So since throwing down my deposit back in May and waiting patiently for Don McClung #49 to come to life it has finally begun...
In another 3-5 weeks it should be ready to go to Spectrum and then the trail hopefully before the snow gets to deep! I am off to see if Shelman has started my wheels. I am trying to document as much of the build as I can and will post photos as they come up.
I will try to get some updated photos this weekend, I've been working overtime to pay for this so I haven't had a chance to take photos for a bit... If you have a chance to visit Salida anytime soon you should, the trails are in great shape and the Aspens are going off!
PO
PT
A quick update My Fork is mostly done and Don is started on the main triangle...
Also I stopped by Sub Culture Cyclery and Jason laced up my wheel set.
So day after tomorrow we are of to Utah for a quick white rim trip and I am hoping when I return I can get a few photos of the frame starting to come together...
I love the old Keystone beer can crunched up in the corner of the first picture. Its the sign of a true master craftsman. These bikes are amazing..... I would love to own one of these bad boys.
That should be a pretty classy color combo for sure. Make sure to get it posted up when you finally get it. I hate it when these awesome build threads die...
I drove down to the Springs on Thursday and picked up my freshly painted Bike!! Thanks to JT and Liz at Spectrum for getting it done so fast and the awesome job.
Friday Jason down at Subculture Cyclery help me scrap together a bottom bracket, cranks, a stem and tires to use until the ones he ordered for me arrive. Then he pressed the headset in and put the bottom bracket and cranks on for me, after that it was off to my living room for a few beers and some assembly... this morning I took the nearly built bike down to Dons shop to get the final seat tube fitting done.
Right after that I headed up to ride Cottonwood it was better than I could have ever hoped!
So here you go... and yes I know the tires are on backwards, you know a few beers pressure to finish and get to Anna's halloween party etc. I'll fix that tonight.
getting close...
done, post ride this afternoon
holes for the head badge when it arrives...
and all cleaned up and ready for tomorrow
Next week the rest of my parts should be here and hopefully I will have settled on a stem size.
I really need to thank Don McClung for sharing his incredible knowledge on an amazingly wide range of topics from bikes and bike history to brazing and blacksmithing and a hundred other topics.
I will post pictures when I get my parts on and when the head badge shows up.
Beautiful bike, indeed...just a little curious as to why the platforms? All (three) photos I've seen of McClung's have had platform pedals. Got me thinking of changing out my clipless & trying some nice platforms.
Beautiful bike, indeed...just a little curious as to why the platforms? All (three) photos I've seen of McClung's have had platform pedals. Got me thinking of changing out my clipless & trying some nice platforms.
Pretty steep hills around here so tennis shoes are easier on the hike a bike sections, it is traditional as well although most around here have broken form the helmetless tradition
Pretty steep hills around here so tennis shoes are easier on the hike a bike sections, it is traditional as well although most around here have broken form the helmetless tradition
Cheers
P.T.
You should post some photos of properly attired McClung riders.
Hey I have a question. I was out in Colorado Springs about three years back and saw my first two McClungs before I had ever even heard of them. It was at Brians Bicycle Repair. It is right down by the train depot right next door to Charmichael Training Systems. One thing I've noticed on all of or most of the bikes are Mavic Open Pro rims being used and either Shimano DX pedals or just nice flats. The V-brake thing is perfectly understandable, but I'd like to be clued in on what the deal was with these common details.
I'll have to grab my old computer to post some pics of those two older machines.
Hey I have a question. I was out in Colorado Springs about three years back and saw my first two McClungs before I had ever even heard of them. It was at Brians Bicycle Repair. It is right down by the train depot right next door to Charmichael Training Systems. One thing I've noticed on all of or most of the bikes are Mavic Open Pro rims being used and either Shimano DX pedals or just nice flats. The V-brake thing is perfectly understandable, but I'd like to be clued in on what the deal was with these common details.
