Bontrager Privateer Comp 1998, Now Single Speed!

[bonty98]

Now that I´m building up the Race Lite I don´t know what to do with this one.
I´ll keep it, but maybe I´ll turn it into a singlespeed.
What do you guys think?

Jan

 

[EarlofBarnet]

It's a lovely bike, I like the colour scheme. Just keep it and build the other one regardless!

 

[Octsoc]

You coud try relacing the wheels with 650B rims and get some new 650B tires. Ride experience will be totally different and you still get to keep the bike. I'got good clearance on my Ti Lite with a 650B x 2.0 tire.

Now that I´m building up the Race Lite I don´t know what to do with this one.
I´ll keep it, but maybe I´ll turn it into a singlespeed.
What do you guys think?

Jan

 

[bonty98]

Octsoc:
650B, that´s 29:ers isn´t it?
Have you got pics on that?
That must look pretty brutal :twisted:
Jan

 

[Octsoc]

No, not 29er. 650B is actually in between 26" and 29", more like 27.5" It rides faster than 29er but goes over bumps better than 26". I'll shoot you a pic of it on my Race frame. I think the chain stays on the Race bow out more than the Ti Lite so it may have even more clearance.

 

[bonty98]

That sounds pretty cool
I´d really like to see some pics of that.
Jan

 

[Octsoc]

So here's what I did. 650B rear wheel with 2.3 tire on the Ti Lite, no clearance.

Tried with 2.0 tire, got good clearance on the Ti Lite.

Then 2.0 tire on Race frame with wheel pushed all the way back on the horizontal drop out. Better clearance than Ti Lite already.

 

[Octsoc]

2.0 tire on Race, this time with wheel pushed towards BB as close as the drop out would allow. Still got good clearance. I bet the Race frame will clear a 2.3 tire also ( I didn't try though). With bigger wheel, the brake pads will not align with the rim so you need to find something with longer pad adjustment.

The LDC brakes are the best available candidate I've found. There are older FMF brakes of similar design, but they are very hard to find these days.

 

[bonty98]

Wow, that looks really cool :twisted:

Something like that would be really awesome. When my other bike is ready I think I´ll have some thinking to do.

Thanks for the pics, octsoc
Jan

 

[Octsoc]

I forgot we are talking about a Privateer here, it opens up even more possibilities.

Possibility #1
You can find yourself an Origin8 (or Pace) carbon fork which is available in 1 1/8" steerer only, luckily. The fork has clamp on brake bosses. All you have to do is slide the clamps up a little and voila...the front brake now lines right up with the bigger rim.

Possibility #2:
The Origin8 fork is wide enough to take the 26 x 3.7 Endomorph snow tire made by Surly if you stay below 50mm on the rim width. I think if you ride at least a large Bonty frame, you should have no toe overlapping issue (front tire occasionally rubbing your toe when turning). Now, you got yourself a fat front/650 rear half snow bike!!