcelain rocket cuben fibre seat bag small
I would run a custom handle bar bag*
Tarp + bug bivy
One of the ultra light air mattresses
Ultralight quilt
No frame bag would prefer a waterbottle *plus small dry bag on seat tube and small dry bag below down tube
2 mountain feed bags, *gas tank bag and jerry can bag - all for food storage*
Small hydration pack mostly for water plus some additional storage

"The trick, and oh, what a trick it is, is to remain consciously blind to the danger that surrounds you, and simultaneously hyper-aware of every hard bit of pavement or sharp bit of metal that enters your air space. This is the Zen koan of riding your bicycle on the road." Robot, Red Kite Prayer - rkp.com - October 20, 2011


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## DIABLO-V (Sep 19, 2014)

For the sake of explanation: The loadup weights I specified were for the bike spec, not meant to infer that I would be carrying that much, but that the bike should be *capable* of that kind of loading.
On the other hand, I can see, after reading about the route, that there are some situations where one *might* want to carry up to 16 pounds of extra water (a days worth in 95 degree heat) where water is scarce.
I didn't want to go too far off topic into kits, but I have some good UL backpacking stuff, (Skyscape-X cuben fiber tent, weight weenie clothing, Synmat 7 UL pad, caldera cone alcohol stove, Montbell 20 degree spiral down hugger bag, cuben fiber mitts etc) so I expect the kit to be as light as possible.

Back to the bike ..... I should add to the spec: A dynamo front hub would be nice. And the ability to use the anything brackets on the fork.
This Jones frame looks nice so far, but I would want the salsa fargo carbon fork:
Jones Titanium Diamond frame with steel Unicrown fork - Jones Bikes

Or this:
Jones Titanium Spaceframe with Truss Fork - Jones Bikes

The Rohloff 14 speed hub is REALLY REALLY interesting !
The last divide race winner used one and said it outlasted chains (with carbon belt) by 3 to 1. A spare belt would be easy to carry and the hub is indestructible, wide gear ratio. So my personal fantasy bike would have a Rohloff/Carbon belt drive.
I don't know if the Mariachi Ti is offered with the Rohloff hub (yet) but looking into it. Seems to be possible within budget so far.
Please keep the ideas coming.
I guess this is a stupid question but I'll ask anyway- would a fat wheel bike be too slow ? (thinking about the snow here).
So, finding a frame easily adaptable to the requirements of mounting a disc Rohloff hub is something I'm searching out now.


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## Saddle Up (Jan 30, 2008)

I think you are not getting a lot of responses to this thread because quite frankly that route does not require anything special in a bicycle. It's main feature is simply distance.

Any bike packing rig will do. It's been done on a Surly Long Haul Trucker. The fantasy is the ride, not the bike.


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## DIABLO-V (Sep 19, 2014)

Saddle Up said:


> I think you are not getting a lot of responses to this thread because quite frankly that route does not require anything special in a bicycle. It's main feature is simply distance.
> 
> Any bike packing rig will do. It's been done on a Surly Long Haul Trucker. The fantasy is the ride, not the bike.


Thanks.
Have you done this ride?


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## eatsleepbikes (Oct 3, 2009)

I would be happy with my niner the fantasy part for me would being able to take a month
off from work and daily life to ride it. Oh well


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## SimpleJon (Mar 28, 2011)

eatsleepbikes said:


> I would be happy with my niner the fantasy part for me would being able to take a month
> off from work and daily life to ride it. Oh well


Yeah - my fantasy bike packing rig is pretty much exactly what I've got (a karate monkey) no Rohloff as yet but its on the way.
Interestingly someone mentioned XX1 my km currently has an XX1 drivetrain on it which is eventually destined for a new full sus i am building. I did a big chunk of the munda biddi in western oz for a couple of weeks and XX1 was a better choice than single speed the bike was previously but is not the greatest choice for mixed terrain long distance routes. With a 34T ring i did find myself on the 10T cogwishing for more gears on flat, downhill tarmac / fire road days and it does need cleaning and lubing every couple of days or it gets noisy. Zero reliability issues and it was great on the single track days though


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## Jake January (Sep 12, 2014)

DIABLO-V said:


> For the sake of explanation: The loadup weights I specified were for the bike spec, not meant to infer that I would be carrying that much, but that the bike should be *capable* of that kind of loading.
> On the other hand, I can see, after reading about the route, that there are some situations where one *might* want to carry up to 16 pounds of extra water (a days worth in 95 degree heat) where water is scarce.
> I didn't want to go too far off topic into kits, but I have some good UL backpacking stuff, (Skyscape-X cuben fiber tent, weight weenie clothing, Synmat 7 UL pad, caldera cone alcohol stove, Montbell 20 degree spiral down hugger bag, cuben fiber mitts etc) so I expect the kit to be as light as possible.
> 
> ...


Yep the Jones is impressive. You need about $9K budget for this one.


















The Monkey Lab: Jeff Jones Titanium Space Frame With Rohloff SPEEDHUB

And I'd use a Bob Yak to carry my gear.


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## DIABLO-V (Sep 19, 2014)

eatsleepbikes said:


> I would be happy with my niner the fantasy part for me would being able to take a month
> off from work and daily life to ride it. Oh well


Yes, same here. I can't see getting the time off in the next two years but I'm planning it anyway. I can't even get one day off nowadays except the occasional 6 day work week. But if aviation hits another slump like it did after 9/11, I know where I will be during the furlough, and I want to be ready.

On the Gates carbon drive website, they have a ridiculous testing regime to "certify" a bike make/model for use with the carbon drive. I skimmed through it. You have to build a fancy test rig and measure chainstay deflection, and only "stiff" bikes qualify.
Their list of American bikes that are already certified is pretty sparse, mostly steel framed bikes.

Front forks: I want a carbon or titanium truss fork = no maintenance or chance of blowout on the trail. And lighter too. If I could get a "fat" fork and run a 3" front tire at low pressure, I think that would be comfy.

