Touring - New bike build - The Yuk

I still need to add/change a few things, like I'm not happy with the stem set up I have, but I thought I should gets some pictures b/c i know it will never be this clean. :)

http://usera.imagecave.com/evithalani1/yukon/side.jpg

http://usera.imagecave.com/evithalani1/yukon/rearhub.jpg

http://usera.imagecave.com/evithalani1/yukon/frontrack.jpg

http://usera.imagecave.com/evithalani1/yukon/front.jpg

http://usera.imagecave.com/evithalani1/yukon/crankfrontder.jpg

http://usera.imagecave.com/evithalani1/yukon/cassrearder.jpg

http://usera.imagecave.com/evithalani1/yukon/chainline.jpg

http://usera.imagecave.com/evithalani1/yukon/barsback.jpg

http://usera.imagecave.com/evithalani1/yukon/side1.jpg



Mid-90s Giant Yukon Frame
Shimano XT Crankset with Integrated Bottom Bracket
Shimano XT cassette 11-34
SRAM 991 Chain
Shimano XTR rear Derailleur
Shimano XT front Derailleur
Nashbar Trekking Handlebar
Cinelli Cork Handlebar Tape
Zoom stem w/ extender
Dura Ace Bar End Shifters
Paul Thumbies Adapters
Avid Short 6 Brakes with Kool Stop Pads
Dia Compe Tech 77 Brake Levers
Surly Nice Rear Rack
Tubus Nova Front Rack
Race Face XY Seat post
Brooks B17 Saddle (Getting a B-67)
Shimano XT Hubs
Sun Rhyno Lite Rims (36 Hole)
Planet Bike Fenders
Crank Bros Egg Beater Pedals
Tire are some cheap Performance brand 26X1.5 (Waiting on the Schwalbes to arrive)

Nice bike! Is that a Livestrong bracelet on the rear hub? Nice touch.

(Edit) what are the chainrings?

Hey,

Notice you have the trekking handlebars. Are yours on backwards? Here is a shot of them on the nashbar site. http://www.nashbar.com/nashbar_photos/medium/NS-TRK.gif

I assumed from the picture on their site that the open ends were supposed to be away from you. I guess it doesn't matter if it works for you. Maybe that was the idea was to be able to used it in more than one way. Just wondering why you chose to mount them like that. Thanks. Matt

P.S. - My trekking handlebars will be here Saturday. What do you think of them?

yes, that is a Livestrong bracelet.
Chain rings = 44/32/22


My first trekking bar, so I just assumed that is the way they go. I like them a lot. Can anyone else tell me if I have them on backwards?

Notice you have the trekking handlebars. Are yours on backwards? Here is a shot of them on the nashbar site.
They are the same was as mine and the ones pictured on Sheldon Brown's site. I think it is the way they are intended to be, but I could be wrong.

I haven't really used them yet, so I can't give a real report. After one brief spin they seem like they may work out well though.

The trekking bars are on correctly....nice looking bike...enjoy the getting her on teh road...=-)

That is a beautiful build. Enjoy!

Is the light mount a bit precarious?

Beautiful bike! I dig everything about it. Looks like a fun ride.

Great bike! Nashbar's got some sales going on now, so I'm probably gonna pick up some frames and have a bike similar to yours. I like your front rack and the light. I too have the trekking bar, and I believe yours is on the correct way. Look where the logo's are. I haven't seen a bar where the manufacturer mounts the logo facing the rider (barring some manufacturing screwup). Great job.

The bars are not on wackbards.

Great looking bike! Nice to keep an old girl rolling. I was looking at an ad on the local Craigslist today for an old Rockhopper frame that looked about my size. Made me wish I didnt break the bank last year on a custom frame. Its too much fun building up a frame.

Happy riding on your Yuk.

That is a beautiful build. Enjoy!

Is the light mount a bit precarious?

The mount works well for commuting on smooth asphalt and a little bit of gravel, but I have my doubts on how it well it will hold up on anything rougher than that. The mount is an old 700x23 tube, cut, wrapped as tight as I could get it then on top of that, a couple times around with electrical tape and then I clamped the bracket to it.
http://usera.imagecave.com/evithalani1/yukon/frontlight.jpg

Here is a picture of the bike as I got it from my brother. He gave it to me for free, but while I'm gone on my tour, I am letting him use my longboard, which I cherish.
http://usera.imagecave.com/evithalani1/1.jpg

Nice transformation of the bike. But c'mon level up that front rack! I've mounted front lights like that and it's worked fine. Again - nice set up.

Just got my trekking bars today. The ends aren't capped and I see you used your shifters to accomplish that. Did you do anything else to seal them up? Matt

Nice set-up!

Can I ask where you got those mid-fork adapters to mount your tubus front rack?

Just got my trekking bars today. The ends aren't capped and I see you used your shifters to accomplish that. Did you do anything else to seal them up? Matt
Actaully, they are not capped yet. I ordered some Ergon MP1 grips (http://www.performancebike.com/shop/profile.cfm?SKU=20412&subcategory_ID=5251) and they should have caps with them.




Nice set-up!

Can I ask where you got those mid-fork adapters to mount your tubus front rack?
Tubus makes them and Peter White (http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/index.html) has them in stock. The last time I looked they are not pictured on the website. I ended calling. I also talked to Wayne at the the touring store (http://www.thetouringstore.com), said that he will be getting them in soon; he's waiting on the shipment. The adapters are solid and imo, look a lot better than the pipe clamp version.

