Potential LHT build, feedback appreciated
#1
Potential LHT build, feedback appreciated
[outgrowth of the "have 4k" post]
My beloved LHT is no more, but I used it on two previous month+ tours. I did worry about the occasional "death wobble" on descents. However, I'm lighter now, and will probably use a Bob, so this should be less of an issue.
Goals are basically to have a backup/alternate to my thorn for touring. I need:
- big gearing range, as I'm a big dude and will be tackling Cascades next year, possibly on this bike.
- disc brakes and friction shifters, as I've always found rim brakes and indexed derailleurs too finicky.
So the following is a first cut at an LHT disc trucker build. For a few things, I'm not sure what to get, including the brake levers (short-pull, separate from shifters), derailleurs (need to deal with mountain triple in front, and huge (36t) cog in rear). Will the Silver shifters work w/ all thuff?
- disc trucker frame, 60cm $409.00 modernbike
- road avid bb7 x2 $142.00 amazon ASSUMING ROAD BRAKES WORK
- brake levers, short-pull for road bb7, WHICH?
- SOS levers x2 $107.00 rivendell (friction, bar mount)
- shimano HG61, 9spd, 12-36 cassette $50.00 rivendell
- deore XT 44-32-22, chainrings, $0.00 reuse
- SRAM PC-890 chain $28.00 amazon
- derailleurs, WHICH?
- wheelset $750.00 peter white, white industries disc, 40-spoke
- 2 new tires, schwalbe supreme 700x35 x2 $150.00
- Nitto Noodle, 48cm $83.00
- handlebar tape, leather $70.00 velo-orange
- thompson seatpost $0.00 reuse
- saddle B17 $0.00 reuse
- pleischer kickstand $0.00 reuse
- assorted cables $100.00
- stem WHICH?
Thanks,
pete
My beloved LHT is no more, but I used it on two previous month+ tours. I did worry about the occasional "death wobble" on descents. However, I'm lighter now, and will probably use a Bob, so this should be less of an issue.
Goals are basically to have a backup/alternate to my thorn for touring. I need:
- big gearing range, as I'm a big dude and will be tackling Cascades next year, possibly on this bike.
- disc brakes and friction shifters, as I've always found rim brakes and indexed derailleurs too finicky.
So the following is a first cut at an LHT disc trucker build. For a few things, I'm not sure what to get, including the brake levers (short-pull, separate from shifters), derailleurs (need to deal with mountain triple in front, and huge (36t) cog in rear). Will the Silver shifters work w/ all thuff?
- disc trucker frame, 60cm $409.00 modernbike
- road avid bb7 x2 $142.00 amazon ASSUMING ROAD BRAKES WORK
- brake levers, short-pull for road bb7, WHICH?
- SOS levers x2 $107.00 rivendell (friction, bar mount)
- shimano HG61, 9spd, 12-36 cassette $50.00 rivendell
- deore XT 44-32-22, chainrings, $0.00 reuse
- SRAM PC-890 chain $28.00 amazon
- derailleurs, WHICH?
- wheelset $750.00 peter white, white industries disc, 40-spoke
- 2 new tires, schwalbe supreme 700x35 x2 $150.00
- Nitto Noodle, 48cm $83.00
- handlebar tape, leather $70.00 velo-orange
- thompson seatpost $0.00 reuse
- saddle B17 $0.00 reuse
- pleischer kickstand $0.00 reuse
- assorted cables $100.00
- stem WHICH?
Thanks,
pete
Last edited by northerntier; 09-03-12 at 12:20 PM.
#2
This thread:
https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...on-Cross-Check
talks about the Deore M592 SGS shadow derailleur to deal w/ the 12-36. $54 shipped from Niagara.
For the front, should I go w/ a mountain or road derailleur?
https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...on-Cross-Check
talks about the Deore M592 SGS shadow derailleur to deal w/ the 12-36. $54 shipped from Niagara.
For the front, should I go w/ a mountain or road derailleur?
#3
Banned
stem WHICH?
What was the stem size and rise angle on the last bike, how did you like the fit?
I have gone from a 8cm and Randonneur bars to a shorter stem Noodle Drop bar,
quill type then,
then my newer bike I adopted trekking bars .. Magura HS33, hydraulic rim brakes.
Rohloff grip-shifter..
#4
Banned
brake levers, short-pull for road bb7, WHICH?
you can even get campag levers without the gizzards in them ,
or get their lower end ones and strip the Brifter parts out.
V brake long pull Tektro , Cane Creek make a lever in both types..
its almost like saddle choices .. see whats in the shops, hold it in your hand
I have some of Shimano Aero levers, they are on my bar end shifted road bike..
Riv stocks those {?]
Last edited by fietsbob; 09-03-12 at 01:16 PM.
#5
Used to be fast
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: So Cal
Posts: 580
Bikes: 85 Specialized Expedition, 07 Motobecane Immortal Spirit built up with Dura ace and Mavic Ksyriums, '85 Bianchi Track Bike, '90 Fisher Procaliber, '96 Landshark TwinDirt Shark Tandem, '88 Curtlo
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I did a similar build with an '86 Specialized Expedition. I went with XT derailers front and rear. I used the same 48cm nittos with Shimano brake levers. Love the bars, hated the levers. They were very narrow. I ended up with Cane Creek levers with a much wider platform to rest your hands on. They also come in normal and long pull versions at Harris Cyclery. Being a big guy, the wider levers made a huge difference. I also went with leather bar tape, but double wrapped it over some cheap gel tape. That gave a great feel to the bars.