Rohloffs: Still trying to understand how they interface but it looks like salsa makes an adapter for the 135 X 10 QR Rohloff. I guess you need a slider also on the disc side to hold the brake housing to keep it aligned with the disc. (For use with the carbon belt).
The hardest part is the right chainstay or seatstay has to open up for belt replacement, so it really takes a frame made for this ....

I'm pretty sure Salsa can configure the El mariachi frame exactly as needed. I will be trying to get a price for the frame, fork, carbon drive, Rohloff, and let me lace my own wheels and do my own bars, seat, stem of choice. Might even get the whole thing under 6.5 K if I use some LB rims.

As far as weight of gear, after reading the reports over last several years of the GDR, biggest problems experienced by otherwise well prepared racers were :
1) Running out of water.
2) Running out of calories.
3) Mechanical breakdowns not repairable on trailside.
4) Physical issues; blisters, chaffing, road rash, fatigue.
Since hikers plan on 2.5 pounds of food per day to get 3500 or so calories, I would guess nearly double of that is needed for a 100+ mile/day ride.
I haven't done the math on the details but for sure I will need to use a back pack to add additional load capacity *when* needed.


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## DIABLO-V (Sep 19, 2014)

Cycle Monkey has built at least one winner's bike on the El Comandante (aluminum only ) frame. Here's another similar one. This is getting warmer:








The juicy part:


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## SimpleJon (Mar 28, 2011)

For me 2 to 2.5 lbs of food per day is pretty reasonable for cycling as well. From my road riding days I work on 500 cals per hour if I am at 70% max Heart rate, 30 or 40% of that is coming from fat (unless you are super fit already) which doesn't need to be replaced at the end of the day, if you are doing 10 hrs per day that's 5000 cal so you will need e3000 to 3500 cal to replace the glycogen burnt. I try and eat 200 to 250 cal per hour while riding to stave off the dreaded bonk so 1500 to 2000 needs to be replaced in meals.
I really don't believe what Garmins and other HRMs spit out in terms of calories burned, they always seem to be way over estimated to me I have had my edge tell me 10000+ after a long day before, that is a lot of food. Everybody is different though but I would say 5lbs per day is probably too much


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## igno-mtb (Jul 18, 2014)

subscribed


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## dskunk (Jan 13, 2004)

The bike that I used this year was my dream bike. I used a True North custom built steel hardtail. (Small custom builder just outside Toronto). Carbon fork, Ergon saddle, Ergon grips, Hope hubs, Stan's rims, XT brakes, XT rear derailleur, XT cranks, single chainring (Renthal, it still looks new). So, it really was just a mountain bike though. I didn't want something that was too task specific.
I'm going to continue using it with the only change being a steel fork to replace the carbon one. The carbon fork was great but I'm curious about a 15mm through axle and I also want a minimalist rack on the front. Ahhh, I will also change the front hub to a generator hub.


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## She&I (Jan 4, 2010)

eatsleepbikes said:


> ...the fantasy part for me would being able to take a month...


Savvy answer. (As is Saddle Up's.)

Sorry to obfuscate, diablo. I wouldn't make any notable changes to this:










Incredibly, it costs less than many single bikes at under 6k. It's a MTB Tandems Fandango Tourista, frame manufactured by Ventana. Because Ventana builds great frames, and MTB Tandems designs a great, solid alum bike. And there are not many, if any other, Rohloff MTB tandem HT frames : / Rohloff on a 36t, stock wheelset tubed.

That Jones is a work of art!


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## DIABLO-V (Sep 19, 2014)

Nice rig. 
My approach is to treat each aspect of this sample ride with equal respect and diligence.
Bike comes first. Physical training. Mental Training. Gear selection. Food regime. Water.
Sleep/restock locations, Navigation, bears/bugs, more physical training ......
I understand the logic of the earlier post, but I don't share agreement. 
Because the ride can be done on "any old bike" does not mean that it should. This is my personal view, and my reason for starting this thread.

Like I said, it is only *one* factor, and agreed, not the most important one. When I say "bike comes first" it doesn't make the bike as the most important aspect, it makes it the first to deal with since I can't rush out and get it tomorrow, must save and plan.
I can wisely use the waiting for training etc.
This thread was started to discuss "the bike", not whether we needed a special bike or not. In other words, it's about the bike, not the ride, in *this* thread.

Surley blew me off when I asked about the Gates drive on the El Mariachi Ti (It would be a frame mod so I don't blame them).

The El Comandante was designed around the Rohloff and Gates drive so, at this point it looks like an aluminum frame is the current choice.

Cycle Monkey gave me a rough estimate and it looks like I can get the works, including the wheels, under 6.5 K.

Thinking about a 3 inch Knard on the front with a Whiskey 29+ carbon fork.
Looking forward, I need to think about handlebars setup.


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## Iamrockandroll13 (Feb 10, 2013)

This, because in my fantasy, I'm strong enough to ride it single speed.

I might chicken out and run an XO1 drivetrain like I did for TNGA.


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## DIABLO-V (Sep 19, 2014)

> This, because in my fantasy, I'm strong enough to ride it single speed.
> 
> I might chicken out and run an XO1 drivetrain like I did for TNGA.


What is it ? Moots ?
(Can't see the label).
If you were doing X01 , what size would you use on the chainring?


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## ECR (Sep 25, 2013)

My fantasy GDMBR bike is the pile of parts under my bed waiting to be assembled, it's a 20lb 11-spd 29er+ Have had hip problems all year so I have been unable to ride. Plan was to build it last Spring and do some serious training this year, but those plans changed unexpectedly. If I can recover over the winter then I will build the bike next Spring.


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## ECR (Sep 25, 2013)

SimpleJon said:


> With a 34T ring i did find myself on the 10T cogwishing for more gears on flat, downhill tarmac / fire road days and it does need cleaning and lubing every couple of days or it gets noisy.


This was my concern going with 11-spd cassette. I have Rotor 36t QX1 and that is the largest available. Be interesting to hear performance with 9t cog on the Leonardi 11-spd cassette.


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## Iamrockandroll13 (Feb 10, 2013)

DIABLO-V said:


> What is it ? Moots ?
> (Can't see the label).
> If you were doing X01 , what size would you use on the chainring?


