# Dirt Research V-brake boss?



## zephyr (Jun 9, 2006)

I am building up a NOS 1996 Dirt Research steel frame and want to install V-brakes.The frame was made with a steel welded noodle for cantilevers.What is the best type of rear brake cable stop to use?I had trouble in the past with a CNC clamp on cable stop slipping on the top tube of a similar Bridgestone MB2.Any ideas?


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## IF52 (Jan 10, 2004)

Obviously not a solution to the question asked, but why not find a set of good cantis and be done with it?


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## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

A 96 with a canti boss? Sure it's not a bit older frame?

I'll second what IF said...get some M900 XTR Canti's...you'll be surprised how well they work.


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## IF52 (Jan 10, 2004)

Hey Eric, I bought one of those NOS Dirt Research frames off the 'bay too. From what I can figure it is roughly from around 95 or so. Mine is a Kobuk and is set up for cantis. The seller also appears to be selling off 1995 Kenais as well. They are actually surprizingly nice and appear well built. Kobuk are Cromor OR and Kenai are Nivacrome EL.

I'll post up pics when I am done putting it together in the next week or so. I plan on starting a gigantic frames thread. Mine is a 22" CC and actually fits my lanky body pretty well.


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## zephyr (Jun 9, 2006)

I have not actually received my 99$ ebay frame yet, but am assuming it is the canti version.I just saw one of the teal Kenai frames at a shop today from the same seller -it was Columbus Thron and had the V-brake boss.If I can't find a good V-brake solution I probably will just put cantis on it.Thanks for all the input so far. For Michael-What color is your Kobuk?I am trying to figure out how many colors they come in.


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## IF52 (Jan 10, 2004)

Don't count on the frame being a Kenai. The seller has some of each various model and is sending whatever he has in the size you need. Read the copy in the auction and you see where he states the frame may not have the same brazeons, be the same tubing or be the same color as the one shown. I needed a larger frame and I think all he had were Kobuks in that size. I am happy with what I got but would have been really stoked if he had sent me a Kenai.

So more to the point, my frame has a rear cable stop, not a noodle, so I can use cantis or V brakes.


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## abmtnbkr (Sep 26, 2005)

Sweet. This thread has good potential for some pictures. I too am waiting for my Dirt Research frame. They're sending me the teal color. I have some basic lx/stx components and some Matrix rims with Specialized Ground Control tires to install. Truth be told, I didn't give any thought about the frame not being v-brake compatible. Hopefully I'll be able to use v-brakes but if not, I happen to have some cantilevers not doing anything except gathering dust. I'll post pics when I'm done.


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## zephyr (Jun 9, 2006)

It looks like I should not have assumed the frames would not have the rear brake cable braze -on stop.The only data I could find on the complete bikes showed the Kobuk having STX cantis,but it may have been a prior year to what Reid is selling now.In any form the frames appear to be very nicely made and the paint quality is sweet.It is a mystery why these frames and parts sat in a warehouse for ten years.It will definitely be worth starting a new thread discussing build-ups with pictures!


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## J Ro (Jan 13, 2004)

zephyr said:


> It is a mystery why these frames and parts sat in a warehouse for ten years. /QUOTE]
> 
> Reid had been selling stuff thru his own website. It is only recently that he started moving stuff heavily on ebay.
> 
> ...


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## abmtnbkr (Sep 26, 2005)

Thanks for the link J Ro. It was interesting to read about Reid and some history about Dirt Research/Yokota.


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## Zanetti (Sep 18, 2005)

The easiest way to run V-brakes on that frame would be to use full housing and zip tie it to the top tube.


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## IF52 (Jan 10, 2004)

*Try not to laugh, it fits*

This is a 22" center to center. And it does fit. I'm 6'5" after all.

Anyway, here is what I have so far. Note the brake cable housing stop on the left seat stay. Interesting note though, the steerer tube on the fork was just long enough for the stem and about 5mm of spacers, so I couldn't put a hanger in the stack and use cantis on the front.


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## zephyr (Jun 9, 2006)

Im not laughing,as a tall guy I'm pleased to see a large frame steel frame still available.Did you measure the TT length?Is the geometry table in the ad accurate for the 24 inch [22 "c-c]and are the top tube measurements actual or virtual/level?The seat stay stop is unusual and clever-the sort of attention to detail that is rare nowadays.The tubing diameters do not appear to be oversized-Are they?Thanks for the great pics!


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## Brutal Cycles (Feb 16, 2007)

Hmmm. If you've got room for 5mm of spacers, you should be able to get a hanger in there. not a big fat aluminum one, but a nice ritchey steel job should work nicely


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## IF52 (Jan 10, 2004)

The frame is so large that the top tube is pretty level. Top tube length is a little over 23.5", so yeah the chart is right on. The tubing appears to be the standard Cromor OR, not the oversized. And it feels pretty light. I'll weigh it later as it is built to this point

I would have loved to have been able to get one size smaller so I could more comfortable have done a drop bar bike, but he doesn't have any 20" c-c frames. I think I might do that to the old Stumpjumper Comp instead.

