Thanks for the kind words everyone! *@Leah* - I feel like eveeeentually I'll switch the v-brakes. Right now that will require a rack change, and I love the F32 front as it's all brazed and very lightweight. I also utilize a Nitto NR-21 rear rack for a saddle bar support for the longer day rides/touring mode which is not v-brake compatible. Silver shifters are GREAT. The level of adjustability in the housing direction, as well as the lever stops, allow for some exception fine tuning of ergonomics and placement. The "thumb screw" that adjusts the level of friction WILL back off if nothing is applied to the threads. I dried and built up some layers of threadlocker on the screw threads so it maintains the friction setting without backing out.
*@For those questioning the step-through frame*. This is my first! I went for it because it's classy, smaller friends can ride the bike successfully, provides a great carry handle, and although I have no shortage of mobility, the step-through design is convenient for sure. It mostly gives a really interesting look, especially for such a large frame. I do question the additional pair of "mid-stays" in the rear triangle potentially stiffening up the rear too much. However, the single bottle cage along with compromised potential frame-bag space IS a huge caveat. I recently discovered the Appaloosa has wider tire clearance than the Platypus. If the right size lime-olive/purple frame popped up I just may switch all the parts over. *@Dan *- Congrats on your Appaloosa! The Velocity Quill's has a 21mm internal width. It should handle your max tire size, ~2.25" just fine. Anyone who told you otherwise is being silly. I plan on switching to some Oracle ridge tires tomorrow, tubeless. Will let you know if I encounter any issues, I don't anticipate any. Velocity's product page even says up to 48mm for the "optimal" tire size. *@Ryan *- Chainring attachment was homemade. It was the original chainring on the pictured cranks that was worn to hell. Be sure to use an aluminum one, not steel. Exceptionally easy to shape with nothing but a vice, hacksaw, and some basic files. *@Steve *- The next step with the canti-levers is to make some old school brake boosters. Right now there is a TON of flex at the brake posts. Since the Paul brakes have the tension spring forward, rather than rear, there is a good ~8-10mm of brake post exposed between the brake caliper and the fork blade. This can be a great opportunity to place a brake booster there. It is about as simple of a part as it gets for me to model on the computer, and send to some friends with fancy CNC machines and a block of aluminum. A good time can be had styling it for a Rivendell. On Wednesday, May 15, 2024 at 9:43:18 AM UTC-7 Patrick Moore wrote: > As Mathias, I too have no particular interest in step-throughs -- I've > owned a number of them: mixtes, drop-frame Raleigh Sportses and clones -- > and if I ever buy another one it will be a Clem to build up as a > ride-around beater and not for the drop frame; but yes, that Platypus is > very well coordinated and set up. Kudos. > > On Tue, May 14, 2024 at 8:57 PM Mathias Steiner <mathiass...@gmail.com> > wrote: > >> I'm a little mystified by the whole step-through thing, so a Platypus >> isn't high on my personal list. >> >> But THAT is a great build. You can tell a lot of thought and a lot of >> love went into it. Beautiful. >> >> On Tuesday, May 14, 2024 at 9:43:28 PM UTC-4 Bicycle Belle Ding Ding! >> wrote: >> >>> >>> Aren’t the Platys the best? I’m so excited for you to have this beauty >>> and have it forever. I loved this model so much I ended up with a trio of >>> them. I regret nothing. My purple Gravel & Travel Platy is being built up >>> with rainbow and oil slick parts right now, and I’m anxious to see it. It >>> won’t be classy like your regal purple Platy, though. >>> >>> Are you going to change to v brakes? How do you like the Silver >>> Shifters? I got those, too, and it will be my first bike with them. >>> >>> I look forward to hearing more about your adventures on this new bike >>> and especially at the LA Invitational Ride! This bike can do almost >>> anything. 