Story time first. My Lynskey GR300, which is also the first bike I built myself, was stolen last week. I had a couple of hard days and couldn't function at all. But it took a turn when I contacted my insurance, and they were just willing to cover most of my losses without hesitation. The amount of money I got is good enough to build another premium bike.
I want to try somethinh new this time. A good looking and relatively lightweight steel do-everything bike optimized to 650b.
The Crust Bombora is the one I've been dreaming of for a while, and I just can't get that nice pink paint out of my mind. But I do
find the carbon fork version unnecessarily expensive. I'm not sure if I want to pay so much just for its looks.
Some other options I'd like to consider are Black Mountain Mod Zero, Fairlight Secan/Faran, or surly midnight special. Fairlight Secan has the geometry I think suits me the best, but unfortunately their lead time is until October.
Any thoughts or other possible options?
—–update
https://youtu.be/OT9sexNUyQY?si=gUNCiY3tUc3vlqeq
I found an interesting video on YouTube, made by the blue lug folks, comparing bombora, black mountain mod zero and wilde rambler. It has an English sub.
by Reasonable-Poet-1266
28 Comments
It is hard. It is a cool bike. I can only try to talk to you into Fairlight Faran 2.5. I have one and I am just amazed with the quality and attention to detail. The frame is beautiful. It is a modern, light, super functional bike with a nice riding quality. I had to wait for few months but it was worth it. Again it is hard.
Get a gorilla monsoon.
What’s wrong with steel fork?
Also, how about another gr300? Does it have to be steel?
I’d personally go with soma over surly.
Kinda hard to suggest anything without knowing the budget, but I’m guessing around $1300 for a frame set?
Wilde?
Some gr300 frames are 850 rn
If that’s the bike you’ve been wanting for, just go for it. Crust isn’t a brand that speaks to me personally, but they do some unique things that it would be hard to find in another brand on top of having kind of cool paint schemes. Black Mountain is similar in that regard, but if you love the vibe of the bombora, go with your heart.
Nothing wrong with a steel fork, in fact on the bombora I would likely prefer it, but since the enve version also comes with a tapered “modern” head tube it’s probably a more versatile option in the long run.
I have a Bombora with the steel fork and I absolutely love it. I went with the sea monster green though.
I spent a lot of time looking at steel and titanium bites and this is the one that really just hit all the marks for me. I built it up with GRX 600 and ended up at about three grand. Couldn’t be happier.
The only thing I have to say against that bike is 650b is not for everyone. I see that you are shorter, and in that case, I’m not able to talk you out of this. Its a cool bike.
I will say, consider a Ritchey or a Soma.
My only advice is to say that If you’re leaning toward a carbon fork before you even buy the bike then buy the carbon fork option. It’ll be cheaper and less time consuming in the end.
I have a midnight special and got a state carbon fork after the fact… knowing what I know now I would have gotten a steel bike that came with the fork, but of course hindsight is 20/20 and might have still talked myself out of it even with people telling me to so. So yeah.
Buy it. You won’t regret it. I love my Evasion. It’s super fun to ride. Yeah, i could buy like some carbon fiber ugly thing and be faster or whatever. But the Evasion, you just wake up in the morning and can’t wait to ride it.
As someone with an enve bombora, hell ya
When I was looking the Bombora had pretty similar geometry to the Soma Wolverine. Not sure about the newer model Soma but I know it changed a little. Not as premium as the others probably but pretty good option.
If I was building a steel bike, I’d have a hard time looking past a Ritchey Outback.
I have a Faran 700c and a Secan 650b. Both are definitely worth the wait. One of the things that sets Fairlight apart is the awesome attention to detail, especially if you plan to run a dynamo hub with lighting. If either of those were stolen, I’d build up the cheapest frameset I could get hold of, and patiently wait for my Fairlight. Or I’d buy a Lynskey.