I'll have to grab my old computer to post some pics of those two older machines.
The yeah the Open Pros are what almost everyone I know is running on their Don, lite, narrow and not to expensive. Plus if your brakes wear through them in a year you know your getting out enough . The flats for comfort, and steep hills...
Hey I have a question. I was out in Colorado Springs about three years back and saw my first two McClungs before I had ever even heard of them. It was at Brians Bicycle Repair. It is right down by the train depot right next door to Charmichael Training Systems. One thing I've noticed on all of or most of the bikes are Mavic Open Pro rims being used and either Shimano DX pedals or just nice flats. The V-brake thing is perfectly understandable, but I'd like to be clued in on what the deal was with these common details.
I'll have to grab my old computer to post some pics of those two older machines.
Thanks guys. That is some good info. I definitely always liked my old 517's for holding a true forever even with revolution spokes. I still can't imagine going back to my flat pedals though.
By the way I love the look of the bike! I have never really liked the look of the cruiser style frames, but McClung definitely captures a piece of nostalgia for when I first started riding. I know that was only 1998 but mountain biking had such a different feel back then at least for me.
Thanks for the article as well. I think that good old Don might be a little more modern in his thinking than he figures. Being a mechanic the last thing I want to do when I get off work is get on my bike and realize I need a new chain, cassette or that it has been 150 hours of riding since I overhauled my fork and it feels like crap.
This is indeed an amazing beautiful and interesting bike. The story is great. Don is definitely one of the interesting builders for me. Enjoy the ride and I never get enough of these pictures. So more please....
Hey PT, beautiful looking frame. How about a nice detailed ride report? I'd be most interested in how it feels in tight and technical conditions compared to a traditional diamond frame bike. Any standover issues at all?
I've never figured this out... Anyway, my original post got stuck somewhere in the middle of the thread... yesterday! My question for you was about standover and how it handles tight and technical singletrack? It's a beauty by the way!
I've never figured this out... Anyway, my original post got stuck somewhere in the middle of the thread... yesterday! My question for you was about standover and how it handles tight and technical singletrack? It's a beauty by the way!
Switch to "linear mode" (see upper right of page) and you'll see both of your posts at the bottom of the page.
I've never figured this out... Anyway, my original post got stuck somewhere in the middle of the thread... yesterday! My question for you was about standover and how it handles tight and technical singletrack? It's a beauty by the way!
Yes you are correct the stand over is fairly tight, although it has not been a problem so far. From a technical point of view I am sure there is a reason for the high stand over either raising the head tube or lowering the seat stays(?), I will have to ask Don about that. As for how it rides, I haven't ridden a standard diamond frame in years (93 stumpjumper M2(3?) ) so not sure I can give you a fair comparison, the other Mt. bikes I ride currently are a Yeti 575 and ASX, as well I am not the best at descriptive writing sooo, with those qualifiers I will try to answer your questions from the original post.
Climbing, one word WOW, fast, efficient, really locked to the ground I am enjoying going uphill as much as I every have. The 32-18 is a bit much on really steep hills but I will be going to a 32-20 soon and hope to build a bit more power in to my legs.
Descending, again WOW I assumed that going from my 575 to fully rigid I would slow down on the descents, I was wrong, while I am not able to just mindlessly bomb straight down the hills anymore #49 is so tight and quick to react that finding the smooth fast line is not only no problem but what I want to do. I guess the best analogy is that it is like it is on rails or perhaps like carving turns on groomers skiing. It is however just about always ready to punish me for not paying attention, It definitely rewards with amazing precision and flow.
Cross country, on flat to rolling terrain I feel like I am flying I simple can't get enough it just feels great, I have a hard time stopping,
Off the top of my head I can count ten friends that I really respect as Cyclists that own Don Bikes. The one common thread I always heard from them when asking about their Dons was once I got my own I would get it and I guess that is the best description I have heard yet. It truly is a whole other experience that I really was not expecting to be as good as it is...