10,000 feet of climbing. Pssshhahhh. No problem. >>> Leah >>> On Tuesday, May 14, 2024 at 8:07:12 PM UTC-4 kiziria...@gmail.com wrote: >>> >>>> One more little clip of me testing the off-road capabilities. Riding a >>>> narrower saddle to be able to get my thighs behind it would improve steep, >>>> technical descents quite a lot. All in all I do NOT miss descending >>>> rough-ish dirt roads with a rigid bike. I hope it encounter them with >>>> little frequency. >>>> >>>> >>>> https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/rw4lpolns8s6x6cyzg07w/IMG_9041.MOV?rlkey=608dbcfa4tx3nxvu36wthlm8a&dl=0 >>>> >>>> On Tuesday, May 14, 2024 at 4:58:59 PM UTC-7 Armand Kizirian wrote: >>>> >>>>> This last weekend I took it on a mixed terrain ride, about 35 miles >>>>> with over 3500ft of climbing. I was shocked with how well it handled the >>>>> route. The lack of friction in the system as a whole, from the white >>>>> industries hubs, to dura ace bottom bracket, to rene herse extralight >>>>> tires, made my drop-bar bike feel neglected and abused, that is to say, >>>>> this bike feels like butter. This sensation was amplified by swapping in >>>>> SPD pedals for the first time and feeling “connected.” The forward >>>>> position >>>>> of the Ortho bars are fantastic for out of the saddle climbing leverage, >>>>> or >>>>> on the saddle technical climbing on singletrack, elbows flared down. With >>>>> 48mm slicks aired a bit down, the long chainstays allowed me to have >>>>> enough >>>>> traction to only have to walk one segment. I can’t wait to try it with >>>>> the >>>>> Rene Herse knobby equivalent. The ability to tap into a restorative >>>>> position (aka the default riding position) made the entire route so >>>>> utterly >>>>> comfortable, without a hint of a back or neck ache developing. Not >>>>> something I would be able to say on my drop-bar bike, which has bars >>>>> levels >>>>> with the saddle mind you. >>>>> >>>>> [image: IMG_3348.JPG] >>>>> >>>>> There is so much to write about, I will let you ask any questions you >>>>> have. Look for a ride report after this weekend, where I will strip the >>>>> racks off and ride 60+ miles with 10,000ft of climbing with this at the >>>>> LA >>>>> Invitational ride. >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> On Tuesday, May 14, 2024 at 4:56:44 PM UTC-7 Armand Kizirian wrote: >>>>> >>>>>> The complete build list is as follows. *View all photos here. >>>>>> <https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/1wbpogiix44fmt9b40o6j/APG3fbw3AAQbjYtT-PK3JrY?rlkey=0dkhnviwb33ouz7tkhl45nqqf&dl=0> >>>>>> >>>>>> * >>>>>> >>>>>> Cockpit features a Nitto 135mm Faceplater Stem with Rons Ortho Bars, >>>>>> Brooks leather ergon grips with Simworks purple bar ends, Rivendell S2 >>>>>> friction shifters, with harlequin style newbuams purple/yellow wrap with >>>>>> clear shellac, and a stem-mounted spurcycle bell. S83 seatpost with >>>>>> Brooks >>>>>> B17 titanium. NOS Dura-Ace headset. >>>>>> >>>>>> [image: IMG_3282.JPG] >>>>>> >>>>>> Brakes feature Paul Canti Levers with Touring Canti’s, Moon units, >>>>>> and Hunter cycles Nugz for extra cable adjustment. Rene herse and nitto >>>>>> cable hangars. Yokozuna reaction compressionless housing. All capped off >>>>>> with Forager cycles cable cherries. Kool stop brake pads with the grey >>>>>> e-bike pad compound. This was my final hurrah to test the ultimate >>>>>> canti-lever brake setup and deem its worthiness as a brake. It has not >>>>>> passed by test. Riv recommends v-brakes for several valid reasons. >>>>>> >>>>>> Custom wheelset featuring White Industries MI5 hubs laced to Velocity >>>>>> Quill rims with Sapim spokes and brass nipples, 32h front, 36h rear, all >>>>>> polished. Rene Herse Tires, 48mm Hatcher Pass and Oracle Ridge. I will >>>>>> likely keep an endurance casing Oracle ridge as a final tire choice, >>>>>> setup >>>>>> tubeless with Ultradynamico brass tubeless valves. I like riding fast, >>>>>> especially on dirt. >>>>>> >>>>>> Drivetrain features an ultra rare 110/73bcd Middleburn lightweight >>>>>> road triple with 42/28t gearing and Rivendell chain guard and brass >>>>>> self-extractors. Aluminum Sugino 28t chainring and aluminum chainring >>>>>> hardware for weight reduction. NOS Dura-Ace 7700 sealed cartridge Bottom >>>>>> bracket. Pedals are MKS Pretzel with shorter 4-5mm length brass set >>>>>> screws >>>>>> to replace the 6mm long aggressive steel pins. Ultegra PD-ES600 SPD >>>>>> pedals >>>>>> for longer rides when I want to be clipped in. Deore XT 9-speed 11-34 >>>>>> cassette, with NOS Dura Ace 7700 mid-cage rear derailleur (wolftooth >>>>>> roadlink to clear the 34t), Dura Ace 7800 double front derailleur. KMC >>>>>> 10-speed X10SL with the gold treatment, because, gold! This all shifts >>>>>> *wonderfully.* >>>>>> >>>>>> Accessories include Nitto F32 front rack with Tanaka stainless steel >>>>>> basket held by Voile mini straps, Nitto 32r rear rack with cygolite rear >>>>>> light mount. Front rack features upcycled 28t chainring for my cygolite >>>>>> go-pro mount (blue lug style) and M6 brass set screws to fill the unused >>>>>> braze-ons. Blue Lug yellow X-Strap bungee cords front and rear, with the >>>>>> x2 >>>>>> rainbow Rivendell straps laced through the basket to handle any odd >>>>>> things >>>>>> to carry on the fly. Beautiful Nitto R bottle cage on top, with ultra >>>>>> rare >>>>>> matching Nitto BG-L 1-liter bottle cage on the bottom. Greenfield >>>>>> kickstand >>>>>> wrapped with newbaums purple. Purple Blue Lug Koma lights front and rear >>>>>> at >>>>>> the drop-outs for when I forget to bring my nicer lights. Newbaums wrap >>>>>> on >>>>>> top tube for convenient handle grip when carrying up/down stairs to the >>>>>> train. Blue lug style newbaums chainstay guard. Hemp twine features >>>>>> everywhere. Lastly, any unused braze-ons are populated with M5 brass set >>>>>> screws, including the backside of the utilized hourglass mounts 😉 >>>>>> >>>>>> Security includes hexlox axles, with the same keyed inserts for the >>>>>> seatpost clamp, stem, and saddle. GPS sticker for theft deterrent. >>>>>> Hidden >>>>>> air tag. Serial number registered in two bike indexes. I purchased a >>>>>> Kryptonite mini New York u-lock off ebay ($60 new!). It is absurd and >>>>>> confidence inspiring. Makes my evolution mini u-lock look like a joke. >>>>>> >>>>>> One bit I forgot to mention. The inner position of the lower rear >>>>>> right rack mount are positioned perfectly for a chain holder, as 80's >>>>>> touring bikes used to have. An Acetal bushing with delrin washers result >>>>>> in >>>>>> not just a chain holder, but the ability to backpedal and lube the chain >>>>>> wit the wheel off. >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> Thanks for reading! >>>>>> Armand >>>>>> Santa Monica, CA >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "RBW Owners Bunch" group. >> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >> email to rbw-owners-bun...@googlegroups.com. >> To view this discussion on the web visit >> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/23e38810-a653-4541-b888-42f3696ab0a7n%40googlegroups.com >> >> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/23e38810-a653-4541-b888-42f3696ab0a7n%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >> . >> > > > -- > > Patrick Moore > Alburquerque, Nuevo Mexico, Etats Unis d'Amerique, Orbis Terrarum > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Executive resumes, LinkedIn profiles, bios, letters, and other writing > services > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > *When thou didst not, savage, k**now thine own meaning,* > > *But wouldst gabble like a** thing most brutish,* > > *I endowed thy purposes w**ith words that made them known.* > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. 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