Utility Cycling - Big Dummy - my build

Finally got word that my frame will be in the LBS either tomorrow or Monday so I can finally start one of these threads.

Here's the parts I have so far

Front Wheel :
Mavic EN321 disc
DT Champion Spokes
Shimano DH-EN71 hub

Rear Wheel:
Mavic EN321 disc rim
DT Champion Spokes
Nuvinci CVP Hub

Shimano Hone Crankset (outer 44t ring only)
Avid BB7 09 disc brakes
Avid FR-5 brake lever
FSA Fat Pig DH headset
Generic Easton Stem
Generic riser handlebars
Generic Kalloy seatpost
Sram 8 speed chain

Still to get
Pedals (probably Shimano A521)
Saddle (Brooks B17)
Chain tensioner (probably Surly Singleator)

Can't wait to start building it up.

Congrats. I know it has been a long process, but your BD will be well worth it.

Who is building up your wheels? I've heard that some Rohloff wheels have issues due to the large size of the hub and the resulting sharp bend of the spoke leaving the nipple. I'm not 100%, but I think the Nuvinci is even bigger than the Rohloff so this may be something you want to talk about with your wheel builder. May not be an issue, but it's worth discussing at least when you are at a stage you can do something about it.

Have fun and take lots of photos...:thumb:

I used a Paul Melvin Chain tensioner with my Nuvinci Dummy.

Well I finally got it last night and it's now sitting in my shed, naked.

I was really taken aback by just how big it is. It's a lovely colour too. I got a huge amount of attention in the LBS too when I was picking it up.

Really can't wait to start building it up now. Just realised I still need to get a few more bits and pieces

- pedals (probably the Shimano A520 double sided)
- tires (Big Apple or Fat Frank)
- fenders (suggestions welcome here)
- lights that work off the shimano generator hub (ditto)

@vik: I'm going to try building the wheels myself. I understand that because the Nuvinci is so big that it has it's own problems when wheel building. I have already built it up 1 cross but need to do it again as the spokes are too long.

@papaelf : looks good, but it's about 2x the cost of the Singleator. Is it worth the extra?

Oh and one other thing was I got the frame for pre-August 2008 prices. Not sure how that worked.

Here's some crappy iphone pictures

http://www.flickr.com/photos/penexpers/sets/72157608032848823/

I used SKS P65 fenders on my recent BD build, running 2.35 Big Apples. I thought they fit better (especially the width) than the Planet Bike Cascadia fenders I had on my Xtracycle equipped MTB. I had to make my own mudflaps though.

For a chain tensioner, take a look at the Soulcraft Convert. I tried a Singleator but I thought the spring in it wasn't up to the job of tensioning the extra length of chain. The Convert doesn't use a spring, it tensions like you would with horizontal trackends. It has a release that allows it to swing out of the way for wheel removal, something else I found difficult with the Singleator.

Thanks for all the tips.

Went to the LBS to get the headset pressed over the weekend. The frame really wasn't prepped well for it and needed a good bit of filing for the headset to go in. Got the BB shell checked out and that seemed to be better.

I have the Fat Franks in cream on order from my LBS, I decided as a temporary money saving exercise to use the Shimano Alfine chain tensioner. This may backfire in my face. I am rebuilding my wheels this week, hope to have everything ready to go by next weekend and then build it all in one day.

Oh could someone with a post August 2008 BD frame please post pictures of the new fittings for the Xtracycle bags. Mine don't look like they were threaded very well.

My BD has the new fittings. The threads were painted over. I had to chase the threads with an M5-.8 tap.

Thanks John, that's exactly what my frame is like.

So 3/4 weeks on and life has prevented me from building this up. I made some progress today

Start here

http://www.flickr.com/photos/penexpers/3032551884/

and keep clicking next.

Should get the cabling done tomorrow. I gave up trying to build the rear wheel myself and I asked the LBS to do it. I should get the front wheel done in the next few days I hope. Hopefully should be on the road sometime next week.

So it took a lot longer than expected but at last

http://www.flickr.com/photos/penexpers/3222673052/

Really happy with it so far, still got a bunch of things to fix up on it.

Looks great! Nice job.

How do you like the Nuvinci?

I'm still waiting for my BD. Its too big to transport in a car and the UPS charge costs an arm and a leg. And yes, its local! :eek:

I'm still waiting for my BD. Its too big to transport in a car and the UPS charge costs an arm and a leg. And yes, its local! :eek:

Cars have roofs.
Couple of towels to keep the car from scratching your frame, and a length of rope and you are on your way home (open the doors and not just the windows when you tie it down, otherwise you will have to crawl through the windows to get in and out of the car).

Looks great! Nice job.

How do you like the Nuvinci?

