Hey MK,

In the hole of the stem is a perfect place for a reflector or some kind of halogen/led light:
http://www.bikeforums.net/attachment...6&d=1158481590

sb11, great idea. I'll look through my collection of reflectors and glow thingies.

Another thought, actually for Yan, is that there could be a baggage system connector integrated with the steerer tube clamp. Something tells me we'll see a threadless headset in the near future on DTs. Why would I think this? I have a "guest" MTB with 1" threaded headset and blown fork seals ... can't a replacement fork for it and don't want to replace the seals ... the march of progress.

Maunakea,

Your transformation is quite inspiring. I am trying to achieve some results on my merc, if I can't, I will sell it and get another DT and start working on 'the ways of the Force" towards something similar to your bike! Just the fork, the "paint job" and the handlebar would make a great mauna wannabe.

RG, the Force is with you. The worries I had about whether the headset "conversion", FD pull, and chainline would work are worries you won't have. Remember to balance the bling and the anti-bling, e.,g the D-A RD vs. truck bedliner, to achieve proper Feng Shui.

Meditate about this, I will...

Where did you get the paint from? I checked Napa's site and get an error when I clicked on the bed liner paint.

I used a Surley.. it wasn't an absolute necessity, but since the distance between crank and hub do change due to the rear suspension movement, I put one on.... I will re-PM you later in the day..

Bruce

I bought both items at the largest NAPA on Oahu, which has a full paint dept. Many NAPAs don't. The bedliner is Duplicolor TRQ 250 Truck Bed Coating Bulk. One quart was about $30 IIRC. The solvent is NAPA 15250 Wax and Grease Remover. 473 ml was about $8. Use the solvent first, since the bedliner is very fussy about clean surfaces. The solvent only cleaned, it did not remove paint. The DT frame only took about 300 ml for two coats. The rest is for touch-ups and perhaps the next project bike (Cadenza).

The bedliner has NASTY vapors that will harm neurons, so you have to use it in a well-ventilated space. I worked outdoors.

Another safety suggestion is to wear a respirator and safety goggles when you dremel aluminum bits (aluminum particles and lungs don't mix well). I had a cut-off bit disintegrate, with pieces hitting my safety goggles. I was probably pressing too hard out of impatience.

The MK bike does the Hana Highway, and takes a break. Posted to show the current configuration. I reverted to using the TB LT. The Kalloy Uno either had too much rotation and inadequate rebound damping, or adequate limitation of rotation but no suspension. I decided I didn't like seat rotation about the longitudinal axis.

Also, I've put the horns lower, which is better for speed, and which also kicks up the rear portion of the euro bars (good for lollygagging). I've replaced the adjustable stem with a fixed stem after dialing in the rise.

Sorry if this had been remarked on before... dude, you have a seriously sloping seat!? (Or is it to make room for a hefty nail?)

Nice bike. *drools*

Hi Maunakea,

I'm thinking of buying a meks 1/1.8 fork for my downtube. i know i'll have to replace the headset - but will i have to replace the folding handle bar post as well?

i know you made your own, but was wondering whether this was a nessecity to fit the fork? could i keep the existing handle post?

regards
Barney

Damn!!! *salivating*

I WANT!!!!

I know it was asked... but I didn't see the answer...

for all us weight weenies... how many pounds??

I don't have a DT YET!... but hope to mod around the same line... though I want one that can set up for mild offroad duties as well...

AMAZING JOB MAUNAKEA!! Hats off to you...

Barney, the OE handlepost is threaded. The MEKS forks are threadless with a thinwall Al steerer tube. You do NOT want to try to cut threads in a thin wall steerer ... a fracture is inevitable (first the tube, then ...). Therefore, with the MEKS forks, you must go threadless, which means building a "sleevepost". A sleevepost is also used on Swifts (thank you, Peter, because I would not have tried the conversion without looking at my Swift and thinking, if Peter can do it, I can), and comes apart easily for packing. If you could find good forks with a thick wall steerer tube, you could cut threads in the steerer tube and keep the OE handlepost. Yan might be able to source such a beast, but I couldn't find one, even in Taiwan.

psykoocycle, mahalo nui loa. The final weight is 27 lbs, which isn't bad considering the extra stuff I added. You could drop at least 3 lbs by using a plain seat tube (instead of the TB), TT bars, and a single set of brake levers. You could drop even more with a single chain ring and no FD. The MK bike as configured reflects its riding profile for me .... a mule at times, hauling a big kayak bag between airport and busstop/hotel/friend's house, with steep grades in mule mode; main transportation when away from home; and cardio.

