So I just bought a Rawland xSogn from Walmart

[dddd]

They're still available, medium is 999.

I bought my 650b MTB from WalMart's site, after a few of their stores closed and had returned bikes in beat-up boxes.
Originally listed for $399, one day they appeared for just $179 and I pulled the trigger.
I did spend as much upgrading the fork alone, and also used my parts stash to upgrade the brakes, rear derailer and drivetrain, but the bike is real and handles all of my singletrak rides easily. I now use a 2.4" DH rear tire and run 21psi front and rear, appropriate for the slippery hardpack conditions here.

[TREEfool]

Originally Posted by velofinds

Is that Colorado?

South Dakota.




.... so after I removed the brake calipers I realized that they are not dual-piston like trp spyres. That would have been great but I was definitely wrong. I tore open the bar end shifter and my gevenalle shifter to see if I could hack them together. I think it might work with a bit of dremel work so I'm going to give it a shot.

Wish me luck!

[R3awak3n]

Originally Posted by TREEfool

South Dakota.




.... so after I removed the brake calipers I realized that they are not dual-piston like trp spyres. That would have been great but I was definitely wrong. I tore open the bar end shifter and my gevenalle shifter to see if I could hack them together. I think it might work with a bit of dremel work so I'm going to give it a shot.

Wish me luck!

Dual piston brake calipers are easier to setup but in my experience do not offer more stoping power. Actually, apparently the best cable brakes are Paul Klampers and they are not dual pivots.

[lugee]

Originally Posted by TREEfool

South Dakota.




.... so after I removed the brake calipers I realized that they are not dual-piston like trp spyres. That would have been great but I was definitely wrong. I tore open the bar end shifter and my gevenalle shifter to see if I could hack them together. I think it might work with a bit of dremel work so I'm going to give it a shot.

Wish me luck!

Definitely doable. Sellwood cycles posted about it but didn't provide much info. I looked into it a while back since I have a ton of sram stuff, but ended up using Shimano with my gevenalles.

http://blog.sellwoodcycle.com/back-f...ets-gevenalle/

[TREEfool]

Originally Posted by lugee

Definitely doable. Sellwood cycles posted about it but didn't provide much info. I looked into it a while back since I have a ton of sram stuff, but ended up using Shimano with my gevenalles.

http://blog.sellwoodcycle.com/back-f...ets-gevenalle/

Yes this is what gave me the inspiration to try. But upon opening it up (and looking at their photos I don't know how the heck they "dremeled" it. The whole on the gevenalle is bigger than the chunk of metal on the sram that it should accept. they must have some epic fab skills to do this. I don't think I want to risk ruining a $150 shifter haha.

[TREEfool]

Update! Short video of her maiden voyage. Gravel, mud, and snow:

https://youtu.be/IadWe738gu4

[heartattackride]

Great video. I loved your stoke! You’re as happy as a kid in Christmas.

[R3awak3n]

your awesome. nice vid. subscribed.

also, on rack and low trail... I have heard that many times and ran a rack when I had my low trail bike.... till the day I didn't and the bike was fantastic without the rack. Actually i liked it more because less weight and felt a bit more lively imo.

I agree 100% low trail bikes are so good... Miss having one.

[roguedog]

That was an awesome video. Love it. Hmm... intrigued.

[TREEfool]

Haha! I was indeed quite stoked. And thanks for the kind words. I am glad you guys enjoyed the video!

[redir]

It certainly does look like the right kind of bike for your neck of the woods.

What makes a 'low trail' bike a low trail bike?

[TREEfool]

Originally Posted by redir

It certainly does look like the right kind of bike for your neck of the woods.

What makes a 'low trail' bike a low trail bike?

Steep head tube angle (73°) and huge amounts of rake (70mm)

[dddd]

Originally Posted by TREEfool

Steep head tube angle (73°) and huge amounts of rake (70mm)

I wonder if it would be more correct to say that it's the amount of rake relative to the frame's headtube angle(?).

I can still remember playing with stem length on this monster in an effort to calm it's quick steering. With 71-degree frame angles and lots of fork rake, I had to increase the stem length out from 80mm to 110mm, at which point the bike had a steering feel similar to the many other road bikes that I ride.

So I am thinking that it is low trail.

[Spaceman Spiff]

TREEfool, how tall are you?

I'm tempted to buy one of these and I'm not sure if I should get the medium or large. I usually ride a 55/56, so I originally thought I'd go with the medium. But I'm not sure if the low trail geo changes things. The medium has such a low stack. Even the large has less stack than my 55 cm endurance road bike.

Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

[TREEfool]

yes, the geometry is very weird relative to my past bikes. I am 6' 1.5" and I bought a large. The reach was longer than any gravel bikes I was looking at while the stack was shorter than any of them.

I used the full length of steerer tube and I have a 90mm stem at 45°. My seat is still about an inch higher than the bars.