ECR Build, Opinions Sought

[thecaptn]

I'm happy with the result...


As you can see I replaced the 110mm stem with an 80mm jobbie and lifted it up 12.5mm. This obviously changed the feel of the ride and I quite like it, very relaxed, comfy and stable feeling. Maybe doesn't look cool to your average cyclist but who cares about that, I think it looks cool.

[thecaptn]

Bar tape...


I also started fitting the craptacular Chinese bottle cages I bought off Ebay for $1.09 each but after cracking one while bolting it on I decided to bin them all and use some old alloy ones.

[thecaptn]

Next job when I have some spare time is to pinch the Tubus rack off the back of Wifey's bike And see if it can be made to work on the ECR. She probably won't notice it missing and seeing as I already pinched her fancy red panniers it's no use to her anyway. I'm pretty happy with the setup so far but need to do some proper riding on it so as I can further refine the bar and lever possition.

Thanks for reading...

[Baalzamon]

You will love the thudbuster. I have the Thudglove to protect it on my Surly LHT.

[brokenbus]

Looking good. What width guard is that?

[thecaptn]

Looking good. What width guard is that?

65mm

[Mugglechops]

What size frame is that?

Thinking of getting an ECR frame myself and putting everything off my Superfly 29er on to it.

Just don't want to have to buy another frame bag so hoping yours is around 19in and you can do a few measurements for me.

[thecaptn]

What size frame is that?

Thinking of getting an ECR frame myself and putting everything off my Superfly 29er on to it.

Just don't want to have to buy another frame bag so hoping yours is around 19in and you can do a few measurements for me.

I'm pretty sure it's a 20" or Large. The geo is unusual, http://surlybikes.com/bikes/ecr/geometry" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I'm over 6' and usually would ride a 21" mtb or 58cm road. The ECR has an extremely long top tube.

Happy to take any measurements you require.

Pete

[Mugglechops]

I'm pretty sure it's a 20" or Large. The geo is unusual, http://surlybikes.com/bikes/ecr/geometry" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I'm over 6' and usually would ride a 21" mtb or 58cm road. The ECR has an extremely long top tube.

Happy to take any measurements you require.

Pete

Souinds pretty much like the size I need. I ride 58-59cm road bike and 19-20in MTB.

If you could get the inside frame measurements that would be great.

This is the bag fitted to my large Superfly frame.

[thecaptn]

The measurements I took were the extreem internal measurements meaning from the inside edge of the head-seat tubes and top-bottom tubes(if you know what I'm trying to say?). Notice that the seat tube has a bend in it;

Top tube: 550mm
Seat tube: 385mm
Bottom tub: 680mm

[rifraf]

I wasn't a 100% sure about your black forks initially, but have to admit they assist the bike to look quite striking, blending well with the black fenders, post/saddle, cranks and bars/stem.
Your bikes looking great Captn!
Looking forward to seeing it in touring mode for you.

[Mugglechops]

The measurements I took were the extreem internal measurements meaning from the inside edge of the head-seat tubes and top-bottom tubes(if you know what I'm trying to say?). Notice that the seat tube has a bend in it;

Top tube: 550mm
Seat tube: 385mm
Bottom tub: 680mm

Cheers. Looks like it will fit.

Now I just need to save up and get the frame.

[just4tehhalibut]

You'd need that full triangle frame bag, I've found that with a 20" ECR frame it's either bidon cages or Revelate's medium Tangle frame bag, not both.
The medium Tangle is 19.5" long but the problem is the depth 4.5". The pic below is with the workstand clamp interfering with the bag placement so it can go back a little, that doesn't help much but.


Time to get back to sewing bags.

