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Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Rochester, NY
Posts: 18,050
Bikes: Stewart S&S coupled sport tourer, Stewart Sunday light, Stewart Commuting, Stewart Touring, Co Motion Tandem, Stewart 3-Spd, Stewart Track, Fuji Finest, Mongoose Tomac ATB, GT Bravado ATB, JCP Folder, Stewart 650B ATB
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Nothing wrong with using off road tubes for a road bike, as long as all the dimensions match up otherwise, and you are looking for the ride quality that the diameters and wall thicknesses will give you. As an example I have used an externally butted seat tube for a couple of lugless road frames.
I always felt that a slot and tab stay/drop out was easier to do and allowed for some measuring/cutting fudge. The Bb shell choice might be the bigger challenge. Not having stay sockets will make it's set up and brazing/clean up more involved. Geting the rear triangle of a frame spot on it diffecult enough with a lugged shell, adding the need for perfect stay length matching and placement on shell just increases the chance for something to be off a touch.
By all means consider making your own fork. In fact you might do the fork first. Andy.