OMG! Thank you, I've been on this site for years and the threads have always bothered me. Don't know why I never bothered to RTFM, living up to my handle I guess.....
Quote:
Originally Posted by PBR Streetgang
Switch to "linear mode" (see upper right of page) and you'll see both of your posts at the bottom of the page.
Off the top of my head I can count ten friends that I really respect as Cyclists that own Don Bikes. The one common thread I always heard from them when asking about their Dons was once I got my own I would get it and I guess that is the best description I have heard yet. It truly is a whole other experience that I really was not expecting to be as good as it is... P.T.
You're a better writer than you give yourself credit for. Thanks for taking the time. I've sent a letter to Don, we'll see how it goes. I've been singlespeed only, in the woods, for a while now. My regular ride is a 96 Bontrager. I drank the big wheeled kool-aid a while back and bought a haro mary ss. I gave the Mary away and started shopping nice custom frames. Since I've become enamored of the cruiser style bike my main concern is whether or not they have to compromise the handling of the bicycle in any way to allow for the right "look". I doubt guys like McClung and Tony Pereira would allow form to dominate function in such a way, but it’s something that has been on my mind. Thanks again, and you should keep this thread alive for as long as possible: “Cleaned # 49” “Put air in tires”…
I went through this a year ago; wondering whether the vanity of a custom cruiser style frame would translate to a bike I'd love to look at but wouldn't ride. I looked long and hard at Retrotec, Don and Tony's work. It wasn't until I spoke with Tony that I actually made my decision. To begin with I preferred the form of Don's and Tony's bike relative to Curtis'. I ultimately opted to have Tony do the build for a couple of reasons primarily related to options.
First, I really like the lug work that Tony does on the middle tube, not to mention the internal hose routing, and from a performance point of view, the discs. Tony has been great to work with, very thorough, always answered my (sometime ignorant) questions. The hardest part is the wait. The actual build has gone quickly once my name popped up in the queue and the bike is currently at the paint shop with delivery anticipated around Thanksgiving.
BTW-The original is Tony's personal bike so I'm sure he could describe in detail the handling characteristics relative to a typical frame. I believe mine is only the second one he has ever built and I can't wait to get my hands on it.
Noobie question here. What is the piece of tube that goes from the front axles to the top of the headtube?
Ahh yes the struts, as I understand it, because Don uses a fork tube designed for road bikes and puts a pretty radical bend close to the bottom (for flex and vibration dampening) the struts become useful for extra reinforcement, plus they look sweet. Of course For the real scoop you would have to ask Don.
You're a better writer than you give yourself credit for. Thanks for taking the time. I've sent a letter to Don, we'll see how it goes. I've been singlespeed only, in the woods, for a while now. My regular ride is a 96 Bontrager. I drank the big wheeled kool-aid a while back and bought a haro mary ss. I gave the Mary away and started shopping nice custom frames. Since I've become enamored of the cruiser style bike my main concern is whether or not they have to compromise the handling of the bicycle in any way to allow for the right "look". I doubt guys like McClung and Tony Pereira would allow form to dominate function in such a way, but it’s something that has been on my mind. Thanks again, and you should keep this thread alive for as long as possible: “Cleaned # 49” “Put air in tires”…
PS Hey PBR' thank you!
al415 I really don't think you can go wrong with one of Dons bikes as for handling and performance what more can I say I think my Yeti 575 is going up for sale....
Great pictures. My trails are dark, wet and covered in leaves at this time of year. Not that I'm complaining.
Hey someone earlier in the thread asked for pictures of properly attired McClung riders, I agree. I've just started wearing vintage wool knickers (like golfers and XC skiiers used to wear). They are perfect at this time of year: Wool, short, not skin-tight and with a pair of bike shorts underneath they are very comfortable. Anyway.
Seeing that bike in the context of those "hills" makes me very jealous.