The OE threaded steerer/hinge weighs more than the frame, so the biggest weight savings was going to a threadless headset; the second biggest was CF forks. If you're weight conscious, you're also speed conscious, and that's where the MK bike shines. With the 53/9 and tight tires, I blow away full roadies (out of shape roadies, though; a toned-up roadie on a Litespeed or Madrone would have me drafting for a while before being dropped).

Were the riding profile more off-road and singletrack, I would definitely replace the RD with a gear hub. I would keep the FD and add a chain tensioner. I wiped out the OE RD in a singletrack fall (consumed by an evil root). The MEKS fork would be terrific off-road ... it really works. The MEKS is designed for small front tandems, so it expects "adults loaded for touring" rider weights, not 30 kg BMXers. While not a double-crown Marzocchi, the MEKS can still handle some real Gs.

After hundreds of miles, the Maunakea bike is just as tight and fast as day one. Likewise, it's cousin, the M'Kadenza (which finally shifts well with the correct FD (Shimano FD-443) matched to the flatbar shifters) has delivered lots of troublefree kms in Japan and elsewhere.

SB11, I'm happy to report that putting Spinskins inside the Primo Comet Kevlars stopped the glass magnetic field.

I've introduced a speed-skating technique into turning on the MK bike. Speedskates now use 100mm and 110mm wheels. They are brilliant in a straight line, but getting them to turn is a chore. To turn well, you have to crouch deeply as you carve. On the MK bike, doing a chicane at speed, I look like a bobbing pigeon as I crouch into turns and release after apex.

Manuakea:

How's the truckliner paint holding up to the abuse? Is it living up to expectations?

maunakea - how the heck are ya? The wife and I bent a chainring a few days ago on our tandem and I immediately thought of you! I may try the Spinskins and Comets at some point, after my Kwests wear out. (I always did like the ride of the Comets minus the "durability" issues.)

SesameCrunch, in a word .... not a single chip or ding after 6 roundtrips in the DT soft bag. That's 24 assaults by the ramp gorillas (2 per flight segment, 12 flight segments, so they've had a go at it). A guy at Kilauea Bakery on Kauai (highly recommended) asked me if the MK bike had special paint. I smiled, and said, "Yes, anti-gorilla paint." I had to explain to forestall the animal rights questions.

SB11, doing well, thank you, I've been in stealth mode on the board, but when I saw F&T was in acquisition mode, I de-cloaked. Yes, tacoed chainrings ... shouldn't happen, but it does to torque-monsters. Now you have to upgrade. Being on a tandem, you probably weren't out of the saddle when it happened, so I trust you and stoker stayed up.

I bought the cheaper MTB Spinskins on promo at Pricepoint... each "skin" does about 1.5 turns around a 406 tire. I didn't cut the .5 off ... thinking why not double protect. I can't notice any imbalance, even at warp speed. I tried Kenda Kwests on one of my road bikes. The rear was cut up badly by road debris in only a few hundred miles, but the front has held up. I've got a Vredenstein on the rear now, which is much more resilient than the Kwest. The Kwest on the front is terrific in corners, so the K/V combi works very well.

Right on the money, as usual. Thinking back, I must have accidentally shifted to a higher gear when stopped at that red light. We're using an original Sachs grip shifter which I've found to be more sensitive than another other (SRAM) grip shifter I've tried. Come to think of it, I remember the Sachs shifter on my Birdy was just as sensitive.

Thanks for the info on the skins. I'm thinking more and more about doing the bedliner "paint job" though.

The bedliner says "don't steal me" the way that pearl iridescent quad clear coat says "steal me". Ultra functional, if not chipping matters. Powdercoating is great, but bedliner is here, now, cheap, and it I ever need a touch up.... it will be a perfect match.

cheers maunakea, i don't really know alot about bikes and i wanted to make sure i understood the issues before I ordered the stuff.

Yeah, I really like that idea. When mine needs painting, that'll be what I do. A folder gets beat up more than other bikes and needs the extra protection!

PS: Glad to see you back on line again :)

SC, thanks for your P.S. Yes... folders see far more hazards than non-folders, especially trains, planes, and car boots.

Could you detail exactly how you got the FD attached? I assume its a 40mm tube. It appears you're using a braze-on style FD coupled with your solution. What I'm specifically searching for is that clamp, since I'm thinking about doing the same thing on my Swift.

TIA.

A braze-on FD mounted to a braze-on adapter clamp. The frame is a DT VIII FS. I can't remember the clamp size, sorry, but it was a generic clamp from NB. Buying the Shimano branded clamp only adds cost.

Hey MK ..... what a great looking bike - well done !

The seat tube diameter changed somewhere along the way. The older versions had a 34.9 mm diameter. The new ones have a 40 mm diameter.

Ask Yan or the Downtube people for more details.