It's a parts bike that I'm using to try things out on when I get a wild hair. I've actually been planning on selling/donating it for a while, as it's a bit stiff. I've always wanted to replace it with a steel frame - perhaps a Hunqa or Bomba.
I really liked the drops and had no real handicap in using them off road - the brake hoods were like the old bar-ends I used to have on my flat bar. I did a lot of bouncing around on rocks, and never lost grip, and the brakes were fine from the hoods as far as power went. The bar-end shifting was not ideal, but really only because shifting bar-ends on mtb trails is a bit slow for the rapid changes you can need. I wound up realizing that for the most part, I only needed a low gear, as when I was going downhill, it was technical enough I could gain great speed by coasting until I got to another steep "up". Could probably do most of the trail on a single speed - maybe a 32x21. When I was too low, I put too much torque into the back wheel, and could spin it on the wood ramps. I guess the thing is that the setup actually worked quite well, and I really went into it expecting a major fail due to wrong equipment. Brian On Mon, Aug 1, 2011 at 1:18 PM, René Sterental <orthie...@gmail.com> wrote: > Brian, > > That's the first time I see a hardtail with front suspension and drop bars! > The BAs look good too. Glad to know that you like them on the dirt. May I > ask why you have your bike configured like that? > > René > > On Sun, Jul 31, 2011 at 9:29 PM, Brian Hanson <stone...@gmail.com> wrote: > >> I'm actually surprised how good the Big Apples are in the dirt. I'm in >> Whistler, BC this weekend, and took my old MTB up some blue trail single >> track with mud, rocks, roots, and even a few twisting bridge ramps, and only >> had one slight front wheel slip in in a gravelly switchback. They were >> solid and I stayed quite a ways out front of my knobby shod friend on the >> ascents and descents. >> >> http://www.flickr.com/photos/stonehog/5996770108/in/photostream >> >> Brian >> Seattle >> >> >> On Sun, Jul 31, 2011 at 12:12 PM, erik jensen <bicyclen...@gmail.com>wrote: >> >>> patrick, >>> >>> the hunqapillar can be light and nimble. the second top tube feels >>> natural to me anymore, and folks often comment on how light my bike is (and >>> it's a 62). i notice the stiffness when i'm out of the saddle pulling on my >>> bullmoose hbars, relative to my atlantis in similar conditions. for a beefy >>> steel frame, it ain't bad. >>> >>> what i like most is having a bike that handles like my other rivs, but is >>> set up for offroad riding. i'm using 29x2.1" knobbies and having a blast. >>> look at some of my photos, and you'll see that with 29" tires you end up >>> with not too long of a wheelbase--an inch or so of clearance between the >>> seatstay and the tire. if i get into a flow and let off my brakes on >>> descents, i can carve into corners just as easily as with my old karate >>> monkey--but the front end handles more like a road machine which is >>> something i appreciate--feels more responsive if a bit dulled with a >>> slightly longer wheelbase (hope that makes sense). i had to go to knobbies, >>> as big apples slid too much in the loose stuff at speed--i know you like >>> BAs, maybe that'll help you decide. >>> >>> descending straighter lines, well, that's pretty damn magical--the riv >>> stability surprising translates well onto pretty gnarly downhill lines. >>> >>> i'm using light weight components, but nothing crazy (still got steel >>> hbars, for instance). i love my bike, and feel like i'm riding the 29" >>> equivalent of an early mtb. it's a lot of fun. >>> >>> photos: http://www.flickr.com/groups/hunqapillar/ (i'm user >>> cosmiccountry) >>> more generally: http://bikenoir.blogspot.com/ >>> >>> erik >>> >>> "klunking is dusty in the summer, and muddy in the winter" >>> >>> >>> On Sun, Jul 31, 2011 at 6:20 AM, PATRICK MOORE <bertin...@gmail.com>wrote: >>> >>>> Please keep us informed of your off road ride experiences. I am still >>>> tempted by a Hunqapillar to build up as a ss off road bike, to >>>> complement the Fargo, but I want something that feels lighter and >>>> nimbler (the Fargo is lovely but it is heavy at 33 lb with the fat >>>> wheelset). >>>> >>>> I am rather put off by the extra diagonal, but that may be overweighed >>>> by the trademark Rivendell ride quality, so I am particularly >>>> interested in how the H feels in cornering and acceleration. >>>> >>>> Or I may just get a ti or -- gawd 'elp us -- crabon fibre frame. >>>> >>>> Why the so-high bars? Not criticizing, just curious. I find that I >>>> need a certain torso angle and forward reach, otherwise I feel as if I >>>> can't get any power. I'm 56 so I'm no spring chicken, either. >>>> >>>> On Sat, Jul 30, 2011 at 10:32 PM, René Sterental <orthie...