Cyclocross - Yippeee... my new Kelly Knobby X !

I am so stoked! I just received it today by Deutsche Post (I am in Germany) from the States. :-)

Brand spanking new. With the stuff I absolutely want - steel, disc tabs, rack mounts and lowrider bosses. The colour is gorgeous and the finish is lovely. Held it in my hand. Hm... no very light but PERFECT. I needed something which is tougher than lighter.

Btw, I am not planning to race this baby. Going to build her up as a kickass commuter/light tourer/Audax type of bike.

Sorry, I know this is probably OT (and better suited in the commuting forum), but I posted a query earlier here on a Gunnar vs Kelly thread. Thought I would follow-up on it, and yeah, to share my excitement. :-)

ciao!

i should have my SS knobby x soon, goin to be lovin it

Sweet!!

Yes, the Kelly vs. Gunnar choice would be a tough one. I like the Kelly bikes, you made a great choice. Be sure to post a picture when you get the bike built up.

Nice frame, wish my X01 had disc tabs!

Where in Germany are you? I'm in the Ramstein/Landstuhl area, My wife's a govt. contractor and I work in Baumholder.

Where in Germany are you? I'm in the Ramstein/Landstuhl area, My wife's a govt. contractor and I work in Baumholder.

I am in Hamburg. Here because my wife is German and she wanted to return home after 2 years of being in Asia Pacific. ;-)

Oh yeah graff71884, the disc mounts and rack mounts are the reasons why I went Kelly, else I would have gone Gunnar simply because I already have a Waterford and I really liked it. Going custom would have increased my costs significantly.

Sorry guys but this would be a very slow build. Other than the front hub and a couple of drivetrain parts in my spareparts bin, I have little else. I intend to take my own sweet time to build it up. Afterall, I do have more than enough bikes in my "bike cave" already. ;-)

ciao!

Great looking frame....What parts group will you use for the build? No matter what parts you use, that will be a great do it all work horse bike.

Great looking frame....What parts group will you use for the build? No matter what parts you use, that will be a great do it all work horse bike.

I thought I wanted:
1. Tubus racks (front and rear)
2. SON Schmidts 36-h Disc hub dynamo/brass nipples/Open Pro rim
3. 1992 XTR M900 crankset with UN91/UN72 BB
4. 1992 XTR M900 front deraileur/rear deraileur
5. whatever 8-sp cassette I have in my parts bin
6. XT 36-h Disc hub/brass nipples/Open Pro
7. used and scratched up Chris King headset
8. any stem
9. Avid road mechs

What tossed a spanner in the thought process:
1. flat bars vs dropbars, which also means
2. thumbies vs STIs
3. rear Nexus hub gear, which will mean be somehow tied in with (1) coz shifters for Nexus only run on flats

So you see, nothing is fixed or decided. The ONLY things which are decided are:

1. used and scratched up Chris King
2. Tubus front and rear racks
3. front wheel
4. Avid Road mechs

I think I am going to be in this process for sometime.... ;-)

Avid mechs...Sweet.

That is a tough choice....Flatbar or drop bar. If you use a flatbar with bar ends, there are more hand positions. Just a thought. Will you post photos once the bike is finished?

tig rider, I am inclined to go flat bars with bar ends at this moment simply because I have most of the parts required sitting around anyway.

And yes, I will certainly post pics. Not soon though coz I am enjoying my time slowly shopping for parts. ;-)

cheers!

The flat bar will be sweet....Looking forward to the photos! Happy building :D

got mine...
http://static.flickr.com/22/88850831_716f568f6d_o.jpg

Oh dear god that bike is going to be awesome!

Oh dear god that bike is going to be awesome!


that is for sure what I was goin for, I will keep you posted

juvi.. thats nice.. how are you going to build it?

juvi.. thats nice.. how are you going to build it?

SS(fixed/free) cyclocross with drops no flats, I'll post pictures when it is built.

here is my Kelly...
http://static.flickr.com/33/98417103_b5bff2235a_o.jpg

here is my Kelly...


Nice! Thanks for sharing.

