EighthInch Dispatch SS frame

ColonelJLloyd · #1 10-13-2024, 11:13 AM

There were several questions about the the single speed frames being sold by Wheel & Sprocket on eBay (who I understand owned the EighthInch label) so I thought I'd help answer some questions as mine arrived this week.

My 60cm frame is listed at 2,064g but weighs 1,941g. The listing says 32mm tire max and that seems accurate. I installed a nominal 32mm that measures about 33mm in both width and height.

Brake bridge hole to middle of brake track with axle all the way forward is 47mm (aka it is indeed designed for mid-reach calipers). Actual tire clearance will obviously be determined by which caliper and rim/tire combo you use. Top tube slope is ~4 degrees.

Forward-most axle position

Untitled by ColonelJLloyd, on Flickr

Untitled by ColonelJLloyd, on Flickr

Middle

Untitled by ColonelJLloyd, on Flickr

Untitled by ColonelJLloyd, on Flickr

Furthest

Untitled by ColonelJLloyd, on Flickr

coffeecherrypie · #2 10-13-2024, 11:23 AM

Cool frame. Here's an old article confirming the frames were built in Wisconsin with some involvement from Waterford.

https://thefixedlife.com/2014/05/14/...isptach-frame/

(Could just be sloppiness in writing but there seems to be an intentional avoidance of directly saying the frames were built by Waterford. For example it says "With the help of Richard Schwinn and his Waterford Precision Cycles team, Eighthinch found a local partner that understood bike building inside and out.")

PJN · #3 10-13-2024, 12:12 PM

Any idea what ac fork these were designed around?

ColonelJLloyd · #4 10-13-2024, 12:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PJN

Any idea what ac fork these were designed around?

Since it was designed around a mid-reach brake then it would be around 374mm with 43-45 rake. I bought a used fork with those specs and will report back later this week and show with a mockup.

Pegoready · #5 10-13-2024, 12:28 PM

Thanks for posting.

Seems like an incredibly well designed frame if the brake bridge tracks exactly with the range of a mid reach caliper as you move the wheel from front to back in the track end. Bravo. So many have gotten this wrong.

In your opinion is the clearcoat over raw a suitable finish or will the frame need to be stripped and properly painted? That's the detail that has held me back, more than doubling my money into the project to get it painted or PC'd.

ColonelJLloyd · #6 10-13-2024, 12:38 PM

I don't think this finish is a "permanent" one to suit most folks. I plan to BLO the inside of the tubes and probably apply some to the outside with a rag. That way I can monitor it. Mine shouldn't see much rain. Also seems a good candidate for a fun spray.bike project.

unterhausen · #7 10-13-2024, 02:26 PM

I wonder how old those frames are. Wisconsin is a great testing grounds for the possibility of future rust. I have heard of clear PC that's supposed to work without a primer coat, so maybe they aren't going to rust very quickly. I think they will eventually rust.

I wonder if they could have worked "waterford" into their ad many more times. I don't guess it matters anymore now that the bike company went out of business.

tctyres · #8 10-13-2024, 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by unterhausen

I wonder how old those frames are.

I wonder if they could have worked "waterford" into their ad many more times.

Given their Instagram presence, a good guess is that they were made in late 2014 to 2015.

They were definitely made by Waterford, but more like a specific version of a Gunnar-type frame.

unterhausen · #9 10-13-2024, 05:03 PM

Pretty impressive that there is no rust if they are 10 years old. I'm not a big fan of clear coating frames, but it seems like everyone else is.

ColonelJLloyd · #10 10-13-2024, 05:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by unterhausen

I wonder how old those frames are. Wisconsin is a great testing grounds for the possibility of future rust. I have heard of clear PC that's supposed to work without a primer coat, so maybe they aren't going to rust very quickly. I think they will eventually rust.

I wonder if they could have worked "waterford" into their ad many more times. I don't guess it matters anymore now that the bike company went out of business.

My impression from the ad copy I've read is that they weren't made in the Waterford bikes factory, just had input from Richard Schwinn and former Waterford employees in the design and fabrication.

This is definitely not powdercoated and I'm also impressed at the lack of rust. My feeling based on a quick internet search is that these may have even been pre-2010. Wheel & Sprocket surely knows and would probably answer.

My frame was in a lightweight, sealed plastic bag along with a large desiccant pack.

This is a photo taken with the ST and HT angles at ~73d to the ground.

Untitled by ColonelJLloyd, on Flickr

mstateglfr · #11 10-13-2024, 06:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tctyres

They were definitely made by Waterford, but more like a specific version of a Gunnar-type frame.

Definitely?

charliedid · #12 10-13-2024, 07:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tctyres

Given their Instagram presence, a good guess is that they were made in late 2014 to 2015.

They were definitely made by Waterford, but more like a specific version of a Gunnar-type frame.

Probably even a few years older if I recall.

Brian Smith · #13 10-13-2024, 07:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ColonelJLloyd

This is definitely not powdercoated and I'm also impressed at the lack of rust. My feeling based on a quick internet search is that these may have even been pre-2010. Wheel & Sprocket surely knows and would probably answer.

My frame was in a lightweight, sealed plastic bag along with a large desiccant pack.

This is a photo taken with the ST and HT angles at ~73d to the ground.

Untitled by ColonelJLloyd, on Flickr

Nice.
Informative post in all respects, thanks.

tctyres · #14 10-13-2024, 08:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mstateglfr

Definitely?

Well, look, what is definite? I wasn't there.

They say in their instagram account that they are made by Waterford Precision Cycles. They have a lot of language around that. I take that to mean that they are made and fabricated by WPC with input by Richard Schwinn to a spec that Eighthinch set. Are they Waterfords? No. Are they Rivendells? No. Were they made in the same place as some of those? Yes.

charliedid · #15 10-13-2024, 08:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tctyres

Well, look, what is definite? I wasn't there.

They say in their instagram account that they are made by Waterford Precision Cycles. They have a lot of language around that. I take that to mean that they are made and fabricated by WPC with input by Richard Schwinn to a spec that Eighthinch set. Are they Waterfords? No. Are they Rivendells? No. Were they made in the same place as some of those? Yes.

^ this