[canyonrat]

Back in November I talked to Paul Sadoff at Rock Lobster about a custom aluminum 29er singlespeed with sliders. A patient wait over the winter, fun with the build process, and here she is:

This is a burly Easton 7005 frame, the beefiest down tube Paul could find, rectangular-section stays, solid aluminum seat/chainstay yokes, and aluminum sliders. The sliders and yokes are made by Mike Ahrens. Here's how they look up closer:

A nice weld shot, and Paul's sig...

Gobs of clearance, not tried it yet but based on the measurement a Ralph 2.4 on a Gordo will fit in here with plenty of room...that's a tiny little Hutch Toro in there now:

Geometry custom to spec plus Paul's suggestions, a 71 head / 73 seat angle and a fairly short seat tube to provide some standover clearance (I'm short-legged for my height). The sliders provide effective chainstay lengths of roughly 17.2" - 18" depending on gear and tire choice, based on a 65mm BB drop. This provides adjustment about as short as you can practically go on a 29er without doing a bent seat tube or some other approach to keep the rear tire from buzzing the seat tube, and works well for me in my frame size and the 71 head angle. Fork axle-to-crown based on an expected ride height of 480mm on the 100mm Fox Fork.

The ride? Well...I am going to have to learn to mountain bike again for the 4th time...it is a lot better bike than I am a rider. I think the lobster is secretly laughing at me when I am tired on climbs or balk at an obstacle:

This bike laughs at uphills...it is all up to your legs/lungs, what ya waiting for??

And fast rocky descents that might have had me concerned on one of my steel rigid bikes? Again...the lobster chuckles to itself and shakes its head, no issue, bring it on...

All I can say is it is going to be a really fun spring and summer. This bike is fast, comfortable, and confidence inspiring. It feels very balanced and stable on descents, and I have no trouble lofting the front wheel and sus fork on climbs. Only a couple rides in so far, but I am very, very pleased. The frame builder's art is alive and well in Santa Cruz, CA.

The build, all the stuff I had laying around my garage... Well, OK, it was in my garage but that is 'cuz I sold off my old "best" frame and this is the new one...um...REAL good decision.

09 Fox 29er fork, 100mm
XT Crank Arms (getting an Enduro BB, XTR cups for now)
Surly 33 ring, Surly 20 cog, SRAM 991 chain
09 Marta SL brakes
Thomson Stem, Post
Fleegle bars - sadly, Fleegle can't see out of my new stem :-(
Shimano XTR pedals
King headset
King SS and ISO disc hubs
Stans 355 rims, Sapim spokes (Speeddream wheelset)
Specialized Alias Saddle, some Lock-on Grips
Silly Little French Tubeless Tires
Yep, those are King Cages and they're Stainless Steel

Yeah, I may try the Captain Control's on it here in a bit, but I am primarily an XC guy and the Hutches are fast, and had that nice blue logo for pictures. This bike just begs to be ridden long and hard over anything you care to try.

Another season is upon us...Let's Ride!

 

[Jwind]

weight?

 

[CLONG]

Wow. Nice unique build. There don't seem to be that many Al customs to begin with, but yours takes it to a new level. I love the large tubes, they look like they mean business.

Re: the tires, they don't look small from the side. Those Hutchinsons (at least the 26ers at my LBS) seem to be much taller than a given tire in the same width.

Nice to see new bike pics with dust and dirt, BTW.

Enjoy (looks like you are).

C.

 

[canyonrat]

I am a fully recovered ex-weight weenie so I have not even checked the whole bike. The Thomson stem and Fleegle bar are a couple of the heaviest products in their class.

The frame is between L and XL in typical sizing, and weighed 4.2 lbs on the hook at the shop. Not bad, considering the sliders and the yokes are solid hunks of metal. The tubing is older US-made Easton Elite...I think you could use it for a Tandem...weight was not a big consideration.

 

[Guitar Ted]

Nice! A very purposeful, classic looking build. Sort of a Klein-ish look with the square chainstays and a old Manitou look with the seat and chainstay yokes. Nicely done up in a great color.

I've admired Paul Sadoff's work for years now.

Enjoy and I "ditto" you call to "Ride"!

 

[MMcG]

Wow - really nice. It looks like a 29er version of an old Santa Cruz Chameleon only with sliders and your bike being even that much more cool looking.

 

[cb4photo]

Looks real, real nice. Congrats.... :thumbsup:

 

[GreenLightGo]

That thing is beautiful. Nice choice!

 

[poppy]

Wow this is so nice, we don't see many lobsters here but every time one comes up it looks so good :thumbsup:

 

[AL29er]

Oh, yep, that's a keeper :thumbsup:

Very nice frameset and build. Trail shots from the maiden voyage are also good for bonus points

 

[axcxnj]

that thing is awesome..very nice!

 

[LBIkid]

Sweet looking build. How are you liking the Fleegle?

