With my own two hands.

[pano-dude]

that's fucking awesome! steel type...4130?

[smslavin]

i've started gathering parts and just found one of those millennium concentrators. did the t hose fit right on or did you need an adapter of some kind?

[jm2e]

This is uncredible.
A bunch of buddies of mine drove 6hrs round trip a few weeks ago for the NAHBS in Charlotte, NC. What you did is 1000x cooler than anything there. Right in your own garage with no jig. Mind-Blown.

[shirk]

i've started gathering parts and just found one of those millennium concentrators. did the t hose fit right on or did you need an adapter of some kind?

T-hose threaded right on, same threads.

[shirk]

This is uncredible.
A bunch of buddies of mine drove 6hrs round trip a few weeks ago for the NAHBS in Charlotte, NC. What you did is 1000x cooler than anything there. Right in your own garage with no jig. Mind-Blown.

You do know that most all of the NAHBS guys started out the same way, in a garage with a #1 and almost no tools.

[smslavin]

T-hose threaded right on, same threads.

awesome. thanks.

one other question, what are doing about storage? do you just leave the propane tank in your garage or do you have another shed somewhere? any concerns about your house possibly going boom?

[jm2e]

You do know that most all of the NAHBS guys started out the same way, in a garage with a #1 and almost no tools.

Yup. It's just that the pics I saw seemed to be a crap ton of blinged out 650b fat bikes and cruisers with wiring for LED lights and more emphasis on hipster componentry. Your thread shows the raw awesomeness of building up something from scratch and riding it. Cheers.

[shirk]

awesome. thanks.

one other question, what are doing about storage? do you just leave the propane tank in your garage or do you have another shed somewhere? any concerns about your house possibly going boom?

It's a detached garage so a bit less of a concern. I make sure the tank is turned off nice and tight, same as if I was using it for bbq. Things don't get hot enough here in Vancouver for exploding propane tanks even in our hottest hot spell. If you are worried then treat it the same way you would your bbq, but it outside when not in use.

Part of the plus of going oxygen concentrator and propane is that it's a safer system then bottled oxy with acetylene. You don't need check valves on the oxygen as you can just unplug it to kill the pressure.

[gramboh]

Hey shirk I think I saw you last night flagging the twonie race on Krinkum? Was riding with Amy M (I was the last guy down those two little ladder bridge roll-overs). The bike looks really sweet in person man, awesome project.

[shirk]

Hey shirk I think I saw you last night flagging the twonie race on Krinkum? Was riding with Amy M (I was the last guy down those two little ladder bridge roll-overs). The bike looks really sweet in person man, awesome project.

Yep that would be me. Thanks. I am still pretty stoked on the bike but really really want to get to work on #2 and #3. I've got a landscaping project at home that takes priority right now, I might have to shelve #2 a 650b hardtail and get straight to #3 a single pivot full suspension frame as I want to ride it at the Crankworx EWS.

[creaky fossil]

FS? All your own design, or something like using a Ventana rear end?

[shirk]

FS? All your own design, or something like using a Ventana rear end?

Basic single pivot. Similar to an Orange Five.



For the main pivot I'll use a section of 44mm head tube, this allows me to use available headset hand reaming tools post braze. Press in a top portion of a head set on either side and use a section of 1.125 steer tube as the pivot axle. Star nuts in both ends of the steer to get the bearing pre-load needed.

I'll need to do removable pinch bolts like the old Hecklers on the swing arm where it attaches to the pivot. Without these getting the axle out with the headset compression rings would be a huge bitch.

[GeezerSteve]

Powder coat that damn thing. Gotta luv riding on a frame you built.

Just saw this thread for the first time. Takes me back to 1977, when Doug (the Curt of Curtlo) and I (the Lo of Curtlo) built our first dozen frames on a plywood jig, mitering with half-round files, etc. Doug has built thousands of frames since then, still in biz as Curtlo. I've built a couple hundred, mostly for myself and friends, tooled up w/ DIY jigs & fixtures. Fun hobby. Planning to build 3 or 4 more frames between now and Halloween.

[creaky fossil]

That's rad, shirk. I like the HT pivot idea. I'll be interested in seeing how that shapes up for sure.

[shirk]

That's rad, shirk. I like the HT pivot idea. I'll be interested in seeing how that shapes up for sure.

Thanks.

I plan to move the pivot back towards the seat tube compared to the more forward location of the Orange and Hecklers. As it will actually be an "enduro race" bike I want a more DH feel and will rely on a shock lockout for climbing.

There is a program called Linkage that allows you to move around pivots and shock location to get a good idea on leverage ratio and chain growth.

The Orange/Heckler/Old CDale's are a regressive leverage ratio, I am trying to get something more linear to progressive.

[creaky fossil]

The tools available for modeling are wild today vs just 10 yrs ago. I've never played around with any of them, but it sounds like you can work out through modeling what 15 yrs ago would've meant lots of iterations through mules. Someone's gonna ask it, so it may as well be me. What rear shock?

[shirk]

Leaning towards a Manitou Swinger. It kinda flys under the radar but ticks off the boxes. With a broad range of both HSC and LSC I should be able to get it adjusted to feel good without needing to be re-valved. Under it's old name the ISX 6-way I know a number of people that really liked this shock.

If money were no object I'd get a Cane Creek DB Air with the Climb Switch. But I think I can get there with less money on the Manitou.

http://www.manitoumtb.com/products/shocks/swinger/

[gravitylover]

Build a 27.5 fat bike. It'll be worth millions.

27.5 x 4.8 tires will be available by early winter. Goal...