ksdog

Just pulled the trigger , sight unseen, on the Space Horse, compete bike. It has been ordered. I am a little excited and a lot nervous about my choice. I hope it will be a comfortable bike for an over the hill rider, both on gravel and pavement. What upgrades, pedals,tires, seat, brake, have you made ? Thanks.

FBinNY 

You just spent 1500 bucks. Wait and ride it a while before trying to guess what else it does or doesn't need. There'll be plenty of opportunities to spend more dough going forward.

DirtRoadRunner

The stock Tektro CR720 brakes are actually (IMO) the best budget cantilever brakes you can buy - and are much better than some of the pricey cyclocross-specific offerings. I would just upgrade the pads to Kool Stop dual compounds on the front and salmons on the back. Then, spend some time really dialing them in - I have mine set with a really low straddle wire up front and they have exceptional modulation and stopping power, and they rarely squeal unless my rims are really dirty.

As far as the saddle goes, I wouldn't mess with it unless you find it really uncomfortable. I have a WTB Rocket V on mine and like it OK, but saddles are a very personal preference.

For pedals, it is hard to go wrong with SPD's for the versatility and easy ability to walk in the shoes.

The only other upgrade I would really recommend is a decent set of wheels and tires - the stock wheels on the bike aren't that nice. That will be your best bang for buck upgrade.

The Space Horse is really a great bike - very versatile, very comfortable, and very tough. I rode 122 miles on mine yesterday - up and down lots of hills, though the mist and rain, and over crappy pavement. I also take it one extended gravel rides. It is not a light bike but very well suited for this type of all-day riding. This is primary because it has an upright riding position, long chainstays (stability on fast descents), and I have mine setup with ultra-compact gearing for easily spinning up steep hills.

jwood72

dirtroadrunner: What tires are you running?

tarwheel 

A good friend of mine has owned a Space Horse for several years. He rides it a lot on greenways and trails. We recently completed our second "conquest" of the GAP-C&O Canal trails from Pittsburgh to Washington DC, and his Space Horse was equipped with a rear rack & panniers, fenders and Clement LAS 33 cross tires. The SH performed admirably. I might own one myself but the gap between sizes is rather large and the fit was not ideal. I ended up getting a Sama Saga, which fits me perfect. The Saga and SH are comparable bikes, altho the Saga is more suited for carrying heavier loads.

DirtRoadRunner

Continental SpeedRide, 700x42c. Cheap ($30 ea), light (420 grams each), and fast-rolling on pavement, gravel, and dry singletrack.

fietsbob

Space Horse | All-City Cycles Maybe another batch build Maxway TW frame contract ?

ksdog

Picked up my new space horse two days ago. I took it for a spin before I laid out the cash. I immediately knew that I had made a good decision. Just wanted a smooth , reliable bike to take anywhere. Dirtroadrunner : thanks for the pics and your input. The green was sold out, so I ended up with a blue just like yours. I appreciate this forum and all that contribute.

jtbadge

If I could only own one bike, this would be it. Does it all. As mentioned above - great on pavement, gravel, and singletrack.

Mods include a Brooks Cambium C17, Gevenalle CXV2 shifters, WTB Nano 40c Race tires, and Shimano V-brakes. I use the cheapest Shimano SPD 'mountain' pedals.

Thinking about the new Salsa Cowchipper handlebars. I like to tinker, obviously, but this bike was definitely a solid ride from the factory.

Wspsux

What would you say that baby weighs?

jtbadge

About 25 pounds without the bags. Smooth ride, but definitely a little chunky.

I am sure changing out the beefy steel fork and Tiagra components would help, but I don't really feel like pouring tons more cash saving a little weight on a bike that is going to get beaten up.

DirtRoadRunner

Mine weighs 24.2 lbs according to my bathroom scale. Not a lightweight bike - but I beat on mine as well, and the weight of it is all but irrelevant. I'm looking forward to touring around the Ozarks on it later this year. With how stiff the Space Horse is, I think it will handle a load well.

dgodave

I will have to get one. Just for the name.

corwin1968

That is a great looking bike. How do you like the 40mm Nano tires?

ksdog

Awaiting arrival of my order of shimano pdm780 pedals and assorted accessories. May have to consider that Brooks C17 saddle, but the stock one is going to work for now. The Kool Stops are definitely worth a try as the stock brakes , for me, are acceptable, but could be better. I have ridden it on asphalt and gravel and even got chased by a dog and had to get with it. Just a "NICE" bike for what I had intended. Someone designed it right.

justin1138

You weren't asking me, but the tires are great. The extra volume is nice off road, and they grip well in most conditions you'll encounter. Very confidence inspiring. If you're bike can clear them, they're worth looking at.

jtbadge

Yep, that about covers it. They roll pretty fast on pavement, too, all things considered. I have about 750 miles of gravel on this pair, and they are still going strong.

The only thing that could be improved is mud clearance - when things get sticky, they don't shed mud too fast.

justin1138

and that covered the rest!