Tripster ATR finally built up – lush!

eshoote, interesting write up, I enjoyed that, thanks.

I really enjoyed reading your cycling east blog and must admit it played a big part in my decision to get an ATR.

I did a mini tour in the summer in the South Eastern Swiss Alps with bike packs. Found a compact with 11-32 okay, but I should imagine if it was more off road then something lower geared would be better.

You should try some Shimano ST-R685 (although not sure how that would work with triples). Massive difference to mechanicals.

Looking forward to reading the latest adventures.

I’m looking to sell my 54cm tripster, used for one winter (approx 2500miles)
frame set or full build – rs685,6800 groupset, pdw, etc. I’ll post an ad in the classifieds soon but if anybody is interested drop me an email

So I have been riding my Tripster which I bought after testing it for GRIT.CX for well over a year now and am still loving it. I went for a short spin yesterday which translated into a five and a half hour ride, much of it off road, and couldn’t help but smile the whole time. The rain was lashing down at times and I managed to find one section of track where the mud was nearly headset deep. The brake pads failed simultaneously just as I pulled up at my LBS (hurrah!) but it was closed (boo!) Fortunately, I had a spare set on my bag so was able to get home safely. 😀

The ride got me wondering what folk are using other than full length mudguards? I have a Crud Catcher on the front turned the wrong way round which works brilliantly but want to get a bit more coverage than from my Ass Saver as my rear light was filthy. So what are folk using or are do you just “Jenn the f### up”? 😀

Pdw full metal guards.. Look back a few pages

Sanny – Zefal Swan front and rear set would work for you – loads of clearance. I have them on CDF most of the time

Shimano Hydro RS685 levers and brakeson sale at merlin for £249 if anyone is interested..

https://www.merlincycles.com/shimano-st-rs685-hydraulic-disc-brake-stis-br-rs685-disc-brakes-75654.html

I ordered the RS685 kit from Merlin today, that is a steal, saw it posted on BikeRadar. Hopefully it’s a fairly straight forward install with no hose cutting/alterations needed.

Shimano 685s very cheap here :

http://www.mantel.com/uk/shimano-r685-hydraulisch?r=L3VrL2xpc3QvJmFjdGlvbltdPTY5JnZpZXdfYWxsPTEjc3RhcnQxMjU=

£142 a pair…

I’ve now ordered from mantel too.. Will be sending back the merlin order if they are right..

Well that mantel page has gone! Let’s see if they honour my order

I managed to order the Mantel ones, so I have two sets coming to me, the ones from Merlin will have to go back.

Mantel order has arrived and it is the full kit consisting of right/left levers and both callipers.

I had kind of hoped the kit would come partially assembled, but it’s just the component parts so you have to do all the hose work yourself including fill with oil.

What’s the best how-to guide or video to do this?

Does anyone know if you can use a seatpost shim with the Tripster?

I’d be looking to fit a 27.2mm seatpost.

Does anyone know if you can use a seatpost shim with the Tripster?

I’d be looking to fit a 27.2mm seatpost.

yes – I am now using the “USE SX Seat Post Shim 31.8” that I got from Wiggle. I use it with a USE ti seatpost.

The Kinesis site says the tripster has a 31.6 seatpost but unless they have recently changed it it is actually slightly larger and several people early on this thread were having to shim it.

I originally had a USE 31.6 shim but had to do the seat clamp up very tight and eventually rounded the bolt which is not very strong, and then had to cut it off with a dremel.

There is also a cane creek shim of that size available and I bought one on a recommendation from here, but it seems a very tight fit in the frame and I took it out for fear it might get stuck.

The use is a perfect fit for my tripster.

I have a USE SX Seat Post Shim 31.6 – fits fine so maybe they’ve changed something this year.

Thought I’d come back to update on the Shimano hydraulic upgrade. I was about to start it when I needed to speak to my mate who works in a bike shop, he just said “don’t be soft, bring it in and we’ll sort it”. Which he did in no time at all, would have taken me hours (though that would be down to under an hour once you’ve done it a few times, maybe).