I haven't really used it enough yet to form an opinion but I do have these observations so far:

- It's really tricky to get it setup.
- It makes the bike very rear-heavy and the handling is a bit strange because of it.
- In my experience only the DMR STS tensioner will work with it.
- It's really very quiet during operation.

In operation, the NuVinci is very user friendly. The inchworm on the display lets you fine tune the gearing for optimal riding experience. You barely feel its there once you get up to speed. But its heavy off the bike!

In operation, the NuVinci is very user friendly. The inchworm on the display lets you fine tune the gearing for optimal riding experience. You barely feel its there once you get up to speed. But its heavy off the bike!

I have no doubt that in operation the Nuvinci is very user friendly (I don't think there is anything like the inchworm out there). I was talking about it from the PoV of someone buying the hub and getting it installed on their bike (including the cruise control and shifter pod). It is definitely trickier than any derailleur system I've installed (no experience of other IGH's). I notice now that Fallbrook are selling the cruise control with the shifter pod pre-installed. This is a good move, I think.

I haven't really used it enough yet to form an opinion but I do have these observations so far:

- It's really tricky to get it setup.
- It makes the bike very rear-heavy and the handling is a bit strange because of it.
- In my experience only the DMR STS tensioner will work with it.
- It's really very quiet during operation.


It's not the weight of the hub that is effecting your handling. It is heavy but not so much that it will throw off the balance of a longtail.

I really like the fact that there is no freewheel "click-clack" on a NuVinci. Utterly dead silent hub.

It's not the weight of the hub that is effecting your handling. It is heavy but not so much that it will throw off the balance of a longtail.


That's a fair point, it could be that I am not used to riding longtails and it feels a bit different to anything else.

I added the SKS Chromoplastics on yesterday, chopping off the ends of the supports (I didn't do a very neat job on these)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/penexpers/3228242551/

I have some B&M lights on order

http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/product-Busch-and-Muller-Busch-and-Muller-Lumotec-IQ-Fly-Senso-Plus-Switchable-LED-Head-Light-with-bracket-15239.htm

http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/product-Busch-and-Muller-Busch-and-Muller-Seculite-Plus-Rear-Mudguard-Dynamo-Light-with-Standlight-(inc-cable)-552.htm

I think once I get these I will be done for the moment. I will probably get some footsies and a few other bits and pieces later on in the year (money permitting).

Was it a compatibility issue that caused you to put the Nuvinci controls where you did? Or was that location just preferable to having them on the handlebars?

Was it a compatibility issue that caused you to put the Nuvinci controls where you did? Or was that location just preferable to having them on the handlebars?

Compatibility issue. I couldn't get the shifter onto the riser bars, so I am going to change the bars quite soon to probably just flat bars with bar ends.

The bars are too big around? I'm just wondering what diameter the shifter is compatible with. I was going to use my Nashbar Trekking bars to start with, and eventually switch to an Albatross bar, but it foolishly hadn't occurred to me that the Nuvinci shifter wouldn't fit on any bars I chose.

The bars are too big around? I'm just wondering what diameter the shifter is compatible with. I was going to use my Nashbar Trekking bars to start with, and eventually switch to an Albatross bar, but it foolishly hadn't occurred to me that the Nuvinci shifter wouldn't fit on any bars I chose.

It will fit on the bars fine but I can't get it far enough along the bars (i.e around the curve) so that I can fit my grip and brake lever. I could just shave off some of the grip, but I am not sure if this will leave enough room for my hands.

For reference I am using these bars

http://www.jensonusa.com/store/product/HB307E00-Dimension+Dnb+Swept-Back+Riser+Bar.aspx

Looking at the trekking bars you may have similar problems.

Bummer. Good to know, though, thanks for the tip. Albatross bars look to have a long, straight section before the bend, so they may still work, but I see what you mean about the trekking bars.

I have Albatross bars on my longtail + NuVinci. Works fine.

Excellent.

Although this continues to up the parts I need to actually use the Nuvinci hub. Stupid thing effects every single component. I bet my seat is not compatible with a Nuvinci hub, either. ;-)

It is no different than any other IGH shifter.
Grip shifters + grips + brake levers + whatever else = crowded bars no matter what you do.

The Albatross has nice long arms on it though, makes things a little easier. Marys do too.

Shot off an email to Fallbrook about what diameter handlebars the shifter will fit:


Hi Allan (sic),

Thanks for the e-mail. We use a standard 22.2 or 7/8" clamp. Please let
me know if you have any further questions.

Regards,

Robert B. Sherlock
Customer Support Specialist

It is no different than any other IGH shifter.
Grip shifters + grips + brake levers + whatever else = crowded bars no matter what you do.

