The bike, or what is left of it, is a 2008 (I think it's an '08) Redline Monocog 29er, the cheap tigg'd chromo very compact 29er mtb frame that, built up OEM, rolls out the door for a list of $500 plus tax. I've considerably upgraded mine, but the frame, despite it's girder-like stiffness and massive weight, works very well for my purpose. It takes the 2.3" Big Apples which, on the 45 mm Snowcat SL rims, measure an actual 65 mm wide and 29 1/4 inches tall; and there is still huge clearance for Planet Bike 60 mm fenders and daylight between top of tire and bottom of fender. The bb height with these wheels is an immense 12+ inches, but the bike does not feel "tippy". Remaining from the stock package, beside the frame, are the hugely long seatpost, and the headset; all else is upgraded, thus: Truvative 170 road crankset with Truvative bb and single 39 t ring. 18 t BMX cog Turbo saddle Salsa Bell Lap bars, 46 cm Profile very short and steep stem Dura Ace aero levers Avid 160 mm road disc brakes (I hope soon to change the front to a 180 or 230) Better-than-Jagwire cables First generation Shimano M540 (?) pedals Old Nelson Velo Orange bag support Honka Hoota
I can run the Big Apples at lower than 15 front, tho' much below 15 psi and you have sidewall flex and steering weirdness on pavement. I am still seeking the sweet spot for the rear tire pressure: 18 is a bit hard: but I expect that, for my typical rides, of which 2/3 are on sandy irrigation roads and 1/3 are on pavement, 13/15 might be the best compromise. I hope to get a local brazer to install fender and rack braze ons, move the front disc mount to accomodate a 230 mm rotor, install threaded eyelets for fenders under seatstay and chainstay bridges, and rig up some sort of fork crown extension (the rigid fork is suspension corrected) so that I can get a decent front fender line without having to jury-rig a mounting bracket. On Tue, Jun 30, 2009 at 8:54 AM, JoelMatthews <joelmatth...@mac.com> wrote: > > Do you have the BAs on a road bike frame or a mountain bike frame? > > I could probably do alright on a 29er, as MTB geometry puts the rider > somewhat lower in any event. > > When I first put the BAs on the road frame, I tried lowering the seat. > On my first ride it occurred to me the higher tires do not change the > distance between the seat and pedals. I guess I could have replaced > the 170 crank with 172.5 or 175. That sort of alchemy more frequently > leads to sore knees than not, though. > > On Jun 30, 9:13 am, PATRICK MOORE <bertin...@gmail.com> wrote: > > I'm a startling 5'10 in bare feet on a level, hard surface. > > > > I've not ridden 584, and my comments about it were largely facetious. > > I went from 60 mm Big Apples in the 559 size (26 3/4 inches diam) to > > ditto on 722s (29 1/4") and the float over sand, the cush over, say, > > washboard, and the traction when cornering ,at least on pavement, were > > very noticeably better. (I say "on pavement" because, with such tires > > on dirt, you can't corner hard, I prefer them nonetheless for their > > easy rolling on pavement, this being an all rounder type of bike.) I > > extrapolate that 722 would also be better in this regard than 584, > > tho' presumeable not by as much. > > > > On 6/30/09, JoelMatthews <joelmatth...@mac.com> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >> Only half my tongue is in my cheek. (The other half is in my pocket.) > > >> I really love my Monocog 29er set up as a on/off road allrounder with > > >> said BAs and Snowcats, drops, fenders, and a modest 63" gear. Not > > >> Rivendellian, but unfortunately the only Riv that comes close, the > > >> Bomdadil, only takes skinny tires. (It does have vertical dropouts, > > >> but you could use an eccentric bb.) > > > > > How tall are you? > > > > > At just under 6' 0" I have always ridden 700s. When I started reading > > > about BAs, I had to try them. I set up one of my touring bikes with > > > them. Everything I read about BAs - comfort, handling, smooth ride, > > > surprisingly low rolling resistance - was right on the mark. On the > > > other hand, whenever I ride the bike I feel like I am on one of those > > > old gas lamp lighters. > > > > > So I am now definitely in Steve's camp. The ideal 650b design mandate > > > are bikes built to accomodate big honking 50mm and 60mm tires for > > > people probably up to 6'2" or so. I hope Schwalbe starts thinking > > > about making a 650b Big Apple. > > > > > On Jun 30, 3:29 am, PATRICK MOORE <bertin...@gmail.com> wrote: > > >> On 6/29/09, GeorgeS <chobur...@gmail.com> wrote: > > > > >> > Well. The consensus seems to be that it's my fault. This is not > > >> > exactly what I was looking for. Doesn't anyone want to suggest > > >> > special gravel wheels or, even better, a new frame of the "country" > > >> > variety? I mean I fell twice. Should be some equipment here that I > > >> > could explain to my wife is critical to my safety. Thanks though > for > > >> > the input. > > >> > GeorgeS > > > > >> Hell, I'd be annoyed too if I had a perfectly good medical reason to > > >> buy a new bike, or at least new tires, and everyone told me, "Don't > > >> bother, it's your technique"! I say, run with it. > > > > >> I don't ride on gravel a great deal, but I do ride in sand, and > > >> insofar as sand is like gravel (it's just a lot smaller -- juuuuuust > > >> kidding) in that it's slippery, I am a gravel expert. And so, what I > > >> recommend is a 60 mm WTB knobby -- I know and love the Exiwolfs and > > >> the Weirwolfs -- one a Snowcat rim; this will give you a tire at least > > >> 2 1/2 inches wide that you can safely ride at 15/18, at least if you > > >> are not a lot more than 170 lb. Technique does play a role, though, if > > >> you wish to use a road tire in this size, like the Big Apples. > > > > >> And forget little 650b wheels; those are for the little people. Use > > >> 700c wheels. They float over small bumps and give much better traction > > >> and float. > > > > >> Only half my tongue is in my cheek. (The other half is in my pocket.) > > >> I really love my Monocog 29er set up as a on/off road allrounder with > > >> said BAs and Snowcats, drops, fenders, and a modest 63" gear. Not > > >> Rivendellian, but unfortunately the only Riv that comes close, the > > >> Bomdadil, only takes skinny tires. (It does have vertical dropouts, > > >> but you could use an eccentric bb.) > > > > >> -- > > >> Patrick Moore > > >> Albuquerque, NM > > >> Professional Resumes. Contact resumespecialt...@gmail.com > > > > -- > > Patrick Moore > > Albuquerque, NM > > Professional Resumes. Contact resumespecialt...@gmail.com- Hide quoted > text - > > > > - Show quoted text - > > > -- Patrick Moore Albuquerque, NM Professional Resumes. Contact resumespecialt...@gmail.com --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. 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