Spa ti touring frame.

[Boogaloo]

Did the planet X spinatchi what ever rip off thing with the shifters

What's that then?




Lovely looking bike!

[iandriver]

Planet X were selling off a foerunner to Tri bars a while back. You take just the brackets and mount your bar end shifters into them. There is a big thread about it somewhere.
edit, the thread is here viewtopic.php?f=5&t=57027&start=210

[Kapalasa]

How is the Ti feeling compared to the Trucker, James? I'm on Disc Trucker myself and love it. However I do ride fully loaded.

[iandriver]

Too soon to say, haven't had a chance to give it a long test. Unloaded, so far, I'm much preferring 700c wheels over my trucker which is 26inch. I'm giving it a longer ride this weekend and will pop over to the hook of Holland start of July and report back, though I'm not 100% convinced the comparison is a fair one given 700c and 32c tyres vs 26 inch and 2.0 inch tyres.

I should also note this the 60 cm frame (the top tube seems fairly long at 605mm, (a top tube of 600 to 610 seems to suit me) and my trucker is a 62 cm (top tube effective 610). I'm 6ft 5 and weigh 16 stone. As a big rider, I'm very reluctant to recommend frame qualities to anyone but other big riders as guys my size can generally put a flex into an RSJ, whereas someone on a 52cm version would find the same frame like rock.

[531colin]

Too soon to say, haven't had a chance to give it a long test. Unloaded, so far, I'm much preferring 700c wheels over my trucker which is 26inch. I'm giving it a longer ride this weekend and will pop over to the hook of Holland start of July and report back, though I'm not 100% convinced the comparison is a fair one given 700c and 32c tyres vs 26 inch and 2.0 inch tyres.

I should also note this the 60 cm frame (the top tube seems fairly long at 605mm, (a top tube of 600 to 610 seems to suit me) and my trucker is a 62 cm (top tube effective 610). I'm 6ft 5 and weigh 16 stone. As a big rider, I'm very reluctant to recommend frame qualities to anyone but other big riders as guys my size can generally put a flex into an RSJ, whereas someone on a 52cm version would find the same frame like rock.

Please do comment on the frame. On the Spa bike, the 51 has a downtube 2 sizes smaller than the 60. (31.8 vs. 44.5 ovalised)
(Last time I checked, the LHT used the same tube diameters for the whole size range, which doesn't sit well with me)
I used to be 5'10" and 11 1/2 stone, but I'm shrinking as I get old, and of course getting weaker. Its quite easy to design a frame for somebody my sort of size with my sort of use, but for somebody two sizes bigger (or smaller) feedback is really useful.

I'm glad to see you are bucking the STI trend, but I think you missed a trick.....if you aren't using STIs why not have full-size Vee brakes rather than mini-vees?

[iandriver]

Too soon to say, haven't had a chance to give it a long test. Unloaded, so far, I'm much preferring 700c wheels over my trucker which is 26inch. I'm giving it a longer ride this weekend and will pop over to the hook of Holland start of July and report back, though I'm not 100% convinced the comparison is a fair one given 700c and 32c tyres vs 26 inch and 2.0 inch tyres.

I should also note this the 60 cm frame (the top tube seems fairly long at 605mm, (a top tube of 600 to 610 seems to suit me) and my trucker is a 62 cm (top tube effective 610). I'm 6ft 5 and weigh 16 stone. As a big rider, I'm very reluctant to recommend frame qualities to anyone but other big riders as guys my size can generally put a flex into an RSJ, whereas someone on a 52cm version would find the same frame like rock.

Please do comment on the frame. On the Spa bike, the 51 has a downtube 2 sizes smaller than the 60. (31.8 vs. 44.5 ovalised)
(Last time I checked, the LHT used the same tube diameters for the whole size range, which doesn't sit well with me)
I used to be 5'10" and 11 1/2 stone, but I'm shrinking as I get old, and of course getting weaker. Its quite easy to design a frame for somebody my sort of size with my sort of use, but for somebody two sizes bigger (or smaller) feedback is really useful.

I'm glad to see you are bucking the STI trend, but I think you missed a trick.....if you aren't using STIs why not have full-size Vee brakes rather than mini-vees?

I already had the mini vees, but I quite agree, full sized vees are definitely going on it. I've done my 15 mile commute to work with a small pannier on it so far, but it was a gloriously smooth ride, so very happy so far, a much nicer ride after the aluminium frame and fork most the parts came off and doesn't feel as dead and lumbering as the LHT does unloaded. I genuinely noticed a real improvement in ride quality.

The mounting points for racks etc. were all in the right place. Standard Tubus racks went on without any need for sawing or grinding, so the build was easy. The mounting points on the fork were greatly appreciated, I've used the central mounts for the guards so I can easily remove the front rack when I don't need it without touching the guards.

So far I'm very happy and am quite confident it will handle the loads I want well, but gives a much nicer ride unloaded than my LHT and is far more suitable than my old CX race frame that was hanging up in the garage. I really didn't get on with the Surly, I can't intellectualise why, but the fact I left it in the garage and went touring Italy on an old CX frame definitely indicates it's time to sell the LHT on.

Very happy bunny. My gut reaction is the different gauges of tube for the larger size is a good one. It feels compliant and comfortable without flopping around.

[Brucey]

IME forks meant for 26" wheels and a heavy load are almost invariably very stiff indeed. Ones for 700C wheels, a bit less so. This means that the 26" wheeled bike is only going to be comfortable and fast(ish) with certain tyres. IME it is much easier to find tyres that are comfy and roll well in 700C. That of course comes before any differences in the ride due to the main part of the frame; in a very large size I can see the LHT being slightly flexy around the BB, whilst still riding much like a stiffer frame over the bumps.

cheers

[iandriver]

One to put down to experience for me I think. Win a few loose a few. Have the odd fond memory though


Ever seen a head tube almost as long as the fork before?

[Brucey]

are the reindeer just out of shot?

I think if you mostly carry a heavy load when riding, and/or don't worry about the bike feeling 'alive' beneath you, 26" (559) wheeled designs can be a good choice. But IME a good 700C wheeled machine can still lug reasonably sized loads whilst being a good deal nicer to ride whilst unladen, so are often a more versatile machine.

cheers