Cycling UK Forum

Why are you wedded to a steel fork, out of interest?

Looking at their website, I doubt Shand know what a touring bike is. They don't offer a chainset with a ring smaller than 32T. They seem to think that going from a 34t compact to a 32t is a change worth paying for. No triples! I think they are just trying to get round the fact that the latest road groupsets don't have triples so you can't get 11 speed with 3X. Making the best of a bad job. Even the wheels don't look convincing. I'd have to buy the frameset and do the rest myself.

The frameset, on the other hand, does look like a proper frameset. Elegant to look at, good material, clearances galore. If I were feeling lazy I might take it to Spa to ask them to turn it into the finished product.

Bonefishblues wrote:Why are you wedded to a steel fork, out of interest?

I haven't found a carbon fork that gives the same degree of comfort and compliance, though fat tyres do help considerably.
I'm also a bit old school and worried about carbon damage on planes or in the middle of Mongolia

being fussy about steel fork compliance and wanting disc brakes is a problem; enough that it may be a better compromise to stick to rim brakes....?

cheers

pedals2slowly wrote:

Bonefishblues wrote:Why are you wedded to a steel fork, out of interest?

I haven't found a carbon fork that gives the same degree of comfort and compliance, though fat tyres do help considerably.
I'm also a bit old school and worried about carbon damage on planes or in the middle of Mongolia

You should be OK in the middle of Mongolia,it's outer Mongolia where all the trouble starts or so I'm led to believe

Brucey wrote:being fussy about steel fork compliance and wanting disc brakes is a problem; enough that it may be a better compromise to stick to rim brakes....?

cheers

You'll have him touring on a rod braked roadster with a 3 sp SA yet Brucey

rod brakes are a bit fancy aren't they? What's wrong with a spoon brake anyway?

cheers

Platform shoes give more than adequate braking, I find.

OP - IIRC Justin Burls does titanium with a titanium fork option. Because if a job's worth doing

Despite not being the lightest, the Genesis Vagabond is a superb bike/frame.
I usually run mine with 32mm Tourguard tyres, but it works superbly with 2 inch tyres aswell. I'm pretty sure you could get away with 2.25 slicks AND mudguards.
All the eyelets you could need, and nicely finished.
Of course, the Shand is a gorgeous thing, and if you have the funds, I wouldn't blame you. But then you could get a Vagabond or similar, and an awful lot of lighter wheels etc. for the price of the Stoater.

Milfred Cubicle wrote:Despite not being the lightest, the Genesis Vagabond is a superb bike/frame.
I usually run mine with 32mm Tourguard tyres, but it works superbly with 2 inch tyres aswell. I'm pretty sure you could get away with 2.25 slicks AND mudguards.
All the eyelets you could need, and nicely finished.
Of course, the Shand is a gorgeous thing, and if you have the funds, I wouldn't blame you. But then you could get a Vagabond or similar, and an awful lot of lighter wheels etc. for the price of the Stoater.

Yes, it's just the extra 1.2 kg on the frame that puts me off, but hey ho I could lose that in body weight if I rode my bike more
But is is QR wheels which suits my wheel swapping moments

I didn't realise it would be as much as 1.2kg difference, that's quite a surprise.

Brucey wrote:rod brakes are a bit fancy aren't they? What's wrong with a spoon brake anyway?

cheers

Now yer talkin'

Milfred Cubicle wrote:Despite not being the lightest, the Genesis Vagabond is a superb bike/frame.
I usually run mine with 32mm Tourguard tyres, but it works superbly with 2 inch tyres aswell. I'm pretty sure you could get away with 2.25 slicks AND mudguards.
All the eyelets you could need, and nicely finished.
Of course, the Shand is a gorgeous thing, and if you have the funds, I wouldn't blame you. But then you could get a Vagabond or similar, and an awful lot of lighter wheels etc. for the price of the Stoater.

I don't know about 2.25's but 2inch slicks(measuring 47mm on 19mm internal rims)have 25mm+ under the mudguards.I've also been running 2in Conti RaceKings over winter with m/guards and plenty clearance.
I really like the bike,here's my review:- viewtopic.php?f=5&t=125018&hilit=Genesis+vagabond

Bonefishblues wrote:Platform shoes give more than adequate braking, I find.

OP - IIRC Justin Burls does titanium with a titanium fork option. Because if a job's worth doing

Bad form to quote self, but was browsing his new site this morning and saw the 'monster cross' bike in here:

http://www.burls.co.uk/Gallery/index.html

You'll also see at least one example of his custom fabricated ti forks as you wander around the shiny things.

Re: 2inch plus tyres... maybe I was overestimating there. There's only one way to find out though. I've got a Schwalbe Big Apple in the shed...going to give it a go.