[eurorider]

What are the options these days for a lightweight, geared frame that has v-brake bosses and the shortest possible chainstays?

 

[Nater]

Older Fishers?

Pre 2005 Gary Fishers?

 

[Cloxxki]

And some 2006 Dual Sports Fishers perhaps. Sell the parts or put them on a no-name trekking frame, keep the 29" frame.

 

[eurorider]

Pre '05 would be a possibility.

I was in the shop doing a side by side comparison between an '06 X-Caliber and an '03 X-Caliber. For some reason, GF made the chainstays longer and the BB is higher. There was a gusset added at the head tube - downtube junction and there were small tabs welded where the chainstays meet the BB. I guess that is to cope with the longer chainstays?

The '06 frame was really nice though despite having those changes and being disc-only. The tubing manipulation looks to be superior to the '03 which has no variation in diameter along its tubes. The '06 also had curved seatstays + chainstays as well as more material removed from the dropouts.

But I'm under the impression that GF was marketing the 29" concept as a race bike before and now it is being marketed as a trail bike. That's somewhat confusing for someone like me who is considering a 29 for a race bike.

The only thing about the pre '05 is the BB might be a bit low. I'm on 175 mm cranks right now but being 6' 3" with an inseam of around 35", I should be going up to at least 180 mm. My friend is on 195 mm cranks, same inseam.

 

[bhutata]

How about custom?

 

[eurorider]

And some 2006 Dual Sports Fishers perhaps. Sell the parts or put them on a no-name trekking frame, keep the 29" frame.

Hmm, what's different about them? They appear to be disc-specific as well.

 

[eurorider]

How about custom?

That's something to consider as well but I have no idea who I should be looking at. The other thing is that I will need a v-brake fork with a lockout. The Reba is the type of fork I would go for but it is disc-only.

 

[Nater]

Internal butting vs. external butting

...The tubing manipulation looks to be superior to the '03 which has no variation in diameter along its tubes...

Don't know for sure but I'll be that the older frames are manipulated as much as the newer frames...it's just that the newer frames use external butting of the tubes rather than internal butting. You just can't see the internal butting.