Good stuff wzzzz, just a pity about that top end size. I’ve a pair of 40c Smart Sams that I’d used in the past and liked them though principally this’ll be a road bike.

My mate bought one to replace his Kaffenback. Maiden voyage on Friday. He’s really pleased, way lighter than the Kaff, nice and lively. He had to adapt a Sturmey Archer gear wheel (£1) to get the gears to work but for the money the frame seems good…

Tall seat tube and not too long top tube so me freakily long legged, short armed mate got the XL, he’s using a odd high rise stem, but he’s pleased he’s actually got something that fits……..

I have my wheels being built up now but looking forward to getting it built up.

The frame really is nice, especially considering the price. I’m looking at Gravel Kings or Clement USH at the moment as I want good rolling on the road as well as dodgy surface ability.

Anybody building one of these up point me in the direction of any decent cheapish wheels?

Or are you all building from parts bins?

I’ll take some photos tomorrow of mine and try to post so you can see the frame and forks (clash).

What wheels are you going for scandal? I’ll be harvesting my bor 29ers from my Scandal for now but have aan old pair of hope hubs that I could build up. Need to choose a roadish disc only rim.

I’ll probably use a pair of schwalbe marathon supremes I have for now, looking at schwalbe s and g ones though and challenge strada bianchis.

I am using my old Hope hubs with a set of Pacenti CL25 rims, they seem nice and lightweight but wider than your average road rims.

My XS has arrived, lovely frame, any idea of seat post clamp size?

I measured it at 29.9 on verniers. Should be either 29.8 or 30.0 but think either will be fine.

I’m using a 29.8 thomson and its not a tight fit.

27.2 seatpost, 28.6 front mech.

Brilliant, thanks ‘coomber’

Any pics of builds?

I will have pics tomorrow when its finally built

Anyone got a medium and would be able to measure stand over? I’d like to run one with flat bars as already have dedicated road bikes and some spare MTB calipers. I have 79cm stand over on my road bikes which touches gently… I can see I might want more clearance with a bike like this for canal path use, but think the small would be too short in the top tube for flat bars… (I’m 5ft 8…) Ta!

Go easy on me, there are a few bits that are not finished, stack height and red spacer for e.g.

Here she is

Got to say I’m seriously happy with it. It is weighty compared to a standard road bike but it really doesn’t ride like it. It’s smooth and has a really quick turn of pace.

I had it in the fields and tracks yesterday and will be commuting tomorrow for the 1st time.

Love it

That’s a nice build. What crankset are you using?

Still scratching my chin on what tyres to use lol. CX or road?

Hope to complete my build this weekend.

I managed to find the original Tange fork for £77.

I might run into chainline problems using am 10 speed GXP crank for a road bike 130mm OLD.
Did sone calculations and may 1.5 mm out…

That looks nice!

I have a pair of the PX forks bought on a whim over a year ago and never used, might have to go find a plug for commuting duties now…

Looks ace. Much like mine will I hope

Cheers all

Can’t remember the exact model of the crankset but it’s Tiagra equivalent I think, looks really nice with the frame.

I have Clement USH on Pacenti CL25 rims and they seem to roll very nicely on the road so a good compromise between road and cx Frankenstein.

I would say everyone who picked a frame up at £130 has a really nice frame for a bargain price.

Standover on Small / Mediums anyone?

I know it says on the chart on the ebay listing but would be good to get some real life confirmation – Seems like traditional road sizing but since it’s a semi-sloping top tube it depends at what point along the top tube they measured it… Some companies measure from right under the saddle, some from the mid point of the top tube, which IMO is more realistic…

Cheers again

^^^that looks lovely

I’ll check tomorrow for you sb88

Thanks superstu

Smashing – looking good btw.

Well I’ve ordered a small and medium and will try both as they accept returns, though also got an eye on a cromo touring frame for this project which will take up to 60mm tyres and seems designed for flat bar use. Though I want the tange… Have an early 90s GT teqursta in tange infinity and it’s remarkably lighter than a timberline of the same size…

Apologies mate, I was out all day yesterday so didn’t have chance to measure.

Ha no worries, would probably have ordered both anyway – return postage will cost I just see it as equivalent to having to drive somewhere to get something. It’s my fault for trying to do something with a frame intended for drop bars that it’s probably not meant for…

Just received frame(s). FWIW, stand over is exaggerated on the sizing chart on the listing. Unless they mean that’s the stand over the rider should have. Put a rear wheel and fork with front wheel gently into frame to check. I have a cycling inseam of 80cm (ish and graze the tt lightly, but can lift the bike a couple of inches off the floor. Just OK for canal path/ light CX type riding.

