# Whoa, Black Betty



## kampgnar (Apr 13, 2007)

Ran across these pictures of Eastern's Black Betty frame. I like how clean and simple it is in comparison to the DJ4. 
I'm really diggin' the bb yolk. Creative way to make a short and stiff rear end without having to incorporate a radiused seat tube. 
Could be wrong, but the chainstays appear to be tapered. 
Spanish BB
23.5" top tube
14.7" rear end slammed/15" center to center. 
Designed around 26" wheels with a choice of 14mm or 3/8" dropouts.

Should be $399.99 with a headset.


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## teoz (Oct 8, 2007)

Fresh!!! I like it, but is that in the last pic really functionally? I mean, its good for water to come in


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## climbingbubba (Jan 10, 2007)

"14.7" rear end slammed/15" center to center"

what exactly does that mean? i guess i always though CS length was measured from the center of the crankbolt to the center of the rear axle. 

so what is the 14.7 measured from? also which measurement is consedered the "chainstay length"


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## XSL_WiLL (Nov 2, 2004)

I assume 14.7 with the axle all the way in. 15 in the center of the dropouts.

If you want to keep water out, you can just use a piece of plastic on the inside.

Booo.... paint overspray.

What? Is that a machined yoke? Nothing new.


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## kampgnar (Apr 13, 2007)

By functional, it does not take away from the strength of the headtube. They've been using "negative space" on the 20" frames for several years now and the eb logo is new compared to the old vertical cutouts. I wouldn't worry too much about incoming debris but a sleeve could be created from easily attained household material by channeling your inner MacGyver.


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## PaintPeelinPbody (Feb 3, 2004)

As much as I've been waiting for this frame, $400 is alot of money considering a complete Thunderbird may only end up being $700 and NemPro is working on a frame in sub-400 range. That and you'd have to buy a Spanish BB (guess it makes up for getting a headset). It also depends on the weight of the Black Betty as well. 

I have a crush on Eastern Products, but I was hoping to see a much more competitively priced frame.


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## teoz (Oct 8, 2007)

actually, its a great frame: short stays, spanish bb, nice intergrated seat clamp, disk mounts (no v-brake mnts, clean), 14mm dropouts... It'll make hell of a s3t ride!


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## Strauss (Apr 27, 2007)

I love how they called it black betty and painted it white. You know, can't be to discriminatory.

That is a hawt frame though. The welds look significantly cleaner than on my 07 Nighttrain.


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## cholo (Nov 25, 2006)

That thing is SICK!


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## sittingduck (Apr 26, 2005)

Wow. that thing looks pretty much perfect. $400 is reasonable.
I wonder if the 14mm version comes with 110mm spacing. I'm guessing not, since it has disc tabs.


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## Tracerboy (Oct 13, 2002)

looks basically perfect..and all the new completes come with spanish BB's. Eastern knows their sh!t


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## kampgnar (Apr 13, 2007)

XSL_WiLL said:


> What? Is that a machined yoke? Nothing new.


The yoke is not machined (remember it's chromoly, not aluminum) and didn't claim it was new. It's formed from a process called "wax-lost" mold...basically two halves are formed, welded together and heat treated resulting in the hollow yoke.

Also, the pictured frame is pre-production and white was the non-production color chosen.


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## cummings (May 21, 2005)

I dig it, if the TT wasn't so damn long.


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## pancho4 (Jul 4, 2006)

thats hot. i like the seat clamp location


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## aeffertz91 (Aug 20, 2007)

very clean.
i AM getting sick of people saying that its hot, though.
i can guarantee you that it's cool to the touch...


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## Demo-9 (Mar 24, 2006)

Is it me or is the seat tube all gaffed up at the top? 3rd pic. Not sure if I like the clamp position. Now you have to have a bit longer post to get that far down. I don't like how the yoke is longer on the chainstay weld on the inside. Can't tell if it is a lot or just the photo angle. 

I do like the brake line only mounts, no derailler tabs. I like the 14mm or 3/8" rear choice. That really lets you dial in to what you want in a rear hub. Yeah overspray? Are these EB promo or catalog photos? If so they should have cleaned up the overspray.


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## aggiebiker (Apr 18, 2006)

Ahhh, the head tube ruined it for me.


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## TXneedmountain (Feb 14, 2007)

it looks really nice but like cummings said the top tube is pretty long imo


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## Strauss (Apr 27, 2007)

its not that long.


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## BikeSATORI (Mar 20, 2004)

I like it.

$400 is a very reasonable price point.

What do you mean the seat-tube looks "gaffed" up? That's the integrated clamp down there. 
And another good point brought up there about the easterns is that you do have to run a longer (=heavier) seat post to reach that clamp below the tube junction too. 

And who gives a fit about paint overspray, c'mon. That seat-tube, or any seat-tube for that matter, should be honed before building the frame anyway. You could do the same with the headtube if specks of paint in there bothered you, no biggie, and shouldn't be unless you're paying Indy Fab prices or something ridiculous like that.

The cutout headtube is decent... although I personally liked the older Harvester and Grim Reaper slots much better. If I bought this frame, or one of the bmx frames, I'd probably dremel that logo out of there to get rid of the pointless material floating.
I've always wanted headtube cut-outs too, then you could like put one of those "hot-chick" stickers on your forks steerer tube for a little peep show in the window, hahahaha! sweet.



Those specs kind of look like Eastern ripped off Atomlab Trailking a little bit.


haha, I just saved the pics... that's no Yolk! That's eggwhite on the yoke, man! c'mon!


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## Demo-9 (Mar 24, 2006)

BikeSATORI said:


> I like it.
> 
> $400 is a very reasonable price point.
> 
> What do you mean the seat-tube looks "gaffed" up? That's the integrated clamp down there.


I mean this:










Doesn't it look like it was filed and then painted over?? Plus if it is a catalog picture they could have cleaned up the overspray. I know you ream the seattube and chase the BB, but at least make it look good in a picture...


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## Windowlicker (Oct 22, 2007)

me gusto.
im actually considering the frame as my next purchase but since i dont have a job anymore, that probably wont happen for a while


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## BikeSATORI (Mar 20, 2004)

Demo-9 said:


> I mean this:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


oh yeah, wow, it's got some gnar-tooth going on there. :skep: I didn't notice that. That's not cool!


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## J-dogg (Aug 7, 2006)

dman. i really am considering this for my next frame.


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## DJskeet (Oct 19, 2007)

aggiebiker said:


> Ahhh, the head tube ruined it for me.


Same here, that just doesn't seem that practical


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## aggiebiker (Apr 18, 2006)

DJskeet said:


> Same here, that just doesn't seem that practical


Screw practical, easterns logo is ugly.


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