Pinholecam,
Iceland!!! That is my dream bike destination for a gravel bike experience! You must post photos if you go! Your photos look awesome (I used to take photos with Olympus OMD) so we are in the same 4/3 family!
Thanks for the advice and hope you don't mind me bothering you with a more questions!
Good point regarding the storage of the bike - will need to figure out this one my office is a traditional shophouse second level!
Which size are you using for the frame? I am 1.71 in height - I reckon the 17" is the one I should go for?
I also read Foldingtales site - I am concerned about rolling it feel more comfortable the option of being able to push short distances during touring as lugging doesnt sound good. so your solution is to use velcro or elastic band to hold it in place in case i use drop bars? Straight bars does quite cut it - would using bull bars help?
Also from folding tales - their respective builds were around 9kg and am hoping to keep the weight to sub 10kg with the gravel tires - do you reckon its even plausible since they used the road bike frame while you are using the 650b frame?
Is the Changebike have enough eyelets for touring gear?
Is the LBS you built the bike Bike Stop? Anyone I should look for or mention that you recommended me?
For the respective parts, did you buy online or can the shop purchase them?
I am aiming for the most versatile, all rounder bike (silly I know but I really dont have the luxury of space to store my wife bike, my bike plus kids bike indoors in my apartment), would you reckon if I should go all roadbike drivetrain or MTB drivetrain. What is the drawbacks?
I am asking because for the drivetrain, you are using MTB crank and "road" DR and shifters with 1X11, do you reckon is that enough gears? Like you this bike will
serve as a 'road bike' for riding in road group rides so I need high gears so i dont get dropped (least easily - my friends are mostly roadies as i mentioned) but also need enough grannie low gears for hill climbs for touring so i have questions on your setup - do you feel its enough gears low and high? Or should I aim for 2X11 drivetrain or is that not possible.
I saw that the max chainring is 44T - that is probably because you are running
Shimano XT as crank? Could you advise why you went with a MTB crank?
I definitely want this Cassette - Sram Cassette XG-1150 10-42 for the 10T so i have high enough gear inches (based on my calculations your setup should have least 120 - 125), but that is the reason for the SRAM rival RD and STI levers?
Sorry for the flurry of questions. as I really want to get this done right and i have never built a bike from the ground up before!
Originally Posted by
pinholecam
Hi there.
Glad that the info I put here has been useful.
My build weighs about 14kg, minus the rack, suspension seatpost and leather saddle, I'd reckon it should get you to 10.5kg-11.5kg.
I do fold my bike all the time in the apartment, so its really quite easy/fast to fold once you get used to it.
The folding will also be ok, up the MRT, which I do use when I bring my kids cycling. (if riding myself, I don't take the train w/ the bike)
Ideally, I would have taken the bike to Iceland this June, but it seems like its not meant to be... , but having tried it in Penang with its rolling hills and locally on Ubin, I am confident of it being able to handle rolling terrain and trails.
I'd just drop the chainring from my current 44t to a 38t for overseas with a loaded bike.
Exposing the bike to the elements won't be a good idea.
The components will rust for sure unless you have them gunked in oil for protection.
I do ride to the office now and then w/ this bike, but I fold and store it in a common storage area.
If you want a more compact fold, do consider using straight bars instead of road bars.
The bike can actually be pushed after fold, just need to secure the handlebar with a velcro or elastic bungee (I use a cut dis-used inner tube for that)
Local shop wise, I go to Bike Stop along Thomson road.
A fellow rider I know on the local Facebook also went there to set up his ChangeBike, so I guess Bike Stop has the most hands on experience with this bike.