Can we see some pics of the build progress? lets have a look at those welds and see how ugly they really are. Seriously, I wouldn't mind seeing how its coming together, even if not finished.

Look at the dates of the posts. He finished it in '05. The server dumped the pics during one of the crashes.

However, I'd be interested to see his complete build if he would so graciously repost a couple.

In the meantime, here are some from a listing on ebay (while supplies last).

I'll have to dig around and see if I can find a pic of the complete build.

Failing that, I'll try to take a new one.

Here it is. The Polished Turd in all its glory.

Hey, that doesn't look half bad. Why did you think a size down would suit you better? The saddle and bars look high...if anything I would think you would want to step up? Or is it the ridiculously long top tube that's at issue?

Top tube is the issue. The bars ARE high. I have a custom Waterford with a crazy tall head tube. I don't think the saddle is that high.

And yeah, I'm real happy with the build. Thanks!

Nice looking bike. That green looks better in indirect light (as opposed to pics in preceeding post).

Very nice build. You weren't able to get fenders to fit?

Gulp, the weld in the BB picture just below the right side drop picture, really looks as though it missed the downtube entirely!!

Thanks for the insight!

The front fender fit fine. Rear fender needed jury-rigged. So, I did without. I may put a front fender on again before my next tour. I'm not really that be a fan of fenders. I think a good raincoat is more important.

Nice looking bike. I remember reading that "polished turd" comment a few years back, and my reaction today is the same as it was back then -- hard for me to put into words, but some reason it leaves me a bit angry.

People--
I bought one of these frames last year. It was on sale and I hit a coupon, getting it for something like $135. Right away, I had to return it--these frames run large. So don't order the same size you have in your regular road bike! Once the smaller frame arrived, I built it up and I've been pretty happy with it. I don't think the welds are ugly--they look like standard alu tig welds to me. I love the dark metalflake green paint. It seems to ride pretty well too. Perhaps because of the butted tubing, or the long wheelbase, or the fat tires I used--it doesn't have that harsh alu ride. I ended up finding a screaming craigslist deal on a lugged steel Schwinn Voyageur touring bike, and I was really looking for lugged steel. But I'm still keeping the Nashbar for off road rides and tours (you can fit some seriously fat tires in this frame) and nasty winter weather. It might not hurt to get a lighter fork, but I found that the Winwood version of Nashbar's cyclocross fork to give an overly harsh ride, so I've stayed with the steel fork that came with this frame. chucksbikes also sells a carbon fork with canti bosses that even has lowrider mounts.

Rich

? Well, you just can't be"angry".You gotta tell us why.Do you think the term to be vulgar?Does the term not do the bike justice?Does a self effacing comment freak you out?I'm not being hostile just wondering why something like this would anger you.( sorry RG but curiosity gets me every time.)

The only turd part, or part that is unlike any other bike is the frame. It's a cheap frame, but I think it looks great in the pictures. I bet it is in the price range of the Novara. The weld problem on the ebay frame would be pretty unusual. Nasbar stuff is a little rough but not structurally a problem. The weld look is a bit sloppy or rushed, may even be MIG as is the case on a lot of production welding, but as long as it locks in nicely I don't care. I don't see what makes this bike have to have fancy joints any more than an aircraft, BMX or MTB. etc...

Can a Shimano Nexus 8 internal hub fit on this frame? And has anyone else had problems with 700x37 or 700x38 tires?

my bn6000t (chro-moly/db) from 1996 is my current tourer. i am retooling drive train (derailleur-chain-cluster) after replacing front crank from 50 (?) tooth to 48 tooth. the frame is fine, forgiving, and able to hold full load (self-contained).
good luck in your build!
tomg

Just how large do these frames run? I am tempted, but at 6'6" with a 35"-36" inseam, I'm a bit nervous the 60cm will be too small. Using the fit calculator here: https://www.ebikewarehouse.com/Tiemey...Calculator.htm, it looks like it should fit.

What do you owners think?

Just to insert a comment about the welds. Ive welded production lines for years and aluminum welds are always large and unsightly if you compare them to steel or brazing. They look how they should for that type of material and at production scale actually.

