Mountain Biking - New project completed - - new pics

Just starting to take shape. My new trailbike so that I can relegate the XC hardtail to racing-only duties.

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t162/dminorwa/XTS%20Moto/IMG_0974.jpg

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t162/dminorwa/XTS%20Moto/IMG_0975.jpg

Very, very nice! I remember you stating you were going to build up a your son's XTS moto (http://www.bikeforums.net/showpost.php?p=6702142&postcount=2061). Just awesome to see it on the way. :thumb:

How much travel Doug? Looks more than capable

7" front / 6.5" or 5" rear. It's my 'Amelia Bedelia' bike (made with ". . . a little of this, a little of that") - - some new parts; some leftovers; some resurrected.

Is that a DHX coil? And What fork is that?

^^ Shock is nothing that fancy - - it's the DB's stock Vanilla RC. Fork is a 2009 RST Storm Super; can't wait to see how it performs. It's a littler heavier than the other two new Storm models but is the only 7" one of the three and has an axle-to-crown height comparable to the bike's original Jr. T.

Hmmn, Amelia DB, Sounds like a pretty solid build to me. Are u building 1x9? The one crankarm approach has been tried by many but mastered by few.

Nice but couldn't you get hold of a DB Sabbath frame for the project? Also how do your sponsors feel about the DB frame?

Are u building 1x9? The one crankarm approach has been tried by many but mastered by few.:lol: That's the only arm that is sound right now. This is one of the "resurrected" parts of the project. My son detonated the drive-side arm a while back (a first-gen Hussefelt w/o the steel pedal inserts) We heli-coiled the pedal hole but it did not last. So I am considering spending the $20 to have a local framemaker/machinist put a real steel insert in. That will depend on the results of a couple or three crank arms I'm watching on ebay right now.

Also, given your industry contacts do you think they'll get/give you either a nicolai b-boxx or a truvativ hammerschmidt for the project?

This is strictly a 'for-fun' trailbike project because I am sick of riding fun trails on a hardtail. It has no impingement on any sponsorships I may have; although it will get a healthy dose of sponsorship 'leftovers' to flesh it out. My obligations to Transition will most likely be over after Sunday or the 25th at the latest.

As far as gears, I can live with a simple LX FD just fine; although this may just sprout a Sturmey-Archer XRK-8 hub in the future, just to see how much abuse one can take. If I'm happy with how it rides and behaves (and if I can keep it to about 35#), it may become my Super-D racer for next season.

This is strictly a 'for-fun' trailbike project because I am sick of riding fun trails on a hardtail. It has no impingement on any sponsorships I may have; although it will get a healthy dose of sponsorship 'leftovers' to flesh it out. My obligations to Transition will most likely be over after Sunday or the 25th at the latest.


Off topic question, but are all of your sponsor deals usually for one season only? I imagine you will be riding the Blindside again next year (unless you hated it), so will you remove the stickers if you don't get a formal deal again?

Back on topic: forget the bike, I like the workshop! I would love working in a space that doesn't include my kitchen and dining room table.

Most grassroots sponsorships are just for the racing season in which you got the bike/frame. I love the Blindside and will run it next year for sure and likely for 2010 as well. (I told my wife that it was going to be a five-year bike to appease her fiscal sensibilities but, well . . . I'm keeping my finger on the pulse of Corsair, just for 'future reference' :)). I applied to renew with Transition for this year because, as much as I liked the Gran Mal, I wanted to get on the Blindside. Haven't decided if I'm going to run it 'stealth' next year or not with branding.

I raced my Yeti for three seasons and gave them sponsorship recognition for two (because I got it mid-season and wanted them to get more of their 'money's-worth' from me).

Other sponsorships are also year-to-year and need to be renewed each Fall. Some vary from one year to the next in how much they support you (up or down) and some can be counted for perennial and unfailing support.

That's my woodworking shop. Had to invade it because I have too much bike crap and my son's weight bench strewn about my normal basement work area.

Cool - looking forward to the finished product pictures.

Lookin' good!

What's the deal with all the chainstay hardware? Is it FSR, faux bar, or <gasp> both?

edit: no disc mounts?

double edit: holy crap, look at that downtube!!!

triple edit: nvrmnd, I see the mounts now...i think?

