# Spot Brand Cream



## monogod (Feb 10, 2006)

yesterday i was fortunate to be able to spend some time with Adam from Spot to not only visit and ride the park, but also to actually hold and handle a Cream frame. this is Spot's newest offering which will be released in a couple of weeks.

wow.... this frame is incredible!

Spot is an example of a company who listens to the feedback of their customers and actually rides their own products to enjoy/critique/refine them. to this end the Cream takes all of the good attributes of the Honey Badger, which are many, and combines them with updates they've implemented by learning FROM the Honey Badger - then beautifully combines them in titanium to arrive at the Cream.

having a Honey Badger that i absolutely LOVE i was very excited when Adam reached in his Sprinter and with a knowing look of "check THIS out" handed me a Cream frame. oh, did i drool!

the workmanship is remarkable, and imho it is a work of art. it will be offered unfinished as well as in a coated finish for the cretins who lack the refinement to appreciate the beauty of raw ti.

yes, it is a bit spendy but well worth it. some of the features of this frame are the "animal leg" seatstays and track frame cutout on the seatstay. aside from the obvious unique bend of the animal leg stays the tubes themselves are uniquely shaped to further tune and refine the ride. these combine to not only enhance the already phenomenal ride of the Badger, but Spot has added a gusset behind the BB shell to increase lateral stiffness without compromising the incredible vertical compliance the stays and cutout seattube offer. it's a ride that, if you haven't ridden a Honey Badger, you cannot even begin to imagine or appreciate.

other features are a beautifully machined headtube, belt drive option, and the ability to run SS, geared, or IGH in either 142 or 135. it also utilizes Spot's proprietary and patented Kobe dropouts as well as their proprietary cable saddles which allow anchoring for all housing needed to run geared (and even a dropper post) yet retaining a clean look when running SS.

let me paraphrase in two words: GET ONE!

now for the bike porn...


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## JUNGLEKID5 (May 1, 2006)

looks nice man


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## monogod (Feb 10, 2006)

UPDATE: the cream will be officially released sometime next week.


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## monogod (Feb 10, 2006)

UPDATE: the Cream is now officially available. 

i just got off the phone with adam and ordered the very first one! 

they aren't even up on their website yet, but i'll have tons of pics of the retail frame up next week as soon as it arrives. stay tuned for the build and ride report...


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## floorguy724 (Apr 20, 2004)

Sweet! Love the raw look. 

What is the retail? Looks awesome!


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## monogod (Feb 10, 2006)

$3499.

and worth every penny. :thumbsup:


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## mcoplea (Nov 11, 2004)

monogod said:


> $3499.
> 
> and worth every penny. :thumbsup:


$3,499 for the frame?


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## dolface (Apr 5, 2007)

What's the weld in the seatube right below the seatstays all about?


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## wyatt79m (Mar 3, 2007)

Is it made in Taiwan?

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## kjlued (Jun 23, 2011)

mcoplea said:


> $3,499 for the frame?


God I hope so. Love my HB frame and this one looks awesome but no way on earth would I pay $3499 for it.


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## mcoplea (Nov 11, 2004)

Looks like it first introduced back at Interbike in 2012 - Interbike 2012: Spot Brand Whips Titanium to a Cream w/ New Belt Drive 29er

"$3,400 retail for the frame, as shown it'd be a little over $7,000. Claimed weight is about 20lbs with some pretty fat 2.35 tires."


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## JeffL (Jan 25, 2009)

dolface said:


> What's the weld in the seatube right below the seatstays all about?


If it's constructed like the Lynskey frames, there is a 100mm long machined tube inserted into the top of the seat tube and welded into place. The thinner seat tube alone is not strong enough for the forces exerted by the seat post.


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## dolface (Apr 5, 2007)

Thanks for the explanation, looks like that was a mod they added after the 2012 Interbike version then: https://brimages.bikeboardmedia.net...013-Spot-Cream-titanium-belt-drive-29er01.jpg


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## Sandrenseren (Dec 29, 2011)

Nice looking frame, but $3500 puts it in custom build territory so I would get a frame built specifically for me and my needs instead.