Salsa El Mariachi Ti, as for chainring, 32T, maybe 34T for the GDMBR


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## DIABLO-V (Sep 19, 2014)

I'm wondering if using a 3" Knard on the front is a bad idea. I need to make a choice early on. Too slow for racing ?

I found out from Cycle Monkey that, yes, the El Mariachi can be modded to have a breakopen for the seat stay to accept the Gates Drive. Good news.


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## DIABLO-V (Sep 19, 2014)

Iamrockandroll13 said:


> Salsa El Mariachi Ti, as for chainring, 32T, maybe 34T for the GDMBR


You were posting at the same time so I missed this. My 2015 Superfly 9.8 X1 has a 32 t chain ring so I will be able to test this setup soon when my bike gets here.
Rear is standard 10 x 42 X1.


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## Iamrockandroll13 (Feb 10, 2013)

DIABLO-V said:


> I'm wondering if using a 3" Knard on the front is a bad idea. I need to make a choice early on. Too slow for racing ?
> 
> I found out from Cycle Monkey that, yes, the El Mariachi can be modded to have a breakopen for the seat stay to accept the Gates Drive. Good news.


The Knard with a carbon fork is way lighter than a suspension fork. That build i posted is 23.5 lbs. Another option if you are looking for a similar effect on the ride and handling is the Lauf suspension fork.


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## DIABLO-V (Sep 19, 2014)

Lauf fork was offered as an option by Cycle Monkey.
After reading the detailed review here I think carbon fixed fork is the way to go (for me).

Gear Review: Lauf Trail Racer 29 fork - Mtbr.com


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## eastman115 (Dec 6, 2009)

ECR said:


> My fantasy GDMBR bike is the pile of parts under my bed waiting to be assembled, it's a 20lb 11-spd 29er+ Have had hip problems all year so I have been unable to ride. Plan was to build it last Spring and do some serious training this year, but those plans changed unexpectedly. If I can recover over the winter then I will build the bike next Spring.


I'd love to hear more about this build if you're willing to share?


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## Harryonaspot (Oct 5, 2004)

After riding the Divide Route and another 5000 miles of bikepacking, I could think of only one bike to replace my 2009 Fargo. it's a 2014 Ti Fargo with carbon fork. As stated earlier, you don't need a fantasy bike on the Divide. Fun thread though.


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## DIABLO-V (Sep 19, 2014)

Harryonaspot said:


> After riding the Divide Route and another 5000 miles of bikepacking, I could think of only one bike to replace my 2009 Fargo. it's a 2014 Ti Fargo with carbon fork. As stated earlier, you don't need a fantasy bike on the Divide. Fun thread though.


I had looked at the Ti Fargo earlier but since I'm stubbornly fixated on the Rohloff/belt drive I dropped it from the potential candidates. Actually though, it could probably be done with a $400. mod to the seat stay ...........
Again clarifying - this is not about **needing** a fantasy bike.
It's simply musing over what the ideal bike build would be.
Everest was climbed before the advent of Goretex, Spectra, GPS, titanium ice axes, carbon fiber, polyester fleece, and Sat phones.
So, yes, it can still be done with canvas and steel.
(Sorry about the wonky analogy).
I welcome all opinions regarding someone's ideal bike, and no it needn't cost a fortune. I'm trying to get mine way down from 6.5 K here.

I also would like to hear more about ECR's bike and I feel lucky that I am physically able to attempt the ride.


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## biker_eric (Feb 16, 2007)

This bike.









Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## DIABLO-V (Sep 19, 2014)

biker_eric said:


> This bike.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Could you tell us more about it ?
Especially the handle bars setup.
I see the belt drive but does it also have Rohloff ?
Nice rig !

EDIT: Never mind, found it. Work of art. 
Black Rainbow Divide Ride | English Cycles#


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## richwolf (Dec 8, 2004)

I agree the fantasy is the ride! An incredible experience for many reasons. The time you are out there. the scenery, the weather (good and bad) and best of all the people you meet. Any quality mountain bike will do. Prep and good mechanical skills are a plus. I ran an inexpensive Ti frame and rockshox Reba that I built from the ground up. No fancy wheels or components, just basic quality affordable stuff. I needed the extra money for food, flight, some overnight rooms and more food! Spend the extra money on quality camping gear, and foul weather clothing.


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## james-o (Nov 8, 2010)

Comfort, simplicity and reliability ..










If I get to ride the route again in my retirement this bike is coming along for round 2 : ) 
The ride position is perfect for me and that's the most important thing for such a long ride. I've ridden other bikes that could do the job but not in the comfort and efficiency combined that this bike offers. It's not a technical route but all those bits of washboard, every lump and bump, adds up. If I changed anything it'd be the tyres. More volume than a 2.2.
I think a Fargo or a Gryphon would be a good choice too.


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## DIABLO-V (Sep 19, 2014)

James,
An honor to have you post here.
I recognized your bike from browsing the Jones website.
A testament that you can win on a steel frame.
(5th place is a definite win in my opinion, an awesome feat! ).
This is you if I'm not mistaken:









I have been in communication with Mr Jones over a Ti Diamond frame, but he is not keen on the Rohloff hub-too inefficient. I can understand this. But I was looking at the confidence/reliability aspect. A chain drive definitely has better utilization of calories due to less weight and friction, but a Rohloff/carbon belt has a better track record for zero maintenance needed during the ride, and zero failures vs chains/sprockets/derailleurs.

You said you wouldn't change anything. (except tires).
Firstly- is there an improvement to the drive train you would consider ?
Secondly- what 2.4 tires would you ride on, and what rims ?

Thanks again for your input here.
Dan


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## ECR (Sep 25, 2013)

james-o said:


> It's not a technical route but all those bits of washboard, every lump and bump, adds up. If I changed anything it'd be the tyres. More volume than a 2.2.


The 3" Knard would definitely smooth out the ride. If your frame doesn't accept a 3" tire in the rear, then perhaps a Knard up front in combination with a suspension seatpost like the Thudbuster.

