i never thought about mounting the bar ends so they operate horizontally rather than vertically ... interesting concept ... i always seem to bang my knees on them so they change, not sure what happen with the setup you have ... nice looking bike though, was seriously tempted with a fargo, but went with a singualr swift instead ... already have 3 touring bikes
i never thought about mounting the bar ends so they operate horizontally rather than vertically ... interesting concept ... i always seem to bang my knees on them so they change, not sure what happen with the setup you have ... nice looking bike though, was seriously tempted with a fargo, but went with a singualr swift instead ... already have 3 touring bikes
Ya, I set them up that way to keep the shifters from hitting the top tube if/when the bike falls over. So far knee clearance has not been an issue for me.
not bored, just stoked! after having the midge bars hanging around for 2 years i finally got all the parts together to mount the darned things. sorry for the garage pic, didn't have the camera for the shakedown ride today.
first impressions: climbing = better (while standing anyways). descending = slower and scarier, but in a fun way. won't be my main setup for sure, but will be fun to conquer some of the local technical rides. the drop is around 2" lower than my marys, which i like. the reach is about 1.5" longer, which i don't like at all. i tried a shorter stem, but then the drop was too much. just have to get used to it.
not bored, just stoked! after having the midge bars hanging around for 2 years i finally got all the parts together to mount the darned things. sorry for the garage pic, didn't have the camera for the shakedown ride today.
first impressions: climbing = better (while standing anyways). descending = slower and scarier, but in a fun way. won't be my main setup for sure, but will be fun to conquer some of the local technical rides. the drop is around 2" lower than my marys, which i like. the reach is about 1.5" longer, which i don't like at all. i tried a shorter stem, but then the drop was too much. just have to get used to it.
The bike looks great! After spending more time with the drops the descending nervousness will not be an issue.
I finally sold and shipped-out my Monkey Lite SL riser bars and stem earlier this week. After months of repeatedly swapping back and forth from riser to drops I have found the following to be true for me personally. The drop bars are way more comfortable ergonomically, and my hands go numb less than with conventional bars. Threading through trees is also easier because my hands in the drops are easier to gauge distance with than a protruding horizontal bar. Overall I consistently ride faster lap times on single track loops with the drops. I have tested this repeatedly and its a fact for me personally. Climbing is no contest, and I find that I am typically running 1-2 gears higher especially on the climbs. People still look at me like I am crazy, but when I pass them they aren't laughing...
Just finished this Zion 737. Bought the frame off eBay and most of other parts are pre-used. I have not had time to try it offroad yet since it was p....ing this morning in Sydney. Just had time to do a little ride around the neighbourhood to check the brakes, position etc... What I really like and sorry for the dropbars purists is the fact that the hoods are spot on for the climbs and the flats fantastic for recovering and still the drops much less stretch than I was used to on a road bike. The sturdy Syncros stem with its wide clam is fantastic and gives great rigidity to the cockpit.
Tyres are dirty from previous bike. Tomorrow is a holiday so, I will get her out.
Frame: Zion 737
Forks: GT Peace 9r
Wheels: Velocity hubs with DH19 rims
Bars: Midge with double layer of bar tape
Stem: Syncros
Levers: Tektro long pull
Shifter: Shimano 8spd bar-ends
Seat: Selle Italia Max Flite Tran Am
Seatpost:Origin8 dropper
BB: Stronglight Square taper 107mm
Crankset: Old Sachs triple 110mm BCD. 36T unramped chainring
RD: XTR
Cassette: 12-14-16-18-21-26-32
Tyres: Jones XR front (ghetto) and Exiwolf Rear (Gorilla tape tubeless)
I have installed the cable housing for the front derailleur in case I want to install one, I won't need to unwrap the bar tapes.
I have reduced the cassette to 7 speeds by using spacers (even one smaller cog !!!) so that I don't have too much crossing with a 47mm chainline. Looks very good so far. I particularly like the spacing on this cassette which is ideal for one chain ring. I will probably avoid to use the 12T and have a perfect 1x6.
I had initially bought some Origin8 Gary bars but the shifters did not fit in them (isn't that stupid? off-road dropbars that don't take bar-end shifters. too tight diameter ) and a set of Cane Creek levers because I thought they were better than the Tektro, they are exactly the same, surely from the same factory, I ended up preferring the silver finish...
Next change is to mount a Weirwolf 2.55 Front with Gorilla tape.
Make a chainguard from the old 44T aluminium big ring.
And then build a new wheelset for the road.
