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Those Longboards look like they'll give excellent coverage. Especially from front wheel spray to the feet.
I went for some 42mm Blumels to try and keep them from looking too massive, but the coverage is worse than the clip-ons I have on my old race bike at the moment.
I dunno how it could be genuinely improved?
Shorten the stays buy about 20mm! !!!!!!!! ! at least!!
After riding various large tyre tourers,singulars and the like. The main thing is they all feel dead out of the saddle as a normal road bike on the black stuff as the stays are so long for clearance and for 'stability'. But road bikes are the same as MTB and on the whole feel better with shorter stays.
Think I'm going full custom to get, I think (according to Xcad), sub-420mm chainstay with 2.1 inch Mtb rubber on a road compact chainset (68mm bb shell) using flat shaped chainstay plate to get the clearence to make it all fit. That way put normal 28c it will drop the bb even more and the short stays will feel like a spritley 'normal' road bike frame but one with huge tyre clearance and the ability to cover any terrain.
Reckon 18bikes might be up for the challenge...........
Thanks soma. 🙂
I started off getting some black ti rotor bolts and chainring bolts. But then it seemed to escalate from there. 😕
The Mrs kept asking. "Are these genuine purchases on the card statement?" Oops. 😆
I love what you've done to your Tripster. And it just goes to show what a versatile frame it is. It's great that you set it up in a way that suites what you ride. People get obsessed with trying to look like a World Tour rider all the time, even though 99.9% of 'em will never even pin on a number. I see people commuting into London in the winter on deep carbon wheels and 23 tyres. Each to their own 'n all, but that's just madness.
Mine may see most of its' miles chugging back and forth into central London, along with endless reps of Highgate Hill, and Regent's Park loops, but I can't wait to get stuck into some adventures. I already have the SDW pencilled in on the calendar.
But road bikes are the same as MTB and on the whole feel better with shorter stays.
That depends. I think on smaller sizes, that holds. But at 6'3, I end up right out over the rear axle on a bike with short stays. I have a Time frame that has 402mm stays and it has a crazy skittish rear end. My current race bike has 410 stays which are better, but personally I'd go a couple of mil longer if I was getting a custom frame race bike. For an all day frame, 420 would be the minimum I'd want to keep the front down when seated climbing.
I'm 6'1"
all day frame ideal at 420 - don't disagree with you but I'd like 415-420. That's why I can get on with 440-450mm chainstay bikes like the ATR, they feel dead. They don't surge out the saddle, great with loaded panniers but not for normal rides.
With a chainstay plate stay you can have both clearance, correct bb drop for both types of tyres (big/small) and a lively frame.
Sure Ben of Kinetic bikes would have a go with all his odd ball work with Brompton conversions.
Those Longboards look like they'll give excellent coverage. Especially from front wheel spray to the feet.
That was an early picture, I've now moved the front mudguard mount to the back of the forks, meaning the mudguards are now even nearer the ground. I think they're just about perfect now, they don't catch on anything but provide superb coverage. Nothing, and I mean nothing sprays up and hits the chainset or my feet.
I started off with buying Ti rotor bolts like yourself, then priced up all the [i]other[/i] bolts and went EEK! 😯 , so as a friend owes me loads of favours for doing work on his cars he allowed me to help myself to his bolt drawers…so i did 😀 , they've made absolutely sod all difference but i know they are there so that makes [i]all[/i] the difference to me.
I certainly ain't no world tour rider, if i can't fool myself there's absolutely nae chance of fooling anybody else, not with a 11mph average speed on a good day but hopefully that'll be enough to see me cycling home to Galloway from Cyprus later on this year, i originally intended to follow the Med all the way but that seemed far too organised and regimented for my liking so i'm going to take it one day at a time and make it up as i go along which seems a more sensible option, plus it leaves room for a genuine [i]oh shit…am i doing the right thing[/i] adventure if one should drop in front of my wheels. First two weeks visiting a mate in Cyprus then ?, no idea, no plans, no specified route but it should be fun.
