'lo.

I got a Rock Lobster 853 and we had a short and wild fling. I thought she'd be prefect, I loved her little bits, dropouts and paintjob, but I realise she's not quite who I thought I'd be with forever.

It's –

too short on the top tube for me. 5'11 and I got a 17" one. Was initially geared but would like a better SS capable frame.

Once I got a 456 with some bigger forks, the RL was a bit redundant. Turned her SS and she has a new purpose! However it means putting up with a silly chain tensioner. not so good.

Steep head angle (71 deg?), feels off compared to the 456, especially combined with the short TT.

Do I –

STFU and go riding, when you forget about it? Except the chain bounces about on the tensioner, you don't trust is as much and it's nowhere near as confidence inspiring and flattering as the 456

Replace with a Slotted inbred – slightly better head angle at 70 deg, almost self-funding when I sell the RL, heavier than the RL but not so much. 2250 g vs. 2060g. Can still do gears.

Replace with Kinesis Decade Virsa – does slots and gears interchangeably. Anonymous head angle – 70.5 deg but some reviews say it's slack, so maybe those were prototypes. Would take longer forks if I ever wanted. Nicer colour. LBS has one.

What else should I consider?

Not being such a fussy furker 😛

Yeah thought so. Hence option 1. :-p

Although I was told that if I try SS the it won't be long before I want a SS specific frame!

I know what you are saying about the security of a tensioner being run on a SS, I run a roller version on a geared dropout frame and still get concerned about the lack of wrap round of the chain.
A mate had an One One Scandal with slotted dropouts but he just gave up on that as the rear wheel popped out every time he got more than a treads height off the ground-he is going back to his On One slotted dropout frame.
Another mate has a Vodoo Wanga set up SS but his dropouts keep moving even with the bolts done up wayyy too tight again if he even thinks about the treads leaving the ground.
I personally love the feel/ride quality of my On One 456 and would love to have my SS made up from a slotted dropout version (maybe next year when the wifes not looking).

I don't mind having a more 'jey' angle on the SS – it'll be for muddy blasts and having fun (the 456 lives inside and therefore needs a wash if it goes out in the mud 🙁 ) I'm skinny and light so I'm not sure of the heft of a 456 on a SS with shorter forks…

The spring in my tensioner is poor so I've increased the wrap and keep a constant-ish tension by pulling it up with a zip-tie. I just don't like the set-up and yearn for the simplicity of a chain tugg'd slot or sliding dropout!

Cheers for the input.

How about a new Pipedream?
£269 for 853 frame

Sliding dropouts? Kawasaki green?

I say sir!

😀

JonT
would be interested if you decide to sell the frame .

With you on the Pipedream , looks great value .

I have a Kinesis Virsa in 18" flavour. It's bloody awesome, set up as a SS, and sometimes as a 1×9…

Fox F100RL's at the front, some new XT brakes, Mavic XC717s laced to suplight hubs – tubeless, and some random bling…

I had a Wanga a while back, which was too big for me, but now i also see the benefit of not having Reynold 853 tubing…. for SS it just flexes too much…

The Virsa is awesome indeed. Looks proper nice and feels smooth. If you're nearby South Wales you're mor ethan welcome to a spin.

I prefer a chain tensioner (push up, supplemented by a ziptie) to EBB or sliding dropouts. I don't know what the fuss is about.

Plus… the big plus…. if you have sliding drop outs… get a chain tensioner for the frame (Surly Tuggnut jobby), a halflink chain, and a set of XT skewers… the cam like ones – proper secure. Anything else, Hope etc will just slip like crazy.

Anyone who has slippage issues can solve them with either XT skewers, Bolted Axles, or a Chain tensioner device. Sorted 🙂