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## monogod (Feb 10, 2006)

wyatt79m said:


> Is it made in Taiwan?


yes


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## monogod (Feb 10, 2006)

dolface said:


> Thanks for the explanation, looks like that was a mod they added after the 2012 Interbike version then: https://brimages.bikeboardmedia.net...013-Spot-Cream-titanium-belt-drive-29er01.jpg


they didn't add it later, it's been there all along - but you can only see it on the raw finish.


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## monogod (Feb 10, 2006)

mcoplea said:


> Claimed weight is about 20lbs with some pretty fat 2.35 tires."


frame is pretty light. it just arrived today, i'll be posting pics and weight tomorrow.


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## monogod (Feb 10, 2006)

Sandrenseren said:


> Nice looking frame, but $3500 puts it in custom build territory so I would get a frame built specifically for me and my needs instead.


highly doubtful (read: virtually impossible) that you could get this frame built by a custom builder for $3500.

for one thing it has spot's proprietary kobe split dropouts, which are precision machined from titanium to very, very tight tolerances. tighter than either the rocker or honey badger. and they are stiffer and imo better than paragon split sliders.

for another, the headtube is also machined out of a single piece of titanium.

the "track bike" cutout on the seat tube would also be very expensive for a custom builder to reproduce.

not to mention the "animal leg" seatstays which are not only curved but are also oval and vary in size throughout the stay to further tune the ride.

it is truly a piece of art and more than worth the entry fee.

as mentioned previously it just arrived today, so i'll be posting pictures of it tomorrow.


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## Click Click Boom (Oct 23, 2008)

Nice frame. But $3500 is a joke for a overseas Ti frame. 

Pass.

You know this reminds me of a saying.... About a fool and his money...


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## kjlued (Jun 23, 2011)

I am sure it is a very nice frame and the quality is top notch as it is with my Honey Badger but I have to agree that $3500 for a made in Taiwan frame no matter what is a way too much. You can buy a good quality American made Titanium frame for $3k. 

I have a feeling that when the dust settles on the newness you will be able to buy these frames for $2k to $2.5k


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## monogod (Feb 10, 2006)

Click Click Boom said:


> Nice frame. But $3500 is a joke for a overseas Ti frame.
> 
> Pass.
> 
> You know this reminds me of a saying.... About a fool and his money...


you know this reminds me of a saying... about things similar to opinions, and why...


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## monogod (Feb 10, 2006)

kjlued said:


> I am sure it is a very nice frame and the quality is top notch as it is with my Honey Badger but I have to agree that $3500 for a made in Taiwan frame no matter what is a way too much. You can buy a good quality American made Titanium frame for $3k.
> 
> I have a feeling that when the dust settles on the newness you will be able to buy these frames for $2k to $2.5k


it's top notch indeed. can't wait to get it put together on friday and take it for a spin.

i think it would be interesting to take this frame to an indy builder and ask the cost of duplication. you can bet it WON'T be under or near $3500 for the reasons listed in post #18.

people don't have issues plunking down large sums for foreign made electronics and don't see them as inferior products, nor does their country of origin dictate their value. just the opposite in most cases. why?

fun fact: had i said they were made in durango, colorado, tai-haters likely would've been pontificating about what a bargain it was. but mention "taiwan" and all the sudden it's a pariah?

the bottom line is that this frame has some cutting edge features that would be far more expensive if produced stateside. there are a lot of proprietary features in this frame and a great deal of precision machining. that stuff costs.

one can knock taiwan made stuff all they want but that's where most bikes are made and is home to the world's largest bike manufacturer. they didn't get to be the world's leading manufacturer of bikes without learning a few things along the way - so in this case the country of origin doesn't detract from the value of this frame in any way, shape, or form.

to those decrying outsourcing who want more made in america stuff it's real simple: start voting out the clowns that are taxing industry to death and forcing business to outsource across the pond.

honestly, the truth is that those who have a hand in re-electing most anyone are part of the problem and thus pretty much forfeit their right to whine about the solution. :thumbsup:


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## monogod (Feb 10, 2006)

pics of the retail frame:


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## kjlued (Jun 23, 2011)

monogod said:


> fun fact: had i said they were made in durango, colorado, tai-haters likely would've been pontificating about what a bargain it was. but mention "taiwan" and all the sudden it's a pariah?


