pinholecam

These are good questions...
I try to answer them as best as I can.



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 am only 1.6m, and 17" is actually a bit big for me, but still ok. Yeah, I think the 17" frame should be good for you.


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?
>> Then just go for drop bars. My suggestion for straight bars was for maximum fold size and ease of pushing after fold.


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?
>> I also thought that the bike frames were the same in weight, but now, in hindsight, I think the 650b frame is heavier, so I have doubts on a sub 10kg build.


Is the Changebike have enough eyelets for touring gear?
>> Rear rack is fine. (I have one mounted on my bike). Front rack will depend on the fork you get. No option for fenders afaik (need to improvise if needed )


Is the LBS you built the bike Bike Stop? Anyone I should look for or mention that you recommended me?
>> Yes, Bike Stop. I'm a regular customer and they know this bike for sure. They helped setup another bike for another customer as well.


For the respective parts, did you buy online or can the shop purchase them?
I bought most stuff online due to my weird (in SG terms) setup. Local SRAM is "we don't have all these except for Force and Red" (so I brought my business elsewhere... )


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?
>> My quest for such a bike came down to the conclusion that there wasn't one, if you want to go toe to toe with similarly fit peers who are on their road bikes, and yet have a fast/convenient fold.
The ChangeBike 650b can hold its own if you are smart/cunning on the drafting and leadout at the final moments of the ending points of a ride. But if you want to be the guy who demolishes everyone straight out in a run (eg. like a stretch of TMCR or LCK or Mandai climb ), then its just not that type of bike and asking too much of it.
My quest did lead me to the N=1 if I discounted heavy loaded touring and easy fold/unfold.
Here :
https://www.bikeforums.net/folding-b...road-bike.html



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?
>> Its not the gears are not high enough, but rather, the gear spacing especially at the top end is too widely spaced.
The SRAM 10-42 cassette is 10-12-14t..... At fast speeds, the muscle 'shock' of transitioning from 14 > 12 > 10 is just too much when other riders surge.
If you value long individual efforts (as 'proof' of your ride ability), then you ease into the gear change and reel in any other rider over the course of a ride.


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.
>> 2x is not possible. Ultimately, its a MTB frame and they don't take 2x (rubs the chainstay )
Its also limited to 42T for the chainring.
For my 44T, I had to shim it on the drive side a bit more to clear it from the chainstay.
This affects the Q, and not everyone likes that.
My setup 44T with 10-42t works for light tours and local rides.
For loaded touring, I'd go for 38t with 10-42t (at the minimum) or even 34t


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?
>> as above; You can also get a SRAM MTB crank, but they are hard to get new locally.

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?
>> SRAM 10-42T needs a XD compatible hub.
Since its road bars, it will have to be Rival, since Force and Red are electronic and 12sp and expensive.
The even less common option (locally) is Microshift Advent. ( a FB friend has that setup on his Change bike)
Shimano, you are limited to 11t as smallest unless its the latest XT, XTR, but then you are stuck with trigger shifters.