Tripster ATR finally built up – lush!

You shouldnt be put off buying one, speaking with Freeborn they have sold hundreds and congratulated me on the first cracked tripster they have had.

I searched the internet and could not find anyone else with a cracked one, guess i was unlucky.

Its an amazing bike.

A friend of a friend had a downtube fail

It was efficiently dealt with under warranty

So thats 2 confirmed here plus 1 extra

I am currently hunting a “sharp ping or creaking” sound on my Tripster. It’s coming from somewhere below/middle of the bike, doesn’t appear to be towards the front.

Things I’ve done (remove, clean, re-grease/anti-seize, etc):
– bottle cages and bolts
– chainring bolts
– lightly oiled and wiped off spoke crossings
– bottom bracket
– crank arms and pedal connections
– seatpost clamp and saddle bolts

I had thought it was the seatpost or saddle somewhere as I could press down on it (off the bike) and sometimes re-produce the sound. Sound is still there after cleaning, though not from that test. It does occur during pedaling.

Going to try the front derailleur attachment next, but was waiting for a few days of rest since I’ve not indexed gears before.

There are a ton of other item to work through I suppose, but curious if anyone can narrow anything down for me from this list?
http://www.jimlangley.net/wrench/keepitquiet.html

Had a very similar creaking only a month ago! Took a while to find it as the titanium frame disguised the source of noise. While riding, sound came from the front as much as the crank. But mostly made sound while peddling and over a couple of weeks it got louder (or seemed to in the quieter roads I was then riding).

Eventually I realised I could reproduce the sound from applying lots of pressure to seat when I was off it. So LBS cleaned up seat post, used carbon gripper and… the crucial ingredient? Turned out to be a missing copper fine sheet my LBS had forgotten to put back in my seatpost shim (during its first service a few weeks before).

Now noise free.

Hope the same for you! Good luck – I know how infuriating it is to have it.

EDIT: Bah, can’t seem to get the image off iCloud or Google Photos. Will have to wait.

My Tripster crack, so top tube not down.

It’s on its way, Upgrade have been very helpful. Bikes break, and this has been a lovely bike on all fronts so just bad luck.

You lot are bad ……. ! Deposit paid yesterday & should collect my Tripster tomorrow / Friday from Synergy in Auchterarder. Doing it on the cheap (at least that’s what my wife thinks

@cloudnine: I did a few CX races last year on my Tripster – it was great! I plan on doing the whole season this year. I would definitely recommend a small chain device though, especially if you’re running 1x.

I’ve been riding a Van Nicholas titanium road bike for the last 6 years and love the way it looks and the way it rides, but in May I bought a 2nd hand Genesis CdA gravel bike, it weighed much more, was slower and had much cheaper components on it, but I loved the places I could take it – I was sold on adventure bikes.

So, best of both words (and mainly thanks to this forum !), I just bought this from Synergy Cycles in Auchterarder –

I was going to strip my Van Nic and put the 7 year old Ulterga set on it with Spyre HY/RD brakes, but the bike was a demo bike that was a few months old, so as well as the frame and forks, which I got for £999, I also negotiated SRAM Red Hydraulic shifters (for £200 !!) & SRAM Force 1 x 11 groupset (for £100).

The wheels are American Classic Hurricanes which the shop took of a carbon Raleigh Roker so sold to me for £300, meaning that I have an absolutely belting bike for a fraction of what it would have cost me new. There’s no way I would have bought any of these things new.

For anyone interested I’m 6’3’’ and it’s a 57 frame, (the Van Nic was a 60, the Genesis is a 58) but it doesn’t feel small on me, the hoods are the same distance from the seatpost as the other 2 bikes, there’s no toe overlap, and the drop from the saddle to the bars is about the same.

I’m not a weight weenie, but all in, even with 35mm Schalbe Land Cruisers, it’s 8.7kg. And it rides like a dream – I have Spyre TRP’s on the Genesis but those hydraulic brakes are amazing …

Love the look of the ATR but, & I’m sure I’ll get flamed here, I do like the thinking behind the Cannonade Slate! Just a little more cush on the front appeals..

I’m looking into getting a Tripster but so far I’m not having much luck tracking down a 57cm Tripster demo bike anywhere.

Does anyone know of any dealers in the South East, preferably Surrey/Berkshire/Hampshire areas who have a 57cm demo bike?

Failing that is there anyone around the West London/Surrey area who has a 57 who’d be happy for me to swing a leg over it to see how it is for size?