I love the way you built that bike up, but isn't that frame just a bit small for you?

I love the way you built that bike up, but isn't that frame just a bit small for you?
I think it's fine. The stand over height is 3/4" shorter than my Salsa roadie and 1" shorter my LHT. Actually, now that I've measured the three bikes and thought about it, I like the little bit of room the Giant gives me. The LHT is right against my "junk." :D The reach is great with the trekking bars, but I'd like to drop the height a little. I just haven't found the right stem yet. Are you seeing something that I'm not?

Tubus makes them and Peter White (http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/index.html) has them in stock. The last time I looked they are not pictured on the website. I ended calling. I also talked to Wayne at the the touring store (http://www.thetouringstore.com), said that he will be getting them in soon; he's waiting on the shipment. The adapters are solid and imo, look a lot better than the pipe clamp version.

Thanks zipper!

I love the way you built that bike up, but isn't that frame just a bit small for you?

FWIW...Look at the way Thorn advertises their expedition bikes.:)

Ditto what Noriel said, you have me thinking about a Nashbar Mtb frame. I have an old Trek rigid that's too big for me but the components would build a great touring rig.

Maybe,
whenever I have had a really long stem like that, the frame was too small for me.
The stem looks like a 160 from the pic.

Do you want to push the seat back more than it will go?

Maybe,
whenever I have had a really long stem like that, the frame was too small for me.
The stem looks like a 160 from the pic.

Do you want to push the seat back more than it will go?

Ah, I see what you are saying. The seat is in the middle of the post. I have a lot of room if I wanted to push it fwd. or move it back. The thing about the stem lenght is b/c of the trekking bars. If I didn't have them (and the way the bike was set up before I got my hands on it) the original stem was fine. If I were to use straight bars, I'd have to use a shorter stem, but with the way trekking bars are and having to clamp to them where I do, I needed a longer stem. I hope that makes sense. The pic below is of where the orginal stem and bars were, but they were at a greater angle.
http://usera.imagecave.com/evithalani1/yukon/barsbacktext.jpg

I love those bars, but do you have any problem with them moving when braking fully loaded? Sometimes my bar ends move if I brake going downhill, I wonder if these will do the same.

Because the bike is newly put together, I haven't had a chance to take it out loaded. The end of this month I'm doing some regional 2-3 day shake down rides.

funny thing is I have Nashbar trekking bars on my bike, and I'm not mistaken, on Sheldon's web site it says to install a shorter stem. I had one hanging around and duly installed it. No way! I felt far too cramped up, and ended up picking a much longer one than my original stem on ebay for short money. I now feel very comfortable with the longer stem -so I'm with you on this one.

Nice looking bike by the way, very nice job!

funny thing is I have Nashbar trekking bars on my bike, and I'm not mistaken, on Sheldon's web site it says to install a shorter stem. I had one hanging around and duly installed it. No way! I felt far too cramped up, and ended up picking a much longer one than my original stem on ebay for short money. I now feel very comfortable with the longer stem -so I'm with you on this one.

Nice looking bike by the way, very nice job!

Yeah, I saw that on Sheldon's site too, and when I first intalled the bars, I had the original stem on it; I was slamming my knees into it whenever I got out of the saddle.



Btw, thanks for the compliments on the bike, everyone. The more I've been riding it, the more I am loving it. Can't wait to get it loaded and on the road.

Gorgeous bike! well done!

the comment about the bars being backwards made go back and take a closer look. Yours are on the same way as mine, but your thumbies look like the the handle bit is too far away for easy shifting by your. . . well, . . thumbs!

Here's a pic of mine:
http://i17.tinypic.com/29nh5di.jpg

See how the thumb bits go where my thumbs go? Just a suggestion.

Excellent. Thanks, Lolly. Yeah, I realized that they were not in tthe right position, but I still need to fix them. I will when my grips arrive.

Also, I mounted my Ultimate 4 handle bar bag. I was a little worried that I would need the extension for the bracket, but it fits fine. Mine is a medium so I imagine a large would need the extension.

Nice build! What did you use for a headset?

Nice build! What did you use for a headset?

The headset is the original one that came with the bike. I feel it's in good condition b/c I know the complete history of the orginal bike. My brother bought it new, put very few miles on it, 100-200 miles of easy riding, and stored it indoors.

Just thought I'd show a picture of my bike with panniers and rack pack. One gallon of water in each pannier, random stuff in the handlebar bag and my camping gear in the rack pack. I haven't been able to get away for an overnight trip but I'm able to get 30-40 miles in on weekends.
http://inlinethumb15.webshots.com/14/2993911500100687052S600x600Q85.jpg (http://sports.webshots.com/photo/2993911500100687052gRLAXG)

That's a beauty. Well done old chap.

hi eric.im new to touring bikes, im interested in the lht,, yuo have for sale,if its the size 52cm ..both my road bikes are that size .hopefully yuo will let me know that bike you built up is fantastic

hi eric.im new to touring bikes, im interested in the lht,, yuo have for sale,if its the size 52cm ..both my road bikes are that size .hopefully yuo will let me know that bike you built up is fantastic

I sent you a PM, but if anyone else is interested both bikes are 56cm

ah thats a pity eric,, it would be way to big for me .thanks anyhow,enjoy touring on your new baby, if i can get a bike half as good ,ill be a happy man.