Yeah, they're there. I'm going to need new adapters front and rear, though. I don't have any post-mount adapters for the front and the ones on hand are both for 8" rotors. Rotors on hand are two 7½" and two 6". I'm toying with going 6 & 6 or 7½ & 6. Opinions?

Chainstay/seatstay/link = faux-bar. Looks FSR until you see that the pivots are above the dropouts (and bushings at that spot too :notamused:)

Downtube is a work of art; the rest looks like a drunk plumber supervised.

looks indestructible!

mx

Very, very nice! I remember you stating you were going to build up a your son's XTS moto (http://www.bikeforums.net/showpost.php?p=6702142&postcount=2061). Just awesome to see it on the way. :thumb:Thank you! And thanks for the link back. Don't take my "drunk plumber" comment too seriously - - your DBR and all the Xs are still beautiful to my warped sensibilities.

....and it's blue.

What is it with blue and you old guys? Oh, I know.

http://wotskool.files.wordpress.com/2007/10/buy_viagra.jpg

Thank you! And thanks for the link back. Don't take my "drunk plumber" comment too seriously - - your DBR and all the Xs are still beautiful to my warped sensibilities.

I loved the drunk plumber comment! :lol: It's partly true :)

Still love my X...just something about it :love:

Bike is done. Pics in the morning. Fork feels plusher than expected in the perfunctory parking lot squish test. I think this is gonna be a fun one to play on.

Coup of the project was the crankset. I didn't have to rework the old ones: my shop got them warranteed to the tune of new Hussefelt cranks AND a Howitzer bottom bracket (!) I am a very happy camper.

I am really interested in what you think of the fork. I want to use one for my next build

Yeah, they're there. I'm going to need new adapters front and rear, though. I don't have any post-mount adapters for the front and the ones on hand are both for 8" rotors. Rotors on hand are two 7½" and two 6". I'm toying with going 6 & 6 or 7½ & 6. Opinions?

Chainstay/seatstay/link = faux-bar. Looks FSR until you see that the pivots are above the dropouts (and bushings at that spot too :notamused:)

Downtube is a work of art; the rest looks like a drunk plumber supervised.

those aren't pivots on the chainstay, in front of and below the rear dropout?

those aren't pivots on the chainstay, in front of and below the rear dropout?No, the pivots are the single bolts above the dropouts. The two bolts below are what attach the replaceable dropouts to the chainstay/swingarm. Believe me, I wish it was a Horst link setup.

It looks like an excellent setup, We want/demand a full ride report with pics!

OK, here we go . . .

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t162/dminorwa/IMG_1001.jpg

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t162/dminorwa/IMG_0998.jpg

Thank you, Ikea, for the chainstay protector :)

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t162/dminorwa/IMG_1000.jpg

Oops! Where did that piece of incorrect advertising come from? Still have some branding issues to resolve, obviously - -

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t162/dminorwa/IMG_1004.jpg

Will give a full report on the frok when I get some time on it, yellowjeep. I think it's going to be good. Weighs in right at 6 lbs, so it's no lightweight; but that's 7" of travel, chromoly stanchions and an axle-to-crown height nearly identical to the Jr. T. that the bike originally came with.

Not to pick nits, but the grips need help! He he

Oh, yeah, and the grips are filthy ;) Simple Green and a toothbrush perks 'em right up but that lasts all of 5 minutes. I knew that would happen when I got them but that was my concession to fashion back when I was building the Gran Mal.

Eventually my black Sunline half-waffles will migrate to this and the Blindside will get the brand-new Sunline Twisted Waffle (http://www.sixsixone.com/Catalog_SunlineCycling.aspx?id=80b227e1-1aa7-425f-a719-26ea434899cd&product=f276b3ce-4353-4494-a609-4663d79a032d) grips.

Those things deserve a photo op on this thread:
http://www.sixsixone.com/media/store/product/SUN_TWISTED.jpg

Here's a spy shot (by Jason Schippers, Sunline's product developer) of another new Sunline grip coming down the pike. Not on their web site yet, so you saw it here first (click on it for a larger view):

86569

Very nice D, as per usual.

Lemme know how the fork goes.