 

[canyonrat]

Sweet looking build. How are you liking the Fleegle?

I have two Fleegle bars on different mountain bikes...I am hooked. I had a Niner Flat-Top 9 bar set aside for this build...but it got swapped onto the winter bike...I plan do do some long rides on the Lobster and I have not found anything to be as comfortable. I really reef on my bars when climbing, so the Thomson stem and Fleegle are the platform to deliver full-body force to the pedals.

 

[ia_ss157]

That bike is pure class. I am not even a fan of Fleegle bars, but they look so good on that build, I couldn't even bring myself to change them if I were to ride it. I love the chainstay and seatstay yokes as well. That bike just looks like you could throw anything at it and just laugh all the way. That's the only thing I am a little worried about with a Superfly. But I didn't buy it to pamper it. I'm going to bash that sucker as much as you are going to bash that thing around.

Oh and awesome use of a Surly SS ring. Even on the lightest builds I create that are SS or 1x9, I still use them becasue of their uber lengthy lifetime.

I would say enjoy, but there is no way you wouldn't.

 

[Natedogz]

Back in November I talked to Paul Sadoff at Rock Lobster about a custom aluminum 29er singlespeed with sliders. A patient wait over the winter, fun with the build process....

Gobs of clearance, not tried it yet but based on the measurement a Ralph 2.4 on a Gordo will fit in here with plenty of room...that's a tiny little Hutch Toro in there now...

...The build, all the stuff I had laying around my garage... Well, OK, it was in my garage but that is 'cuz I sold off my old "best" frame and this is the new one...um...REAL good decision.

09 Fox 29er fork, 100mm
XT Crank Arms (getting an Enduro BB, XTR cups for now)
Surly 33 ring, Surly 20 cog, SRAM 991 chain
09 Marta SL brakes
Thomson Stem, Post
Fleegle bars - sadly, Fleegle can't see out of my new stem :-(
Shimano XTR pedals
King headset
King SS and ISO disc hubs
Stans 355 rims, Sapim spokes (Speeddream wheelset)
Specialized Alias Saddle, some Lock-on Grips
Silly Little French Tubeless Tires
Yep, those are King Cages and they're Stainless Steel

Yeah, I may try the Captain Control's on it here in a bit, but I am primarily an XC guy and the Hutches are fast, and had that nice blue logo for pictures. This bike just begs to be ridden long and hard over anything you care to try.

Another season is upon us...Let's Ride!

Great lookin bike with great trail shots....I want to be out riding right now!

Crank length?

Looks like you later swapped the front Hutchinson Toro (2.1"?) for a WTB Exiwolf? Would you compare the tires and how they affect your handling?

Wow - really nice. It looks like a 29er version of an old Santa Cruz Chameleon only with sliders and your bike being even that much more cool looking.

Yes, it does but much better lookin!

Oh, yep, that's a keeper :thumbsup:

Very nice frameset and build. Trail shots from the maiden voyage are also good for bonus points

Yes and love the color, like early to mid 1950's Chevy turquoise from thier old two-tone paint jobs. :thumbsup:

 

[mtroy]

Wow! That is one of those 'just right' builds. It looks so clean and balanced, and yes, GT, kinda Klein-like without the hideous colors. Those sliders are tidy as well. It makes some of the Paragon ones I have seen look like doo-doo.

Is it just the steel frame compatible sliders that are all big and ugly?

Nice bike. It almost makes me want an aluminum frame. Well, ok, it does make me want THAT frame.

Just curious...what were you riding before?

 

[Soupboy]

Well done sir.

 

[canyonrat]

Great lookin bike with great trail shots....I want to be out riding right now!

Looks like you later swapped the front Hutchinson Toro (2.1"?) for a WTB Exiwolf? Would you compare the tires and how they affect your handling?

Nope the rear is a Toro for bite, and it has the hardskin casing so all the crap that had the benefit of suspension on the front tire does not shred the hardtail rear tire.

The front is a Python, it has more volume than the Toro, but narrower tread. Rolls fast for the front and with the sus fork there is WAY more traction than I am used to coming from rigid bikes.

 

[canyonrat]

Just curious...what were you riding before?

'06 El Mariachi (now the Gordo-Fat-29er)
'07 One 9 (nice but I sold it)
'09 Jabberwocky rigid for the 71 head angle (I know...I know...but I did skip '08)
'09 Rock Lobster is here now as the prime machine

Most of my parts have seen at least 2 or 3 frames...compulsive part-swapper. The RL build right now is a keeper for awhile though. :thumbsup:

 

[AllRounder]

Beautimous!!!! Love it! I'm pretty sure I saw this one in the raw on Paul's blog. I'm expecting my 650B Rock Lobster to be done soon, and your post just makes it that much harder to wait. Should be a fun Spring and Summer, indeed. Congrats!