# New bike day!



## FrankS29 (Oct 23, 2019)

Well, new bike frame day… 











Time to build up the Middlechild V2!


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## DeoreDX (Jul 28, 2007)

I have no idea how the heck you people work in such organized workshops. What do you do with all that extra time when you don't have to look 5 minutes for your 5mm Allen wrench you just set down and can't find in the clutter?


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## FrankS29 (Oct 23, 2019)

DeoreDX said:


> I have no idea how the heck you people work in such organized workshops. What do you do with all that extra time when you don't have to look 5 minutes for your 5mm Allen wrench you just set down and can't find in the clutter?


it’s an illness.

I shut down in a mess.

actually, my shop is a mess right now since I’m building a playroom for my kids right now.

part of the reason I can’t work my father…


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## Sparticus (Dec 28, 1999)

"WHAT'S IN THE BOX!!!"


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## FrankS29 (Oct 23, 2019)

Sparticus said:


> "WHAT'S IN THE BOX!!!"












Hope that helps


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## C619V (Mar 8, 2021)

FrankS29 said:


> View attachment 1953355
> 
> 
> Hope that helps












Woot! 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Sparticus (Dec 28, 1999)

FrankS29 said:


> View attachment 1953355
> 
> 
> Hope that helps


Tried to like this… couldn’t. 😬
=sParty


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## flying bison (Aug 3, 2014)

Oh Awesome! I was gonna pull the trigger on a steel middlechild frame, but by the time I made my mind up they were sold out. Enjoy the bike, everyone seems to love them!


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## BadgerOne (Jul 17, 2015)

Ah lou minnie umm. I think it's pretty cool RSD offers them this way, and in steel and Ti also. Any overarching theme or plan?


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## FrankS29 (Oct 23, 2019)

Going to have to get some rides on it and tweak some stuff, but here she is:


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## Sparticus (Dec 28, 1999)

FrankS29 said:


> Going to have to get some rides on it and tweak some stuff, but here she is:


Okay, now this one I can like!
Beautiful -- enjoy!
=sParty


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## DeoreDX (Jul 28, 2007)

I need that old 26" straight steerer Fox Float you have hanging on your wall.

New build looks clean. I like it.


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## dirtwolf (Feb 15, 2021)

That's sick. Workbench porn even more interesting! Love your space. Do you use that dutch oven to cook beans or clean and wax chains?


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## FrankS29 (Oct 23, 2019)

dirtwolf said:


> Do you use that dutch oven to cook beans or clean and wax chains?



Both


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## FrankS29 (Oct 23, 2019)

DeoreDX said:


> I need that old 26" straight steerer Fox Float you have hanging on your wall.


Let me know if you want to talk more about it.


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## mlloyd007 (Dec 7, 2009)

Nice shop wall. Looks like a twin of mine.


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## FrankS29 (Oct 23, 2019)

Got on a ride today after work on one of my local trails.

It was a blast getting back on a hardtail, really need to relearn what I can get away with pedaling though. Also remembered about 45 seconds into the ride that I certainly need to run lower tire pressures on the HT than what I do on my full squish.


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## BadgerOne (Jul 17, 2015)

Sounds like a solid ride. Welcome to the party. Hardtails are killer.


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## FrankS29 (Oct 23, 2019)

Got back out yesterday, the bike is awesome. Loves to be pumped is not afraid to be charged right into the trail. 

It was re-confirmed that I still don't like the Fox 34 that I had laying around. I'm probably going to bite the bullet and upgrade it to the Grip2 damper with hopes of getting it closer in terms of performance to the DVO Sapphire that I love. 

I pulled all tokens and added a bunch more rebound damping to the fork than what Fox suggest to get it to calm down. It's riding alright right now, but I would like to see what a Grip2 can do for the fork.


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## FrankS29 (Oct 23, 2019)

Really liking the Middlechild V2!

Really snappy, loves to be pumped and driven into the trail. Good feedback without feeling harsh (at least when compared to my old Timberjack).

The slack HTA inspires a ton of confidence and helps the bike just plow through rocks and roots. But the front end does get pretty light when climbing. I’m going to swap to a 50mm stem to see if I can get it a bit more planted.

The only real complaint I have about the frame, the bolts RSD used to secure the sliding dropouts were pure garbage.

Very little engagement with a 5mm hex and rounded out right away when trying to torque to spec (17N/m).

I went to my local hardware store, but they didn’t have any stainless bolts in the size I needed So I went on Amazon and ordered up a much better set of bolts.










far more engagement with the hex and it’s now a larger 6mm hex. No issues now and it was $9 for 20 new bolts, so plenty of spares.

I’ll end up being a set it and forget it person for the chainstay length down the road. But I am experimenting with different settings, so I need bolts that will actually stand up to being used.


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