So, finally last night managed to finish my new Surly Krampus build. Woohoo!

Thanks Charlie tBM!

Really looking forward to getting out on it, quick ride round the neighbourhood suggests it is very “different”.

However, as the 6th bike I have built from scratch (as in 6th new frame, many more strips and builds in between), this was by far the most dificult. EVERYTHING was a **** bodge, very few items fit as expected. Very dificult and frustrating, all other builds were a straight bolt on and go.

1)BB threads had paint on them – needed trip to LBS to sort-em out
2)(not fault of frame)- my single chainring (widgit) solution caught on the chainstay – need much spacer bodging to get to fit
3)Headset refused to go in using my normal press – kept tilting at the last minute as if headtube not round. 2 hours of hell. Aaagh! Resorted to big hammer and block of wood. Sorted.
4) Front brake IS mounts a funny location – any adapter meant brake caliper interfered with spokes and adapter interfered with disc. Most odd (had to check few times I was doing ti right). Much dremmeling of adapter eventually solved.
5) Rear IS mounts meant when caliper mounted (with correct adapter for disc size), needed more spacer bodging get the wheel to turn. gnnnnnnnffffffeeeeccckkkkk 👿
6) Bike quite long, so existing gravity dropper cable too shrot (aaaarghgh!)
7) Now very late last night – ruined 3M of gear cable outer housing trying to figure out the right length for the rear mech, until realised I was using the cable for the front, not the rear mech. Mong! 😳
8 ) After 2 months of dusty trails, new bike build completion = biblical rain. Cock.

An interesting mix of a challenging frame and total user incompetence! Any other pet peeves in building up a bike from you lot?

Kev

LOL……… 😆

Sounds like fun to me

Own a mainstream bike and none of these issues would affect you. It’s your own fault for trying to be niche!

Welcome to the Krampus niche. Trust me, the toil will be paid back in smiles per pedal stroke

good luck on the trails!

I found that my last road build would skip on the smallest cog (on the cassette) – I checked & rechecked [virtually] everything – shifter & cable tension, hanger and dropout alignments, B-screw setting, hi/lo alignment, checked the mech-cage integrity, refitted the jockey-wheels, replaced the cable, and eventually the chain … but it would still skip under load. Whilst finally stripping the hub looking for wear, I found I’d used the wrong lockring … using one from a 12-28, on a (Frankenstein) 11-32 cassette. 30 seconds later to swap it over, and the problem vanished … 🙄

7) Now very late last night

These days … 😉 … I stop long before I reach this point, have a cup of tea, and go to bed. Experience has shown that what appears impossible at night, takes almost no time to sort out in the morning.

For everything else there’s the Problem Solvers or the VeloSolo websites (or I get my metal-working tools out).

To be fair, because the frame can be set up to be many things, it’s more an issue with my lack of understanding and especially haste to get things done.

Tis a most, most, unusual bike. Never ridden anything like it, can’t wait to get it on the trails. Feels so different.

Kev

yes i hate it too, usually something doesnt turn up when you expect it and all you can think is d**n. this time it was the wheels. i couldnt wait so i put 26 inch wheels on while i was waiting for the 29er wheels to arrive.
they came yesterday, 2 hours later, discs were on, cassette was on tyres were blown up and i was on my way.
the bike “looks ” massive now the wheels are on, but its not.

oh, yes thanks to the op for a lovely Ventana sold and delivered
Lester

🙂