Good to see this come back to life - some great builds! Just an update on my Gryphon with some new bits - old WTB Dirt Drops, Reynolds carbon rimmed wheels, and mostly black parts rather than the silver of the previous pic.
The colour scheme is also the same as what it will be for production frames - due in later this month - finally!
Just finished this Zion 737. Bought the frame off eBay and most of other parts are pre-used. I have not had time to try it offroad yet since it was p....ing this morning in Sydney. Just had time to do a little ride around the neighbourhood to check the brakes, position etc... What I really like and sorry for the dropbars purists is the fact that the hoods are spot on for the climbs and the flats fantastic for recovering and still the drops much less stretch than I was used to on a road bike. The sturdy Syncros stem with its wide clam is fantastic and gives great rigidity to the cockpit.
Tyres are dirty from previous bike. Tomorrow is a holiday so, I will get her out.
Frame: Zion 737
Forks: GT Peace 9r
Wheels: Velocity hubs with DH19 rims
Bars: Midge with double layer of bar tape
Stem: Syncros
Levers: Tektro long pull
Shifter: Shimano 8spd bar-ends
Seat: Selle Italia Max Flite Tran Am
Seatpost:Origin8 dropper
BB: Stronglight Square taper 107mm
Crankset: Old Sachs triple 110mm BCD. 36T unramped chainring
RD: XTR
Cassette: 12-14-16-18-21-26-32
Tyres: Jones XR front (ghetto) and Exiwolf Rear (Gorilla tape tubeless)
I have installed the cable housing for the front derailleur in case I want to install one, I won't need to unwrap the bar tapes.
I have reduced the cassette to 7 speeds by using spacers (even one smaller cog !!!) so that I don't have too much crossing with a 47mm chainline. Looks very good so far. I particularly like the spacing on this cassette which is ideal for one chain ring. I will probably avoid to use the 12T and have a perfect 1x6.
I had initially bought some Origin8 Gary bars but the shifters did not fit in them (isn't that stupid? off-road dropbars that don't take bar-end shifters. too tight diameter ) and a set of Cane Creek levers because I thought they were better than the Tektro, they are exactly the same, surely from the same factory, I ended up preferring the silver finish...
Next change is to mount a Weirwolf 2.55 Front with Gorilla tape.
Make a chainguard from the old 44T aluminium big ring.
And then build a new wheelset for the road.
Good to see this come back to life - some great builds! Just an update on my Gryphon with some new bits - old WTB Dirt Drops, Reynolds carbon rimmed wheels, and mostly black parts rather than the silver of the previous pic.
The colour scheme is also the same as what it will be for production frames - due in later this month - finally!
I know a lot of folks bag on the skin wall look, but on this bike its perfect in my opinion. Too bad somebody doesn't make a clincher with that look 'cause I am pretty sure one of these frames is going to end up in my stable. I'd love to recreate that look of yours.
I've only ridden it once so far but it seems to change the bike geometry for the better. I was able to raise the handlebar 40mm and that may be the real source of improvement.
Ride seems more likely to be more lively than with the carbon fork over the pavement and gravel service roads on which it will be ridden.
I don't see myself riding this in the woods.
My Turner 29er full suspension is more forgiving to my "mature" body.
2011 Vassago Jabberwocky
2008 Turner Sultan
2007 Dean Colonel 29r SS
2003 Titus Switchblade 650b
1995 Litespeed Obed
aye all with mtb drop bars...!!! need aaaahhh recommendation from y'all drop bar fanatics, i am acquiring a karate monkey and would like to run drop bars in order to make my commute more commutable(?) and give offroad dbars a try...!!! yes i will be operatin on two seperate wheelsets, one cx and one offroad fatties...!!! my question to y'all is which brake levers do you choose to use...? i will be running either bb5 mountain or bb7 mountain calipers...
aye all with mtb drop bars...!!! need aaaahhh recommendation from y'all drop bar fanatics, i am acquiring a karate monkey and would like to run drop bars in order to make my commute more commutable(?) and give offroad dbars a try...!!! yes i will be operatin on two seperate wheelsets, one cx and one offroad fatties...!!! my question to y'all is which brake levers do you choose to use...? i will be running either bb5 mountain or bb7 mountain calipers...
please assist me in this acquisition...!!!
over-n-out...
-
"And single-speeding 29ers are mountain biking's equivalent of Scientologists..." - Captain Dondo
I have a Midge on a SS road bike I built up... I had no idea they were so popular for MTB use! I think I know what the next bike I'll build will be now after seeing this thread
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Originally Posted by Doug_ID
