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#1,081 ·
I really lucked out on my frame. I paid $800 for a new Sawyer in between model years. Good deals can be had, and I think a $7-800 price point is a reasonable expectation. There was one here on Craigslist in Las Vegas for a looooong time and the price just kept dropping. Las I saw it was down to $1k and I bet it could be had for $800 or less.

I have basically just sat on my sawyer since buying it. I've ridden it a few times on pavement, and had plans to build it up as a beach bike with some fatties when I lived in SoCal. Then I moved to Vegas . . . so no more beach. But I've grown re interested in the bike and am thinking of what to do with it next. I'm likely getting a new trail bike soon and will port the parts from my existing build over to the sawyer. Hope brakes and CK hubs primarily. Will likely build it as a singlespeed with 27.5+. Considering a belt drive too but not sure yet.
 
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#1,082 ·
Trek Sawyer re-do

Well, as I posted a while back, I blew out my shoulder riding in late August and have spent the past 3.5 months recovering from surgery. Still going, but have come a long way. To occupy my time, I decided to tear the bike down, spend time tracking down some new parts and, well, one thing led to another and here she is.
I never sealed the inside so figured I would start there, once the frame was stripped down it seemed like a good time to powdercoat.
New parts include Thompson stem and seatpost, CK headset, XTR cranks and BB, Stan's Arch front wheel (back coming for xmas hopefully) oh and found a 2011 G2 fox fork that I cleaned up, rebuilt and stripped the stickers from. I am super psyched with how it came out and can not wait to get out on the trail. I just got cleared from surgeon for road riding, so hopefully the dirt is not too far away.
 
#1,083 ·
CObiker123 said:
Well, as I posted a while back, I blew out my shoulder riding in late August and have spent the past 3.5 months recovering from surgery. Still going, but have come a long way. To occupy my time, I decided to tear the bike down, spend time tracking down some new parts and, well, one thing led to another and here she is.
I never sealed the inside so figured I would start there, once the frame was stripped down it seemed like a good time to powdercoat.
New parts include Thompson stem and seatpost, CK headset, XTR cranks and BB, Stan's Arch front wheel (back coming for xmas hopefully) oh and found a 2011 G2 fox fork that I cleaned up, rebuilt and stripped the stickers from. I am super psyched with how it came out and can not wait to get out on the trail. I just got cleared from surgeon for road riding, so hopefully the dirt is not too far away.
Click to expand...
Looks Awesome! Let us know how it rides once you're able to really thrash it!

-r
 
#1,084 ·
I know of at least one of you on a Sawyer with a 27.5+ setup . . . how's the Sawyer feel with the semi-fatties?

It's a long complicated story, but I'm soon to find myself with a surplus of high end parts. I'm looking at my Sawyer as a potential new home for them all and am thinking about building up something totally unique from my other bike. I'm really considering a 27.5+ rigid SS . . . .
 
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#1,085 ·
007 said:
I know of at least one of you on a Sawyer with a 27.5+ setup . . . how's the Sawyer feel with the semi-fatties?

It's a long complicated story, but I'm soon to find myself with a surplus of high end parts. I'm looking at my Sawyer as a potential new home for them all and am thinking about building up something totally unique from my other bike. I'm really considering a 27.5+ rigid SS . . . .
Click to expand...
Personally I think it ruined the bike. My sawyer was quick and fun set up as a ss 29'r. As a 27+ SS it feels like the brakes are dragging. The added volume of a 27.5x3" tire is hardly noticeable compared to a nice 29x2.3, but I certainly feel the loss of roll over and extra rotating weight. I spent a lot on a 27+ wheelset built around King Hubs and I really regret doing so. With the large selection of great 29'r tires available I would not do it again.

So...want to buy a set of 27.5" wheels that fit a sawyer?;)
 
#1,086 ·
9GUY9 said:
Personally I think it ruined the bike. My sawyer was quick and fun set up as a ss 29'r. As a 27+ SS it feels like the brakes are dragging. The added volume of a 27.5x3" tire is hardly noticeable compared to a nice 29x2.3, but I certainly feel the loss of roll over and extra rotating weight. I spent a lot on a 27+ wheelset built around King Hubs and I really regret doing so. With the large selection of great 29'r tires available I would not do it again.

So...want to buy a set of 27.5" wheels that fit a sawyer?;)
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Wow; this might just be one of the most honest opinions I've read on this whole site! :lol:

That's a bummer about your build. At least you can re-use the hubs to build up a nice set of 29" wheels? I might still do it though . . . I have a trail rocket already. A 27.5+ Sawyer would be built with the intention of bumbling along, slowly . . . I'd put a Jones Loop H-bar on it, an easy pedaling gear, and a belt drive to keep things quiet (and low maintenance). I suppose I could do this with a 29er too though and have more tire/rim options. We'll see!
 