Surly Knard Review - Pedaling Nowhere:
"I could have rolled these tires for a lifespan of maybe 8,500 kilometers. To me that's pretty impressive, and surprising. I carried a spare on this trip thinking that I may either suffer a sidewall tear or they would just wear out; I'll be leaving that spare at home next time...The Knards completely absorbed the egg-sized rocks that seem to be strewn all over these tracks. They simply barrel over almost anything without consequence."


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## james-o (Nov 8, 2010)

Hi Dan, yes that's my bike / me. Drivetrain.. I've said before that a bigger gear may have been useful in those final miles .. I may have gone a bit too minimal there but simple is good. 
I'm not a fan of hub gears personally, just don't like the way they feel. But like my single ring set up, if it was really wet then durability from an IGH can make up for any loss of efficiency. Or just riding 30 mins longer in a day will more than make up for the loss of efficiency. None of us using dynamos worry about the watts we put into the hub, and Ollie Whalley rode a seriously fast race on a Rohloff. 
I'd be more likely to use a Rohloff than a belt in alternating muddy and hot conditions though. But ultimately if you're in tune with your bike you'll keep any system rolling. 

Knards - yes, I'd not discount those. I'd rather have a 40-50mm carbon rim and an EXO 2.35 Ikon or 2.4 Ardent but it's all personal stuff. My P35s were fine. Not light but you're not accelerating fast very often, you just want to keep that load rolling. Less distance each day for more days would make it all more comfortable.


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## clydeone (Aug 9, 2009)

ECR said:


> They simply barrel over almost anything without consequence."


This statement is very true!

"The trick, and oh, what a trick it is, is to remain consciously blind to the danger that surrounds you, and simultaneously hyper-aware of every hard bit of pavement or sharp bit of metal that enters your air space. This is the Zen koan of riding your bicycle on the road." Robot, Red Kite Prayer - rkp.com - October 20, 2011


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## SimpleJon (Mar 28, 2011)

I am not sure I believe that other than a weight penalty a Rohloff is any less efficient than derailleur gears
A derailleur drive train is only very efficient when is clean and well lubed, I just did a three weeker in Western Australia and the 1x11 drive train needed lubing at least every day, a couple of days I cleaned and lubed it at lunch time it was that filthy and cleaning every other day max. As the drivetrain got dirtier during the day the increase in drag from it was a lot more noticable to me than the Son 28 dynohub kicking in to charge batteries (in particular in the higher gears where chain links moves through a steeper arc and the chainline is at it's worst) which tops out at 3Watts + losses. 
Noise is usually a pretty good indicator of power losses and the drive train generally started to get noisier after 4 or 5 hours of riding time.

I don't have huge amounts of time on a rohloff, but the when I have ridden them before the lag in engagement points compared to my king freehub in gears 1 to 7 was what i remembered being a little annoying and it took a while to get used to the very evenly spaced gear range. None of them were showstoppers - I had intended to do this last trip on a Rohloff but didn't get my s**t together and order it in time plus there was a shipping delay so I ended up using the XX1 for my full sus build - as 1300km off road single speed would have killed fat old me.


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## DIABLO-V (Sep 19, 2014)

How did the XX1 perform ?
(I'm getting a Trek 2015 Superfly 9.8 X1 in a couple of weeks, just curious)
On the Rohloff - I haven't done any testing, just reading stuff, and I am intrigued by the simplicity of the system (with Gates belt drive).
No chain oiling, derailleur hiccups/adjustments, no spares needed other than a spare belt.
Comparing clean apples to clean oranges, I can see where a well lubricated and clean chain drive can be more efficient than a Rohloff equally clean. I don't know for certain, but it makes sense to me so far. I can sacrifice a bit of efficiency for the simplicity/reliability/weirdness of the Rohloff. Certainly the extra weight lessens the efficiency, agreed.

Knards: At least one account I read so far from a TourDivide rider who used them says they slowed him down a bit, but he would use them again because they were so comfortable and never failed him. ( He came in 9th)
The Knards are another tempting option, but it seems better for touring instead of racing.


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## SimpleJon (Mar 28, 2011)

I haven't uploaded all the gps data yet but I reckon I did about 250 to 300km of single track and the XX1 was great for that along with anything up which there was a lot of in the first week to 10 days. It got more rolling fire road type thing in the latter part and I could definitely have done with more gears. (I was running 34 T ring changed to 30 for some of the steeper single track days on a 29er karate monkey with 100mm travel SIDs I went for sus rather than the rigid forks as I always planned a few single track days
Reliability wise it was fine, I haven't unpacked the bike yet but the two xx1 rings both looked pretty ok when I packed it up. Not measured the chain for wear yet. 
I would say that it isn't the best choice for bike packing type of thing because of the limited top end but a hell of a lot better than single speed for my needs whichwas how the bike was set up before


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## ChristianCoté (Jul 13, 2014)

So I can use that money to make an all around great, conventional bike, or I can get a Nicolai Argon AM w/ Pinion and a ton of cheapo used components to run it on... Not exactly how I picture it in that one recurring dream but Nicolai is Nicolai and Pinion is Pinion.


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## DIABLO-V (Sep 19, 2014)

ChristianCoté said:


> So I can use that money to make an all around great, conventional bike, or I can get a Nicolai Argon AM w/ Pinion and a ton of cheapo used components to run it on... Not exactly how I picture it in that one recurring dream but Nicolai is Nicolai and Pinion is Pinion.


 I looked at the AM version but it appears to be 26 or 27.5 only.
Indeed fascinating ! They make a fat bike version but I cannot find the pinion version of it on their site. They don't seem to be fans of the 29er thing......
Would love to find a USA dealer but I cant find one yet.
They appear to be beautifully designed bikes btw.


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## ChristianCoté (Jul 13, 2014)

DIABLO-V said:


> I looked at the AM version but it appears to be 26 or 27.5 only.
> Indeed fascinating ! They make a fat bike version but I cannot find the pinion version of it on their site. They don't seem to be fans of the 29er thing......
> Would love to find a USA dealer but I cant find one yet.
> They appear to be beautifully designed bikes btw.


