I have dialed in my ride from what I already own, but am already seeing shortcomings. This setup was a bit of a boredom experiment combining several bikes I just wasn’t riding but it ended up being amazing. V brakes are only on because I was lazy and they were already on the frame. Now that I know this is sticking around I’ll swap on some Shorty Ultimates.
The issues are the frame having so few mounts (lowrider fork mounts, rear rack mounts), and already maxed on tire clearance (38c on HED Belgium). Plenty of tire for what I’m riding this early in the season, but I anticipate revisiting some more heavy duty routes later this year on which I used a Piolet or Timberjack. Don’t own anything like that anymore.
I would love to keep using this group and wheelset and just add the option of larger tires and more mounts. The only canti mount steel/ti frames that accept QR I can think of or find is the Romanceür.
Also please ignore the missing FD. All the braze-on clamps in the world in my basement but not a single 28.6 or shim somehow. Swinging by the shop today for one.
by BingusTheMingus
8 Comments
I’m in the same boat. I have a steel Bianchi with cantis and 38 mm tires that does a LOT of what I want it to do, but I would love a little more functionality. I end up riding my hardtail on routes with rougher roads when really all I need is 45-55 mm rubber.
If you can find a second hand later gen surly cross check they have a bunch of mounting points.
My new Albion privateer is suggested 38c but I’m currently on 42 and might go up to a 43 Homage. Currently have about 4mm clearance at the chain stays and 6mm at the fork with alexrims adventurers and challenge gravel grinders.
It’s got pretty chill geometry and the wheel at the back of the dropout to clear oversized tires doesn’t help.
Also doesn’t have a million mounts, but you can get them frame only and probably find a fork with a similar geo from surly or soma or VO.
Black Mountain Monstercross?
https://blackmtncycles.com/shop/monstercross/monstercross-frameset/
Looks like the smaller sizes are out of stock, but the you could check used. I have a Black Mountain Road and am a huge fan of his designs.
Older steel Trek 720 or even a Specialized Crossroads should be able to run 700×42 or 700×45. But I have a Romanceur and would definitely recommend 😊
Surly Ogre had canti mounts until 2017-ish.
crosscheck if you can find one
Somewhere out there I saw a rear rack that mounts into the seat post bolt. I think that could easily work in your rig! At worst you could run some frame bags and have a great setup!