Great thread and a great looking bike.

~airdvl~

The top tube to seat post dimensions may be a problem (see the previous post with dimensions chart).

I went with a 58cm because even in that size, it's more top tube than I wanted. The 60cm frame has a 61cm top tube, the 58cm frame nearly 60cm.

I think part of the reason is that the BB height (ground to center of BB) is high, at 12". I need a BB to saddle height of about 79cm. On the 58cm frame, this puts me up pretty high. I purchased a used frame/fork, on which the fork had been cut 1.5". Using one of Nashbar's 130mm super ridiculous rise ATB stems, the bars come just about level with the saddle. I would have preferred them a bit higher than the saddle (which would have been possible had the steer tube not been cut).

Other problems I've encountered with the frame:

Cable routing is not ideal for cantilever brakes. For the rear, there is no built-in stop, and the cable stops along the top tube are at 7:00, requiring a stupid bend when coupled with a seatpost binder bolt cable hanger.

If running cantilever brakes, you'll need to find a fork mounted stop for the front. I tried a steer tube mounted stop and experienced awful chatter. From what I've read, there may be several causes for this, but I think it may have to do with the geometry of this frame, or the flex in the provided fork. I think the frame is designed for V-brakes.

Fork only offers one set of eyelets up front, and the lowrider mounts are not through the fork. The fork also weighs 2.5 lbs. It's a beast. It's more than half the weight of the frame alone!

If you're going with a compact triple, be sure to get a top swing front derailleur. One of the water bottle bosses interferes with the bottom swing models I tried.

I've nearly completed my build, enough to have given it some short test runs (10-15 miles). I'm happy with it's ride and handling so far, though I haven't had it loaded up. Don't be scared away by the aluminum frame: fat tires and the chromoly fork take care of dampening. True, a steel frame may last longer and be repairable by a welder in Upper Mongolia, but for all practical purposes, I'm sure it's rugged enough.

But it is possible to file and finish welds to make them look more presentable. You're not gonna get that with a Nashbar frame.

Thanks for your reply JYB,

According to that calculator, the top tube length would be ideal. I measured about 78cm from the center of my BB to the seat rails (I assume you measured to the top of the saddle), so I'm guessing I would have about the same amount of seatpost showing you do. I wouldn't cut the steer tube until I was positive I needed to.

Thanks for the insight about the brakes. I was planning on cantis rather than V brakes so I don't need to get a travel agent, but I wonder now if I might be better off because of the chatter you mention.

The derailer advice is great too.

Thanks.

Yes, I measured to the top of the saddle. It's 73cm to my seat rails. You'll gain about 4 cm on the steer tube, compared to my built, so with a high rise stem like this you should be able to achieve bars level with the saddle. But you won't get much extension on it.

On the cantis: they seem to work pretty well with the fork mounted stop...but it hasn't seen many miles. Additionally, the part is not all that easy to find. I was lucky that a LBS had it for $10. Cheapest I could find online was $22 shipped from Harris Cyclery.

Two more notes:

1. The seattube on this frame is VERY relaxed, so you may want to go with a straight seatpost (vs. setback). I'm using a seatpost with a setback of about 4 cm (I had it on hand, so why not use it?). With the saddle pushed nearly all the way forward (only a cm or two to spare), I'm getting a BB to saddle nose measurement of 9 cm. According to online fit calculators, my ideal is 6 cm. I'm still testing it out though. It definitely uses a different muscle group in my legs than my road bike - more soreness in my calves. However, this may work for you if you have long femurs.

2. Yesterday I was riding the bike around my driveway, making some adjustments to the drivetrain, and I noticed quite a bit of instability at slow speeds. This was both with some loaded panniers on the rear rack, and with no load at all (except for me). I didn't really notice it on the longer rides. It could be a poor choice in fork by Nashbar, or it could be the short extension I have on my stem.

The others on this thread haven't complained of it, but I'm curious if anyone else has experienced it with the Nashbar frame/fork.

Bump from the dead, but this seems to be the best thread on this bike.

Anyone know the standover heights on the 54 and 56 frames with 700x38c or 700x40c tires?