Custom Single Speed 29er

Custom Single Speed 29er

I had wanted to build this one for a while; fitting it inbetween other projects means that it has been about five months in the making, but finally realised! Mostly about performance, but a little bit focused on the aesthetic and styling too. The goal was a very clean look, hence the integrated seatmast (with a Thomson seatpost modified with an internal wedge – seat height is adjustable by removing the saddle), fully internal hydraulic hose routing (the front hose enters under the stem, goes down the steerer tube, into the left fork leg and exits by the caliper. The rear hose enters the downtube behind the headtube, runs underneath the BB inside the frame before passing inside the chainstay to arrive at the brake) and one piece steerer-stem-bar. The curved seattube allows for short chainstays with the 29″ wheels, and careful shaping of the stays gives clearance for the 2.25″ tires and the Gates belt drive ring. A Niner Eccentric bottom bracket enables tensioning of the belt, whilst a custom split dropout allows it to be fitted to the frame. Post mounts front and rear for the disc brakes, with 140mm rotor rear, 160mm front. Assymmetric seatstays to clear the rear brake caliper.

The parts are a balance of durability and weight, with 28h Chris King single speed disc hubs laced to Edge XC rims with Sapim cx-ray spokes, Race Face Zeus SL cranks and SRAM XX brakes. Total weight is 18.5lbs.

18 Comments

  1. Just wanted to say this is truly an amazing bike. I love every little detail on it. If I I ever happen to find a money tree in my garden, this baby would be mine.

  2. Noce looking bike Rob! Do you get any vibration noise with the internal routing and brake hose and how did you address that? Thanks.
    CB

  3. Just such nice lines! Wow

  4. I saw this bike at NAHBS today and was just blown away. It is perfect. Seriously in person, the detail is just remarkable.
    Someday, it will be mine.
    Thank you.

  5. Amazing. Love at first sight.
    Do you consider a Rohloff version of this bike?

  6. Tony put it best. Perfection, every gram…

    Thank you Rob!!!!

  7. Greetings from the sunny(!) Isle of Man.

    This is I think the most beautiful bicycle I have ever seen.

  8. Beautiful!

  9. gorgeous>>green with envy, art, functionality and form all in one, great build well done!!!

  10. Hi,
    a great bicycle-work of art!
    Just wondering-is it a steel?
    Cheers!
    Mark

    • Yes, all steel – frame, fork and bar/stem! thanks, Rob.

  11. Amazing Bike !
    Which tubes have been used on this bike ?
    Greetings from Germany

    • Thanks! The seattube is custom externally butted cromoly, the downtube, toptube and chainstays are True Temper OX Platinum and the seatstays are custom cromoly. Fork blades and crown are also custom butted and formed.
      Best regards,
      Rob.

      • Thank you 🙂 It´s a pity that the seatstays arent on the market like that. They look so awesome ! Which wall thicknesses do you use to make the seatstays (The thinner part of them)?
        Greetings from Germany
        I hope you´ll be able to ride your bike again soon!

  12. Do you use a standard star nut for preload, or a custom threaded boss brazed to the interior of the steer tube? 🙂

    • On this bike I use a custom piece brazed inside the tube – this leaves me room to run the hydraulic hose through the steerer.
      Best, Rob.

  13. Hello Rob,
    perfect bike – would kind of frame is the base for your
    project ?

    Axel

    • Hi Axel,

      The frame is custom built lightweight steel, with a selection of custom machined and formed tubing alongside tubes from True Temper.

      thanks,
      Rob.

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