warning: pretentious content and bike pics

[tomacropod]

OK so after a bit of time, a bit of money and a bit of playing around my bike is done. Everything is as I want it. 7 years building bikes and that's never happened before !

With the addition of some avid ultimate calipers this week, King HS and front hub last week and some revolution spokes for the front wheel it's all happy, along with myself !

The disc brake wasn't for me, I could never get the caliper to stay still for long enough to bed into v-brake standards for long. So I'm back to Vs. Some pics? I finished it tonight so I photographed it tonight after riding it tonight. Have a problem quietly if you don't like the dark.

BT Raven 5.5 frame, powdercoated gloss white, middleburn rs7 cranks and bash, FSA platinum pro 118mm Bottom bracket:

http://www.observedtrials.net/otn2/done_5.jpg

avid ultimate levers, nokon rear cable housing, avid flak jacket front, avid 8" bb7 brake, king ISO front hub:

http://www.observedtrials.net/otn2/done_3.jpg

echo bar, truvativ 90mm * 12 stem, red king headset, echo rims, monty grips, echo urban 400mm fork, wtb weirwolf 2.5" front tyre (rated highly, super sticky and great sidewalls):

http://www.observedtrials.net/otn2/done_4.jpg

King ISO rear hub, 17t king kog, Huret derailleur, DT champion spokes, echo rear rim, michelin comp 24 2.5" tyre, KMC koolchain 3/32", avid ultimate calipers, plazmatic CRV pads, Salsa arc de tri-oomph ! booster:

http://www.observedtrials.net/otn2/done_6.jpg

very very happy with how this rides - I'll need to go for a trialsin banter on my day off tomorrow, we're having such nice weather too...if anyone is wondering whether the ultimate calipers or nokon cables are worth the money - they are. The calipers are much stiffer and have ZERO play, the bearings are silky smooth as opposed to regular bushings. FU all, I'm off to watch stage 18.

- Joel

[MarkTrials]

awesome bike..just awesome!

[belld006]

That is a sweet ride joel, Nice one.

-Dean

[marker]

Oh my god, I am quite speechless, that bike looks really nice. Not even just saying that, especially the white. And it seems so perfect, I can't even begin to imagine how it rides. Do you do a lot of front wheel moves hence the 2.5 weirwolf in front, I have one on my evolve, but it's only 2.1 or 2.3 I believe.

[lucky13]

nice,.

oh yea,. stage 18,....

[afrobot]

I've been rocking a flat white job for a few months and it looks great. Virgin white on my slut of a bike.

[Ross]

good looking bike...do you know how much it weighs?

[trialsrider50]

looks like you did everything right with that one. no cut corners. its a nice ride i must say.

[Ross W.]

it looks ever so nice.

[chronic]

Wow! Very nice man.

[marker]

Is it possible to hate on this bike? It's built so well.

[WhiteRavenKS]

ive never seen one of those ders on a trials bike... or any bike maybe?

carbon salsa? if not, consider it- mine has lasted like 4 years and i think it's stiffer than the alloy one.

thats awesome a 118 clears your set up in the front by the way.

[goose]

Heh, it's pretty funny, tomac, that we both tried rear disc and then went back to v's at nearly the same time for mechanical reasons (albeit yours wasn't nearly as violent a reason). You've got a very trick setup. I'm glad you like the nokon/ultimate combo. I was thinking of trying it, but I have other financial commitments (ugh) right now, so perhaps in the future. I don't see how a vbrake could get much better than that.

peace,
g

[rush]

Awesome chief, I think I may go for a 2.3 weirwolf in front.

[Stikman]

Weirwolfs are the bomb.

So is that bike.

[jmkimmel]

weirwolfs hook up real good on trails. Don't know how they'd work on a trials bike, but sounds like they're fine.

[AndyT]

just ride it hard and something will break soon.

[tomacropod]

the huret is like 40 years old. I luv it. looking out for a 30 + year old campy to try as well. I hurt in my brain.

I've got my eye out for a carbon salsa, this one flexes a bit now...nothing else can anyway...

as for stage 18, the fucking cricket was on for 3 hours before, and was scheduled for 3 hours afterwards but they STILL had to broadcast all through. 2 minutes of le tour interspersed with 20 minutes of the cricket. Fuck watching that shit I went to bed.

- Joel