Thinking of building up a kaffenback using a xt groupset and hope hubs I have.

I want a road bike which could handle a bridle path if one is spotted. Should I just forget it and build up another mtb and buy an off the shelf road bike?

Anyone got some good feedback and experience of the kaffenback. Searched the web and most info is from a guy who likes taking fancy pics of him and his kaff.

Real world experiences? As a road bike? What about gearing? Will I spin out straight away using mtb ratios

I’ve got a V brake Kaff. Fitted with 700×28 Gatorskins – gearing 26/36/46 Deore and 11-32.

I think standard MTB 22/32/42 would be too low. I ride on the 36 at the front most of the time and I’m a slowish rider.

A nice handling bike. I find the 57cm (largest) frame just a touch small for me though (I’m 6ft2) so it will be getting sold at some point. Assuming you are Ok with the fit it’s well worth the money.

The rear is 130mm OLN so won’t fit a standard 135mm MTB rear hub.

Is the rear not set to 132mm, so you can use either, I’m sure that’s what Planet X said when I was doing some research into one for a friends build.

New kaff takes a 135mm rear (I’ve got one). Run mine 1×9 with 36t up front and 11-32 cassette. Will handle a bit of rough stuff, but I wouldn’t say it was fun!

Have you considered a proper crosser?

Uncle john is what you need.

Uncle john by h4muf, on Flickr

It’s not the lightest bike in the world. Comfy though. Great for touring but no idea about offroad.

Here’s mine with some carbon forks, a rack and some very full panniers.

bridge-quernmore by Jon Wyatt, on Flickr

I recently swapped out all of my components from a Cove Handjob to a Kaffenback. I have been mainly commuting and day touring so full mudguards and proper pannier mounts were becoming a big draw.

Essentially it feels very similar to a 90’s MTB from a geometry point of view.

I am very happy with it, I still have the 26″ wheels with 28mm road tyres and flat bars with bar ends. I feel very comfy on it. I have just had a 24m ride around the east Cumbrian countryside and lovely it was too.

If I was doing it again I would get different forks as I have fiddled and fiddled with the front wheel quick release tension as the disc brake rubs after heavy downhill braking. It was a real pest riding over Whinlatter & honister a couple of weeks ago. I never had this issue with Pace RC31’s.

Regarding gearing I am often in the big front ring but rarely run out of gear. When the chainset is due for replacement I will still get a triple as it is good for pulling a load up honister but I will get one with a 48 tooth front.

Sorry about the leaves in the garden. Must do better

I have the new kaffenback.
Built with bits from the parts bin. Road gearing. 105 and Sora.
Run it 53/34 and 12/26 road gearing and canti-braked rather than mini-V’s. And a crosslight fork. I’ve got 25s with mudguards. Pretty sure, it can go to 28s as well.
If it were being used principally for the road – I would use road gearing. No experience using it as a crosser but perhaps run it with a 48t up front(?) and a 28t at the back(?).
On the road – it’s feels very smooth and I’ll put that down to the steel tubes. By road biking standards (what I’ve built) is a bit on the heavy side but it is such a nice ride and can carry a decent turn of speed. I also like the new graphics. Makes a great winter trainer.

I’m just building up a new one with discs having had an old one for a while. I really like it, gets used for commuting and a bit of off road, some leisure road rides.

It weighs plenty but so do I.

The rear is 130mm OLN so won’t fit a standard 135mm MTB rear hub

I have an older Kaffenback (the coffee and cream colour one) and am running XT hubs in it with no problems.

I have the new model Kaff, use it for commuting with full guards and 35mm tyres, but had to cut the rear guard to get the tyre in, so better with 32mm or less on the rear. I wanted 35mm coz I carry heavily loaded panniers off road on my 25 mile each way commute.

It handles fine on rough tracks.

I’m just converting mine to discs, built a new front wheel with disc hub.

It also makes a great winter trainer with guards etc. Really enjoy riding mine. Would be happy touring and cyclo crossing on it. Not the lightest, but not silly heavy, and I wanted the toughness.

I have an old model blue dragon Kaff frame & forks to get rid of.
17″ / small-medium.
Anyone interested?

I really like mine although again it’s a touch on the small size, I’m also 6’2″ on a large

Kaffenback by GavinBelton, on Flickr

Running Shwalbe 700×30 CX comp tyres which have been great along the Speyside way I use to commute on.

i’ve got a pompino (same but SS) runs 28 or 35c slicks. and occasionaly 32c CX tyres.

rode about 110km on sunday. mostly tarmac but included some sandy bridleways, some muddy bridleways and some gravelled fire roads (sustrans routes). i had to push some bits, too muddy, too sandy/steep, but it would have been much easier with a lower gear (running 42:16 atm) and i also had the 28c tyres on.

tyres are the biggest compromise but something will work (for you), land crusiers miht be the one for what you describe.

I’ve got an old blue dragon Kaffenback (small). Clearance between the tyre and seat-tube is very tight which necessitates some faffing to fit mudguards. I did manage to get some cross-tyres on it (making it good for towpaths etc. and some racing). I’ve now got road tyres on it and mudguards and it serves me well as a winter road commuter/light tourer.