I am not a Tai hater. In fact, I think every one of my bikes (with the exception of the vintage ones) is made in Taiwan. They make great frames and have the ability to crank out large numbers of high quality frames for cheap.

That being said I personally wouldn't spend that much money on frame no matter where it was made but if I were going to pay top dollar for a frame, I would want it made in the USA. Not because I have some false notion that they are better but because I would want to say I put an American work to work.

Now on to the production frame vs the prototype. 
No offense but the production model looks like sh!te compared to the prototype. 
The welds are nowhere near as clean and that extra piece triangulating the top tube and the seat tube doesn't look good.


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## monogod (Feb 10, 2006)

kjlued said:


> I am not a Tai hater. In fact, I think every one of my bikes (with the exception of the vintage ones) is made in Taiwan. They make great frames and have the ability to crank out large numbers of high quality frames for cheap.
> 
> That being said I personally wouldn't spend that much money on frame no matter where it was made but if I were going to pay top dollar for a frame, I would want it made in the USA. Not because I have some false notion that they are better but because I would want to say I put an American work to work.
> 
> ...


wasn't trying to ruffle your feathers. was more of a general statement than directed at you and you alone.

but since you mentioned it, i hope you'll be kind enough to clarify something that doesn't seem to quite add up to me.

how deep does your "put an American to work" mantra run? electronics? cell phone? car? motorcycle? shoes? clothes? or just top end bike frames?

and if you want to put Americans to work then why are all your bikes of taiwanese origin? how about bike components? do you use only sram and hope they came from the american factory instead of one in taiwan or germany? i think you'd agree these are reasonable queries.

the "extra piece" is on xl frames only. it's done to retain a lower standover on larger frames without sacrificing seat tube strength. the km, krampus, honey badger, and many other frames incorporate this as well.

here are larger pics of both. clearly no degradation in welds from proto to retail.

proto:









retail:


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## SilverBullet (Dec 5, 2008)

Made in China? $3500?
I'd take a TyReeb any day. Throw some i9's on there with carbon rims and a PIKE - and call it a day.


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## monogod (Feb 10, 2006)

precisely why baskin robbins has more than 1 flavor.

reebs certainly appear to be well made bikes (and the nod to early grace is clever) but they seem plain jane, cookie cutter, run of the mill frames that look like, and are made like, 98% of hardtail frames out there irrespective what they're made of. however, they are cost comparative with a cutting edge innovative frame like the cream. yet it's an easy choice for us both. 

until one has ridden the honey-badger/cream design they have no idea how it rides. and i can tell you, it rides incredibly. so well, in fact, that i let a friend ride my badger last week and he ordered one the next day. he had been planning on getting a sir9 this week. 

the uniquely designed rear end has just enough vertical compliance yet torsionally stiff. it climbs and descends well. the rear end soaks up washboards and chatter and stays planted in the corners when the going's not so smooth. the belt drive capability is icing on the cake.

the reason i bought the very first retail frame sold was because i have a honey badger and loved it so much. having ridden ti bikes like the tyreeb i would honestly rather have a steel honey badger, which can be had WITH BELT DRIVE for much less than the tyreeb frame alone. again, not knocking reeb - it's just that this frame design is that good. but trying to describe the ride is like trying to describe how chocolate tastes to someone who's never had it. 

in either case it's impossible to comprehend until you actually experience it.

31 flavors, my friend. 31 flavors.


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## kjlued (Jun 23, 2011)

monogod said:


> wasn't trying to ruffle your feathers. was more of a general statement than directed at you and you alone.


No worries, my feathers weren't ruffled. I have a lot thicker skin than that. 
Besides, I knew it wasn't directed at me, I was just saying that I personally didn't care where a frame is made but that if I was going to pay top dollar for one it would be a US made one.



monogod said:


> but since you mentioned it, i hope you'll be kind enough to clarify something that doesn't seem to quite add up to me.
> 
> how deep does your "put an American to work" mantra run? electronics? cell phone? car? motorcycle? shoes? clothes? or just top end bike frames?
> 
> and if you want to put Americans to work then why are all your bikes of taiwanese origin? how about bike components? do you use only sram and hope they came from the american factory instead of one in taiwan or germany? i think you'd agree these are reasonable queries.


