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Canfield Nimble 9 build thread!

553K views 2K replies 300 participants last post by  dubthang 
#1 ·
Mine's here!
Here's the first pics.

Los
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#719 ·
Just ordered a purple 2012!

I do have some build questions though. I am new to 29ers and coming from a DH and aggressive trail riding background. A 120mm fork sounds so short compared to the 180 and 160's I usually run. I saw a couple people tried a 140 but haven't found too many on the yelli or nimble going that route. I was thinking of a Reba either way so I can use spacers to bring it down, but the 120mm Reba I found is lighter than the 140 Reba so if the 140 is unwarranted I would just get the 120.

Can anyone give me a little more feedback on the 140 for a nimble? I'll be riding rocky trails in New England. Not many long climbs but lots of quick techy up and downs. Thanks!
 
#721 ·
I do have some build questions though. I am new to 29ers and coming from a DH and aggressive trail riding background. A 120mm fork sounds so short compared to the 180 and 160's I usually run. I saw a couple people tried a 140 but haven't found too many on the yelli or nimble going that route. I was thinking of a Reba either way so I can use spacers to bring it down, but the 120mm Reba I found is lighter than the 140 Reba so if the 140 is unwarranted I would just get the 120.

Can anyone give me a little more feedback on the 140 for a nimble? I'll be riding rocky trails in New England. Not many long climbs but lots of quick techy up and downs. Thanks!
the frame was not designed for a 140mm fork.
<50mm BB drop and a 67° HTA might feel funky.
as far as the question of whether 5" or 6" is the travel you need... don't know.
 
#725 ·
120 it is then

If a 100 feels enough the 120 will give me plenty of room. I may get a rigid too if I can pick one up on the cheap for some of the places I ride. I still have a rigid '95 kona I ride around and it's sweet at some of the places I go. Thanks
 
#728 ·
"Doesn't look like an XL N9 is happening (although there was some talk about it), only S, M, and L 2012 frames are available for preorder."

I don't think the Canfield website is updated with the latest info. I ordered an XL N9 about a month ago and my contact was Sean Gollub (sean at canfieldbrothers dot com)
 
#731 ·
here is my Nimble 9 build. Built to take with me in our camper van this year, so doubles as a kid carrier as well as my trail bike on our camper holidays.
Its a bit clutterd up front with Lock outs and shifters, tempted to run 1x10 in future. I've also got an x-fusion dropper seat to fit which will add even more clutter to the bars...
Still to take her out for a ride but hope to this weekend.
The Ardent 2.4's were a tight fit, had to move the drop outs back about 2/3rds down the slots to get about 5mm clearance to front mech.
Only other change (before I've ridden) I really think needs making is getting some flat bars.. the front feels way to high.

 
#735 ·
Some pretty smart builds shown here, can't wait for my Nimble to arrive in the UK, going to build with fox qr 15 set at 120mm
Stans wheels set (arch)
SRAM 10speed (1x10)
Lynskey Ti post
Salsa moto Ti stem (80mm)
Mrp chain device (top)
Noblly nics (tubeless)
Salsa whammy bars
White industries crank with 122bb, although not so sure now reading some of the posts above?

Should be a very versatile bike and a better all rounder that my singular swift.
 
#738 ·
Your argument definitely has merit and brings in the pros/cons of changes to the head angle. I wouldn't debate that a steeper head angle has some advantages. It's the whole "there's no point in a bike with short chainstays and slackish head angle" argument that holds no water.

Personally I couldn't get much riding on my Nimble before it got too icy to ride but I felt like at my weight (200) and the large frame, the front triangle was too flexy to really ride with the fork at its max travel. It was that combined with the floppiness you describe that made it a little unsettling for me. So you are not alone, my fork is now at 95 mm travel and 500 mm a-c (69* HA) and it feels pretty sweet. I also had to tweak the stem a lot to get it to feel right. Bottom line, you change frame geometry and you can expect to tweak a lot of other things before it feels better than what you had before. Doesn't mean a design is "wrong."
 
#739 ·
It would be nice to see some of the design features in the Kona Honzo incorporated into the Nimble9 like a 44mm HT and bends in the chain-stay for more crank/heel clearance. The Kona Honzo is looking more attractive at the moment other than the fact it is hard to get the Kona frame only. I have a feeling that my size 14 shoes would hit the chain-stays a lot? The only other thing that bothers me about the Kona is that it is designed for a short stem (60-80mm) because the ETT is so long. This means even more of your weight will be taken off the front end than with the Nimble9.
 
#740 ·
I agree with the 44mm HT. For some that's a deal breaker. I know it was for me.

And seeing the XL N9 geo, it's pretty similar to the 20" Honzo frame, both have a 25" ETT, reach is shorter on the N9 by only .1" but overall wheelbase is shorter by over an inch as well.

Edit:
But it looks like the geo for the N9 provided is based on a 80mm fork, so the reach will be less with a 120mm fork which the Honzo geo is listed with, and ETT will be longer and so will wheelbase.
 
#743 ·
Wasn't there an orange in a pinkbike album, linked earlier in the thread?

stoked about the XL geo, I'm gonna run some numbers to compare it to my current bikes' setups, but it looks good for me.

As far as head angle, I went from a "slack" Gary Fisher G2 frame (69.6° + more offset) to a 72° bike and I've been over the bars more in 3 months than in the last 3 years. I'm thinking about trying the G2 offset fork @ 100mm on this frame. Anyone done that?
 
#746 ·
Crankset Conundrum

I'm a little uncertain about what to do for cranks on this frame. I have a set of White Industries Eno 175mm, and a some Middleburn RS7 170mms. Not really sure which I should run. Saw a few posts about clearance issues and the White Industries. So I am a little hesitant to try them. As for the Middleburn, I have not run 170s on a singlespeed before. I've heard a lot of people claim they like them better than a long crank, so I might give them a try.

Still haven't ordered it yet, gonna do that in the next few weeks. I do realize I can just experiment when the frame arrives, but my mind won't rest until I get some more feedback on this issue. Hopefully someone can answer this question.

Thanks!
 
#749 ·
I'm a little uncertain about what to do for cranks on this frame. I have a set of White Industries Eno 175mm, and a some Middleburn RS7 170mms. Not really sure which I should run. Saw a few posts about clearance issues and the White Industries. So I am a little hesitant to try them. As for the Middleburn, I have not run 170s on a singlespeed before. I've heard a lot of people claim they like them better than a long crank, so I might give them a try.

Still haven't ordered it yet, gonna do that in the next few weeks. I do realize I can just experiment when the frame arrives, but my mind won't rest until I get some more feedback on this issue. Hopefully someone can answer this question.

Thanks!
I had a WI 170mm in mine when I first built it. I love the crank, but with the 122mm BB it needed to clear the chainstays I'd get enough flex to still rub the stay a bit under full torque.
As to crankarm length, I'm now using a 175mm XT set, and don't think it's any discernible advantage over the 170s I've used for the last 10 years.

Los
 
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