Is that the medium sb?

Building one for my Dad and he’s 5ft 9 but I wanted to him to have clearance to ride it like a CX and reach the drops.

Yeah the medium. I would happily ride this for CX stand over wise. It grazes the inseam of my trousers but I can lift it a couple inches before it hits bone. Thats with a 28mm tyre btw. A 35mm tyre would raise it about 0.5cm afaik. Could have gone with the small for a more road oriented build with a 10-12cm stem but as I’m considering some off road use wanted to minimise toe overlap risk and as am also considering flat bars (mainly to avoid getting into expensive brifter set ups but still be able to use hydro brakes) I went with the medium for a longer tt.

Best to check his cycling inseam/stand over with book in crotch method.

It’s basically the same geometry as a traditional 54cm road frame (54cm seat tube x 54cm effective top tube) which I have and which I know fits me with drops with an 80cm stem and flats with a longer stem. Except that because it’s a semi- sloping top tube the front end of the top tube is a bit higher and the back end (under the nose of the saddle) a bit lower than on a traditional horizontal top tube frame. But the stand over at the mid point is basically the same.

Next step is to get forks (the ones I tried for sizing are rim brakes only) gave seen the dawes galaxy ones on eBay going cheap but not sure about their tyre clearance. Have kaffenback ones but as this frame set is replacing the kaff probably want to keep those with the frame and sell together.

I was going to build an xs one for my tiny dad as he wanted something lighter than his 70s bikes but still steel, but he’s only gone and bought a full carbon rig to help prop up his lbs!

sb88 – I might be interested in the kaffenback frame only if it’s a medium. I randomly bought myself some of the forks when they were 15 quid a few days ago!

kenadolphe AT Hotmail DOT com

It’s a small unfortunately. Was considering getting a medium and selling on the small when I saw the charge offer! V similar bikes really. Only going w the charge for option of more tyre clearance and am a sucker for nice Tange tubes. But would recommend kaffs for a do it all road bike that you wouldn’t worry about too much.

Hi Sb,

I have the same frame, 54 medium and it fits my Father who is 5ft 9.

He does have little more clearance than his road bike but CX bikes should have s little more clearance due to the terrain.

Thanks sb, was set on a Kaffenback but have been following this thread so v tempted by the Charge. Then again those London Roads look quite nice…

Here is my xl
http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/zz114/hilariousadrian/Mobile%20Uploads/20160424_110812_zpsmsrlic2g.jpg

If someone explains simply how to post a pic in the thread I would!

Anyways seems nice. Not overly long but decent. Nice and light. Will Christen it later

Here is my xl

Someone explain how to put pictures up please!

Nice work, looks good

You lot bought all the cheap Kaffenback forks!!! I’ve picked up some Cotic Roadrat forks (with he funky right hand side front facing disc mount) – was looking at the Dawes Galaxy ones on ebay for £30, but they’re 420mm A-C which is pushing it a bit. Best option would be Surly Straggler (400m A-c and classy look) but they’re out of stock most places in UK til May and £75…

Considered Surly Disc Truckers too (390mm A-C) but got the Cotics a bit cheaper.

Could just use my Kaffenbacks but reckon they’ll sell better as a frame set…

Hi Sb,

I have the same frame, 54 medium and it fits my Father who is 5ft 9.

He does have little more clearance than his road bike but CX bikes should have s little more clearance due to the terrain.

Yeah, ideally I’d have a bit more standover, but I’m resigned to relying on effective top tube to decide fit. Only time I’ve fallen onto the top tube was as a kid when I had tonnes of standover anyway!

[/quote]Thanks sb, was set on a Kaffenback but have been following this thread so v tempted by the Charge. Then again those London Roads look quite nice…

Would totally use a London Road if I was cross racing for a lighter weight bike that I isn’t too worried about breaking. Plus, I live right by the London Road it’s named after! But for day to day use, steel wins.

Taking a while, bars from Alpkit should be arriving anyday and I’m going to strip my old commuter/cx for drivetrain. It looks awfully slack but I think its accentuated by the lack of bars and the steerer tube sticking up. Its about 1deg slcker on the HT and ST than standard.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/FGdp8F]Charge Plug[/url] by Bigbroondug, on Flickr

I’ve been looking at my build and thinking its very slack…..which I suppose means loads of mud clearance!