What made you choose the White Industries wheels over the Phils? The cost? I wanted the Peter White touring wheels with the Phils, but ran out of money and am still using the original wheels with a 7 speed until I can afford them.
The Velo Orange stem is very nice looking, or to keep it in the family you could go with a Thompson to match the seat post.
What made you choose the White Industries wheels over the Phils? The cost? I wanted the Peter White touring wheels with the Phils, but ran out of money and am still using the original wheels with a 7 speed until I can afford them.
The Velo Orange stem is very nice looking, or to keep it in the family you could go with a Thompson to match the seat post.
#6
Cane creek scr-5? They look pretty good. White industry's are less than Phil wood, I've had a problem w/ a Phil wood hub before, and some of philwood.com is not rendering on google chrome/ Mac. :-).
#7
Banned
One thing I found , smaller shops in the high season are not set up to hand build wheels on demand
so some times a common 36 spoke freehub will be better , if you damage the rim
an off the peg wheel wont be premium components, then you have to tear out
the premium hub, un build the wheel, and mail it home.
Had no problems with my Phil Hub, but I used a Freewheel.
so the hub was simple ..
so some times a common 36 spoke freehub will be better , if you damage the rim
an off the peg wheel wont be premium components, then you have to tear out
the premium hub, un build the wheel, and mail it home.
Had no problems with my Phil Hub, but I used a Freewheel.
so the hub was simple ..
#8
Senior Member
- road avid bb7 x2 $142.00 amazon ASSUMING ROAD BRAKES WORK
- stem WHICH?
#9
Thanks for the comments, guys. I talked to Dave at Rivendell for a bit and he was very helpful. Says they spec bikes with the SOS shift levers and the 12-36 rear cassette all the time. I'm going to use Cane Creek SCR-5 brake levers, plus interrupter levers from my old bike (can't remember what they were).
sstorkel, I have a BB7 on the back of my thorn and like it quite a bit, so I think it'll be okay. I am going to use the road disc brake model. I've heard preferences both ways (road better, and ATB better), so I'm going to just stay w/ the road.
scubasteve, it actually happened to one of my touring buddies. His bottom bracket started snapping, popping, and crackling. The local ISP theorized that the builder hadn't used any/enough grease, and the builder did pay for everything. Seems unlikely to have made that big of an error, though, as he is a very well-known, and well thought of, custom builder. *My* Phil Wood has been fine, but I no longer think of it as being bullet-proof.
I'll have an Arkel handlebar bag and probably a bob on tour. I'll upload a picture when I build it up.
pete
sstorkel, I have a BB7 on the back of my thorn and like it quite a bit, so I think it'll be okay. I am going to use the road disc brake model. I've heard preferences both ways (road better, and ATB better), so I'm going to just stay w/ the road.
scubasteve, it actually happened to one of my touring buddies. His bottom bracket started snapping, popping, and crackling. The local ISP theorized that the builder hadn't used any/enough grease, and the builder did pay for everything. Seems unlikely to have made that big of an error, though, as he is a very well-known, and well thought of, custom builder. *My* Phil Wood has been fine, but I no longer think of it as being bullet-proof.
I'll have an Arkel handlebar bag and probably a bob on tour. I'll upload a picture when I build it up.
pete
#10
Senior Member
With the BB7, both road and mountain, I find I have to adjust the pad spacing a bit almost every time I remove a wheel... and sometimes when I don't. In that respect, they're quite a bit more finicky than rim brakes. Can't remember the last time I had to do any maintenance to a rim brake, other than change the pads when they wear out.
#11
With the BB7, both road and mountain, I find I have to adjust the pad spacing a bit almost every time I remove a wheel... and sometimes when I don't. In that respect, they're quite a bit more finicky than rim brakes. Can't remember the last time I had to do any maintenance to a rim brake, other than change the pads when they wear out.[/FONT]
#12
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Madison, WI
Posts: 11,580
Bikes: 1961 Ideor, 1966 Perfekt 3 Speed AB Hub, 1994 Bridgestone MB-6, 2006 Airnimal Joey, 2009 Thorn Sherpa, 2013 Thorn Nomad MkII, 2015 VO Pass Hunter, 2017 Lynskey Backroad, 2017 Raleigh Gran Prix, 1980s Bianchi Mixte on a trainer. Others are now gone.
Liked 1,594 Times
in
1,235 Posts
Regarding finicky indexed shifters, I use an 8 speed system on my two touring bikes and on my foldup bike. I have almost no problems at all. Shifting on my foldup is a bit sloppy but I have to use outer housing on the full length of the derailleur cable and it is long enough that I have to use a tandem cable because of the folding mechanism.
Was your finicky shifting on a 9 or more speed system?