These are a revelation compared to the Spyres (and the Spyres aren’t bad). Less pressure needed on the levers, no noise, stop on a sixpence with no drama, they are amazing. I also sold the Spyres and Shimano 105 levers (original equipment on my Tripster) to a member of staff in the shop, so altogether the hydro upgrade cost me about £50! Kind of wish I’d done it earlier, at least I saved a lot of cash 🙂

Just cos I have nothing else to do with this pic. Here’s my Tripster the weekend before last in the New Forest 🙂
SKS mudguards, with a bit of bending and drilling, fit nicely.
I shall follow cloudnine’s video and see if I can get a good bleed (although it’s not crucial as you never need anywhere near full power of these brakes)
Such a great bike.

Not a ATR, but it’s sister(?) same make, Ti but just a little bit more road!

What forks would any of you tipster owners recommend? I’ve got some kinesis cxds at the moment but they seem very harsh. Something with a bit of give seems a good idea.

I’ve heard good things about these forks:

https://www.trpbrakes.com/category.php?productid=1251&catid=206

I’d recommend these 🙂

OK – long overdue update on mine…

Following a very enjoyable five day lanes / gravel / cycle path tour to Snowdonia and back towards the end of the summer, I was off the bike for a couple of months through injury and am now really only just getting back into the swing of it. The injury has forced my hand in making a decision on running alt bars on it – Somafunk (and others’) inspiration and advice got me curious and finally tipped me over the edge – thank you! I never really used the drops an awful lot but, until now, couldn’t really justify the investment as it was fine as it was, but hey – any excuse…

Here’s a pic of it during my Welsh holiday, loaded up with Alpkit Koala, a small frame bag and Topeak bar bag:

Since then, I’ve fitted some PDW guards for it (highly recommended; just don’t forget you need the longer rear stay). I’d never had any particular issues with SKS ones having run them for years, other than fitting the little blighters, but these just seem sturdier, quieter and well, nicer. The big cassette from the tour has stayed on, but of course the change to flat bars necessitated new brakes and shifters (though again, I could have just found some flat bar levers and kept the excellent Spyres on…) so the 9spd rear mech required to work with 10spd road STIs is in the parts bin and a new 10spd MTB mech in its place. The 32mm Schwalbe Durano winter tyres are also fitted now (28mm versions through the ‘summer’ apart from 37mm Contis for the tour). Other kit is as was – Ultegra compact on the front, 11-36 out back, carbon Ritchey post, Spesh saddle, latest spec Kinesis wheels which have been flawless, fancy dan Time carbon-Ti pedals, trusty Hope BB and QRs, TRP rotors… think that’s about it.

The new bars are 660mm wide Titec J-bars; so pretty similar to a Cut Jones H-Bar shape, but with more limited space after the weld. I’m glad I went for i-Spec shifters / brakes as I struggled to place them on the extensions where everything was in the right area, so have put them below the weld and gone for a Spesh half lockon Ergon stylee grip that extends about 1cm beyond the end of the bar, hence being glad about the minimal clamp footprint. Looking at pics of the Jones’, I think I’ll probably swap these out for them if they feel like they’re working as I’d like a bit more space on the lower part of the bar. Initial impression after about 50 miles is I’m pretty pleased. The Tripster’s always felt like you’re riding in a commanding position anyway; this is moreso.

Apologies for all the paraphernalia on the bike in the pic… I liked my diddy Zefal mirror but can’t seem to accommodate that – it’s been getting in the way of the extended hand position – so that’s being retired for now – the lights were necessary, the front hose will get chopped soon…

I’m caught in two minds about the bars. I do like the way they feel, but I’m still not sure about the aesthetics of it all #biketart. The Tripster is a wonderfully functional, capable and assured bike – that’s only some of it’s great charm and appeal in so much as it just works, almost whatever you want to do with it. In almost 8,000 miles, mine’s run in loads of guises – 42mm wide knobblies along bridlepaths, to ragging about on 25mm slicks, to all-weather, year round super-commuter, to the aforementioned multi-day tours with frame, seat and bar bags, and now the current setup – all of it very competently.