[just4tehhalibut]

So I'd been waiting for Surly's new World Troller model to be released, all the bits bought in the meantime. I've now found that it'll be months more, probably next year, before I see the frame particularly as Surly had made a design error. So I've gone ahead and bought my own ECR and put all the Troller parts onto that for the time being. I got the frame from Bike24 in Germany last week for just under $1000. Here's a pic of the build so far

The Jones Loop bars are in place but I've yet to work out if the stem length suits. Trying a Brooks Cambium Carve saddle but might leave that for the Troller. The grips I've already changed a couple of times, about to try another set tonight. Cabling is still a work in progress but I had to add extensions for both brakes (BB7 mechanicals) as the cable housing from the XT cable set was short by a couple of inches on both, the Jones bars take a slight longer cable outer than a flatbar. The wheels are just 700C x 35 Dyads borrowed off one of my LHTs, I've ordered Velocity Blunt 35 rims so that I can run with 29 x 2.4 up to 3.0. When the wheels are built I'll have to remove the 3 x 9 drivetrain (back into the Troller parts box) as there'll be no clearance for 29 x 3.0 tyres, means that I'll have to start ordering 2 x 10 bits. The crankset on now is a Deore XT M770 with 44-32-22 rings, the instructions with the frame say that there is clearance for 44-34-22 unless you want the 3.0 tyres, believe me there's mm clearance on the chainstay.

Definitely clearance for 29 x 3.0 when I change cranks.
Tonight I put on the frame bags, pump, 'puter and other bits designed to keep the bike from getting blown away by any butterfly fart.

PS when I went looking at the Velocity Blunt 35 rims I found that Walmart in America sells them.

[thecaptn]

Wiggle have them,
http://www.this link is broken.au/velocity-rims- ... 5-mtb-rim/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Looks good, there's a heap of space for rubber there.

[Mugglechops]

So I'd been waiting for Surly's new World Troller model to be released, all the bits bought in the meantime. I've now found that it'll be months more, probably next year, before I see the frame particularly as Surly had made a design error. So I've gone ahead and bought my own ECR and put all the Troller parts onto that for the time being. I got the frame from Bike24 in Germany last week for just under $1000. Here's a pic of the build so far

The Jones Loop bars are in place but I've yet to work out if the stem length suits. Trying a Brooks Cambium Carve saddle but might leave that for the Troller. The grips I've already changed a couple of times, about to try another set tonight. Cabling is still a work in progress but I had to add extensions for both brakes (BB7 mechanicals) as the cable housing from the XT cable set was short by a couple of inches on both, the Jones bars take a slight longer cable outer than a flatbar. The wheels are just 700C x 35 Dyads borrowed off one of my LHTs, I've ordered Velocity Blunt 35 rims so that I can run with 29 x 2.4 up to 3.0. When the wheels are built I'll have to remove the 3 x 9 drivetrain (back into the Troller parts box) as there'll be no clearance for 29 x 3.0 tyres, means that I'll have to start ordering 2 x 10 bits. The crankset on now is a Deore XT M770 with 44-32-22 rings, the instructions with the frame say that there is clearance for 44-34-22 unless you want the 3.0 tyres, believe me there's mm clearance on the chainstay.

Definitely clearance for 29 x 3.0 when I change cranks.
Tonight I put on the frame bags, pump, 'puter and other bits designed to keep the bike from getting blown away by any butterfly fart.

PS when I went looking at the Velocity Blunt 35 rims I found that Walmart in America sells them.

I like the colour. I am going 1x10 on mine when I get the frame. I had bad experience with a blunt 35 but that may have been from the guy who built it for me. It only lasted 1100kms and cracked from every second spoke hole.

[just4tehhalibut]

I'll be building my own wheels, built about 30 last year so should be okay. Just ordered the Blunt 35's through my LBS as Wiggle seems to have perpetually only the one rim in stock (good for unicycles only) and not the variety that I want. Anodised red rims will show up well with that green frame. Going with DT Swiss Alpine III spokes and pro lock nipples, 32H. Thanks for the warning though, I'll check the wheels regularly once they hit the trails.

I set my fork up with a Problem Solvers lockring headset spacer temporarily today so that I could more easily change stems and stem heights. Coming back from that ride me thinks I need to order a longer stem than the 100mm in use. A work in progress.

