[CallumRD1]

Seven months after I began this project, I've finally finished my full suspension 29er! This is my third steel bike, following two hardtails, the second of which is detailed here (https://forums.mtbr.com/frame-building/steel-29er-hardtail-v2-0-a-1092402.html). Some of the design work for this bike was documented here (https://forums.mtbr.com/frame-building/looking-input-steel-fs-29er-design-build-1094552.html).

It ended up being right around 140mm travel in the rear and I designed the geometry around a 160mm fork.

I had it powder coated with Prismatic Powders 'Illusion Lite Blue' with the 'Clear Vision' top coat. (PMS4621 and PPS2974). It looks incredible in person, especially in the sun, but I cannot get that to come across in a photograph.

Here's the geometry:

Head tube angle: 65˚
Effective seat tube angle: 76˚ (at my saddle height)
Stack: 653mm
Reach: 490mm
Chainstay Length: 435mm
Front-Center: 839mm
Wheelbase: 1274mm
BB Drop: 25mm
BB Height: 355mm (w/ ø760mm tires)
ST Length: 450mm
HT Length: 130mm
Fork Axle-Crown: 567mm (160mm Fox 36)
Fork Offset: 51mm
Stem Length: 45mm

and some highlights of the build list:

Fork: Fox 36 Factory, Fit4 damper, 160mm travel
Shock: Fox DPX2 Factory, 200x57mm
Groupset: SRAM GX/X01 Eagle, 32t by 10-50t, 175mm cranks
Brakes: Shimano XT M8020
Rotors: 180mm F/R (custom IS to 180mm post mount adapter for rear)
Dropper: Brand-X XL 170 x 30.9mm
Hubs: Industry Nine Torch
Tires: Maxxis 29x2.5" DHF (front) and Aggressor (rear)

2019,07,14-CRD_4755-2 by Callum Douglass, on Flickr

 

[shirk]

That looks great. Good work.

 

[Drew Diller]

Oh my goodness. :thumbsup:

 

[incubus]

What a beauty! Nicely done!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Feldybikes]

Win. Let us know how it rides!

 

[M1KEMEX]

You forgot to remark that's it's forward geometry. What's the feel compared to a regular geometry?

 

[CallumRD1]

The geometry actually feels very normal and comfortable to me. Being 6'2" tall with a +3" ape index certainly helps that. I do like the steeper seat tube for climbing.

I haven't had much chance to go on a proper ride yet, but initial impressions are good. It's the slackest, longest travel bike I've ever had, so it feels like a lot more bike than I'm used to, but in a good way. It still climbs very well with negligible pedal bob and goes downhill like nothing I've had before.

Here's another photo of it:

2019,07,14-CRD_4745 by Callum Douglass, on Flickr

 

[geraldooka]

Gorgeous, great effort.

 

[Redlands R&C]

:thumbsup:

Looks very nice!

 

[tilemachos]

congratulations! beautiful construction. And most of all ...steel.

 

[itsky]

Sweet!

 

[tilemachos]

just by looking the first photo, i couldn't notice, does the 4rth tie screw of the suspension rocker, hit the seat tube? can you post a more elaborate picture of the rocker? i have a spare full suspension frame that has a two part rocker , without any tie screws and would like to construct a new rocker like yours for added rigidity.