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#1,087 ·
I made my Sawyer into a 27.5+ SS and I really like it. I loved the bike before, but never really rode it off road, due my 6 other mountain bike being faster and lighter. I tried to sell it, but wasn't getting what I wanted out of it, so I decided to repurpose. I have enjoyed the heck out hitting the trails on a SS. This time of year on the rougher frozen trails, it was a nice compromise between my fat bike and XC bike
 

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#1,088 ·
9GUY9 said:
Personally I think it ruined the bike. My sawyer was quick and fun set up as a ss 29'r. As a 27+ SS it feels like the brakes are dragging. The added volume of a 27.5x3" tire is hardly noticeable compared to a nice 29x2.3, but I certainly feel the loss of roll over and extra rotating weight. I spent a lot on a 27+ wheelset built around King Hubs and I really regret doing so. With the large selection of great 29'r tires available I would not do it again.

So...want to buy a set of 27.5" wheels that fit a sawyer?;)
Click to expand...
I can agree with this, my sawyer is currently SS 34/22 with 27.5 fat-b-nimbles and an 80mm fox

It's not a rocket but it's still fun to ride, it is super comfortable and the traction is much appreciated, but I primarily ride it when meandering around with the wife or just out putzing by myself

I wouldn't be taking it on a fast paced group ride, but in my case I'd get dropped on any SS on a group ride
 
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#1,090 ·
I mentioned a while back that during a mandatory shoulder surgery break I completely tore down and rebuilt my Sawyer. I think the only thing stock is the frame at this point. I love how it came out. I have finally been riding on and off for a couple months and luckily with the weather on the front range of CO, I have had a fair amount of opportunity. Been spending most of my time on some beginner-ish local trails I can ride to from my house. I ride these trails a lot and while there is nothing overly tech about them, they are nice - single and double track, a pretty good 4-6% jeep road climb, enough to keep you entertained. As the shoulder heals, I am getting more adventurous and yesterday rode a trail that I normally would just bring out the full squish bike, but opted for the Sawyer. It was the best ride I have had in a long time. Its pretty rocky terrain with a sustained climb up and then just rips on the way down. I freaking love this bike more than ever. For the first time, I was really able to feel the steel frame flex and be compliant in just the right spots and really smooth out the trail as much as a hard tail can. My previous single speed was a steel Kona Unit that I loved, but I never got the feedback from the frame like I did on the Sawyer. This bike is a keeper!
 
#1,091 ·
Does anyone off hand have the specs on the BB? I have a new RF Turbine Cinch and BB looking for a home, and wondering if the Sawyer is it.
 
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#1,094 ·
007 - yes, the BB on the Sawyer is 73mm

Voheip, I have mine at 26.5 pounds on a digital Park scale. That's with single speed set up and a front shock. The stock fork, while heavy, would be a pound lighter than the Fox that's on there.

I have read of low 20's Sawyers and I believe it.
 
#1,095 ·
New(ish) Sawyer SS Build

I posted this in the rigid SS thread, but couldn't find the Sawyer thread at the time:
This frame was sitting in my basement for several years and I had been trying to sell it. But when my daily ride's derailleur picked up a stick and ate itself, I decided I needed a spare ride. So - now I have a belt-drive SS! :)

But here's the $5 question: Does anyone know if there's a manufacturer making replacement dropouts for this thing? I would like to build up a SS specific rear wheel with a through axle - but that won't work with the QR dropouts. I saw a previous post on here about someone making their own or having them fabbed at a machine shop. Maybe that's what I'll have to do.
 
#1,096 ·
An old thread here, but I just picked up a Sawyer on ebay and was wondering if any of the folks that repainted their frames had them stripped first? I would think so, and just wondering what the frame looked like "raw?" I thinking of stripping it, and am hoping the raw steel shows the welding marks. Any insight would be appreciated. Thanks.
 
#1,097 ·
so as not to leave you hanging, but not able to answer. I had mine sand blasted and powder coated, so I never saw it raw. I did think about the raw with clear coat look too though. I have nothing to base this on, but my thought was that it wouldn't look like I would hope. Maybe a little more of a mass production than handmade look. I liked the Battleship Grey (?) but that frame looks so good with some color. Just go for it and see. Great bike/frame. I absolutely love mine and it is definitely the bike that gets the most use.
 
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