29er or pompetamine as cross bike?

My wife has kindly offered to fund a new build for my birthday & I’m looking to replace my beloved voodoo with something singlespeed and ‘cross for on/off touring/fixie road/bikecamping all-round kind of use.

I was looking at a genesis day one disc but the tyre clearance isn’t much, especially as I keep looking at monstercross bikes. The idea of using a 29er mtb frame popped up, anyone do this to their 29er?

Yes. Small size and short stem needed, but works fine. Big Kahuna.

from another thread:

Van Dessel WTF

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?

Singular gryphon or peregrine would work nicely

I ran this with cross tyres and 29er tyres no probs. Campy road cassette with mtb double chainset worked well.

Singulars don’t seem to look daft either with skinny tyres that some 29ers do.

Similar thoughts have crossed my mind, esp. with the greater (cheaper) range of mtb options available if you are going to use discs. But I’m not sure how you would get the useful and comfortable hand positions with the drops on mtb geometry. What forks would you run? Rigid mtbs or CX? And why not go for 26″ over 29″?

But I’m not sure how you would get the useful and comfortable hand positions with the drops on mtb geometry.

Depends on bar and stem + rider. My frame above is a mtb frame with drops

What forks would you run? Rigid mtbs or CX?

If you use a mtb frame then mtb forks or your geo will be way out.

And why not go for 26″ over 29″?

Not really a cross bike then.

I have my pompetamine as ss cx most of the time. Sb8s on the road are surprisingly un-draggy enough for some touring. Have just swapped my rohloff into it this week to get it ready for family holiday do it all bike – towing jr, cycle paths, roads and VTT

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/bike-versatility

Another vote for the Gryphon here.

A fantastic bike and a lot more fun off road than a CX bike.

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2009_0423clent0036[/url] by singlespeedstu[/url], on Flickr

Not really a cross bike then.

Am I missing something? A 26″ frame and forks fits 700c wheels with cross tyres just fine. Not that either (26 or 29) is really a cross bike as such, nor that it matters especially.

The Q re bar/hand positions is still not that clear, because those Singulars are designed around riding in the hoods and drops off road. Most mtb frames are not – they are designed for risers or flats so getting the frame to fit with drops is trickier. Would still love a singular if I could afford one, they look fantastic.

The Gryphon is a drop specific mtb frame. Its way more comfy off road than my flat bared 26er.

29ers are spot on for a bit of day touring
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day touring lite Swift[/url] by rOcKeTdOgUk[/url], on Flickr

just got back from a ride on my van dessel wtf, pros comfort, solid, handling off road, plough through where the cx wont and more like a mtb.
Cons way heavier than my old cannondale cx, slow and hard work on the road. Both good but very different beasts. P.S bb7 brakes v good 😀

Am I missing something? A 26″ frame and forks fits 700c wheels with cross tyres just fine. Not that either (26 or 29) is really a cross bike as such, nor that it matters especially.

Sorry thought you ment wheel size.

The Q re bar/hand positions is still not that clear, because those Singulars are designed around riding in the hoods and drops off road.

Mines a swift not designed for drops. The gryphon is the drop bar version with the steeper top tube.

If I was building up a bike like that, the Gryphon would be the only option. I reckon it’d go well with alt bars as well as drops. Proper fork length if you’re only going to use rigids too. I was after a bike-packer recently and if it was going to get more road / cx / drop-bar use and less MTB abuse, I’d have got the Gryphon.

the Gryphon would be the only option. I reckon it’d go well with alt bars as well as drops. Proper fork length if you’re only going to use rigids too

You’re right there. They work well with a Jones bar too.

the Gryphon and the WTF both look very sensible, in their own way, I love the cruiser looks of the wtf

The salsa Fargo is another option. Light and great geometry. The forks come with a million places to bolt stuff on too.

in Ss build

You’re right there. They work well with a Jones bar too.

Does the Gryphon have rack mounts etc?

Sure does 8)

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iPhone 4s Pics 043[/url] by GavinBelton[/url], on Flickr