If you want a high end steel bike you have to go custom. Off the rack frames are build to withstand 275lb guys. Someone like Breadwinner will source tubes based on your weight.
Thats not to say they won’t be great bikes, but you won’t have the springiness steel is famous for, especially with something as overbuilt as a surly.
It seems like you’re done with factory ti, but I’m two years in with my Litespeed Watia and I couldn’t love it more. Plus, I got it one month after ordering.
I made a post about this. The Niner RLT steel has a very similar geo and 853 Reynolds as the Secan, and is cheaper. I think it doesn’t have as much tire clearance though.
Another comment as i was recently looking at steel frames and went for the Lynskey: the Gr300 has a slacker / more adventure geo than the Fairlight Secan , if that makes a difference.
Slack: Ritchey and Lynskey and Flaanimal
More racy: Fairlight Secan and Niner RLT steel
I have the steel fork bombora and it is beautiful. Feels very light for a steel frame back and rides like a dream. Considered getting the Enve carbon fork version, but in the end I preferred the look of the steel fork and I figured that I could save the weight elsewhere. Expensive frame, but so worth it.
ZUKAS FROM THE MOUNTAIN TOPS I SHOUT
I would take a look at the Chumba Terlingua! Fantastic light steel or titanium bike, handmade in Austin, available in some amazing colors. I have a Sendero hardtail from them, and love it.
I was torn between a Bombora and Flaanimal and ended up with the Flaanimal with zero regrets. Ultimately I think it’s a significantly more versatile bike and I love the aesthetic, though the Enve Bombora is handsome too.
Specifically, the Flaanimal allows for internal routing on a dropper post, T47 BB, and sliding rear dropouts with better clearance for big wheel/tire combos. Plus, the Enve fork is overpriced in my opinion and the Spork is an incredibly well proven performer.
It’s so heavy. So so heavy.
I do love my Lynskey, and would be crushed to lose it, so I understand. But if it happened, I would be on the phone to Black Mountain Cycles asap – it’s the one steel builder I’ve always wanted. No shade to Crust, I’d love one also, but for me, it would be a BMC.
Huge downgrade, get another GR. Crust is cool to be cool, Linskey is for life
3.6kg frame and fork? God damn
Why not go back to ti?
The Midnight Special unfortunately has really dumb dropouts which I consider a dealbreaker. Essentially it comes with adapters that fit into thru-axle hubs, with screws on the end that you tighten into the dropouts. It has kind of an unattractive and heavy unicrown steel fork.
I think the Fairlight Secan 2.5 is really cool, and my favorite bike on your list. It’s customizable and lightweight, made of high-quality Reynolds tubes. It comes with a carbon fork, which is a very cost-effective place to save substantial weight. The details on it are beautiful.
I built a Cotic Escapade two years ago, and then went back and built another for my wife.
[https://www.cotic.co.uk/product/escapade](https://www.cotic.co.uk/product/escapade)
It’s similar to the Secan but doesn’t clear those monster 650b x 2.4″ MTB tires. I find it to be a nice bike to live with– I’ve done a lot of road riding on it as well as gravel and singletrack. It advertises tire clearance up to about 700×47 and 650b x 50. The ones I bought were from a limited run built in 2022 with Reynolds 853 tubing. The ones you can get currently are made of custom-shaped chromoly tubes, which are barely heavier.
[https://theradavist.com/cotic-escapade-853-review/](https://theradavist.com/cotic-escapade-853-review/)
Currently you can get one with a GRX-812 build shipped to the US for about $2,660. They have a bunch of upgrades that you can get for more. They’re a very cool and small company who are happy to work with you if you send them an email.
Just a heads up, five years ago I used to my renters insurance to replace a stolen bike and its fucked my insurance rates ever since. That 800$ bike has cost me several thousand in increased renters, homeowners, and car insurance. Makes no sense but it keeps showing up whenever I shop rates ¯_(ツ)_/¯