Gravel? Don’t laugh! I’m just thinking out loud. Itch scratched

[CassidyAce]

I'll sort one of the Sirrus if you like

View attachment 636297

Thank you. I'm familiar with various iterations of the Sirrus but the Globe was a bike that completely passed me by. It looks to have decent tyre clearance, though. Good bike.

 

[Peachy!]

Well I’ve finally given life to Frankenclaud!

So what is it? Or maybe, What’s it made of?

Well the frame & forks are a full carbon 2009 Claud Butler Strada (actually the forks a Carbon/aluminium combo)
The wheelset is from a Tonka toy, no sorry just being silly, they’re a set of low mileage but quite old Shimano R500’s, who can break them?
Brakes are Shimano 600 callipers pulled by late 90’s Shimano LX levers.
Shimano Sora crankset and rear derailleur original to the bike & useful enough.
Lost the front mech, not needed imo for what I’m using it for, the cassette is 12-36 so lots of range and a nice mid sized 40t stronglight up front.
Damper post, Flite gel for a little extra bounce and an anti shock stem coupled with an up sweeping ITM bar.
28mm commuter tyres running at 50psi for some more give and grip, run pretty close with about 3mm clearance!

 

[Peachy!]

Bit odd on paper, but what’s it like in the saddle?
Awesome! Super light and responsive (at 19.6lb)
And surprisingly comfortable. A bit like an early 90’s hardtail but without the weight which was exactly what I was after.

Cobbles
Large gravel
Green lane
Dirt field apron
Chalk footpath
Field stubble
& last but not least, RAF Yorkshire roads!

 

[Peachy!]

I must say I’m disappointed. I thought I could count on at least a few of you to take the piss?

I’m off to me shed to fix saddles

 

[CassidyAce]

Actually, I find that a very interesting build, especially if you're riding over all those different surfaces without too much discomfort on 28 mm tyres. I've just switched back from 28 mm to 32 mm on my road bike because the ride was too rough on the local roads on the 28 mm, so I'm intrigued. (Admittedly, though, the roads are pretty awful around here—quite like that one in your final photo—and I was running 65 PSI or so.)

The stem, for instance: how well does that work? 50 PSI: are the tyres not deforming badly when you're pedalling out of the saddle? Is the frame compliant in the right places or just damn stiff? I haven't got any questions about the 1x set up but I thought Yorkshire was pretty hilly so I guess I find it surprising. I don't think I'd be using that set up here on the Kent Downs: I'm usually thankful for every last gear ratio I've got!

 

[Peachy!]

No deforming that I could feel but then I don’t pedal out of the saddle And I live in East Yorkshire, just on the edge of the Wolds. I have one small valley to climb out of and I’m looking south over the Plains of Holderness. It’s as flat as Norfolk for 30 miles down to the Humber.
Besides 36t cog to 40t chain ring is a ratio of 1.111r on a bike weighing under 20lbs I don’t think I need anything lower.
The stem? Yeah it works well. I’ve used this on my road bike and although when you first use it you don’t really notice it, that is until you swap it out again and then you really do!

 

[Woz]

All I can say is that is the best thing that ever happened to a Sora crankset ever.

 

[legrandefromage]

No.

No because of the fag paper tire clearances - any stones or even grit will tear into the tires after being rolled by the frame/ fork

No again because you are using v-brake levers for road brakes (jumpers for goal posts), the cable pull is the same as cantilever, v-brakes will pull too much and the brakes will be wooden

and a final nail in the coffin no for that chain ring - any bouncy bits will throw off the chain mid shift, needs some sort of guide or roller or narrow-widenessnessness

6/10 for effort

4/10 for practicality - see me after class....

 

[Peachy!]

That’s more like it

 

[legrandefromage]

Thats not the attitude I expect young man! If you want your badge of Professional Bodgery and Faff you have to earn it!

You cant just sling stuff together!