[Dan GSR]

90min smile because that is how long the trail is
shout out to the canfield nimble 9, my previous bike. This new bike's geometry is based off the n9. 412mm chain stays, 68.5 degree headtube angle
This year I have gone thru 4 frames. After riding the canfield, which gets much praise here, I knew what this geometry was what i needed. I've always wanted titanium. This is my first, and i can see why it is so coveted.

close up of plate chain stays to clear the crank/tire
also had the builder bridge the two stays for extra stiffness

drive side

plenty of tire clearance

142x12 drop outs

tapered head tube

close up of welds

specs:
xacd built frame
120mm manitou tower pro 15mm thru axle
cane creek 110 headset
hadley hubs & stans rims
2.25 nobby nic front
2.25 racing ralph rear
syntace carbon 740mm 12 degree bars
syntace megaforce 2 70mm stem
aka cranks, mrp bling ring
xpedo pedals
x9 shifter and derailleur
sram PG-1070 11-36 cassette
eriksen sweetpost
selle italia Max SLR gel flow
xt m785 brakes

25 lbs exactly as pictured

 

[Dan GSR]

if you have never tried a short chain stay 29er, you are really missing out

 

[Chillout]

Very nice!

Sent from my ADR6425LVW using Tapatalk 2

 

[kikoraa]

So sexy! I'm a new convert to steel. Buying my first steel frame in January. One day ill have a ti

 

[kikoraa]

What's considered short for a 29er chainstay?

 

[Dan GSR]

anything 16.8" or less
yelli screamy
nimble 9
banshee paradox
kona honzo

to name a few

 

[jochribs]

Real nice. Looking at the clearance between the tire and the yoke, I wonder, was it necessary to do a yoke? Looks like some slightly ovalized tubes would still clear. 'Specially if running a single ring?

Not meaning to criticize your pony, thing is bad ass. I've been wanting a shorter stayed 29er since before I actually took the splash and built a 29er up (this past summer, just a Stumpy HT frame with XT and XTR parts).

Can you describe what it does for your riding personally? I miss having the finessing control over the rear wheel that I had when riding 26". I still do, but it just takes that little bit more effort on the 29er and that's the one gripe with the bigger wheels that I have stuck in my craw. But I wonder if that has more to do with the length of the ass end than it does with the diameter of the wheels...

 

[Dan GSR]

Real nice. Looking at the clearance between the tire and the yoke, I wonder, was it necessary to do a yoke? Looks like some slightly ovalized tubes would still clear. 'Specially if running a single ring?

Not meaning to criticize your pony, thing is bad ass. I've been wanting a shorter stayed 29er since before I actually took the splash and built a 29er up (this past summer, just a Stumpy HT frame with XT and XTR parts).

Can you describe what it does for your riding personally? I miss having the finessing control over the rear wheel that I had when riding 26". I still do, but it just takes that little bit more effort on the 29er and that's the one gripe with the bigger wheels that I have stuck in my craw. But I wonder if that has more to do with the length of the ass end than it does with the diameter of the wheels...

the builder said to get the stays this short, i would have to run the plates
wasn't going to argue with him
my guess is if you squish the tubing too much it will be weakened

as for the handling, it sounds like you are perfect candidate for a short CS bike
i will try my best to explain it
the frame i had before the nimble 9 was a niner mcr
very nice frame, VERY different geometry
the mcr has 17.5 chain stays, 70.5 degree headtube angle
i loved the bike, but it didn't give me confidence
after moving to the n9 i saw the light
the mcr turns by turning the bars
the n9 turns by moving your hips, you can actually feel it pivot off the rear wheel
also since the n9 has a 69 degree headtube angle it gave me much better high speed stability. bikes with long stays and slack headtubes have long wheel bases, which will make it handle poorly But since this has a short chain stay, the wheel base is nearly identical to a "normal" geometry bike

i think the only reason more manufacturers are not building these designs is cost
it is more expensive to create a frame with an offset or curved seat tube

 

[Clink]

That's lovely.

xacd built frame

So Chinese then - any home grown design input?

 

[Dan GSR]

i went thru 7 drawings to get what i wanted
everything was custom to my specs

 

[jochribs]

the builder said to get the stays this short, i would have to run the plates
wasn't going to argue with him
my guess is if you squish the tubing too much it will be weakened

as for the handling, it sounds like you are perfect candidate for a short CS bike
i will try my best to explain it
the frame i had before the nimble 9 was a niner mcr
very nice frame, VERY different geometry
the mcr has 17.5 chain stays, 70.5 degree headtube angle
i loved the bike, but it didn't give me confidence
after moving to the n9 i saw the light
the mcr turns by turning the bars
the n9 turns by moving your hips, you can actually feel it pivot off the rear wheel
also since the n9 has a 69 degree headtube angle it gave me much better high speed stability. bikes with long stays and slack headtubes have long wheel bases, which will make it handle poorly But since this has a short chain stay, the wheel base is nearly identical to a "normal" geometry bike

i think the only reason more manufacturers are not building these designs is cost
it is more expensive to create a frame with an offset or curved seat tube

I hear ya and respect that! They're the builder for a reason. I think I could really benefit from a 29er like this. Thanks a ton for explaining the concept and handling characteristics to me. I need to ride one for sure. Maybe at some point I'll do an SS or a 1x10.

Maybe that's the reason why more companies aren't doing it. It just isn't a sell to everyone kind of thing. Because of the shorter stays it can only run SS or 1X since the front derailleur would whack the tire and result in blues singing. Most people just don't want that. They want something they can granny up the hill, and making frames that won't even humor that won't sell well. Just my guess. I'm probably wrong though. For instance though, I have XTR trail cranks 38x26 on my custom built Stumpy HT. The 38 is fine, the 26 is too low. I need a 27 or 28 for the inner. Doing a search today for that very sort of application found nothing but people complaining about the 26 being to high, not too low.

 

[Miker J]

Very nice.

How many teeth on the front ring?

Doing away with the FD prevents a lot of hassle as I'm sure you know.

I'm pretty sure if I ever build up another geared 29er HT, it will have a single up front. It's been years since I ran triples and on a HT I don't need the granny that much.

 

[jochribs]

Dan, the trails and woods your in remind me of my home of NJ. Grew up on LBI and on the mainland, in Manahawkin. Pine Barrens all the way!

 

[eurospek]

Love it! But it's super flickable.

 

[Dan GSR]

Love it! Bet it's super flickable.

yup, backing it in on some turns

 

[Dan GSR]

How many teeth on the front ring?

28t bling ring
for my terrain and fitness, it is perfect for me
i rarely spin out the 11t in the rear on singletrack

 

[meltingfeather]

sick!
:thumbsup:

 

[Blatant]

Beautiful, functional rig. I like.

 

[wv_bob]

Nice bike

Everything you said about the short CS slack HT is true. They're marketed as AM bikes, but are great woods bikes. My N9 rails single track as good as my WTB, but adds the roll over capability of the big wheels. It makes my Salsa and the Spot it replaced feel like school buses. Climbing is (almost) fun again, you just stand up and go for it.

 

[Dan GSR]

yeah i have no idea why they call it AM, i would call my riding XC. it works FANTASTICALLY for that