Cyclesafe

If the Thorn is eliminated from consideration (US$ cost and availability in the US) how should I build up a purpose-built mountain touring bike ideal for the Great Divide. Since I already have an Americano, the new bike must be able to do things that the Americano can not in order to justify its cost.

The Gunnar Road Tour is the only frame I've found that seems to have most of what I am looking for. It is steel, a 29er, set up for disk brakes that don't conflict with fenders, has sufficient braze-ons and threaded holes for fenders and racks, is available with S&S couplers, and has vertical drop outs that might accommodate a Rohloff without the paraphenalia usually required for compatibility.

Suspension Fork: Something reliable based on springs. Any suggestions that would fit a 29er?

Headset: Chris King

Handlebar: Jeff Jones H Bar

Brakes: Avid BB7's w/ 203mm rotors

Saddle: B17? Would a Flyer be better?

BB: Phil Wood. The standard 5mm play or even an eccentric BB may be required for the...

Rear Hub: Rohloff w/standard 16t sprocket.

Front Hub: Phil Wood

Crankset: 38t ring single speed crank. Suggestions? It may depend on the BB.

Tires: Schwalbe Marathon XR, 50mm

Any ideas?

DukeArcher 

Must you use 29er's? I'd go 26'

bokes

Cyclesafe,
I wanted the same thing, so I got the Rock Tour a few months ago. I was lucky and found a new frame and fork for 50% off (but it's an older model). I couldn't find any other frame that has longer chainstays and was still designed for a suspension fork.
My setup is similar to your plans, Rohloff, B17, XR tires. But I'm not sold on using disc brakes for the Great Divide. I think i'll install discs for home mtb use, and then switch to VBrakes for long tours.
I haven't done it yet, but I plan on replacing the dropouts with Paragon sliders. It has a sliding disc mount as well, so you don't have to adjust the brakes when sliding the wheel back. Or I might just use a chain tensioner and have the left side dropout modified, so i can lose the torque arm.
Let us know what you decide.

cyccommute 

If you have a choice always pick 26" over 700C for touring. Stronger wheel.

Cyclesafe

Bokes,

I'm trying to avoid the hardware necessary to fit the Rohloff on non-purpose built dropouts. The Paragon slider is the solution cited by Gunnar, but I'm leaning more towards getting a custom steel frame that will do everything.

Rim brakes are certainly simpler to fix, but mechanical disks could be dependable enough. Likewise, 26" wheels are stronger than 29" wheels, but if properly built, the latter are strong enough. In fact, with the Rohloff you have an undished rear wheel. What you get with disks are better stopping power under load in wet conditions and with 29" wheels better - I dunno I forgot, but I was somehow sold on them.

This bike assembling thing is frustrating. To get exactly what you want costs more and more money.

dbg

Building up from custom components definitely costs more than buying a mainstream factory package.

bokes

Cyclesafe,
If you don't want to go with the sliders, and you don't want Rohloff hardware, then you'll need an eccentric bottom bracket

Gunnar charges only a bit more for custom frames, but they will NOT make one with an EBB, I argued with Richard about it, and he wouldn't budge. He claims you can't get the necessary clearance for wide tires with one, even after I sent him proof that Thorn does it all the time with their Rohloff touring models.
Perhaps you'd have to go with a different builder.

Do you ever plan to tour outside of N. America or Europe? Good luck finding 29ers in Asia, S. America, or Africa.
I forgot, as you probably already know, Thorn makes the eXXp, Rohloff and suspension ready with long chainstays. But, unfortunately, it's ridiculously expensive.

Miles2go

Have you talked to Chris? He's no stranger to touring bikes, 29ers or the Rohloff Speedhub. iglebike AT aol DOT com

Good luck with your search.

Choccy

Why do people worry about disc brakes. They are a lot easier to fix on the trail than rebuilding a wheel. With discs you don't wear the rims out but with V's in bad weather they wear very quick.

Cyclesafe

Thanks for the responses.

Yes, I'm thinking of going custom. Don't wanna, but that's the only way to lose the frankenkit. The eXXp is so over the top expensive it might as well not exist.

No plans to go to outside North America or Europe, but you never know. OTOH, the only 29er part to worry about is tires and I'd bring several along with me. If I break a rim, I could make do with a 26" wheel, albeit I'd have to extra careful with the pedals turning and I'd have to suffer the derision of village children.

I'm also considering a rigid fork rather than suspension. In the bush, far from hospitals, I'm likely not to geronimo down hills fully loaded anyway. Save 2 lbs and couple hundred bucks. Any thoughts about this?

foamy

My tours thus far have been mostly off-road on an mtb without shocks. I haven't had any problems, but then again—you don't miss what you never had.

Vernon Huffman

I firmly advise against shocks for touring. The extra weight of panniers can wear them out. When they get springy, the bike doesn't handle well. A partner I toured with crashed twice because of shocks. I've ridden ten thousand miles on modified mountain bikes without shocks.

Besides skinny, high pressure tires, the most important modification, IMHO, is broader range gearing, with higher speeds. I use a 52-11 combo a lot on downhills. I'd go bigger on the front, if I could do it without surrendering my low range.