Frame came without a seat collar, which is 30.0mm. I found Cambria still has some in that size branded Rocky Mtn for cheap. Also you can either use a 1 1/8 front derailleur or an E type. I found some NOS XT top pull in 1 1/8 so that is what I am using. I had read someplace that the seatpost is supposed to be 27.0, but the spare junk 27.0 seatpost I have seemed too small so I tried a 27.2 and it fit perfect, so that is what I am using. 

Finish is pretty good. The welds are nice and the paint is pretty nice, though I did find one big run from too much paint. Seat tube was pretty smooth inside, so I didn't bother to run a flexhone in it.

I'm changing the stem later this week for a Kore Elite and will use the current stem with a flat bar option. I'm probably also going to swap out the brake levers for a set of Real levers, and use the Paul levers on the flat bar.


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## IF52 (Jan 10, 2004)

Brutal Cycles said:


> Hmmm. If you've got room for 5mm of spacers, you should be able to get a hanger in there. not a big fat aluminum one, but a nice ritchey steel job should work nicely


Yeah, I was thinking about that, but decided to just use the Paul brakes on the front since I had them on hand. I might try a thin hanger at some point so I can use the other set of Tri Aligns I have.


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## Valdemar (Jun 20, 2005)

I got his single speed kit with converted tandem cranks. Mine is a 24" Kobuk with V-Brake stops, according to Reid they never made Kenai in sizes over 16" because of thin tubing. I actually finished building it today but no final pictures yet. I'm 6-5 with long legs and the fit is good, seems I could even go one size smaller. Haven't taken it into the wild yet but it feels well balanced and convincing when pedaling around my house. Used almost all the parts supplied with the kit to keep the cost down except the stem. The color in the picture below is distorted, in actuality it is less blue and more green.


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## IF52 (Jan 10, 2004)

Nice. Same frame as mine. I'm actually thinking about setting mine up as a singlespeed too, just so I can find out what that is all about.

And yeah, maybe one size smaller might have worked for me too, but the 24" c-t works pretty well size wise.


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## Valdemar (Jun 20, 2005)

A correction and more pictures of the complete build which turned out to be just a little over 23lbs. Seems I was wrong on the max Kenai size and it is 19" not 16" as Reid still has some 18" and 19" left but not s-bent and no v-brake stop, still must be a pretty nice frame for the money.


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## zephyr (Jun 9, 2006)

If anyone is considering buying one of these frames be specific with Reid as to which one you are to receive.A friend of mine ordered a 20 inch in gray and received a frame labeled Hot Springs-it did not have the S-bend chain stays,had rear brake and derailer welded noodles instead of cable stops,a different fork,stamped dropouts,and an inferior paint job to the Kobuks.I ordered a 24 inch gray frame and it is labeled Hot Springs,but appears to be the same frame as the Kobuks pictured in this thread with nice silvery gray paint.I am happy with my frame,but the 20 inch Hot Springs my friend received is a different frame from the Kobuk,with V-brake installation problematic.


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## Valdemar (Jun 20, 2005)

As someone suggested can use full cable and zip ties, there are also various cable guides available that can make routing neater: http://www.jagwireusa.com/en/cablehousingguides.html .


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## Valdemar (Jun 20, 2005)

Went for a ride today. Oh boy, this is one sweet frame, I fell in love already  I never felt so confident in turns. Very nice bump absorption. The fit is just exceptional which is unexpected because I just threw everything together without any fine tuning, this makes me wonder what's wrong with my other bike which is a Giant NRS as I don't feel as comfortable when riding it. May be because of a steeper stem and riser bars. I guess I will just take measurements from this one and try to adjust saddle/replace stem to get as close as possible. Did 25 miles of fireroad today, nothing technical but some climbs, suprisingly SS is not as painful as I thought it would be, I actually felt faster on some moderate climb sections, I think because you just can't get lazy and ride a lower gear


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## IF52 (Jan 10, 2004)

I got a chance to ride mine today finally. Same size as yours, and we are the same height. I liked the ride in general, but I think I'm going for drop bars on it. I think the reach over it will lend itself nicely to that. And it is so freakin tall I think it will look better with a Midge or a Gary on it, which will lead me to start another thread...


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## Valdemar (Jun 20, 2005)

IF52 said:


> I got a chance to ride mine today finally. Same size as yours, and we are the same height. I liked the ride in general, but I think I'm going for drop bars on it. I think the reach over it will lend itself nicely to that. And it is so freakin tall I think it will look better with a Midge or a Gary on it, which will lead me to start another thread...


Well, I think the position I got on this bike is just much greater than on my other one that I'm used to riding so I got excited of how good it feels. Also rigid fork seem to be much more reponsive and predictable than a suspended one.I have 150mm stem with almost no rise and flat bars and it feels about right. Do you still have risers as pictured? Perhaps flat bars is all you need.


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## IF52 (Jan 10, 2004)

Oh, I didn't say I dislike the ride, it just feels like the front center is kind of short. I'm used to the IF which has a totally different ride. I'm going to take the IF out tonight since it has been a while just to be sure. 

And the DR seems really light too. Quite a nice surprise for such a gigantic bike.


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