I just fitted a headset to mine, and the disc brakes are on the way to me from the States. Going to be a long time before I get to post pics of mine!

juvi- very nice! so what parts/wheels/etc etc did you go with?

juvi- very nice! so what parts/wheels/etc etc did you go with?


Wheels are Paul HF in rear(fixed/free) and Paul LF in front laced to Mavic CXP33 rims with Panaracer cross tires. Thomson stem and Masterpiece with a Selle San Marco Regal on top. Paul neo-Retro brakes, Dura ACe levers for now, but I am getting campy carbon(they have quick releases), Salsa cross bars, and for cranks 110 FSA Energy with a 38tooth chainring.

Nice parts. I'm a big fan of the Paul brakes. I did have problems with the Neo Retros on the rear. If I was decending and was hangin' off the back the canti arms would stab my legs. Ouch.

And I'm using the Tektro levers that have QR's and they are too bulky. I should try the Campy ones too.

Are you gonna race on it? What gearing?

Nice parts. I'm a big fan of the Paul brakes. I did have problems with the Neo Retros on the rear. If I was decending and was hangin' off the back the canti arms would stab my legs. Ouch.

And I'm using the Tektro levers that have QR's and they are too bulky. I should try the Campy ones too.

Are you gonna race on it? What gearing?

I do hope to race, my fixed gear is 38X16 and the free will be 38x18or19. What gear do you run? As for the brakes, I would like to get the Paul touring brakes for the back, but I got the set for $90. I love the bike.

awesome price. I paid like $80 per!

I started out using my fixed gear ratio 48x16(81") which was a terrible mistake.
Now I flip/flop between either 43x18(64.5) or 43X16(72.6) depending on the course.
For one course I broke out my 39t ring for 39x18(58.5) because it was super
hilly & technical with roots & really windy singletrack.
All of these are freewheel of course.

awesome price. I paid like $80 per!

I started out using my fixed gear ratio 48x16(81") which was a terrible mistake.
Now I flip/flop between either 43x18(64.5) or 43X16(72.6) depending on the course.
For one course I broke out my 39t ring for 39x18(58.5) because it was super
hilly & technical with roots & really windy singletrack.
All of these are freewheel of course.

I figured I should stay in the mid to upper 50s, hillshillshills.

It's not a Knobby X, but...

Frame/fork: Kelly Luscious X Trutemper S3 / Kelly 29er Disc
Headset: King Dreadset
Stem: Ritchey Pro Road
Bars: Ritchey Biomax 42cm
Seatpost: Thompson Elite
Saddle: Flite Ti
BB: Dura-Ace
Cranks: Dura Ace Triple 7703
Rear Wheel: King ISO Disc / Mavic Open Pro / 36 x 15 g straight 3 cross / Brass Nipples
Front Wheel: King ISO Disc / Mavic Open Pro / 32 x 15 g straight 3 cross / Brass Nipples
Brakes: Avid BB7 Road Disc
Shifters: Dura-Ace 7703
Rear Der: Dura-Ace 7800
Front Der: Dura-Ace 7703
Pedals: Shimano 959
Cassette: Dura-Ace 9 speed
Tires: Michelin Jet S
Built by Bobcat Bicycles, Salinas, CA
22.6 lbs with pedals

It was really a crap shoot when I was searching for a quality steel frame, but I got lucky as it seems Chris Kelly knows a thing or two about building bikes. The bike rides so well I thought the tires were low, even though I had checked them just minutes earlier. I don't know how he did it, but the feel of the bike is truly unique, as if there really was a suspension hidden in there somewhere. Cracks and sharp edges pass by with a muted thump reminiscent of a BMW with new shocks, the same imperfections that knock my hands off the bars on my steel frame no-suspension mtb with fatty slicks.

Yet when I put the power down, the bike responds well and has handling to match. Truly amazing, and perfect for the 'city beater' role the bike will play. I'm no expert, but production frames I've ridden can't even come close the experience this bike offers.

steel is real

I wish it was a knobbyx, but still a great build. Big up, for all of those that go all out.