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#18
08-16-2019, 09:23 PM
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Not sure what your budget is, but Crust has some cool looking frames:
https://crustbikes.com/product-category/bikes/frames/ 
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#21
08-17-2019, 08:14 AM
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Like all the other steel bikes in that price range they are capable bikes and perfect for those who don't know what a good steel bike rides like. Otherwise they all kinda suck.
It's true. PS the LHT is the wosrt riding bike on that planet.
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#22
08-17-2019, 09:25 AM
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After further looking, it looks like the Ravn does not take enough tire at 47mm and under for 27.5, and the Ulv at 71mm and up for 27.5 takes too much, depending on where my q factor would end up, tire sizes are limiting too..
The killer for the Ulv for me may be the boost spacing. Yes, thanks! Crust has some good options, I like the nor easter, that seems to be the best fit though the color bothers me probably too much. Different vibes, but the romanceur is more is along the lines of the ravn, the evasion more along the Ulv from what i can tell. The Romanceur looks like it would be lighter, (and softer) and can run a road crank, and take a touch more tire than the Ravn. The bombora could work too... I'll look for more info and ride commentary on those frames. both of those last too limit me on going to higher volume than 2.3ish. Originally i said 2.2 and up for tire size, and ideally i would like to stick to that, but that is going to push my q factor. 1275 is pushing the cost a bit. Its going to be over a year for me to get all the pieces to build this thing if i am spending that much on a frame set, which is ok. I think I need to do more reading on q, and figure out how much i can actually handle without pain. If i cannot put hours/days in without my knee getting really bad its a deal breaker, no mater how much i love plush tires. The reach on the frame is too small for me, but i am going to try throwing a longer stem on it and putting some miles on my wife's Krampus, and see how i do with that q factor, it has 170mm cranks on it though as opposed to my normal 175. If i can handle the paint, and decide i need narrower Q than i can get with most mountain cranks, (though i have, and could run some sort of square taper) the bombora seems like a good option. I wish these companies would publish frame weight... I really wonder how the monsoon compares to these others. Wooley got is down to near what the bombora the path less pedaled tested was, and it had some pretty high end parts. The bombora is reviewed as compliant and comfortable, i wonder where the monsoon fits in there, I do not remember Russ mentioning that for the monsoon. I like that the monsoon is compatible for a dropper, I have never had one, but my guess is i would like one. Again with the bummer knee... i like my seat high, in a road position on my mtbs etc. A dropper would allow me to have that, and get it out of the way when i am out of saddle and going through rough stuff. Dropping my seat a bit for trail stuff causes pain if i don't get off and move it for large seated climbs. I have been bitten leaving it up too and trying to get behind it at the wrong time. I wont be riding this on rough stuff all the time though... and i have lived without a dropper this far. Do i want the weight penalty, cost, maintenance, and the rest of the features of a frame that offers a dropper? I am probably honestly better off dropping the money of a quality dropper into the frame or wheels, if i really need to throw that money at a bike... But the idea of it is tempting. Yup, I am looking into the wolverine now too. I need to pick my compromises. But If i am buying new i would rather buy from one of the smaller companies. Crust and Rawland look pretty good from that regard. Thankyou for the continued input! There are way more options that i originally though...
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#23
08-17-2019, 10:57 AM
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With the crust offerings I’d like at the Bombora instead of the nor’easter. Takes 27.5x2.25 I think and can use road cranks which might be good for your knee issues? It’s also priced a little closer to earth.
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#24
08-17-2019, 11:39 AM
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Quote:
I would keep an eye on the classifieds here. Bikes from small, boutique companies pop up regularly. Another bike on a budget: Surly Midnight Special.
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#25
08-17-2019, 12:15 PM
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Comparing the rawlands both of them, both med and large to the small size krampus on bicycle insight is interesting...... I'll see where i get with the krampus experement. I have never tried it with a long stem, as it is not my bike.
Sorry to hear about rawlands service... I'll be checking classifieds! Thanks! The bombura is high on the list, and though a bit different focus the bromanceur looks good too, its more laid back and the 853 tubing sounds nice. The midnight special sounds fun, but the front end makes me worried. looking at the geo It will probably be more twitchy than my cross check was, which is fun for short rides, but ultimately uncomfortable. I'll see how the krampus experiment goes, If i got either of those crusts i may want a large... seems the same with the rawlands. look at this, and notice the sizes. very interesting... https://bikeinsights.com/compare?geo...&builds[]= https://bikeinsights.com/compare?geo...&builds[]= https://bikeinsights.com/compare?geo...&builds[]= https://bikeinsights.com/compare?geo...&builds[]= Last edited by MrSmokey; 08-17-2019 at 12:17 PM. Reason: correction
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#26
08-17-2019, 01:17 PM
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The Kona Rove ST is similar to the Gorilla. I have one and like mine. Pretty sure they're offered as a frameset too.
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#27
08-18-2019, 10:48 AM
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Thanks for the heads up on the rove.
I also found the blackmountain monster cross, and the tumbleweed prospector, both sortof in this realm. The black mountain monstercross looks promising but is 700 only, there is the disk version, the MCD and it is designed around 700 but works with 650b. I had forgotten about the Jones stuff too, 68mm bb, but boost rear axle... I should look at rivendell again too, i forgot that they outsourced now and have some frames i may be able to afford, I used to lust after those years ago. Most have longer chain stays than i think i want though. I found a tall uncut seatpost in my spares that fit the small krampus, and i have it set at its limit, it could be a an inch or so higher honestly, so i don't know how accurate this test will be in determining if the q works. I put the longer stem on as well, and tried riding it a bit, fit seems ok otherwise, but i am betting i am going to be wanting to go with a narrower q. Anyone here ridden any of the crust stuff? Honestly they are a little hipper than i want to appear, and while i personally like the styling, and like looking at their bikes, I would rather be unnoticed, but... Same goes for a lot of these. I'll get something loud though if it seems like the right fit, and again i like going with the smaller fellows than say QBP, even if their stuff is also outsourced. I did like my crosscheck for the most part, and the bombora seems to address what i did not like about it, the ravn takes that a little farther, and the MCD takes that even farther. hmm. I wish i could ride any of those. How far is too far.
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#29
08-18-2019, 01:10 PM
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I think loaded touring is the one scenario that might not be optimal. For heavy loads on racks, dedicated touring geometry makes the bike handle better.
For all the other scenarios, I really like the gorilla monsoon. I was putting together specs for a GM build until things changed that made another bike less practical. That feels like a frame that you could build up on the cheap and have a great bike, or one that you could go high-end with something like ETap and also have a great ride. Depending on your use case, the MTB crank might be limiting. You can go with 650 or 700 wheels; your choice will affect bb height and trail, so you have to consider how that impacts handling.
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#30
08-18-2019, 02:48 PM
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Thanks for more thoughts, the elephant NFE is another option, though more expensive and US made. I should probably think about the crust lightning bolt too. I also should figure out and decide if low trail is really what i want, as i will ride this thing empty or relatively empty probably most of the time. i need to ride something with it.
The front end on the lightning bolt and romanceur look the same, folks have commented on other forums about steering being funny on the lightning bolt at first, but it goes away and then feels great. I talked to analog cycles , and am going to try to get up there and try an evasion to see how that is, though the q is wide it would tell me if the bombora would work. I'll look into the Rodeo Labs Flaanimal!
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