93EXCivic said:
I have two custom frames being built by Marino in Peru. Hopefully I have find all the parts to build them up. One is going to be a rigid/100mm hardtail for XC/mixed terrain rides/bikepacking (27.5/27.5+, 66deg headangle, 480mm reach, 480mm seat tube, 425mm chainstay with sliding dropout). The other is going to be a coaster braked mtb (65deg headangle, 410mm chainstays, 26in wheels, 470mm reach 465mm seat tube). Hopefully I can find parts.
First off - interesting bikes you're having built. Secondly, tell me more about Marino. I hadn't heard of him but after looking at the website, it sounds pretty enticing! How'd you find them? How's the process going?
I've always wanted a custom built bike. Right now I keep toying with the idea of a 29x2.6, playful hardtail for our local rooty trails. Slack head, short stays - something that rides like an adult BMX bike for the woods.
In reply to 93EXCivic :
Cool. I have been generally lucky in two ways - first, I built up or started the parts gathering process for the two frames I've built just prior to the supply crunch. Second, I tend to lean towards the higher end of the parts field, which are slightly more available. Although I'd like to find a XTR 12 spd shifter, but that may take awhile...
ultraclyde said:
I've always wanted a custom built bike. Right now I keep toying with the idea of a 29x2.6, playful hardtail for our local rooty trails. Slack head, short stays - something that rides like an adult BMX bike for the woods.
Check out the YouTube channel Hardtail Party - what you described is the bread and butter of the bikes/frames he does test videos on.
Personally, I went with a Santa Cruz Chameleon as my hardtail "play bike" although I set it up with 27.5 x 2.8 "plus" wheels/tires.
The wife and I are leaving Saturday for a long weekend in Fayetteville, AR. We're taking the bikes to check out some of the trails and waterfalls down in the area.
ultraclyde said:
93EXCivic said:
I have two custom frames being built by Marino in Peru. Hopefully I have find all the parts to build them up. One is going to be a rigid/100mm hardtail for XC/mixed terrain rides/bikepacking (27.5/27.5+, 66deg headangle, 480mm reach, 480mm seat tube, 425mm chainstay with sliding dropout). The other is going to be a coaster braked mtb (65deg headangle, 410mm chainstays, 26in wheels, 470mm reach 465mm seat tube). Hopefully I can find parts.
First off - interesting bikes you're having built. Secondly, tell me more about Marino. I hadn't heard of him but after looking at the website, it sounds pretty enticing! How'd you find them? How's the process going?
I've always wanted a custom built bike. Right now I keep toying with the idea of a 29x2.6, playful hardtail for our local rooty trails. Slack head, short stays - something that rides like an adult BMX bike for the woods.
I had heard of them a lot via a couple threads on PinkBike and from a few small bike makers that had their frames made by him. On the PinkBike threads they are fairly well regarded. Although they are not known to be the lightest frames.
So far the process is going well. Right now they are absolutely slammed and response time and building time is a bit slow. But they have answered every question I have had. Basically once you have decided on what is to be built you have to make a deposit and pay the rest when the bike is done.
I have been getting back into riding after not going on trails for 5 years and decided to "upgrade" my fork on my Gary Fischer by Trek Marlin. After taking a few jumps and riding it on trails in the area a few times my original fork decided it did not want to be attached to itself any more. So to save some money for a full suspension trail bike I found the cheapest airshock with good reviews on Amazon ($128) and decided to give it a try. First impressions, while it dose not feel like a super high quality part it definitely helps keep the front wheel more planted than the original shock did. Now to see how long it lasts.
Ian F (Forum Supporter) said:
In reply to 93EXCivic :
Cool. I have been generally lucky in two ways - first, I built up or started the parts gathering process for the two frames I've built just prior to the supply crunch. Second, I tend to lean towards the higher end of the parts field, which are slightly more available. Although I'd like to find a XTR 12 spd shifter, but that may take awhile...
ultraclyde said:
I've always wanted a custom built bike. Right now I keep toying with the idea of a 29x2.6, playful hardtail for our local rooty trails. Slack head, short stays - something that rides like an adult BMX bike for the woods.
Check out the YouTube channel Hardtail Party - what you described is the bread and butter of the bikes/frames he does test videos on.
Personally, I went with a Santa Cruz Chameleon as my hardtail "play bike" although I set it up with 27.5 x 2.8 "plus" wheels/tires.