Never been touring before but i have done the bike packing thing/days/weekends away etc so i'm not a complete numpty, i never even thought of doing an extended tour till i started to spec the bike over the past few months since my exploding drivetrain incident (page 20 of this thread) , funny how it all came together the way it did.
matts : it doesn't matter where you ride it, highgate/london/regents park….all those little rides will accumulate over time and plant a seed in your subconscious that will niggle and grow till it bursts, before you realise it you'll be riding off with a [i]see you when i get back[/i] 😀
Just catching up on this - that build looks an excellent all rounder Somafunk 😀
Somafunk - that build looks lovely, pretty much perfect to my eyes. With Jones bars do you find yourself wishing for drops on the long hauls into a headwind or does resting on the loop do a pretty good job?
I must be the only one that doesn't like the look of those Jones bars on the Tripster!
It is probably because my main reason for having this type of bike is the ease of getting out of the saddle and onto the hoods in order to climb - which I find a very beneficial exercise for my legs - my running is certainly a lot springier thanks to it.
When we worked in a location that had a gym in the same building I used to use the stepper machine a lot - and this climbing position on the hoods is very similar, with the difference being that the scenery is generally a lot better (depending on who else is in the gym at the same time...)
I must be the only one that doesn't like the look of those Jones bars on the Tripster!
Nope, not just you.. 😉
DrP
Any recommendations for a steerer expander wegde that'll fit, on the basis I can't be arsed to wait for Shiny Bikes to read their email?
There's a few on CRC but I want to get one that fits. Bit of an oversight by Kinesis this. I have messaged them too, but I expect the response would be to refer to dealer.. I want this thing built now 🙂
Gotama : I was never able to use the drops on my Woodchipper bars as most of my vertebrae are fused along with quite a few ribs and T6 & T7 were pretty much totally shattered so they had to be removed after a car accident 20 odd years ago, I lost 4" in height so being bent over in the drops was pretty uncomfortable even with the high front end position on the Tripster. I could use the drops for going downhill but when in that position i couldn't pedal as my ribs bounced against the top of my Coxal/hip bone when bent over so far.
Sounds 😯 when i see it written down but it's honestly not as bad as it reads above, these days I'm just a 5ft 5" shortarse with a bit of an angle (or hump) on my upper thoracic/cervical spine. 😀
I used the Ultegra hoods on the woodchippers for most of my riding and that was perfect for me but it only really offered the one comfortable position so that's why i thought the Jones bar would offer a multitude of hand positions without being bent over, I ran a Jones Loop bar on my Soulcraft back in 2005 and found it comfortable so it seemed the ideal option. I'm glad i did as there is a multitude of positions (i've found 5 so far) on offer without forcing me into an awkward/painful position - The hands on the front loop position is really comfortable for drags on the road as your wrists lie on the bar behind and your hands just rest on the front bar.
I've only managed a 3hr blast around my local trails n' paths so far but hopefully i'll get out for a long road/forest ride through the Galloway Hills this weekend, if the weather and this snow GTF away by then.
Brassneck : [url= http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/sp/road-track-bike/headsets-headset-spares-accessories-itm-carbon-1-1-8-expanding-stem-cap/italhstz220 ]This ITM Bung from Ribble says it is suitable for a 22mm ID steerer tube[/url], give them a call to make sure before you order it.
EDIT : My brooks Cambium saddle arrived today, they have really went to town (aka rapha) on the packaging and detail, i'll take some pics
Fair enough re the drops !! I've got some Jones bars on my, errrr, Jones so may just stick them on the cx bike to get an idea but it seems to make sense for what I do on the bike....maybe. Anyway, experimenting is half the fun!
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Heavyweight cardboard box
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First leaf opened and anticipation rising…….
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I can see it!….
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Oooooooo!
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It's like receiving an invitation to a very exclusive club…suits you sir!.
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You even get a 20 page paper filled with genuinely decent reading, you can register your saddle and receive the Bugle when it's published, and you also receive a 6 page copy of all the Brooks products for 2015.
And the saddle?……yeah it looks pretty decent, i hope it fits my arse after all that otherwise i'm gonna look a bit of a dick 😉
Love the fact the saddle has been photographed next to your standard issue STW coffee kit 😀
😳 , I don't have a table to photograph it on, needless to say i live on my own without such frivolous housey items like a table/carpets/chairs etc, and the other part of my worktop has a microwave/breadbin/fruitbasket on it so that is honestly the only place i could lay it, i suppose i could have used the bare floorboards.