57cm in Sussex nr Lewes.
Drop me a mail if you like.
Or come to the Brighton Big Dog this weekend!

I think the frames are sold out by pre-order, so they don’t have demos.
Could be wrong. Freeborn say they have them in stock, so might be worth a call. (But the website did say that when I went down there and they had none).

If it is any help I ordered a 57cm from Freeborn yesterday after a quick call to check stock – and it has just arrived !! 🙂

Lee

I’m about to get me a Tripster frame too and it’s my first Ti frame. After researching if the frame should be prepared or not I’m a bit confused – is it necessary to prepare a titanium frame as Kinesis suggests – ie do facing/chasing/reaming as with alu or steel frame?
I know it’s usually done because frames are painted and machining might be a bit unaacurate, but with titanium it’s neither. But as the parts are first machined and then welded, there’s a small possibility for deformation because of welding.
I’ve asked a few retailers if they’ll do the preparations for me and only one said that they always do full facing for the frames, others told that there’s no need for that.

So what do you think? Have you had the preparations done or has anyone had problems with unprepared frames?

No prep on my Tripster. Everything’s groovy.

Yeah top of page 2 on the Kinesis document. I think they’re just covering their arses.

notmyrealname,might be a bit far for you but Finely Tuned Ride in Wiltshire has 57cm ATR demo bike.

Thanks for the advice and offers of demo bikes. I might try a couple of the shops to see what they’ve got available.

From looking it appears that some places seem to list a 55.5cm frame but others don’t. Is the 55.5cm still a current model?

Out of interest, I’m 5’11” and my previous Trek Domane road bike was a 56cm and from looking at the geometry on the Kinesis website it would appear that I’m bang in the middle of the sizing range for the 57cm.
Does this sound correct to other Tripster owners of a similar size?

Dude the 55.5 is the newest size. It was released exactly because the gap between 54 and 57 made average height guys have to compromise. I ride a 57 road bike and my 55.5 fits perfectly. I’m 5’10

notmyrealname, based on personal experience, I would not rely on what size the Kinesis sizing chart recommends based just on your height alone, especially the height range for the 57cm despite you being in the middle of the range. If you read back through this thread you’ll see what others have said about choosing between the 54cm and the 57cm, before the 55.5cm was introduced.

I would strongly recommend that you try to get the chance to sit on a 55.5cm (and possibly even a 54cm depending upon how much of a drop you want from saddle to bars).

If you can get to Winchester you’re welcome to try my 55.5 for size

Just had a good look at the geometry compared to my previous road bike and my current CX bike. The 55.5 looks like it should be very similar from a sizing point of view to the road bike so I think it should be about spot on.

I’ve just spoke to Freeborn who have a 54 and a 57 on the shop floor so I’ll head down there this week any have a try if both and at least I’ll be able to figure out if the 57 is too big which is what I think may be the case.

Hopefully if the sizing is good then it’ll soon be new frame time 😀

Edit: curto80, thanks for the offer of a try on yours!

I am 5’10/11 ish and on a 54, 57 i would imagine being far to big for me.

Merlin have the frames on sale at the mo. Not as cheap as I paid for my Tripster, but £100or so knocked off the rrp.

I am 5’10/11 ish and on a 54, 57 i would imagine being far to big for me.

Also 5ft 10 on a 54.

Stem is 110mm though, and I think a 70mm stem is what it was designed to have.

The standover on my 54 is good as it is used offroad nearly all the time, but on the road I think I would want a shorter stem to offset the slackness of the steering, especially with tyres narrower than my 40cs.

35cc or 38cc Schwalbe G-one?
which to fit?

Hopefully the photo will work.
If it does it’s my almost built up Tripster!

Looks rather good in the metal, really impressed with it. Had a bit of a problem with the headset but a quick call to Freeborn and they explained it to me.
Just need to cut the steerer down now and that’s about it.

One quick question though, I’m using a 30.9mm Syntace carbon seatpost with a USE plastic shim. Should I still use carbon assembly paste on the post?

I’m selling my 51cm Tripster ATR if anyone is on the lookout for a small one 🙂

See classifieds.

Sadly under used as I’m a runner and not that good off road on a bike, so will be changing for a road bike.

Cheers

will be changing for a road bike.

