Help me choose a 29er touring frame!

So i’m facing a huge dilemma.

The time has come to spec my 29er touring bike and i’m struggling with the decision making process somewhat.

Info:

The bike has to be steel.
The fork also has to be steel.
Single speed friendly.(ebb, sliding or horizontal dropouts)
Absolutely no racks! (Frame bags, seat bags and handlebar bags)
Room for large tires. (2.4’s at least)
Unrestricted go anywhere duality.
Think round world touring mile muncher.
The bike will go by the ultralight hiking ideals. > 15 kg gear.

Some of the candidates so far in order of preference:

Singular Swift (New model out shortly)

http://www.singularcycles.com/shop/index.php/frames/singular-swift.html

Singular Gryphon (New model out shortly)

http://www.singularcycles.com/shop/index.php/frames/singular-gryphon.html

Surly ECR

http://surlybikes.com/bikes/ecr

Salsa Fargo

http://salsacycles.com/bikes/2014_fargo_3

Jeff Jones Diamond with Truss Fork

http://www.jonesbikes.com/production_framesets.html

Now here is another tricky dilemma that must be addressed. The dreaded cockpit! I would like to maximize the volume of load carrying within this area. Perhaps using the largest dry bag setup that is practical. This may rule out drop bars so my preference would be:

The new wider Jeff Jones Loop bar with aero add ons. (Lots of hand positions here and dry bag compatible.)

800mm wide flat bar with aero addons. (Easier to attach a massive dry bag)

Drop Bars. (Perhaps limits the dry bag size.)

Additional info:

All water will be held in the full size front triangle frame bag using a 6L msr bladder with tube to stem. I do not want extranous brazeons for bottles and all that stuff with the one exception being a salsa anything cage perhaps.

Please, please help me alleviate the decision making process.

Sounds like you need a custom-made frame 😉

Why travel lightweight and consider tank-like frames such as the Fargo?

Sounds like you need a custom-made frame

Or

One of these[/url]

🙂

Dont get me wrong. When I say lightweight I dont mean carbon light.

Just that I don’t want massive panniers full of crap i don’t need. The weight of the frame is not a primary concern. Just as long as its not crazy heavy.

Or

One of these

Yup 😉

Handmade in Scotland by one of us, certainly.

Tyre clearance might get you but you’ve otherwise described an El Mariachi. Fit an Enabler fork and use a SS hub at the front for even more “getyouhomeness”

Or
One of these as you put

Not single speed compatible. 😥

First, I’ll declare a total bias and then point you at this (and follow the links from the blog to the tester’s blog) as all that isn’t my bias. It’s vindication

The only thing that deters me about the Jones is the thief factor. Will have to mask the logo.

On the upside. With the Jones bar I can if I needed to do the dry bag equivalent of this:

For those that dont know what the ECR is. Here is a pic. Kind of a 29+ bike packing friendly rig.

I think perhaps two sets of tires would cut it. Big Apples and Knards. Pretty much cover two extremes right there.

I have a Fargo – it’s ace! There will be a review on this site soon. It’s a swiss army knife of a bike. I probablty wouldn’t get hung up on single speed friendliness – if you are lugging loads, why would you go singlespeed? ❓ Mine has done everything from hauling my wee one in her trailer or bike seat, road biking in Mallorca, cross riding, general mountain biking and done everything really rather well indeed. The Woodchipper bars are truly something special…………

Re the Jones – I really like them. Andy at Backcountrybiking loves his and I’m seriously contemplating buying the diamond steel frame with the unicrown fork. You can run 29+ rims (though not the full size tyre at the back) or go fat at the front. The diamond frame is the gem of the line up. I tried the Space frame and just didn’t feel the love whereas the basic diamond frame was ace!

Oh and I run a Revelate Harness with the accompanying Sweet Roll dry bag set up on the front and it works brilliantly with the Woodchipper drop bars…………

Hope this helps?

Sanny

I have a Fargo – it’s ace! There will be a review on this site soon. It’s a swiss army knife of a bike. I probablty wouldn’t get hung up on single speed friendliness – if you are lugging loads, why would you go singlespeed? ❓ Mine has done everything from hauling my wee one in her trailer or bike seat, road biking in Mallorca, cross riding, general mountain biking and done everything really rather well indeed. The Woodchipper bars are truly something special…………

Re the Jones – I really like them. Andy at Backcountrybiking loves his and I’m seriously contemplating buying the diamond steel frame with the unicrown fork. You can run 29+ rims (though not the full size tyre at the back) or go fat at the front. The diamond frame is the gem of the line up. I tried the Space frame and just didn’t feel the love whereas the basic diamond frame was ace!

Oh and I run a Revelate Harness with the accompanying Sweet Roll dry bag set up on the front and it works brilliantly with the Woodchipper drop bars…………

Hope this helps?

Sanny

The bike has to be steel.
The fork also has to be steel.
Single speed friendly.(ebb, sliding or horizontal dropouts)
Absolutely no racks! (Frame bags, seat bags and handlebar bags)
Room for large tires. (2.4’s at least)
Unrestricted go anywhere duality.
Think round world touring mile muncher.
The bike will go by the ultralight hiking ideals. > 15 kg gear.

That nearly describes my slot dropout Inbred with Enabler fork.

‘Pedant’ … you might find that ultralight = less than 4.5kg (10lb) of gear in hiking terms. 😉

You need to decide whether or not you’re looking at drops before you start to narrow down frame choices (though I know you’re leaning away from them), as you’d need totally different front centre/TT lengths on drop bars vs regular/alt bars.

‘Pedant’ … you might find that ultralight = less than 4.5kg (10lb) of gear in hiking terms.

Thought I’d add a few seeing as though its a bike-packing. Maybe I can go a little heavier say to 10kg plus food and water.

Will be using a hammock.

Surly Straggler (in spring) ?

Out of interest, where are you going that might require 6l of water? That’s an awful lot.

Genuine Q BTW.

Pretty remote places. The option is there to use the full amount. I’ll be taking a water filter too.

As per the Jones. 135mm fork. Most dynamos are 100. The 135’s are way expensive.