As for the Pereira, absolutely. Although it is going to start out life geared (yeah, yeah sacrilege I know). So maybe on the 29er page. Regardless, I'll be certain to post a few.
BTW. I'd love to see lots of bits from the "mini epic". I never get enough of these bikes.
Seeing that bike in the context of those "hills" makes me very jealous.
As for the Pereira, absolutely. Although it is going to start out life geared (yeah, yeah sacrilege I know). So maybe on the 29er page. Regardless, I'll be certain to post a few.
BTW. I'd love to see lots of bits from the "mini epic". I never get enough of these bikes.
TCn
The closest I have made it to CO, is New Mexico. The army used to send me to the desert there in the 1990's. I've always had an affinity for the place though... Yeah these bikes, and Tony's Pereira's bike, combined with the Colorado backdrop just make me feel good about mountain biking in general. I have no problem with gears, shoot me a PM when you start your 29er thread (I don't get over to that forum much)... As for the pictures of the mini-epic, it's been a day. I'm thinking bear attack or avalanche.
No bear attack or avalanche mostly bad weather everyone but Matt and I wimped out and it was way to cold to take pictures but non the less a great bike ride was had. I did go into one corner a bit hot near the end of our ride and went down HARD #49 suffered her first scratch and I bent a brake lever but it was a pretty worth crash so I can accept the minor cosmetic damage.
The weather is looking much better for tomorrow so hopefully a more fully documented adventure will ensue.
I'm incredibly pleased with the way the frame, fork and stem turned out. Tony really out did himself on this build. Definitely worth the wait.
Both of these builders are exceptional in their own right and it's great to see the bikes side by side in the same thread. While the frames have a similar form they each have distinctive personalities.
I'm going to be completing the build and will be certain to post images of the final product once completed.
That looks like a fun time. I've started to gather parts for my Don bike. I picked up a set of Phil Wood SS hubs the other day. Guess I need to source some Open Pros now...
Don should have my deposit by now. I doubt there are too many of them here in the East. When I rode yesterday there was snow on either side of the trail and nice frozen mud underneath my tires.
Question for all you McClung owners: Almost every McClung I've ever seen posted has flats on it. Were you running flats before your got your bike from Don or is it something that just goes with the bike so well that you switched after getting your McClung? Just wondering?
Question for all you McClung owners: Almost every McClung I've ever seen posted has flats on it. Were you running flats before your got your bike from Don or is it something that just goes with the bike so well that you switched after getting your McClung? Just wondering?
I have flats on my Yeti ASX and clipless on my 575 so I had been going back and forth for a while but on the Don it really goes to tradition and I think the ribbing you might get if you put clipless on one. Other than that it is nice if you have to get off and hike to have tennis shoes on, but that doesn't happen very often ...
We had a great ride up Bear Creek to the Rainbow today with heavy snow just at the end so maybe the last loop up there this season. Powder tomorrow? It's tough to find time to work around here.
I believe Don has started my seat tube / bottom bracket. I've got plenty of time, but I'm at a bit of a loss about what colors to go with.
That's a tough one I spent a lot of time looking at old bikes hoping for inspiration. I will try and get by the shop and see if I can't get a picture of the progress up here for you.
That's a tough one I spent a lot of time looking at old bikes hoping for inspiration. I will try and get by the shop and see if I can't get a picture of the progress up here for you.
Cheers P.T.
That would be brilliant. I imagine it adds an entirely different dimension to the custom build experience if you can hang out in the builder's shop!
As for colors. I keep going back and forth. I imagine I'll narrow it down eventually...
I don't know if this will help, but it was useful for me. Below is a link to Curtis Inglis' (Retrotec) flickr site. He has a great eye for color in these retro point masking formats. Browse through his sets. There are some great things in there.
All you McClung riders are badasses. I would never think of riding a full stiffy on anything but road. How do you fare trying to stay on the bike during the really bumpy downhills, with just platform pedals?!