Yeah, their site is a bit of a challenge and my impression is that they only sell the frame or the frame with Gates drive included, not a complete bike. This should give you an idea though. There is a full suspension frame as well and I understand most of their frames can be ordered to with Pinion. As technology advances, as Pinion's is at a rapid pace, I'm sure you'll see a lot more of it. I'm quite taken with it.


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## DIABLO-V (Sep 19, 2014)

Yep, that's the 27.5 I looked at. I wish I had the money to open an import shop !
We could get them to make some 29ers. A 29+ spec would be an awesome tour rig..maybe not on the AM frame. They could surly make a longer wheelbase bikepacking XC frame. Anybody here speak German ? 
This is really exciting to see. Thanks for pointing this out.


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## bikeny (Feb 26, 2004)

This:









Steel, Pinion, Belt drive, 29+


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## DIABLO-V (Sep 19, 2014)

Who makes it ?


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## ChristianCoté (Jul 13, 2014)

DIABLO-V said:


> Who makes it ?


That looks like a REEB.


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## Iamrockandroll13 (Feb 10, 2013)

Lots of Pinion talk recently on this thread. Has this drivetrain proven reliable in any way? Has anyone made a successful competitive TD, CTR, or AZTR run on one yet, or finished another race of similar magnitude in a competitive fashion yet? Pardon my ignorance if this is common knowledge and I'm out of date.


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## ChristianCoté (Jul 13, 2014)

Iamrockandroll13 said:


> Lots of Pinion talk recently on this thread. Has this drivetrain proven reliable in any way? Has anyone made a successful competitive TD, CTR, or AZTR run on one yet, or finished another race of similar magnitude in a competitive fashion yet? Pardon my ignorance if this is common knowledge and I'm out of date.


Not that I'm aware of, but I'm excited for new technology and would be happy to be the guy that does it. I'm an early adopter, when I can afford to be, and I'd really like to see Pinion take off because, honestly, I'm just really tired of the way internal gear hub manufacturers just rest on their laurels and refuse to innovate. Rohloff AG sit on their asses as one year drags on to the next while people wait for some fabled lighter option that never comes. They haven't even bothered to sort out their chain manufacturing after the machine broke down. On the other hand, Shimano just seems to accept being a lower quality, lower cost option. The rest... I don't even consider. They're like drum brakes as far as I'm concerned.

Conversely, Pinion has announced three brand new versions *just this year*, offering clear alternatives to the 1.18. That's the sign of a company that's hungry, that's got its eyes set straight at the top of the podium. Essentially, that's the kind of company I'd like to support.

So, no, I haven't heard of Pinion being used on race day, or winning any such races. I'm also aware of gear skipping issues people have had, as well as a greater sense of 'clunkiness' in the internals of the 1.18 in comparison to a Rohloff, but I figure that's to be expected in brand new technology and it doesn't necessarily dissuade me from giving them a shot if someone's essentially paying me to do so. If I'm out in the middle of nowhere and it fails then I guess I'll finally be able to make use of this little SOS button. Hypothetically speaking, of course. Who's got the money to afford any of this stuff??


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## DIABLO-V (Sep 19, 2014)

Pinion website has a FAQ. It doesn't answer much, but they won't allow riders to visit the factory to test, they don't want any outside test riders (because they have their own) and they won't sponsor any racers. 
I suppose the best way to answer durability questions is to send them a description of the Tour Divide variety of conditions and length of the race and ask them if it would be a good idea or not. Performance in temperature variations is another concern, especially with plastics such as Delrin and nylon, which can do funny things at sub freezing temps. (or not so funny things).
They have at least twenty European bike builders listed as Pinion drive bike dealers, and I haven't had time to look at but a few. I have not found a Pinion bike on the REEB site yet ... but it hasta be there somewhere......
I agree with Christian - this is all good. We need more innovation, and the best way to stimulate innovation is through competition between design firms.
I have yet to see a MTB frame as beautiful as that Nicolai. It just screams "tough".


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## bmike (Nov 17, 2009)

Krampus shakedown by mbeganyi, on Flickr

was planning on riding my fargo for bikepacking events... moved the fargo to jones bars, then this krampus became available for a sweet price.

its heavy right now... after i relace the front hub to a dyno i'll go split tube tubeless. i can probably save some grams going to a lighter stem, but the bars will stay, and the seat post is a mid range ritchey. would love to try a carbon ergon post... those look trick for stuff like the divide.

this is test loaded for a fall trip... temps down into the high 20s low 30s, rain likely. for the td i'd pare down my kit to just above minimal.

oh, and the knards on rabbit holes fit this fork... which is close to the geometry of the surly fork. so i might cut a pound if i decide to test it...

Test fit Surly Knard on Rabbit Hole in a Syncros Carbon Fork. This might go on extended testing from Wil Blanchard by mbeganyi, on Flickr

Test fit Surly Knard on Rabbit Hole in a Syncros Carbon Fork. This might go on extended testing from Wil Blanchard by mbeganyi, on Flickr


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## Scherge (Nov 7, 2006)

Totally different to a Great Divide Tour but the altitude world record surly is another extreme test for both human being and bicycle (in this case a Pinion gearbox equipped fatbike): GHOST BIKES NEWS: Guido Kunze zurück vom Ojos del Salado ? Höhenweltrekord geknackt!


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## DIABLO-V (Sep 19, 2014)

Unfortunately I can't learn anything from this. It's a one-off custom bike that is not available, ridden by a sponsored athlete with an entourage of support people and vehicles to care for him and carry his gear. One cannot find out how many times the pinion failed if it ever did. It's more of a plug for fatbikes in general, since there was much powdery ash to ride through.


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## Nomad Ninja (Sep 2, 2007)

I finished the route on a fully rigid Salsa El Mariachi with a Jones bar. If I go back to race it I would love a Titanium Frame with a rigid fork and use a wide 29er rim for dampening vs a suspension fork. If Ibis were to sell their carbon rims only, a 941 front, with a 928 rear. My only slight concern with carbon rims though is if I had a slow leak (which I did) the rim would bottom and crack with all the extra weight of my gear. It's a very slight concern though.