I occasionally have to clean and lube the plastic cable guide under the bottom bracket, but that will cause a shifting problem on indexed just as much as on friction.
I use friction front shifter.
Was your finicky shifting on a 9 or more speed system?
I occasionally have to clean and lube the plastic cable guide under the bottom bracket, but that will cause a shifting problem on indexed just as much as on friction.
I use friction front shifter.
#14
There were a number of elements: 9-speed megarange cassette (11-34), mountain front, mountain deraileurs, and it turns out road shifters (LBS says they would work, lots of people now tell me no). So the shifters could be at least part of my problem. I've had problems on other bikes as well, as I generally have very large ranges.
W/ friction it might not be fast, precise, but at least I know I'll be able to get in the top and bottom gears, plus appropriate ones in the middle.
My silver shifters should be here tomorrow, frame and almost everything else is now in the mail and on it's way to me. Unfortunately, it turns out Peter White is backlogged, so my wheels will take a month to get here .
pete
W/ friction it might not be fast, precise, but at least I know I'll be able to get in the top and bottom gears, plus appropriate ones in the middle.
My silver shifters should be here tomorrow, frame and almost everything else is now in the mail and on it's way to me. Unfortunately, it turns out Peter White is backlogged, so my wheels will take a month to get here .
pete
#15
Senior Member
Peter White isn't the only guy in the country who knows how to build wheels... Hell, I bought the parts and the tools and built wheels myself. Had them faster that PW could deliver, they're every bit as reliable, and despite the cost of tools they ended up being cheaper! Having built them myself, I'm now much more confident that I could repair them on the road.
#16
You might want to look closer at your chain selection. That Sram chain only comes with 114 links and with the extra chain stay length on the LHT, it will most likely be too short. I just replaced mine and found this out this the hard way. Surly spec's out a Sram chain on their complete builds, but they are just cutting the length they need from a spool of chain.
#17
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Portland, Oregon, USA
Posts: 90
Bikes: 1995? Trek 830 (with mods); 1980ish Fuji S12-S
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I'd go cautiously with the kickstand with a Surly frame. Surly has a statement about kickstands on their website, specifically about crushing the chain-stays. While I am aware that you aren't some noob likely to crush chain stays through over-tightening, there may be a warranty issue lurking there anyway that they can use in case you ever have any difficulty.
https://surlybikes.com/info_hole/spew/kickstands_on_long_haul_truckers
P.S. The Pletscher is one that they recommended near the bottom.
https://surlybikes.com/info_hole/spew/kickstands_on_long_haul_truckers
P.S. The Pletscher is one that they recommended near the bottom.
Last edited by SteamDonkey74; 09-06-12 at 12:35 PM.
#18
Senior Member
I'd go cautiously with the kickstand with a Surly frame. Surly has a statement about kickstands on their website, specifically about crushing the chain-stays. While I am aware that you aren't some noob likely to crush chain stays through over-tightening, there may be a warranty issue lurking there anyway that they can use in case you ever have any difficulty.
https://surlybikes.com/info_hole/spew/kickstands_on_long_haul_truckers
P.S. The Pletscher is one that they recommended near the bottom.
https://surlybikes.com/info_hole/spew/kickstands_on_long_haul_truckers
P.S. The Pletscher is one that they recommended near the bottom.
#19
You might want to look closer at your chain selection. That Sram chain only comes with 114 links and with the extra chain stay length on the LHT, it will most likely be too short. I just replaced mine and found this out this the hard way. Surly spec's out a Sram chain on their complete builds, but they are just cutting the length they need from a spool of chain.
I'd go cautiously with the kickstand with a Surly frame. Surly has a statement about kickstands on their website, specifically about crushing the chain-stays. While I am aware that you aren't some noob likely to crush chain stays through over-tightening, there may be a warranty issue lurking there anyway that they can use in case you ever have any difficulty.
https://surlybikes.com/info_hole/spew..._haul_truckers
P.S. The Pletscher is one that they recommended near the bottom.
https://surlybikes.com/info_hole/spew..._haul_truckers
P.S. The Pletscher is one that they recommended near the bottom.
#20
I guess the the required length will depend on the size of the largest chain ring you are using. I have the stock crankset with 48-36-26t rings. In order to get the chain around the largest cogs with an inch of extra chain, which is how I was taught to size chains, I needed 116 links. The original stock Sram chain also had 116 links. Any of the 9 speed Shimano chains can be had with 114,116 or 118 links. I saw online where another LHT owner contacted Sram to see if he could get a longer chain and they advised him to buy 2 chains and use an extra power link to lengthen to the desired 116 links. I went with a Shimano Ultegra chain.
#21
I guess the the required length will depend on the size of the largest chain ring you are using. I have the stock crankset with 48-36-26t rings. In order to get the chain around the largest cogs with an inch of extra chain, which is how I was taught to size chains, I needed 116 links. Any of the 9 speed Shimano chains can be had with 114,116 or 118 links. I saw online where another LHT owner contacted Sram to see if he could get a longer chain and they advised him to buy 2 chains and use an extra power link to lengthen to the desired 116 links. I went with a Shimano Ultegra chain.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
mrkm
Touring
15
08-27-13 12:54 PM