Utility Cycling - Big Dummy: My Build

Wow Dylan.. that Jones loop bar is uber drool worthy! I met him last year at the Fairfax Bikefest and drooled over the bikes he had there: amazing stuff.

Your shop is TIGHT! If mine were that organized I might get more done...

Ian! Nice to hear from you, man! Been wondering how your foot's doing and if you're back on two wheels...? And the Goat is ready for the full skull dressing whenever that's ready (if that's still available?).

My shop is actually a small room in our very ancient dungeon of a basement. But's it pretty dry, and the 115 year-old brick still accepts screws for mounting stuff to the walls. It's far from fancy conditions, but again, it's dry, and it's protected by an alarm that'll make you crap your pants if you set it off, so...

And yes, the space is pretty well organized. Thanks for the kind words.

EDIT: My workspace has to be well-organized—I'm about as mechanical as a paper cup, so every little thing helps...

:geek::love:

Out in the 'geee-rawwj', making final tweaks and about to wrap the bar:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3424/3364816174_aeb8c2c972_b.jpg


And later that night, out/about:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3439/3364815350_8cf1d6a3d5_b.jpg

The Goat's spec sheet, drawn last week:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3548/3372059976_1aa7ec222c_b.jpg

Thought for the day, from the sketchbook:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3449/3392597600_dddbfea536_b.jpg

Started rebuilding today:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3587/3338661896_96a638c20f_b.jpg

( Taken with a wider-angle lens, making those bars appear 3-feet wide )

Love the bars....:thumb:

Cool. I went with the Brooks B-73 saddle. Very forgiving on a longtail.

Tis' a work of art.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3439/3364815350_8cf1d6a3d5_b.jpg

The Goat is looking fantastic. The new paint, bar, and front rack look great.

Any impressions or quirks about your Schmidt Edelux/B&M Toplight XS Plus/SON set-up? Peter White says the Edelux is the brightest dynamo headlight he's ever seen. I'm interested in any likes and dislikes you may have.

Thanks in advance.

So far so great on the SON/eDeluxe combo, BlueRoads. It is very bright. And having the tail light wired to the whole config' is a nice bonus. Everything's working great, and the standlight feature on both the eDeluxe and the tail light is also swell.

Pic from today's ride with my better half:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3624/3432939696_a3a25aa81b_b.jpg

More gratuitous whoring of the Goat. Y'know...'cause it's....spring. :thumb:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3599/3482230522_01ee62a24c_b.jpg

And a good ride tonight...that culminated in a short jaunt across a cornfield to reach this pine-shaded knoll:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3372/3481392637_902f348628_b.jpg

You are the Dummy MAN!

I do love that bar you have on there...finally got the shims in yesterday and mounted my beloved Albatross on my Dummy last night. I had painted it flat black over the weekend, and it looks great, but I can tell the paint will come off if I am not careful. At least now I have room for the rear-view mirror so I don't get that 'dump truck surprise' all the time!

Did my first major ride on the beast this weekend, and aside from the mountain bike bar being no fun for the long haul, it was total Dummy-love. I'm tellin' ya...I don't know how I could ever ride another bike! This is going to be the ultimate tourer for me.

Trollin' your specs for ideas for add-ons and upgrades....

Did my first major ride on the beast this weekend, and ... it was total Dummy-love. I'm tellin' ya...I don't know how I could ever ride another bike! This is going to be the ultimate tourer for me.



Love to hear that. Totally agree with that euphoria that comes with the Dummy (they don't tell you that when you buy it...it's our little secret).

And beyond all the specs and the tweaking and the fuss over the platform, I think the photograph above...of the Goat alone in the tiny pine hill...speaks very accurately to the Big Dummy vibe. More than any spec list. Or any up-close product shot of the bike. It's about where the bike takes you...both real and abstract.

As you said, it's Dummy-love.

After putting some miles in on the Rohloff, does it stack up well compared to a derailleur? I have heard nothing but good things about it, and should at that cost! Have thought about the Nuvinci also, but for right now I am staying with the derailleur system I've got, but you know there's always a future...

After putting some miles in on the Rohloff, does it stack up well compared to a derailleur? I have heard nothing but good things about it, and should at that cost! Have thought about the Nuvinci also, but for right now I am staying with the derailleur system I've got, but you know there's always a future...

Hard to call me anything remotely close to experienced with the Rohloff. But at about a thousand miles, it does quiet down considerably, especially in the lower gears.

Easy to use, no maintenance to speak of yet. It just works. Love it.

The Goat, chillin' with the rest of the family:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3624/3564407817_1496219663_b.jpg

what light is that on The Goat?

like black bikes much?

what light is that on The Goat?

Hey Devo,

It's a Schmidt Edelux. Got it from Peter White (scroll down just a bit):

http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/schmidt-headlights.asp#son

It's powered by a SON28 (disc-friendly version), which is also powering a taillight, too.

like black bikes much?

Heh...yessir.

What size front rack did you get? The 26 inch or the one for 700 wheels? I ordered the 26 cold springs rack last week. It will go on a 26 inch wheeled tandem that has a big dummy front fork.

Beautiful bike and great photographs. No reason a work horse can't be the best in show.

The Goat, chillin' with the rest of the family:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3624/3564407817_1496219663_b.jpg

What pedals are on the goat in this pic?

