[Closed] 2011 Kaffenback

I got one recently and LOVE it... Couple of pics here: http://theseaandthesky.blogspot.com/2011/11/kaffenback.html

Nice looking build and a nice wee blog too, will add it to my blogroll.

just out of interest mustard why are you replacing the tripster?

I just got one instead of a kaffenback!

See the bottom square profile bar section of the rear drive-side dropout? Mine is bent in an almost perfect arc. Upgrade have offered 25% off a replacement, as they say it's not a warranty issue, but I've kinda lost faith in the design so figured I'd go the slightly cheaper route of a Kaff.

Until it bent I was really liking the Tripster; it feels fast and direct, I was doing similar paced sprints on it as I can on my carbon road bike, while still being suprisingly comfortable. I don't think the Kaff will be as efficient but as I have the roadbike for fast stuff it's not such an issue and I've a bad feeling that I'll want a custom frame in the new year when I've see dirtygirlonabike's Shand so there's no point spending too much on a replacement 🙄 .

Be careful how much weight you carry if you are putting a rack on the Tripster as that is the only thing I can think of that could have caused the dropout to close up (what Upgrade say has happened) as it hasn't had any impacts (that I'm aware of). It is also the first one they know of that happening to, so maybe I was just unlucky...

cool thanks.

did you use it much with a rack and were you carrying much weight?

plan to do some light touring on it next year so hope you were just unlucky!

Andy_Sweet - I take it you spent so much on the bike you can't afford a decent camera?

did you use it much with a rack and were you carrying much weight?

We were travelling pretty light, two panniers taped together carrying the heaviest and non-hand luggage-able items were just over half the checked in bag allowance for easyjet (i've a crap memory for numbers).

There were a couple of evenings that i put a 5L bottle on top of the rack or the run from supermarket to campsite so my guess is that's what did it, although I didn't notice it when stripping down rebuilding or cleaning twice. It was the third time of cleaning when I was back I noticed.

I'm chalking it down as an expensive fork and a wall hanging 😀

I wouldn't worry about it; it is a really nice bike to ride (have been doing some off-roading on it too.

I'd be interested to compare our comparisons of the two bikes when we've ridden the new ones a bit.

Can u get a 35mm cx tyre in the back of a Kaff?

They have big clearance, so probably - check the website.

I've got 35mm tyres on mine.... Width wise there's loads of clearance... it's quite close to the seat tube... could be a bit tight if you had knobbly tread I reckon.....