Reader’s Ride: LMTTM’s August Cycles Big Blue

Another entry that we dug out of our back end, so to speak.

Your Name

Forum name: ‘letmetalktomark’

Bike brand and model

August Bicycles – Big Blue.

Fork

August Bicycles.

Suspension Set-up

Bend arms and legs more or less pending terrain.

Wheels

Velocity Dually rims on Hope Pro 2 Evo hubs

Tyres

Teravail 2.8” Coronado

Chainset

SLX Boost

Cassette

Chris King 15T Sprocket

Brakes

Shimano XT

Bars & Stem

Thomson 50mm and Sunline V1 bar

Grips

DMR DeathGrips

Seatpost

One Up Dropper (170mm) with PNW Loam lever

Saddle

Flite Titanium

Size and Weight

XL. Never weighed.

Why this bike?

I’ve ridden 29 plus bikes for a good few years now. I really like them and being at the taller end of the spectrum they make a lot of sense to me, not least aesthetically. The basis for this build was my Singular Rooster and also my 29 plus Sonder Signal.

I was after a modern, rigid single speed that I could run a dropper on but I didn’t need/want it being suspension corrected. The custom fork on this build is shorter than a std ridged 29er fork.

I’d come across Gav and Amy at August Bicycles a few years ago. They are hugely passionate about bikes and building custom bikes but are equally picky about choosing the right builds. They are also lovely people.

I wanted a frame and fork that had a nod to the bikes I rode and longed after in the 90’s. Simple steel tubing, bullet tips on the frame and forks but in many ways quite unassuming. Now with its laser etched then brazed lettering rather than details and clearance for 3” tyres this isn’t a subtle bike but doesn’t shout “look at me”.

The frame uses a PF30 EBB that keeps everything looking clean whilst keeping the single speed gubbins weight nice and low.

Whilst single speed specific it will take a gear hanger so when my knees give up and the cost comes down I’ll be going SRAM wireless. As such and living in the flatlands of Suffolk the need to run a good sized front ring was required. This will comfortably clear a 36T chainring without the need for a plated bridge.

The frame is reasonably but not stupidly long and the fork slack but again not hugely so. I’m running a in-line dropper and currently a 50mm stem but once I pull my finger out and get things measure I hope to run a custom August stem 🙂

Additional Comments

Custom stem is in the offing with storage option.

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We’ll be rewarding any submission published with a piece of STW merch. NB: they don’t have to be new bikes. Or expensive bikes. Or even clean bikes. We want to see real bikes from real riders.

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