I have the STW essentials such as Wood burning/multifuel Stove, Espresso machine, Grinder and a decent selection of malt whiskys, what more does a man possibly need? 😉
Naturally Flexible
So entirely unsuitable for your good self. 😉
Yep.....your right there matts - i wonder if i'm due a full body upgrade? - shame apple don't do Body's yet. I once tried a yoga class and hid at the back, unfortunately she asked the class who were sitting cross legged on the floor to "gently stretch forward and place your palms on the floor" , i tried it and my dodgy ribs popped behind my hips and got stuck which wobbled me over onto my side whilst squealing and snorting like a stuck pig thrown down a flight of stairs - flexibility of any sort is not one of my strong points.
^^ 😯
Cor blimey 😯
Well the way I look at is this, your bike, you build it to your spec and desire and it fits you and you love it and it takes you places.
Nothing more to add from me but I think it looks ace.
8)
Thanks Somafunk - taken a punt on a Pinarello one off CRC for the princely sum of £1.99 as I needed a couple of bits anyway. I'll go for that ITM one if it doesn't fit, looks spot on.
FYI, it took Winstanley's 3 days to get one off upgrade and post it to me.
Not worth the wait.. not even a reply from Shiny Bikes thus far and my expectations were ... limited.
As promised, current built status.
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Annoyingly, no post today, so headset still not sorted.
I think I'll de-badge the wheels before I'm done with it.
matts - that's a [u]very[/u] good looking Tripster.
I'm guessing you don't often see a power meter on a tripster! Nice looking bike. In fact that's probably how I'd have mine 🙂
Getting weird now.....CX....powermeter blaster, .....commuter...tourer. Are we expected to believe?
Very nice indeed, [i]we approve :D[/i]. It looks lean n' fast standing still, even though it's leaning against a Chaise Longue - quite possibly the most decadent lazy expression of home furnishings (or 1970's porn movies) 😉 .
So that's it decided…I declare the new [i]STW niche item for 2015[/i] is a chaise longue.
Getting weird now.....
I thought that when I saw those curtains.
🙄 I knew I should've left it lent up against the pile of crap at the other end of the room...
😉
As for the chaise longue - The Mrs owned it before we met and I can't get her to part with it...
I'd missed the chaise longue - I was so caught up in the fancy cranks and fast looking hoops!
I also missed the valve / logo misalignment... 😉
I also missed the valve / logo misalignment...
I realised as soon as I posted the picture. 😀
Lol!
Looking back at your build list, are those the Vittioria tyres?
Yup. Randonneur Pro 32 Reflex. I was running the wired 28 version on my previous commuter/trainer. These are lighter, and should provide a little more comfort on the awful roads around London. I'm not fussed about absolute speed as, as you can see, I train with power.
Fantastic build, matts.
Loving this thread, much lushness.
awful roads around London
Really? that's what gold paving does for you
To be fair to matts the roads in London are mostly paved with 24 carat gold, it's far too soft as a suitable road surface, perhaps Boris should offer a Platinum coating upgrade specifically for use by the [i]Righteous Tripster Owners Club[/i].
Criffel granite setts is what's required.
Very nice Matts. I note you have a zero layback seatpost, I found I really needed layback as the frame is a fairly relaxed fit for me.
Let us know how you get on with that?
More lovely looking Tripsters ?
8)
Useless t***s at Upgrade and Winstanley's have sent me the wrong fugging bung again! 👿
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Do they not read this page to get info on the bikes they sell?, if not then it's about time they did.
They either didn't listen to you or read your email correctly regarding the issue with the 22mm steerer, get one from somewhere else then bill them for the expense and your wasted time.
Ok, I take that back... 😳
The one they just sent me has got a removable secondary sleeve to give it 2 thicknesses. Headset sorted. 
Haha!, just as well you noticed before you got all.....
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Bad mutha ...... on them
Ahh well…..Looks like i'm in for a round of healthy [i]bit of a dick[/i] jesting (see page 43 - brooks saddle)
Just back in from a 2 hr ride where i managed pathetic little distance (13miles) due to the hellish winds and my arse hurt like hell for the entire journey (castelli sorpasso bibs so not the pad either), saddle is the correct height, fore and aft is correct so i'm away back out for a 30 min ride armed with my 5mm allen key and i'll try adjusting the angle - otherwise someone on here is going to get a bargain.
Arse indeed!. 🙁