Better than any road bike I’ve owned 😛

Nice build notmyrealname. Lovely looking frames arent they. Can’t believe mine’s a year old! Only reason I noticed was the bb needed replacing. Anyway, not a fan of skinwalls meself, but looks great apart from that 😀

35cc or 38cc Schwalbe G-one?
which to fit?

May as well fit the biggest IMO.. I’ve got the 38c I run as a rear tyre when I want something faster rolling and keep a nano race on the front..

Agree with dezb.. Tripster is a very capable road bike.. Maybe not as quick as something aero / carbon but what you lose in speed you gain in comfort…

I set my Tripster up for the forthcoming wet weather with Ultegra Di2, 30mm S-Ones and mudguards. Then the heatwave hit 😆

I’ve used the XTR Di2 battery holder which is fairly neat and avoided the need to drill out any parts of the frame (the lower junction is incorporated into the battery holder). Clearance for mudguards is much better than before because the FD no longer interferes.

I still need to re-run and tidy up a bit of the cabling and tweak the length of the rear mudguard stays.

Any ideas on how to shorten the front hydraulic break hose? This might be a job for a good LBS.

Tripster is a very capable road bike..

Certainly is. Took the old girl with me to Shropshire and The Peak for the last 2 weeks camping. Was very glad of the discs when descending all the 20% hills. Maybe I lost a bit on some of the climbs as (with my builds) it gives up 2Kg to my race bike, but I got 3rd overall on Strava on 2 of the 100 Climbs (The Burway* and Asterton Bank).

*Sadly got bumped to 4th just after I moved camp to the Peak. Bah! 🙁

Any ideas on how to shorten the front hydraulic break hose?

Grab a new olive and barb (SMBH59). Put the fork over a bucket (or something to catch any oil drips). Remove the hose from the caliper. Cut the hose. Slide on the bolt, then the new olive. Put the new barb in the end of the hose (hold the hose using the little yellow cable clamps stuck in a vice). Then put the hose into the caliper and tighten down with the bolt. Bleed.

So does anyone think these will squeeze into the Tripster? I am running Nano 40c now…

http://theradavist.com/2016/09/wtb-introduces-the-45mm-riddler-tire/

It will fit easily in the fork. It should fit in the back – based on my previous measurements, and given the fact that the profile is quite rounded.

Thanks matts!

One quick question though, I’m using a 30.9mm Syntace carbon seatpost with a USE plastic shim. Should I still use carbon assembly paste on the post?

Didn’t notice this Q before. Personally, I would use paste on the shim. It definitely helps keep the post positioned with minimal clamping force.

Didn’t notice this Q before. Personally, I would use paste on the shim. It definitely helps keep the post positioned with minimal clamping force.

I ended up going with carbon paste on both shim and post but even after replacing the Kinesis clamp with a Hope one there was movement in the post so I did away with it.
I looked in the spares box and noticed that I had a 31.6-27.2 shim which I tried with my ugly Specialized CG-R post and it worked a treat 😀

Now I’m in the market for some mudguards for the Tripster. Has anyone fitted a set of the Swarf carbon guards with any success?
I quite fancy a set of the 40mm ones.

Yeah. I’m using a 27.2 post with a 31.8 shim and a Thomson clamp. I tried a 31.6 shim as well, but the .8 gave a more secure fit.

EDIT: I use 42mm Blumel guards on mine with a long front flap. Don’t think I could justify an extra £100 for something that takes a beating through the winter commute. YMMV. 🙂

Hi

I’ve been watching this thread for a while and considering (strongly) building an ATR bike, can you help me specify what might do the job? There seems to be a great community so wondering if you can help me out.

Budget: £3k or less (had a bit of a work surprise but happy with second hand parts if no reason to buy new etc)

Use:
20 mile RT commute on bad roads
Summer tow path with baby seat on rear pannier
Winter riding on tracks round local (big) park tracks
Winter training rides round box hill etc

Thinking of 40mm tyre, front and rear guards and rear rack.

So what parts would you suggest – groupset, gearing, hydraulic brakes, headset, wheels & tyres to fit the budget?
(Also i like loud colours so anything to bring a bit of fun wouldn’t go amiss.)

Rider: 95kg

Thanks!

If you like bright colours, then Hope or Chris King would be a good place to start.

IMHO, you should go for a few matching adornments. I think it looks awful when there are a load of, for instance, pink bits on a bike, but they’re all a subtly different tone.

If you went for Hope, you get get matching hub and rotors, along with seat clamp, BB, and jockey wheels.