Started working out the design for the framebag to fit inside the main triangle, already removed the two bidon mounts and using Revelate Design's Mountain Feedbags instead to carry the bidons. I've run out of material but have been pointed to Rockywoods.com in the US for cordura, ripstop nylon, waterproof zippers and the like, will give them a go next week but prototype out of outdoor canvas in the meantime. Anyone use any better sources for bagmaking materials? I wouldn't mind finding someone who can sell me those locking buckles as like Revelate use.

[RonK]

Anyone use any better sources for bagmaking materials?

These Tassie guys are well-known over on bushwalk.com

Tier Gear

Quest Outfitters has cam-lock buckles.

[rifraf]

Going with DT Swiss Alpine III spokes and pro lock nipples, 32H. Thanks for the warning though, I'll check the wheels regularly once they hit the trails.

Be wary with these spokes regarding hub compatibility.
They were originally my first choice but the thickness of their J-bend weren't Rohloff friendly.
I can't remember if they played friendly with my dynohub or not but as I wanted matching spokes on all my wheels (both bike and trailer) so I went with my second choice.
A LBS which I went to for a quote insisted that my second choice of spoke wouldn't work either (CX-Ray) but some research of mine proved them both incorrect and also not worthy of my wheel building dollar.
I went back and double checked and confirmed the Alpines wouldn't work which initially disappointed, but the Rays have been problem free so far.
Lucky you've wheel building skills as I had almost nothing but bad experiences getting my wheels built.
I think if I ever have to do it again, I'll be going back to wheelbuilder.com in sunny California for a fuss free with full communication build despite the cost premium.

[Aushiker]

I think if I ever have to do it again, I'll be going back to wheelbuilder.com in sunny California for a fuss free with full communication build despite the cost premium.

So far I have had an exemplary experience with Adrian at Melody Wheels in Fremantle.

Andrew

[RonK]

I think if I ever have to do it again, I'll be going back to wheelbuilder.com in sunny California for a fuss free with full communication build despite the cost premium.

So far I have had an exemplary experience with Adrian at Melody Wheels in Fremantle.

Andrew

My wheel builder Steven Craft was master wheel builder at Velocity for 17 years before they relocated to the US.
Crafty reckons he's hand built around 125,000 wheels.
Seems to know what he's doing too.

[Uncle Just]

Interesting experience with the Velocity Blunt 35s. I had similar rim cracking at the spoke holes on my rear Blunt 35SLs. I was a staunch fan of Velocity rims but have gone off them to some extent. I had a rear OCR explode on a fast downhill and another cracked at the spoke holes. The heavier duty rims I use such as the 700c Dyad and 26" Aeroheats are still going ok though.

[singlespeedscott]

I have not had any luck with Velocity rims over the years. I have had cracks and I find them to be very easily dented. I would stick clear of them.

[rifraf]

I have not had any luck with Velocity rims over the years. I have had cracks and I find them to be very easily dented. I would stick clear of them.

I've read online in a few places that some feel there has been an improvement in quality control since production moved to the States.
No issues with my Dyads so far and I'm very happy with their balance between weight, apparent strength and cost.
I'd happily buy Dyads again at this stage for any new wheel build for my use.
Some good stories out there online where Velocity really shined in their customer service getting replacement rims to people on tour internationally in some out of the way places.
Velocity are still the wheel build of choice by some arguably top notch companies including Co-motion Cycles.
Sorry to hear of your misfortune to be at the issue end of the spectrum.
My fingers are crossed I don't suffer the same fate

[rifraf]

I think if I ever have to do it again, I'll be going back to wheelbuilder.com in sunny California for a fuss free with full communication build despite the cost premium.

So far I have had an exemplary experience with Adrian at Melody Wheels in Fremantle.

Andrew

My wheel builder Steven Craft was master wheel builder at Velocity for 17 years before they relocated to the US.
Crafty reckons he's hand built around 125,000 wheels.
Seems to know what he's doing too.

Dealing with distance and time zone differences with the Eastern States as well as shipping times puts them on par with international (USA) for me and I've already had good experiences with wheelbuilder.com, but thanks for the heads up of an alternative option.
International post is often faster than from the East and things have recently even gotten better now that theres a customs service now operating on international mail here in Perth.