Morning all.
I’ve acquired a Spot SS frame which I’m going to build up with a nice mix of retro and new parts to make something thats the polar opposite to ride vs my Orange full sus. Weirdly though, I thought they were semi popular frames on here and on retrobike but can only find very limited snippets of information about them, hence this post.

Mines a rim brake only one so I’m guessing its an early frame, some of which I’ve discovered were built by DeKerf? Anyone know how to tell?

Secondly, does anyone know the frame dimensions for seatpost/clamp etc?

Thirdly, anyone still have/ride one? Pics?

Fourthly, I’ll be in need of some nice SS specific but rim brake compatible wheels. What are my options with rims (if any?) these days?

Cheers,
Dave

I’d look at DCR wheels

IIRC Tim at Sideways Cycles was the person for Spot (and S.S.) stuff, you could try asking him.

Nice frames, and pretty rare on this side of the pond.

I’ve got a similar vintage (maybe a bit older) Independent Fabrication SS frame, that’s rim brake only.

I had it set up with v-brakes, but after a while I decided to kinda modernise it with short travel sus forks + cable disc in the front and a Sturmey Archer single speed drum brake on the rear.
Meant I could use decently wide rims, and matching brake levers.

Nothing like the zing of an old school steel framed SS 😎

Yep I had one. Bought from Tim@Sideways. Took bloody ages to arrive. Things I remember

– the paint was amazing. Still the best paint I’ve ever seen on a bike frame

– Lovely welding and attention to detail

– Rode really well, was very light and fairly direct with a steep head angle and 80mm fork

– Compared to what I’d had before (Inbred, Tinbred and Dialled SS) it was a far less bruising ride. Super thin stays might have helped.

I sold it after 18 months as I was ‘done’ with Singlespeeding but it was the best one I had by far.

Memory suggests it was 27.2 seat post.

Oh I’ve still got that salsa seat clamp so if yours is the same seat post size, I’m happy to let you have it.

Lovely looking bikes.both of them.

Hi Alex – cheers, useful to know. I’ve had a Dialled Love/Hate (rode like it was made of scaffolding tube) and mk1 Inbred (rode amazing) and thought I too was over the singlespeed thing but fancy giving it another go just fot pootling around on and riding trails I’d not bother with on the big bike… Great to know what a good bike it was too. What size was yours? 19″?

27.2mm sounds right – the seller has confirmed it. Would love the Salsa clamp too. I’ll message you 🙂

Mine was a 19. I’m a tad under 6ft with short legs. Probably could have got the 17 as well. Not too much seat post showing there! Still it was ridden 99% of the time in the Chilterns and was perfect for that.

I did a lap of the Wall at Afan on it and yeah that was less fun 😉

Did you get the one with a flame paint job that was on eBay?

I was friends with Michael and Jessica who started the company. Under their ownership the company was based out of Vancover, the frames were build by a few people, but I think, mainly one guy up in Squamish. They did some work for Dekerf after they sold the company but, I don’t think DeKerf produced the frames. DeKerf struggled and shut for a bit in that period, so they could have. Pretty sure they painted the custom colour frames though. Around 2007 the company was sold to a group in Colorado who were also involved in Maverick American. After this they still did some custom frames but also brought in asian manufactured ones.

I’ve still got a few. Annoyed I never got a 29er or a CX though.

Seat post should be 27.2mm, seat clamp 30.0mm.

Cheers for the info Shaggy – yes, it was the one on eBay I got. To be honest, after tonights ride I’ve realised I need to give my main bike some TLC so the Spot when it arrives might just be a very pretty piece of wall art until I get around to building it.