I think you need to go back an reread what I wrote. I don't have an issue buying a quality frame from Taiwan. However if I am going to pay top dollar for one then I want some of my money going in to putting American workers to work.

Same with the other things, if America built a motorcycle that I wanted and it was quality than I would buy it. Most Japanese cars these days are made in America so therefore they are putting Americans to work where a lot of your American cars are made over seas....go figure. Even better, the Japanese cars are generally better quality and the same price. Weird I know.

So hope that clears it up for you.

Thanks for clearing up the extra piece. Good thing I don't need an XL frame. 
As far as the welds go, yeah they still don't look anywhere near as good or as clean as the prototype frame. They may be as strong but they still don't look as good.


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## kjlued (Jun 23, 2011)

I will agree that the ride quality of the HB frame is incredible. I love everything about it from the ride quality, the build quality, and the attention to little details on the frame. 
I am sure this frame is going to be every bit of an exceptional ride possibly better with Titanium. I just think the price is too high. 

Personally, I would rather buy an HB frame which the latest sale I think is $500 and put the extra $3k towards the build. 

That being said, I also think as great as the Honey Badger is, the MSRP is a little high. This is why I pulled the trigger when Spot offered them for $1800 complete (I actually got mine for $1700 brand new) It put it down there closer to the prices of the Redline Monobelt and the Raleigh XXIX.


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## monogod (Feb 10, 2006)

kjlued said:


> I think you need to go back an reread what I wrote. I don't have an issue buying a quality frame from Taiwan. However if I am going to pay top dollar for one then I want some of my money going in to putting American workers to work.


my point was, why only in this area? what is the dollar amount breaking point where your money is directed stateside rather than overseas?

no offense, just seems sort of like situational ethics.



kjuled said:


> Thanks for clearing up the extra piece. Good thing I don't need an XL frame.
> As far as the welds go, yeah they still don't look anywhere near as good or as clean as the prototype frame. They may be as strong but they still don't look as good.


indeed! they're becoming common place on more and more bikes.

in what way, specifically, do the welds not look as good? as you can see in the pics the beads on each frame are smooth, flowing, with no slag or anomalies.

genuinely curious, as i've actually held both in my hands and they are of equal quality.

here are a few more welds up close. by number, which weld is from which frame?

1.








2.








3.








4.








5.








6.

__
Sensitive content, not recommended for those under 18
Show Content


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## kjlued (Jun 23, 2011)

I will play

1) Theirs
2) Yours
3) Theirs
4) Yours (but not sure) 
5) Yours
6) Theirs


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## monogod (Feb 10, 2006)

not bad. 67%

want to give it another go?

either way, i'd genuinely like to know the differences you're talking about - because it's one thing to simply keep repeating that the welds look poor compared to the proto, quite another to delineate why.


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## kjlued (Jun 23, 2011)

There is a lot more bluing which does not affect the strength but is not a desired trait when welding titanium. That being said, there are some people that make an art of the bluing characteristic that happens when you sue too much heat but this was not done in that fashion. 

It appears that the prototype frame was not only hand welded but it was done so by a guy that is incredibly good with a welder. There just seems to be a lot more care and love put in to the finish of the frame which is what you would expect for a prototype frame made for the purpose of photographing. I would also expect that out of a frame I spend $3.5k for.


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## kjlued (Jun 23, 2011)

...


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## monogod (Feb 10, 2006)

i think you'd also agree that it depends on the shade of bluing in the weld. light-mid blue and dark/light straw can be removed with a stainless steel brush. dark gray and deep dark blue IN the weld, on the other hand, is a sign of a contaminated weld.

bluing/discoloration around the weld, on the other hand, can occur during the removal of the shielding gas and easily remedied with a steel brush and is cosmetic only.

mine is completely raw and has not had a brush on it at all, though if i did brush it the result would be a frame that looks like the proto. which i don't want. 

even so, i'd say they don't drastically differ. after all, taking the pespi challange your performance was slightly better than random chance.


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## monogod (Feb 10, 2006)

just spoke with spot and got the low-down on the proto vs. retail.

the proto was not hand welded and came out of the very same factory mine did and looked identical to mine when delivered.

however, the reason the finish varies between the proto and mine is they were playing around with it using a wire brush to see what could be done with it. if you look at some of the welds on the proto they are appear to be more finished/refined while other welds do not. this is because they only brushed it in certain areas. in fact, looking at the blown up pics of the proto you can actually see the brush marks at the head tube while the BB area is still very raw like mine.