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## donnieboy (Jan 20, 2014)

*Wowee*



Saddle Up said:


> I think you are not getting a lot of responses to this thread because quite frankly that route does not require anything special in a bicycle. It's main feature is simply distance.
> 
> Any bike packing rig will do. It's been done on a Surly Long Haul Trucker. The fantasy is the ride, not the bike.


Yeah, a bike's a bike...but not all bikes are created equal to all individuals on one of the longest mountain bike rides the world has to offer....yet it mostly offers self examination in the vastness of diversity it offers at it's own whim. My dreams of the divide keep me up and put me to sleep...and I haven't even been yet... bikepacking is glorious isn't it?


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## Pedaling Nowhere (Jul 18, 2005)

Josh Kato's looks like a 'winning' option:

Josh Kato's Salsa Fargo Ti Build - BIKEPACKING.com


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## mikesee (Aug 25, 2003)

It's a dirt road, with lots of paved sections and zero singletrack. You could ride a shopping cart and get it done.

That said, a 29" setup is ideal. I used a Moots YBB and I think that with a Lauf fork and some fast-rolling tubeless 2.1" rubber is the most comfortable and efficient way to get it done.


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## donnieboy (Jan 20, 2014)

Pedaling Nowhere said:


> Josh Kato's looks like a 'winning' option:
> 
> Josh Kato's Salsa Fargo Ti Build - BIKEPACKING.com


Looks about perfect to me. Only question I have is where the heck did he store all his water for the "great basin"? All I see is one cage. Perhaps he has a bladder hidden in the frame bag? I'm perplexed by how the heck he gets enough water... Fargos rock once some potentially failure prone parts are swapped for reliable stuff - ie BB7s and no coil/valve forks with seals that can fail.


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## bmike (Nov 17, 2009)

donnieboy said:


> Looks about perfect to me. Only question I have is where the heck did he store all his water for the "great basin"? All I see is one cage. Perhaps he has a bladder hidden in the frame bag? I'm perplexed by how the heck he gets enough water... Fargos rock once some potentially failure prone parts are swapped for reliable stuff.


Josh Kato?s Tour Divide Pack List - BIKEPACKING.com


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## Mark_BC (Sep 19, 2012)

How did he filter water? That is an important issue in a race because it takes time.

Cool race / route, maybe someday I'll do it before I'm old and decrepit but I want more singletrack.


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## bmike (Nov 17, 2009)

Mark_BC said:


> How did he filter water? That is an important issue in a race because it takes time.
> 
> Cool race / route, maybe someday I'll do it before I'm old and decrepit but I want more singletrack.


Josh Kato?s Tour Divide Pack List - BIKEPACKING.com


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

Mark_BC said:


> How did he filter water? That is an important issue in a race because it takes time.


I use Pristine tabs. Treats the water while you ride. We have such great water in BC that there is no reason to filter it in most places.


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## donnieboy (Jan 20, 2014)

bmike said:


> Josh Kato?s Tour Divide Pack List - BIKEPACKING.com
> 
> View attachment 1011107


Cool...I'd want as large 'o bladder as possiblé. Assuming water purification tablets as the ultralight, albeit chemical option.


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## bmike (Nov 17, 2009)

I run the sawyer mini inline with my bladder. Fill and go and drink with no waiting. Chems along for backup.


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## donnieboy (Jan 20, 2014)

bmike said:


> I run the sawyer mini inline with my bladder. Fill and go and drink with no waiting. Chems along for backup.


Thanks for the tip, just checked out the sawyer mini and looks like the mini + an inline pack adapter allow a nice connection. Which bladder did you use? I've got a camelbak. Otherwise I will have to ask Camelbak or Sawyer if they play nice, just to be sure before I spend dineiro.


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## bmike (Nov 17, 2009)

donnieboy said:


> Thanks for the tip, just checked out the sawyer mini and looks like the mini + an inline pack adapter allow a nice connection. Which bladder did you use? I've got a camelbak. Otherwise I will have to ask Camelbak or Sawyer if they play nice, just to be sure before I spend dineiro.


I use a couple of different platy bags. i bought a couple of quick release connections and just pushed the hose onto the filter. Never gave it a thought.

https://sawyer.com/products/sawyer-mini-filter/

You can see it here, before I filled my bladder:

yard sale by Mike, on Flickr


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

DIABLO-V said:


> In the interest of refreshing the state of the market discussion to 2014 standards, what is your ultimate bike packing rig ?
> We will use the Great Divide Mountain Bike Trail for this example.
> 
> If building from frame, what make of frame and why?
> ...












Wow - $9K for a dirt road touring bike?

I'd get a custom steel frame from Sam W @ Naked Bicycles.

- he's a local island type
- makes sweet bikes
- I'd get clearance for 29+ tires
- mid-height BB so I could run normal 29er rubber on dirt roads without pedal strikes
- flexy lightweight tubing = comfy and responsive
- big frame triangle for a large framebag

Costs in USD:

- Naked 29er frame = $2.5K
- Whisky carbon fork = $550
- Wheels = $2K [Rohloff/Dyno Hub + Light Bicycle 35mm carbon rims]
- RF Next SL cranks w/BB = $450
- XTR brakes = $500
- Ti seatpost + Selle Anatomica saddle = $500
- Schwalbe Racing Ralph 2.4" tires setup tubeless = $175
- SRAM 8 spd chain = $16
- dyno light = $200
- Jones Ti bars + generic stem = $450
- King headset = $170
- Ergon grips = $100
- Time ATAC pedals = $150

Total = ~$7.9K for a pretty sweet build! 

Other gear:

- full set of Porcelain Rocket bags in cuben fibre = $1K


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

What would I really take on the TD/GDR if it was actually my money?

Costs in USD:

- Surly Krampus $575
- Wheels: Velocity Blunt 35 29er rims + Hope/Dynohub $800
- Shimano Deore cranks w/ XT BB = $100
- SLX 1x drivetrain = $160
- XT brakes = $250
- Erisken Ti seatpost + SA saddle = $400
- Schwalbe Racing Ralph 2.4" tires setup tubeless = $175
- SRAM 10 spd chain = $30
- dyno light = $200
- Jones AL bars + generic stem = $175
- Cane Creek headset = $50
- Ergon grips = $100
- Time ATAC pedals = $150

Total = $3200 and I'd likely be just as fast and comfy! 

