[Machianera]

Yes Sir I will... just waiting on the bar end shifters - then I will be out on the gravel pacing.

you don't need the shifters! and no gravel roads. those are for road bikes.
go single speed.
find a trail with some roots, rocks and possibly a steep downhill.
wear helmet

 

[colker1]

I guess if running drop bars by the book like this ...

... mandatory PPE will be

Actually that stem is too long and too low for the trails i ride. swapped for a nitto which has shorter reach.
Didn't get your joke, have no idea on the blue thing you posted.
I think you should try your set up on your local technical downhill.. asap. don't be shy.. go full speed ahead.:thumbsup:

 

[digilux]

moved

 

[digilux]

Actually that stem is too long and too low for the trails i ride. swapped for a nitto which has shorter reach.
Didn't get your joke, have no idea on the blue thing you posted.
I think you should try your set up on your local technical downhill.. asap. don't be shy.. go full speed ahead.:thumbsup:

PPE = Personal Protective Equipment and "that thing" is a dental/mouth guard :thumbsup:

As soon as the bar end shifters arrive I'll be out riding - head first

 

[colker1]

PPE = Personal Protective Equipment and "that thing" is a dental/mouth guard :thumbsup:

As soon as the bar end shifters arrive I'll be out riding - head first

with all due respect to your bike fleet and services as a mechanic... you have no idea on riding drops on mountain trails.

 

[rigidftw]

As soon as the bar end shifters arrive I'll be out riding - head first

well, whenever you try it first down some steep choppy stuff, make sure you're not alone in the woods.

 

[digilux]

well, whenever you try it first down some steep choppy stuff, make sure you're not alone in the woods.

Now your are talking about something all different - your are now moving in to the topic of skills

 

[jeff]

Your bike needs Sandman's stem. Simple. You know this though.

 

[Uncle Grumpy]

I knew it was a mouth guard, because here in Australia we're pretty tough and we play rugby leagure, and the only protection we wear is a mouthguard. Not like that funny American football with it's body armour and helmets, pah!

But at first glance, it looks like it could be a blue anodised brake booster. And you know, there's a bit part of me wanted it to be a brake booster, because it looks like it could be a really sexy brake booster.

Grumps

 

[tvalen]

Looks great to me. I've been thinking of adding drop bars to my Rocky Mountain Hammer Race.

 

[digilux]

I got the bar end shifters today and just had to finish (preliminary build though!). Did a test run with the kids and the initial feeling was pretty good. Still need some tweaking and adjustment but I am as you probably know pretty satisfied so fare. I am very impressed with the shifting performance of the Ultegra bar end shifters. First the front shifter (left) has a good Suntour micro index shift feel to it, and the rear shifter (right) has a precise and chrisp 8 speed index shift - all in all better than the XTII thumb shifters. Still have to take it out in the woods for a proper test before the full final verdict.

I changed the Shimano XT cantilevers for a Campa Record OR set. The Campa is far better both braking performance but also service and adjustment. Yes I know I have not wrapped the bar tape around the shifter cables.

 

[laffeaux]

That might be the best looking Ascent I've seen. Hopefully the trail ride report is positive too.

 

[colker1]

bike is 2 sizes too small.

 

[digilux]

bike is 2 sizes too small.

Hi there dear bike friend - you are right but also quoting what I have stated many posts earlier ;-)

The sad reality for me is that frames like this do not exist in viking land - it was this Ritchey or no Ritchey for me...

 

[digilux]

That might be the best looking Ascent I've seen. Hopefully the trail ride report is positive too.

Thanks for kind words. The frame could need a new decal set... or not?

 

[laffeaux]

Thanks for kind words. The frame could need a new decal set... or not?

The head tube decal might be a little "loud" but the remaining ones look good to me. They're certainly not original, but the blue decal (on the down tube) against the red looks nice to me. Unless you want to capture more of the original "feel" I'd stick with what you've got.

 

[digilux]

Hello fellow VRC friends

Today I had my first long test ride with my drop bar Ritchey. The over all initial verdict was that this was a success. And the longer in to the test ride I came the better the feeling became. On the single tracks and special the more technical croxes I feelt a bit uncomfortable in relation to how I ride the same trail with my other bikes. The Yeti ASR SL just float over and through in a straight line. The Ritchey is more back to the roots. But on the grave roads I was realy hammering and realy feelt lige hamering on my road bikes. A great feeling. Regarding the long and whineing road about my project, I can realy understand the JT setup seeing it from a road bike point of wiew. The Cunningham setup requires a hole different frame design and geometry. The Cunningham bikes with drop bars have a sloping toptube etc giving the rider a totaly different riding position. I cant see that any of these styles is the one and only right drop bar style. I like the JT style, and will build a cunningham replika to tyr that style also.

Edit: BTW I swapped the low quality Shimano XTII rear derailleur with the best derailleur ever - the Mavic 845.

 

[bucktruck]

Hey, if you like riding her, who cares what anyone else thinks! Congrats on a unique build. I'm actually thinking of doing something similar to my Ritchey.

 

[richieb]

Where's that IRD post go? You should sell it to me.

I can't say whether or not your bike is right - just that it's wrong for me. Looks like the front end will not like the loose cornering at all.