Yeah. I went with Microshift for my gravel bikes drivetrain and Paul Components for the brakes. Second hand Cross Check frame with Crust bikes fork. Built some wheels. On One Midge handlebar I had laying around. Vintage Sugino cranks.
Hardtail Party is a great Youtube Channel
Yeah, I've seen some of the stuff on HTP. He does a good job.
A full custom frame starting at under five bills shipped is pretty hard to beat.
ive ridden for a long time but I haven't ridden a ton of different bikes. I know how I want a bike to feel, but I don't have a solid idea what geometry numbers to write down in order to have it come out the way I want. If I do a custom I probably need a good builder to work through the process with me. I mean, I could just copy all the numbers off a popular frame, but then why not just buy that frame.
In reply to ultraclyde :
Imo if that is what you want Marino probably isn't ideal. They are more for if you know what numbers you want they can build a frame for you if that makes sense.
For my gravel bike, I had Praire Crow Bikeworks make a rack. Even the process of doing that was much different. For the Marino frames, I had a really good idea of what I was looking for from trying out a few different hardtails. If I was building something that I am much less confident with like a road or gravel or cross or full suspension bike I probably would not have gone with Marino to be honest unless I was willing to experiment and know that the frame might not work out for me.
I also had very specific reasons I went custom. On the rigid, I wanted a somewhat aggressive geo cause I prefer that with sliding dropouts so I could have short chainstays for normal riding and longer ones for bikepacking. I wanted a long head tube cause I like a taller stack height and it increases the main triangle space for a bag. Also I wanted rear rack mounts to run a minimalist rack cause I do not like the standard bikepacking seat bags tbh. On the coaster, well 26in 135mm rear hub spacing aggressive klunker styled bikes don't exist new so that had to be custom.
Custom is cool but personal there would have to be a pretty good reason for me to go that direction. I think there are quite a few bikes that could meet what you are looking for thb.
In reply to 93EXCivic :
That's about what I figured with Marino. Similar to some of of the Asian shops like Waltley for Ti
Yeah that's kind of where I always end up about full custom. It's such a cool idea but I'm not sure anything I want justifies the expense.
In reply to 93EXCivic :
I just bought a set of Paul's Klampers for my gravel bike since they offer a Campagnolo lever-specific version. Still need to get them installed. It has a TRP calipers now, but the lever pull is a little uncomfortably close to the bars. They weren't cheap, but neither were the TRP calipers, so hopefully I can sell them to offset some of the cost. They do look pretty...
Ian F (Forum Supporter) said:
In reply to 93EXCivic :
I just bought a set of Paul's Klampers for my gravel bike since they offer a Campagnolo lever-specific version. Still need to get them installed. It has a TRP calipers now, but the lever pull is a little uncomfortably close to the bars. They weren't cheap, but neither were the TRP calipers, so hopefully I can sell them to offset some of the cost. They do look pretty...
They are so nice looking. Also completely rebuildable with just an alien key. Running Klamper front and Neo Retro cantis rear.
93EXCivic said:
Ian F (Forum Supporter) said:
In reply to 93EXCivic :
I just bought a set of Paul's Klampers for my gravel bike since they offer a Campagnolo lever-specific version. Still need to get them installed. It has a TRP calipers now, but the lever pull is a little uncomfortably close to the bars. They weren't cheap, but neither were the TRP calipers, so hopefully I can sell them to offset some of the cost. They do look pretty...
They are so nice looking. Also completely rebuildable with just an alien key. Running Klamper front and Neo Retro cantis rear.
The Mullet setup!
The Klampers are pretty and from what I've heard work really well. I've been happy with the TRP Spyre's I've been running on my cross and gravel bikes though so no need to spend the money for me (Sram levers in both cases).
new shoes on the commuter gravel bike tonight. I was running the Gravel King SK in the same size and love them - except for patching the puncture every ride as they lost the battle with all the trash in our local road shoulders. These are the Gravel King SK + which means they have an aramid fiber layer to increase puncture resistance. The thing I love about the standard version is how soft and supple the ride is, I'm really hoping the puncture layer doesn't ruin the ride.
I set them up tubeless with Orange Seal Endurance sealant. First time I've used this sealant, we'll see how it does. I will say the tires set up easier than any tubeless tires I've ever run.
I'm apparently incapable of getting the cadence counter I bought to pair with my phone. I'm now thinking I may have to start paying for Strava to get it to work.