The Albatross has nice long arms on it though, makes things a little easier. Marys do too.

I'm sure it's not. Although I believe I could find room on my trekking bars for my old three-speed shifter. It's just one more thing I hadn't considered when I decided to build up a new bike using a Nuvinci hub and "all the other components off of my old bike." Piece by piece, I've been identifying parts that will not easily transfer. I thought it was limited to the drivetrain, but now the handlebars are getting in on the action, so it's looking more like I'll be building up a new bike "using all new parts except maybe the front tire from my old bike." Sadly, the front tire was supposed to be the first item I replaced on my old bike, and now it may live to be one of the few components to live on in the new bike.

And thanks for passing on the info from the company themselves.

And just one more thing for you Rob - I took the bike out for about 10 miles and I was really impressed by the range of gears offered by the hub. At the "easier" end, I was constantly spinning out. I didn't get to shift into the harder gears too much, but I think they will definitely suit my needs. I really don't think there are any hills that you wouldn't be able to get up with the gear range offered by the hub. I'm using a 44T front chainring and a 16T freewheel if that helps. I think to put a smaller chainring on would be madness.

That is also good information. The gear range of the hub is one of my concerns. But I'm a pretty lazy peddler and not much of a spinner, and the lowest possible range of the hub looks like a range I do use when climbing some hills in my area, so I plan to start with 34/17 combination and work my way up from there if the low range is not useful to me. I'll have a 2nd, bigger chainring if I find I really need an upper range.

^^^
I used to live in Greensboro. I doubt you will find yourself using the front derailer much at all.

So a few weeks on and my Dummy looks something like this

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3385/3271573455_808dcfcb6e.jpg?v=0

Apologies for the poor lighting, photography is not my strong point

I got the Fat Franks home yesterday

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3416/3274645834_2fa175750e.jpg?v=0

Looking forward to getting them on!

I have the Fat Franks on mine! Wide tires are a good choice. They really roll quite fast and are more comfortable than old skinny hard tires. Sounds counter-intuitive but its true!

Now that's a bike you can haul with! Nice job on the build up.

(one question though: any reason you are running the front wheel skewer quick release on the opposite side of the wheel from usual?)

Now that's a bike you can haul with! Nice job on the build up.

Thanks! I am extremely pleased with it.



(one question though: any reason you are running the front wheel skewer quick release on the opposite side of the wheel from usual?)

Hah good question. I never realized there was a convention for which way the skewer should go (I am still relatively new to bike maintenence). It's the correct way around now :)

Oh yeah, got the Fat Franks on the bike and took them out for a ride. What a lovely tire.

Looking good, pen.

BTW, your patio reminds me that God I miss Ireland.

Hah good question. I never realized there was a convention for which way the skewer should go (I am still relatively new to bike maintenence). It's the correct way around now :)

I thought maybe you had to put it on that side because of something with the disk brakes or hub or something. I suppose there could be some practical reason for them usually being on the left side even in the front, but I bet you're right that it is mainly convention. Congrats again on a nicely built up bike!

I think it's slightly more than convention, but not much more. Many tires are designed with a specific direction of rotation in mind. When installing the rear tire, you need to make sure to have the direction of rotation correct, and, of course, the quick release lever needs to be on the non-drive side. You can, of course, set up your front tire any way you wish, but if you keep to the same standards as the back tire, you will never have to look for that little arrow on your tire to figure out which way the tire goes in to the fork. Install the tire and the skewer to match the rear tire, and you'll never have to think about it again until you replace the tire.

But it affects handling not at all. Unless you feel that the lever side of your quick release is a little heavier, and so having them on the non-drive side helps balance out the weight of the drive train. But I don't know anyone who makes that argument. I think it's entirely for conformity and convenience. Just like I always leave the keys in the same place when I get home. It's not necessarily the one, best place, but at least I know where they'll be tomorrow.

Oh yeah, got the Fat Franks on the bike and took them out for a ride. What a lovely tire.

¡Pix with Fat Franks, por favor!

¡Pix with Fat Franks, por favor!

Si Senor!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/penexpers/3295182622/

This is the first time I carried any kind of load on it too. I didn't even notice it was there most of the way home.

mmm... pretty...

Beautiful picture set. Sorry to post to such an old thread, but nicely done. How's she holding up? Do you have a final parts-list? Can I dare you to put together a final cost analysis?

Deleted...Sorry, gang!

Hey buddy, it's not all about you :lol:

Sorry,JK, yours is great to. I've been keeping up with your thread as well and I really like how you broke down the build list/parts in a drawing. I'm visual like that as well. I think the powder-coat is the way to go since that military green just doesn't fit me. I've got just about $755 saved up so I should have enough cash by end of summer/August sometime (sadly).