Other gear:

- full set of non-fancy Porcelain Rocket bags $500

So under $4K for a great TD/GDR build without going crazy cheap on parts.


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## Mark_BC (Sep 19, 2012)

vikb said:


> I'd get a custom steel frame from Sam W @ Naked Bicycles.


That's what my bike is. It has:

- S&S Couplings for taking on the plane which I admit I haven't used yet...
- he suggested I get an eccentric BB which I did and now that I use it I really like it
- came with a Rohloff and Chris King headset and some other components
- unfortunately this was before 29 rubber was around so it only fits 26" tires.

total was $5000, pretty good deal!

This time when I wanted to build my 135mm symmetrical fatbike I thought about getting a custom build but then realized I could take a frame building course for the same price and make my own, and then be able to make / alter / repair lots more frames in the future (simple frames, no rear suspension or aluminum). My advantage is I could commute every day so that cut down on cost.

Now I can build a frame for maybe $500, just the cost of the tubes. I don't have all the super expensive jigs and tools but there are cheaper ways to hold things in place. Just ordered my acetylene torch kit.


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## Mark_BC (Sep 19, 2012)

vikb said:


> What would I really take on the TD/GDR if it was actually my money?
> 
> Costs in USD:
> 
> ...


Why not 29+?


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

Mark_BC said:


> Why not 29+?


It would really come down to my goals. Cruising for fun or trying to set my fastest time.

I think the 29 x 2.4" tires in a 29+ frame/fork would be faster on most of the course and provide some great mud clearance.

29+ would be more comfy and sandy areas further south would be easier riding. My one concern about 29+ is that unless you are riding a fatbike with 29+ wheels [which has its own issues] your mud clearance in the rear triangle is minimal. Whether or not you will deal with a lot of mud is hard to predict.

The rougher and more gnarly the terrain the better 29+ performs bikepacking. The GDR/TD course is pretty tame so the benefits aren't as great and you have to roll the heavier tire up many climbs.

People have done the TD on 29+. I don't think that's crazy. It just depends how you weigh the pros and cons. I don't want to become one of those "XXX" is the best for everything guys on MTBR! 

The Krampus setup I posted with 35mm rims can run 29+ rubber no problem so I could decide last minute or even swap tires at a LBS enroute if I wanted.


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## Mark_BC (Sep 19, 2012)

Interestingly this post just came up fro Gypsy by Trade. I was thinking I may also add some of those extra support for the seatstays because mine are so wide.

https://gypsybytrade.wordpress.com/2015/08/28/building-a-custom-meriwether-cycles-bikepacking-frame/


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

Mark_BC said:


> Interestingly this post just came up fro Gypsy by Trade. I was thinking I may also add some of those extra support for the seatstays because mine are so wide.
> 
> https://gypsybytrade.wordpress.com/2015/08/28/building-a-custom-meriwether-cycles-bikepacking-frame/


Looks nice. I envy these sweet custom builds. I've considered going that route a few times, but the rapidly evolving MTB standards mean I'd never get my value out of a bling frame before it was rendered obsolete. 

I hate the idea of flat plate being used for the chainstays although I understand why that is done. I think Surly's yoke is a much better solution that a smaller builder can't replicate on custom bikes.


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## 2:01 (May 10, 2010)

vikb said:


> Looks nice. I envy these sweet custom builds. I've considered going that route a few times, but the rapidly evolving MTB standards mean I'd never get my value out of a bling frame before it was rendered obsolete. .


What standard is now rendered obsolete?  Maybe the old 6-sp, 126mm?

I stuck to 100/135mm QR when I had my frame built a couple of years ago. No regrets and no worries of it ever going obsolete. If I were really worried, I'd just grab 2 or 3 sets of DT or King hubsets, which will last a lifetime for me.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

2:01 said:


> What standard is now rendered obsolete?  Maybe the old 6-sp, 126mm?
> 
> I stuck to 100/135mm QR when I had my frame built a couple of years ago. No regrets and no worries of it ever going obsolete. If I were really worried, I'd just grab 2 or 3 sets of DT or King hubsets, which will last a lifetime for me.


Try buying a modern suspension fork for a 1 1/8th heat tube. Heck even a lot of the rigid fork options only come with tapered steerers now.

Forget plus sized tires and whatever is coming along next.

If you have no desire to use anything new you can still ride a Penny Farthing. What you can't do is use new parts.


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## Mark_BC (Sep 19, 2012)

My ideal bike has 135mm front spacing so that the front and back wheels are swappable. The rigid Ice Cream Truck fork (same as Krampus fork except for the width) has a 135mm option, and also the 150mm thru axle. The Bluto is 150mm thru axle but you can get adapters to be able to use 135mm hubs. I don't see the point of all these new hub widths. I guess the 150mm system adds rigidity so that's good but they could have made it 135mm, but no biggy I guess with the proper adapters. 170mm I can understand, for chain / rear cassette clearance on the tire, although I think it creates more headaches than it's worth and not too difficult to work around. But 190mm? Bizarre, no idea why they need that, just seems like an excuse to trap more buyers into limited expensive specialized hubs.

I'm actually about to build up a set of Rolling Darryls on two 135mm Shimano 525 rear hubs, identical wheels, one for front and one for back. I'll also do the same for a pair of Rabbit Holes on XT rear hubs. Either set will fit on my bike, as well as a third Rolling Darryl on a Rohloff for when I want to run that. A bit of an investment, but they will work on many other frames as well. It would be nice to get a SON dynamo hub as well but then I'd have to decide whether I want it on a Rolling Darryl or Rabbit Hole... and hey, maybe some day I'd want to use it on my 100mm front fork so that is a third option and I'm not building up 3 front wheels each with its own SON. Another advantage to switching totally to 135mm, front and rear, just one less option to make things complicated and unless you're a racing roadie I can't see how a bit of extra weight for the 135mm hub vs. 100mm is going to kill you.