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## SilverBullet (Dec 5, 2008)

*Yep - to each and everyone their own...Made in CO for me please.*



> precisely why baskin robbins has more than 1 flavor.
> 
> reebs certainly appear to be well made bikes (and the nod to early grace is clever) but they seem plain jane, cookie cutter, run of the mill frames that look like, and are made like, 98% of hard tail frames out there irrespective what they're made of. however, they are cost comparative with a cutting edge innovative frame like the cream. yet it's an easy choice for us both.
> 
> ...


Ya, good thing there are lots of options out there. I have had a few Spot Brand bikes in the past. I stopped purchasing the brand when they migrated to overseas frame production, as I like my frames hand made in Colorado. My whitewater boats, whitewater paddles, surf boards, paddle boards, bike frames, wheel sets, dry suits, bike clothing, etc - all made in the USA.
I am a believer that frames (as well as my surf boards and paddles) have a soul, a hear beat, and a mind of their own. A lot of that gets lost when they are factory assembled. I know that I am a rare breed though.

Not really sold on belt drive - had one for 4 years - belts are for pants, not bikes! Just kidding. I like to have multiple ratios in my tool box (for less $$). 
I am not sure on the cost:benefit of it either. The chain weighs about the same - and when racing or riding in the middle of nowhere it's quicker to tune with standard products...IMHO. 31 flavors though.

Also - I love the fact that the Reeb looks plain and 'cookie cutter" . I own a $12K+ custom ultra tubed Seven Axiom SLX that looks the exact same way. To the untrained eye, it is a plain jane $2K road bike. Normal looking wheels, plain old tubing etc...To anyone in the know about road bikes - it is the ****. That is the reason that I got the Reeb. I can drop some **** on that bike - take er to Moab and run with the big boys, rally the Monarch Crest with 6"x6" full Susp, and still be on a plain ole SS...straight gauge tubes and a 27.5 boring seat post...Maybe the Honey Badger or Cream handles like that, but that was not the feeling that I had from my Longboard, Rocker or any of the Niners that I have ever owned. The head tube was good for climbing, but when the going gets steep, and the trail drops out from under you - so the the bike. The Reeb seems like it wants to step it up and go big.

BUT..must say - The Cream is a pretty frame, regardless of where it is made.


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## monogod (Feb 10, 2006)

SilverBullet said:


> Ya, good thing there are lots of options out there. I have had a few Spot Brand bikes in the past. I stopped purchasing the brand when they migrated to overseas frame production, as I like my frames hand made in Colorado. My whitewater boats, whitewater paddles, surf boards, paddle boards, bike frames, wheel sets, dry suits, bike clothing, etc - all made in the USA.
> I am a believer that frames (as well as my surf boards and paddles) have a soul, a hear beat, and a mind of their own. A lot of that gets lost when they are factory assembled. I know that I am a rare breed though.
> 
> Not really sold on belt drive - had one for 4 years - belts are for pants, not bikes! Just kidding. I like to have multiple ratios in my tool box (for less $$).
> ...


great post. 31 flavors indeed!

let me say that i totally respect your committing to your values and standing by them even if it requires more of a financial outlay. kudos. seriously! it's one thing to espouse values/ethics and quite another to actually live by them.

interesting that you mentioned your seven, i used to have a 10k odonata that i really liked as well. to the uninitiated it looked like a plain old run of the mill road bike but the insightful would drool. and i do agree that the ride is more important than the look. having not ridden a reeb i have no frame of reference, but for the same price there is an option for look AND soul! again though, 31 flavors.

strange as it may sound, my mass-produced badger has that handbuilt "soul" feeling and i don't expect anything less from the cream. i'll be updating with a ride report when i get some saddle time.

however, just as i can't comment from experience on a reeb if you haven't ridden a badger or cream you really have no frame of reference. not saying that to be rude, but i've put many miles on a longboard, have owned a few niners, currently own a rocker and the badger is NOTHING like any of them. completely awesome and unique ride. i'm super pumped to ride the cream as i expect great things from it as well, just waiting on a couple of things to arrive so i can put it together.

