Help with ti frame identification

[ishaw]

Acquired this recently, and hoping to identify it.

Pics below should hopefully help, but interesting features include adjustable rear drop outs, down tube gusset, down tube (which is also pretty large) profile ovalises at BB, cable/hose guides, 1 1/8 straight steerer and curvy seat and chain stays. Welds look very neat too. Sadly no serial or evidence there ever was one.

It came equipped with high end parts, hope, Thompson, carbon bars and post etc.

Also have a few questions:

What is the purpose of the adjustable drop outs? Could I run 650b/27.5 wheels safely if the drop outs were at full reach?

I'd like to tidy it up, it picked up a few scratches in transit, plus has a few from use. What's the best way to do this and end up/keep the matt finish?

 

[iveto1983]

Re:

I can’t help with IDing it, but the sliding dropouts are for tensioning the chain more than swapping wheel size. The non drive side dropout looks like it is extended to mate with a Rohloff oem plate.

 

[mk one]

Some of the frame features look familiar but i cant remember what it is at moment.

As above, sliding dropouts are usually for chain tension so you can run singlespeed

 

[ishaw]

Re:

Cheers guys, thanks for some info. I'm not planning on a rohloff so the extra long drop outs are no use.

I've spent a lot of time looking at images and haven't found anything exact. A few brands use the same drop out (cove is one), but I've not found a match yet.

 

[mk one]

close to this, they did a few versions

https://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category ... uts-39946/

 

[ishaw]

Re:

Spooky, I was just looking at that article as I've a pipedream scion which has the same style gusset on the down tube.

No serial is annoying.

 

[mdvineng]

Adjustable for different tyre specs and 650b from what I can gather. Voodoo also have that same gusset style.

 

[mk one]

With Pipedream alot of the features are options, gussets/dropouts etc

 

[mk one]

Voodoo bokor by looks ir a very close model

Are they Ti?

 

[ishaw]

Re:

Voodoo d-jab looks similar frame wise, but drop outs and cable guides don't match. Not seen a pic of one with a gusset either.

Pipedream again looks similar, though the pics I've seen have the seat stays joining the seat tube at a different position, though I guess that could be a frame size thing, though doubtful.

Question: i don't plan on going rohloff, so what are my options with the drop out? Seems silly to mess with it, so how easy will it be to find a normal one that fits?

Question: I appreciate that the adjustable drop outs are really there for chain adjustment. Could I get away with sliding them all the way back and fitting a 27.5 wheel (which I don't have)? Would I be better sticking with 26 an using a higher volume tyre? A 1 1/8 straight steerer 27.5 fork seems quite rare, but I have an option to convert a Reba I have with 27.5 lowers (I believe the CSU is the same for all the fork sizes, with different internals for travel). I can do this cheaply but wheels would be an expense. Worth it??

Question: I'd like to clean up the frame before building it up. What's the best way to do this and end up with the matt finish?