All you McClung riders are badasses. I would never think of riding a full stiffy on anything but road. How do you fare trying to stay on the bike during the really bumpy downhills, with just platform pedals?!
True suspension has been around for less than 20 years, bicycles have been around for ??????
I rode Pearl a buncha times when I lived there in the '90s. Most often it was ridden with a group on our 'regular' mtb's, but I did it once on a Scorcher and that changed my view of the 'early adopters' quite a bit. After that ride I understood why they self-medicated before every ride, and had safety meetings after every climb...
Say Marty--speaking of McClungs--send me an email when you get the chance...
I don't know if this will help, but it was useful for me. Below is a link to Curtis Inglis' (Retrotec) flickr site. He has a great eye for color in these retro point masking formats. Browse through his sets. There are some great things in there.
Cheers Timmy. Some nice stuff there. I started out thinking of going for something quite personal... But that would involve too many colors and end up costing as much as the frame. Then I thought, "Hey I love the colors on the Porsche 911 GT3!" but when I photoshopped the black and orange onto a frame it looked like a toxic popsicle. I moved on to my next love... beer. So now I'm thinking of a combo that looks like stout... a soft black and cream...
Two Wheeled Passion
It would be a fair guess to say that we’ve all got people in our lives that have an distinctive effect on us. Some are good and some are bad. We are drawn to them. There is a odd security in all this. Don is one of those for me. The exact, or even approximate, date, time or event of our first meeting is a little fuzzy. Such knowledge is seldom really useful. In Don’s case it doesn’t really matter. He is more of a constant, easy grinning, slow moving energy that seems to have been around here forever. Sometimes I have to visit to get a dose of his bicycle passion. Thus my passions are re-excited. For me, his passion, knowledge and love of things wheeled is a catalyst. Passionate people need other passionate people to reignite their passions. Chatting with Don in his shop behind he and Annabelle’s house on the river is an education. Bikes and bike parts decorate the tidy building. An ancient woodstove & Buddy the Dog add comfort and a tendency to linger. The lingering is always worthwhile. I always leave Don’s shop energized and educated in bike lore. Most of us equate bikes to youthful, playful times. Don senses their engineering magnificence and the impact of the human/bicycle bond on human society and science. Plus Don loves to ride. If you check out the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame in Crested Butte you’ll see his pic. Smilin’. He was pushing over the edge of biking back then. He still does with his custom 29 inch one speed bikes. “The original bikes were 29” so they’d roll better on the bad roads of the time,” he explained - again. This crusade, like any crusade, requires repetition. Don’s style has little regard for current biking trends and fashions. They are not a part of Don’s equation. As with many out this way function over fashion is a rule regularly heeded. The bikes Don builds are as unique as Don. They represent his biking thoughts in physical form. As for Don, the reason he’s our featured ‘Recreationalist’ is his passion and ability as well as willingness to share. He can still outride most riders at an age most folks are just talking about what they did ‘way back when.’ That’s fantastic.
No matter his physical age, his mind, imagination, and most of his body are youthful.
I really like the color combination of that retrotec. Of course, before I saw the retrotec I was thinking "hey, I'm a paddy-alcoholic why not go with an appropriate color combo" so I considered a "guinness" colored bike? Dark dark, port-like brown to black with a cream contrast. Then I moved to "hey, I have a few Rapha jerseys, and I love the way the subtle pink details show up in the serious black jersey" .... But tonight, I'm thinking that grey and cream looks good for my McClung
It just so happens that this is the exact photo I sent Tony as inspiration for this...
Really? Thats great! I'm also thinking of just sending them (spectrum powderworks) my favorite rapha rain jacket, which is the same colors but with a couple of bits of pink thrown in for good measure. Your bike and my bike (when it's done) may have to get together for some pictures somewhere down the road!
. The flats for comfort, and steep hills...
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