What size front rack did you get? The 26 inch or the one for 700 wheels? I ordered the 26 cold springs rack last week. It will go on a 26 inch wheeled tandem that has a big dummy front fork.

I did the 26" version, too.

What pedals are on the goat in this pic?

Speedplay Drilliums:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3334/3554913221_2ecb2ba959.jpg

Not carried through QBP (as far as I could tell), but worth the wait to order direct from Speedplay. Beefy, and LOTS of platform here...

Thanks for answering about your front rack size. I have a small compressed air tank (fits in a wattlebottle cage) that I want to hide under the front rack. I have a big dummy front fork on my tandem, the bike has 3 waterbottle cages, one in the front and 2 in the back. I can't use the front one for the air tank because I need it for water. I'm going to mount a wattle bottle cage under the front lip of the cold springs rack and mount the air tank up under it. This way it will be out of the way and difficult to even see.
There is plenty of clearance between the tire and the rack.

Thanks again for your reply.
Oh, awesome build by the way. Really has me thinking. Do I need bike number 6? Maybe just an extracycle conversion.

Thanks for answering about your front rack size. I have a small compressed air tank (fits in a wattlebottle cage) that I want to hide under the front rack. I have a big dummy front fork on my tandem, the bike has 3 waterbottle cages, one in the front and 2 in the back. I can't use the front one for the air tank because I need it for water. I'm going to mount a wattle bottle cage under the front lip of the cold springs rack and mount the air tank up under it. This way it will be out of the way and difficult to even see.
There is plenty of clearance between the tire and the rack.

Thanks again for your reply.
Oh, awesome build by the way. Really has me thinking. Do I need bike number 6? Maybe just an extracycle conversion.

Speakin' of "really has me thinking"...you've piqued my curiousity: would you care to share the intended use for the compressed air? I'm guessing an air horn...?

Thanks for the nice words about the Goat. Time and money, brother. And a lot of great help from friendly folks who are willing to put up with my questions.

As you might guess, I'd recommend making the leap to the Big Dummy for your #6... :love:

Yes the compressed air is for an Air Zound air horn. Its about 120 db and really stops attacking dogs as well as some drivers. I highly endorse this product. You can get one on Ebay for less than $30 shipped.

What pedals are on the goat in this pic?

Great looking fleet of bikes...:thumb:

Goat, grazing:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3370/3630542743_10c4a5bc65_b.jpg

Goat's owner, acting like an idiot & thankful to be alive:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3590/3631357060_523fd0d3b7_b.jpg

Toes up:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3455/3702452251_349a15ab97_b.jpg

New patches (and more on the way):

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3025/3894751410_1c469bdf2a_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3522/3912485955_b33aa3f2d6_b.jpg

Desperate times, people. Don't judge.

Besides, I was making a run for fresh pumpkin donuts.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3217/4033136449_e6516bd464_o.jpg

Patch Crazy. I went it:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2599/4012351712_382c0395be_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3515/4012354276_8fc8c1501e_b.jpg

handlebar bag?
CDW?

handlebar bag?
CDW?

Yessir. Carousel Design Works 'bar bag.

Wait, I can see a bit that's not black!

I think you need to get a paint brush up under that bike seat!

Andrew

Wait, I can see a bit that's not black!

I think you need to get a paint brush up under that bike seat!

Andrew

Busted!

Wideloaders are back, and I think they'll stay on, too.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2489/4081118957_b02373c6bb_b.jpg

Just a thought - if you were to move that tail light up to the unserside of the deck, it would no longer be the extreme rear point on the bike, and would be much less vulnerable when backing the bike up around obstacles. I know those lights ain't cheap. I really appreciate the fact that mine are recessed, and won't hit any walls that I smack into.

Just a thought - if you were to move that tail light up to the unserside of the deck, it would no longer be the extreme rear point on the bike, and would be much less vulnerable when backing the bike up around obstacles. I know those lights ain't cheap. I really appreciate the fact that mine are recessed, and won't hit any walls that I smack into.

Excellent advice. Especially in light of the Goat's more utilitarian future--baby's done being babied. Trailer coming in 2010, too...

Thanks for the wisdom, Val.

The funny thing is the Big Dummy is now being produced by Surly in black! You could have sold the military green and bought the black model. Oh well.

2010 started with a 13 degree, 20-mile ride on the Goat with a handful of fellow lunatics. The Rohloff performed well in that temperature, too:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2629/4240134809_d1ff3c39e3_b.jpg

That's the second time through this thread. My Dummy frame is going to be here Tues. according to FedEX. I paid $638 delivered for the frame and $145 for the longtail kit delivered. I am using 2009 XT parts that were on my Mtb.

Two frames arriving here on Tuesday as well! My girlfriend and I are pretty excited but we have a lot of parts to acquire still so it'll probably be a while before they're built up.

Now I want a Big Dummy too :D Maybe later in the year!

Adam

Great prices goin' on these days. Glad to hear more Dummies are inbound! Let me know if I can answer any questions (ie, fuel your addiction :innocent:).

I'm about to start a Kona Sutra build so some time later this year. Unless... I postpone the Sutra, hmm.... but I already ordered the frame, decisions, decisions.... :twitchy:

Adam

My Frame made it here finally. I took it to the LBS to have the bottom bracket faced. Hopefully I will have it back before the weekend.