Needs must at the moment, so I’ll see how this version goes, but rest assured – I still love it to bits 🙂

I’ve just ordered a frameset, now to order groupset… anyone successfully fitted di2 internally?

Welllll I was just having my monthly browse for ATR frames dreaming as I do and Merlin had an extra 10% off so I ended up ordering one and now I’m out of my misery.

monkeycowboy
I’ve just ordered a frameset, now to order groupset… anyone successfully fitted di2 internally?

Yes been running mine for just under a year drilled a hole on right side of down tube, 1 on seat tube then opened up the breather hole on the drop out. It’s nice and tidy 5000 miles on and off road later still going strong. Does void the warranty though. Pictures on page 37/38
Dc

Still tinkering with my setup and as I’m sticking (for now…) with mtb gear shifters, I’m wondering what people have done about front mechs? As far as I can see, the shimano mtb 10 spd ones have a limit on the front chainring – and I’m keen to keep my ultegra 50/34 on there. Any advice appreciated please!

What’s the widest tyre the Tripster fork can take with and without mudguards?

I think someone here has tried 40mm tires under PDW guards.

Mine are 35mm and as you can see there’s quite a lot of space left – this is the back, but clearance under the fork is similar:

Any thoughts on how much difference a good set of tires makes?

At the moment I’m running some (very) cheap 35mm Schwalbe tires, with heavy sealant-filled inner tubes and I’m not terribly comfortable off-road. Other contributing factors might be narrow bars, clip-less pedals, and my relative lack of off-road experience.

Would I notice a lot of difference by swapping to 36mm tubeless Clement X’Plors? It’s a fairly pricey change but I’d be happy to do it if it is worthwhile.

Apparently those on-one tyres are pretty good.

I have 40mm wtb nanos and they are excellent and much more confidence inspiring than the 33c tyres I was using before.

Another help for off road is flared bars like the salsa cowbells, instead of tucking your elbows in they encourage them to take a more stable position in line with the flare of the bars.

My Hunt 4Seasons Disc wheels and tubeless tyres are due for delivery on Monday! Hoping to shave almost half a kilo of weight compared to the current set up.

HELP PLEASE! SEAT CLAMP ISSUES…

Hi! I’m new to the forum, but have been enjoying my Tripster on and off road for about a year. I’ve gone and rounded out the seat clamp bolt. Does anyone have any recommendations for alternative seat clamps? Very many thanks in advance

The bolt head for the original seat clamp was made of soft cheese and rounded out/splayed out very easy so don’t be too hard on yourself, I have a very high quality Ti bolt in my box o’ bolts that will fit and i can guarantee you will zero chance of ever rounding this one out.

My email address is in my profile so drop me a mail with your address and i’ll get it in the post to you t’morn.

Somafunk, that’s fantastic! Very many thanks. E-mail to follow.

ATRthanks, I have the first every pair of Mason X Hunt 4 seasons wheels on my Tripster ATR you won’t be disappointed. Im justing converting mine to 12mm thru axle to fit my new ENVE cross disc fork.

ATRthanks – re tyres, off-road I use 42mm Continental Crossrides, which I’m really pleased with. I find them much more predictable than the CX tyres I had on previously. At about 420g they’re pretty light for a tyre of that size too (and that includes a puncture resistant layer/make up).

Chucking this in here, as seems relevant. My Tripster is for sale, std build kit + cx70 chainset and Ultegra shifters. Used about 10 times, the chainset twice. Must be collected from EN4 £1500 no offers. Oh, size 57cm

Hi

Can you send me a few pictures of your tripster please tsmado?

Also I am just over 6 foot tall normal ride a 58 so I am guessing 57 will be fine?
Jeremy at wheelgates dot com

Thanks

Ah Tripster thread my old friend.
Just about to head out on mine. 2 years later and 3 different builds it’s still making fun…