You can get headsets that will allow you to put a straight 1 1/8" steerer in a tapered head tube but obviously not the other way around. As Vik points out, things are tending to get beefier and larger so it's easy to put old stuff on a new bike but not new stuff on an old bike.

That's the reason I built my bike to take such huge tires, because you never know what's coming next! Also my dropouts are the Paragon rockers which have a separate aluminum billet section for mounting the wheel and brakes, so that leaves the option open of putting on a custom billet for whatever comes next.


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## 2:01 (May 10, 2010)

vikb said:


> Try buying a modern suspension fork for a 1 1/8th heat tube. Heck even a lot of the rigid fork options only come with tapered steerers now.
> 
> Forget plus sized tires and whatever is coming along next.
> 
> If you have no desire to use anything new you can still ride a Penny Farthing. What you can't do is use new parts.


So spec it with 44mm HT, 142mm TA, then buy a few extra spare parts. Not buying a frame because the fear of changing technology and standards is like not buying a smartphone in fear it will always become obsolete. Build, ride and enjoy. If things change and you can't buy or build parts, then just have another one built! 

Again, I don't have any concerns with my custom with standard qr hubs and straight 1.125" HT.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

2:01 said:


> Not buying a frame because the fear of changing technology and standards is like not buying a smartphone in fear it will always become obsolete.


142mm TA hubs are already obsolete. It's all Boost now.

I'm not afraid of buying a frame. I own a bunch of bikes. I'm just not keen on spending 2-3 times what a production frame costs for a custom bike that won't take current parts in 3yrs.

With a production frame the cost is low enough I can just sell it and buy a new one that is up to date as needed without feeling like I wasted a bunch of $$.

That's why I'm riding a Krampus and not a custom steel 29+ from Naked Bicycles.


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## Mark_BC (Sep 19, 2012)

It looks like Surly has a new all-purpose fatbike, the Wednesday. If it wasn't for the 170mm rear spacing I might consider it!


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## donnieboy (Jan 20, 2014)

vikb said:


> 142mm TA hubs are already obsolete. It's all Boost now.
> 
> I'm not afraid of buying a frame. I own a bunch of bikes. I'm just not keen on spending 2-3 times what a production frame costs for a custom bike that won't take current parts in 3yrs.
> 
> ...


Shimano, Chris King, Novatec, Formula, DT Swiss and every other brand that is worth anything other than SRAM is making and selling 142mm rear hubs.

EDIT: SRAM is still doing 142mm rear hubs too. It is not Boost nation as per poster opinion above. You will simply see both. Boost was created to remove the argument that 26" wheels were stronger than 29". It does not mean Boost will lead the way, but it does mean it has a place in the market, among other "standards".


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

donnieboy said:


> Shimano, Chris King, Novatec, Formula, DT Swiss and every other brand that is worth anything other than SRAM is making and selling 142mm rear hubs.


You can still buy Penny Farthings, some 26er parts, MTB rim brakes and front derailleurs that doesn't change the fact that they are obsolete.


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## DIABLO-V (Sep 19, 2014)

*The BIKE- she is almost ready !*

After years since I started this thread, the bike is finally almost here, and with a budget of less than $7000.
I went for an expedition build rather than race build, but can be competitive in a race too. I wanted something that's not a Salsa Cutthroat, that will last forever, and with more versatility as far as drivetrain options.
I selected the Stella Titanium frame from Chumba USA for its 29+ and Boost capability as well as ability to run Rohloff (Chain drive only).
I designed the build along with Vince from Chumba. I expect to have it in hand in two or three weeks from now. At one point it was on hold while I was hospitalized (unexpectedly) so that added some delay.
Again it was delayed due to the new Rohloff A12 Boost hub order was botched by the USA distributor, so I went with XTR 2 x 11 instead. 
Here is the build: 
Stella Ti frame
Kogel SS bottom bracket
XTR 36-24 front, 11-42 rear XT
XTR M9020 Boost crankset
M9000 shifters
TRP Spyke mechanical disc calipers and carbon levers with Shimano 180 rotors front and back.
Syntace P6 Hiflex seatpost
Syntace Megaforce stem
Thompson Ti 12 degree sweep bars
Ergon cork GS3 with carbon bar ends 
Home designed modified aerobars from Profile Designs
Front wheel is Velocity Blunt SS, DT Comp spokes 36 hole, and Son dynamo boost hub.
Front fork is Lauf Trailracer boost
Light is Sinewave Beacon with USB charger built in.
Rear wheel is the Blunt SS, 36 hole, with Whites XMR boost hub.
Tires are Crossmark II, 29x 2.25 Exo TR
Saddle is Selle Anatomica X2

I will be using a mix of bags with the Chumba co-branded custom frame bag. The fork, unfortunately, will not accept bottle cages so I will need to rig something if I want fork cages.

While I am waiting on the bike I'm putting together my kit for my first training ride which will be in north Georgia (Cohutta Cat).
I will post photos of the build and Chumba is pretty excited about this too, so they will be posting it on Instagram.
Back soon.


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## bikeny (Feb 26, 2004)

vikb said:


> You can still buy Penny Farthings, some 26er parts, MTB rim brakes and front derailleurs that doesn't change the fact that they are obsolete.


Doesn't the fact that all those things (and 142 hubs) are still manufactured and sold make them not obsolete?

Quality 142mm rear hubs will be around longer than most of us!


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

bikeny said:


> Doesn't the fact that all those things (and 142 hubs) are still manufactured and sold make them not obsolete?


No.


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## 2:01 (May 10, 2010)

bikeny said:


> Doesn't the fact that all those things (and 142 hubs) are still manufactured and sold make them not obsolete?
> 
> Quality 142mm rear hubs will be around longer than most of us!


Same with 135mm hubs (which I have on all but one of my bikes. The other is 142). Do not care about boost. And as long as King and DT continue to make 142 hubs, I am 100% completely happy. If they ever go out of production, I will buy 2 or 3 of them and have a lifetime supply. But I don't think that will happen anytime soon.

Calling everything but Boost obsolete is ridiculous.


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