belt drive certainly isn't for everyone and isn't going to make chains obsolete, but having the option to run a belt doesn't mean one has to. can still run a chain. i don't change my gearing that often now that i don't race much anymore, and i love to spin so i pretty much run the same ratio pretty much everywhere. granted, belt cogs aren't as cheap as surly cogs but then again neither are white industries freewheels. i have a couple extra belt cogs to go up or down a bit if need be.

thanks again for the great response, diversity is indeed what spins this mudball. it'd be pretty boring if we all agreed on everything. i mean, what would we argue about on the interwebs? :lol:


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## kjlued (Jun 23, 2011)

Cool, anyways I will say I know it is a great frame because the HB frame is awesome. 
I still think even with all that awesomeness it is too much money but that being said price when it comes to these things is subjective. If you like it and it gives you a $3500 smile when you ride it then it is worth $3500.


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## Onetrack (Oct 5, 2004)

I LOVE Ti bikes...especially Singlespeeds....but good luck with that thing. Those welds are showing way too much color and it appears to have a large heat effected area that radiates out from the weld zone. If you want to see what a clean "raw" titanium frame is suppose to look like check out Sean's work at Vertigo. https://www.flickr.com/photos/vertigocycles/


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## Nubster (May 15, 2009)

You guys are wasting your time arguing with the OP. He's going to fight you until someone is blue in the face in order to feel justified in spending way too much money on a non-custom Taiwan mass produced frame.


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## michaelscott (May 23, 2011)

If I had $3,500 to spend on a frame I'd probably save another $500 and go with a Ti Jones (which is also made in Taiwan) and I'm sure a lot of peeps here would think I was throwing away my money. There are much less expensive alternatives if you want a Ti frame (I think Lynskey has a $1,700 frame) but if the Spot is the ride you want then good on you and congrats for being able to afford one. 

I'd like to see pics of it built up and read a ride report when you get to it.


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## SilverBullet (Dec 5, 2008)

So what kind of fork are you going to throw on that frame? 140mm?

I don't consider it debating or arguing unless it is politics or religion -


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## monogod (Feb 10, 2006)

SilverBullet said:


> So what kind of fork are you going to throw on that frame? 140mm?
> 
> I don't consider it debating or arguing unless it is politics or religion -


spot carbon 15mm thru.

sweet riding fork, i have one on my badger.


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## kjlued (Jun 23, 2011)

Mono, since you seem to have the inside scoop on spot, what is the max travel recommended on a HB? 

Personally, I am happy with he 100mm that came on mine and much over that on a HT I think gets a little silly but people ask anyways.


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## monogod (Feb 10, 2006)

kjlued said:


> Mono, since you seem to have the inside scoop on spot, what is the max travel recommended on a HB?
> 
> Personally, I am happy with he 100mm that came on mine and much over that on a HT I think gets a little silly but people ask anyways.


120 on both the cream and badger. personally, i can't see running >100. would slacken the hta too much.


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## monogod (Feb 10, 2006)

Onetrack said:


> I LOVE Ti bikes...especially Singlespeeds....but good luck with that thing. Those welds are showing way too much color and it appears to have a large heat effected area that radiates out from the weld zone. If you want to see what a clean "raw" titanium frame is suppose to look like check out Sean's work at Vertigo.


"good luck with that thing"? the welds themselves aren't showing much color at all. and as for the heat bluing, that is common on ti frames due to the high amount of heat needed to weld it.

sean's welds are nice, but suggesting that anything unlike them is doomed to failure is a bit much. dontcha think?

handmade alchemy cycles:










handmade guru cycles:










handmade triton:










in all fairness, the welds on the mass produced cream look better than some of these.

interesting that salsa stopped sourcing handmade ti frames from lynsky. know why? high failure rate. they went to mass produced taiwanese frames and enjoyed a dramatic decrease in warranty replacements.

"mass produced" is not synonymous with "failure prone". sure, "handmade" is a great bragging right and status and will set the owner apart from the mass produced masses - but i'm much more interested in how much i enjoy a frame as opposed to how cool everyone thinks i am because i have it.

is the cream for everyone? no, of course not. but then again, neither is any other frame. however,for those who have tasted the unique ride of a badger and one one in ti, it's the schizz.