Finished up my gravel bike
Frame: Second hand Surly Cross Check
Fork: Crust Segmented
Headset: Stronglight with MASH SF headset spacers
Cranks: Vintage Sugino GP cranks
BB: Tange Seiki
Drivetrain: Microshift Advent 11-46 9 speed with bar end shifter. USAMadeComponents chain ring with Wolftooth bolts
Brakes: Paul Component Klampers and Neo Retro cantis with Jagwire compressionless housing, Orgin8 Classique levers and a Onza Chill Pill
Wheels: second hand DT Swiss rear hub with Alex Adventure 2 rim. Novatech front hub with Alex Adventure 2 rim. DT Swiss spokes and brass nipples. Handbuilt
Tires: Terrevail Cannonball 700x47c Tough casing
Seatpost: old Kelin fluted with S&M clamp
Saddle: Selle Italia Turbo
Stem: Soma
Handlebars: On One Midge with Surfas bar tape and Planet Bike gel padding
Pedals: Nukeproof Horizon
Other stuff: Custom rack from Praire Crow Bicycle Works with Wald 137. King Cage bottle cage, Cane Bell mounted to downtube shifter boss. Campandgoslow and Party Pace stickers.
Absolutely thrilled with it so far. I am honestly surprised at how quick it is. Still need to add hemp twine to finish the bar tape and shellac it and a similar chainstay protector. Want to build another wheel set at some point with lighter rims and nicer hubs and some more supple tires and use the ones I have for biking packing. Also waiting on a Paul Component light mount to get in.
I'd read good things about the Gravelkings sans the puncture issue. Glad to see they beefed things up.
In reply to 93EXCivic :
That bike looks like about what I'd like to get for myself at some point. Cool build.
Can't go wrong with tan sidewalls and a bar end shifter.
Went for a short ride with a little hill in it today...
Bluff Mountain road near Pigeon Forge Tennessee. Total ride wound up at 70.3 miles and 6400 feet of climbing.
To make it clear it was in East Tennessee, here's the building occupying one of the best views on the way up...
Hey y'all.
I moved to Woodstock, Ga almost exactly a year ago from west palm beach and I've been on my bike....3 times since. I don't think there is much of a chance of me riding it around here anymore. It's a Bianchi Nirone 7. It's got an ism 6.0 saddle on it but I also have the stock saddle. It's got I believe look pedals on it.
where should I try and sell this thing?? It's in great shape- I just don't feel comfortable and safe riding it on the roads around here. It was a lot different with A1A a mile from the house.
I've had good results selling bikes on Craigslist or lookup bike classified groups on Facebook.
Replaced the crappy SRAM brakes on my Santa Cruz with Shimano XT . . . so much better lever feel, and so much easier to modulate the brakes on a descent.
grover said:
Hey y'all.
I moved to Woodstock, Ga almost exactly a year ago from west palm beach and I've been on my bike....3 times since. I don't think there is much of a chance of me riding it around here anymore. It's a Bianchi Nirone 7. It's got an ism 6.0 saddle on it but I also have the stock saddle. It's got I believe look pedals on it.
where should I try and sell this thing?? It's in great shape- I just don't feel comfortable and safe riding it on the roads around here. It was a lot different with A1A a mile from the house.
There's a strong bike scene around A-town. Given the ongoing shortages you should be able to move it easily on the normal used markets, or you might find a local shop that's willing to do consignments in the current atmosphere.
Get a MTB and go ride Blankets Creek - it's in your neighborhood and pretty dang cool (though crowded.)
grover
Dork
4/26/21 10:15 a.m.
In reply to ultraclyde :
blankets is about a 5 minute drive and that's the plan :)
My first ride review for the Gravel King SK + tires is mixed. They seem to ride more plush than the standard tire, which is surprising. They also feel like the rolling resistance is slightly higher, which is expected. I was concerned about losing the awesome ride quality but if anything they ride better ( if a little slower)
sadly, I got a damn puncture in one riding home. This happened in the same 50 feet of road where i was getting them before. Although I know there are some things no tire in the world will survive, I must say I'm disappointed. Our breakdown lanes are like a junk yard but in 3 years of riding them I've never had this consistent problem in one area. I'm not sure what's there but you can't see it at 25mph and it punches what looks like a 16d nail hole in the middle of a tire.
looks like I'm about to find out if this town owns a street sweeper, who runs it, and what it takes to get a roadside cleaned.