@gmail.com> >>>> wrote: >>>> > I spent today afternoon building up the Hunqapillar and fine tuning >>>> its fit. >>>> > Pictures of the initial build are >>>> > here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/orthie251/sets/72157627319515196/ >>>> > I put 40mm Marathon Extremes as I have a set of 2.25 Nobby Nics on >>>> order. >>>> > They ride extremely nice on the pavement; can't really tell them apart >>>> from >>>> > the 50mm Supremes. >>>> > Setup is as follows: >>>> > - 58cm Hunqapillar frame >>>> > - Mavic A719, 36 spoked, XT hubs wheelset built by Rich >>>> > - 12/36 9 speed cassette >>>> > - DuraAce 9 speed down tube shifters to try them out and make it easy >>>> to >>>> > play with the cockpit to fine tune it. >>>> > - 200mm Bullmoose bars with Shimano brake levers and Specialized XC >>>> grips >>>> > that I'm going to try to wrap with tape and shellac to see what >>>> happens... >>>> > - Polished Paul front Neo-Retro and rear Canti brakes >>>> > - Black Berthoud Touring saddle >>>> > - Front Nitto Mini Rack >>>> > - XT Low-normal rear derailer >>>> > - Microshift front derailer (only option at RBW) >>>> > - Phil BB >>>> > - Sugino XD2 crankset 24-34-46, 175mm >>>> > - Shimano A530 pedals >>>> > - Nitto S83 26.8 seatpost >>>> > - Tange headset >>>> > Initial comments: >>>> > The bike feels just great riding near my house. I feel a bit stretched >>>> out >>>> > on the bars but as I've fine tuned the saddle angle everything seems >>>> to be >>>> > getting better; I'll have to try it on longer and rougher rides and >>>> may even >>>> > decide to try the shorter 150mm Bullmoose bars. I've been surprised by >>>> how >>>> > great the bars feel. I tried the bike at first with the Nitto Touring >>>> bars >>>> > but it felt just like my Atlantis (great but I wanted to try something >>>> > different). I don't think the Touring (Butterfly) bars are very good >>>> to go >>>> > mountain biking with, and after playing with them for a while in the >>>> normal >>>> > and rotated forward 180 degrees just to see how that felt, I settled >>>> for the >>>> > Bullmoose which I believe are going to stay on it for a very long >>>> time, at >>>> > least while I keep it as a mountain bike. The frame feels >>>> significantly less >>>> > flexy than the Atlantis when wiggling the bars, which was to be >>>> expected. I >>>> > tried to ride it no hands to see if it would shimmy like the Atlantis, >>>> but >>>> > there was no sign. I know, different tires, no rear rack and no load, >>>> but >>>> > it's a great initial impression. >>>> > I'll try it on longer rides and commute on it to see how it behaves >>>> with the >>>> > Nitto Big Rear Rack and the panniers. It might end up being my >>>> S240/touring >>>> > bike (when I'm finally able to start touring...). It might be too >>>> redundant >>>> > to have both the Atlantis and the Hunqapillar unless the Hunqa stays >>>> > configured as a mountain/adventure bike and the Atlantis remains as my >>>> > commuter and full fendered touring bike. We'll see, but I have to say >>>> I'm >>>> > very happy with my bike stable right now. >>>> > I may also try the Extremes on the Atlantis to see if the shimmy >>>> changes in >>>> > any way, the 50mm Supremes or Big Apples on the Hunqa, etc. >>>> > I hope everyone is having a great weekend so far, >>>> > René >>>> > >>>> > -- >>>> > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>>> Groups >>>> > "RBW Owners Bunch" group. >>>> > To post to this group, send email to >>>> rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com. >>>> > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >>>> > rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. >>>> > For more options, visit this group at >>>> > http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en. >>>> > >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> -- >>>> Patrick Moore >>>> Albuquerque, NM >>>> For professional resumes, contact >>>> Patrick Moore, ACRW >>>> patrickmo...@resumespecialties.com >>>> >>>> A billion stars go spinning through the night >>>> Blazing high above your head; >>>> But in you is the Presence that will be >>>> When all the stars are dead. >>>> (Rilke, Buddha in Glory) >>>> >>>> -- >>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>>> Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. >>>> To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com. >>>> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >>>> rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. >>>> For more options, visit this group at >>>> http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en. >>>> >>>> >>> >>> >>> -- >>> oakland, ca >>> bikenoir.blogspot.com >>> >>> -- >>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >>> "RBW Owners Bunch" group. >>> To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com. >>> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >>> rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. >>> For more options, visit this group at >>> http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en. >>> >> >> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "RBW Owners Bunch" group. >> To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com. >> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >> rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. >> For more options, visit this group at >> http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en. >> > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "RBW Owners Bunch" group. > To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en. > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. 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