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## kjlued (Jun 23, 2011)

Bluing is not a weakness in the weld. It is just a less desired affect but like I stated in one of my earlier posts some people are starting to make an art form of it (and in some cases it is really beautiful). Any dislike in the amount of bluing in this frame is purely on a cosmetic standpoint.


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## jeffw-13 (Apr 30, 2008)

48 posts and no complaints about the PF bottom bracket?


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## 69erEverything (Mar 26, 2012)

cool bike! I have a few friends racing on them.

I seriously hope you paint or at least bead blast that frame. For that price is should come finished and honestly as it stands it does nothing for the brand. Raw looks cool for a minute and then it becomes sad.

I get the weld porn thing. It works for the internet but in the real world welds only matter if they break. Save it for hipstagram

Judging from your other posts you'll probably have a long winded response to this. Save it for someone who cares and just finish that frame. Again, Spot isn't going to "win" the titanium award or whatever by selling an unfinished frame. Maybe consider something extra on top of the finish like the etching like Mosaic and Firefly are doing. Something simple.

anyway. Stay excited about that frame. Finish it, build it up, and rock n roll all the trails you can. Cheers.


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## monogod (Feb 10, 2006)

had i wanted a finished frame, i'd have ordered one.


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## MINImtnbiker (Mar 2, 2004)

*Ride report? Have you tried a 120 fork?*

So what's the verdict after riding for a few weeks? I have a 5-yr old Spot Ti singlespeed with a 100mm fork. I'm thinking about selling it. I no longer race, but ride this over any and every terrain in the Colorado front range and Summit County. Big tires, wide bars, short stem, kind of rides. I was looking at a TyREEB with a 120-140 fork, then came across this...

Anyone tried one with a 120? Do you know how much the angles get slacked out?


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## ernvil (Apr 8, 2011)

I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong, but I've read that 10mm increase in fork travel will slacken the head angle by about .5 degrees.


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## monogod (Feb 10, 2006)

MINImtnbiker said:


> So what's the verdict after riding for a few weeks? I have a 5-yr old Spot Ti singlespeed with a 100mm fork. I'm thinking about selling it. I no longer race, but ride this over any and every terrain in the Colorado front range and Summit County. Big tires, wide bars, short stem, kind of rides. I was looking at a TyREEB with a 120-140 fork, then came across this...
> 
> Anyone tried one with a 120? Do you know how much the angles get slacked out?


haven't actually gotten to build it up and ride it yet.

there are very limited numbers available, and someone really wanted it so i sent it to them and am currently waiting on another frame.

having ridden the honey badger i can tell you that this frame should be substantially different than the frame you're riding now. it's an incredible design.

ernvil's on the money regarding HTA change related to fork length.


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## TBMD9er (May 22, 2009)

Hold on. All this debate, rants, blind weld pre- vs post production pictures, rave reviews singing its praises and you don't even have a frame yet. The way you have been talking this ti messiah up, I thought you must have been riding it for months.  
By the way, where are people finding the HB frames for $500 (post#29)? They do look really nice.


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## monogod (Feb 10, 2006)

seems you've missed a lot. first pics of the prototype were posted, then pics of the retail frame that was delivered.

the rave reviews are for the design of the HB frame which was then refined and tweaked and made in ti.

at no time did i say it was built up and being ridden, but rather a ride report would follow subsequent to doing so. 

try to keep up...


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## kjlued (Jun 23, 2011)

News: Spot Brand introduces the Cream SS


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## JeffL (Jan 25, 2009)

dolface said:


> What's the weld in the seatube right below the seatstays all about?





JeffL said:


> If it's constructed like the Lynskey frames, there is a 100mm long machined tube inserted into the top of the seat tube and welded into place. The thinner seat tube alone is not strong enough for the forces exerted by the seat post.


It's a different brand, but this just-posted video from Lynskey is germane to your question. I didn't realize until now, but there are actually two inserts in the Lynskey design - a reinforcing titanium insert, and then a machined alloy sleeve is epoxied into place to provide the exact seatpost fit...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4cUgutU-7QE#t=106


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## monogod (Feb 10, 2006)

finally got around to building it up. pics and ride report to follow shortly...


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