I have a idea (stay with me on this one)

Sarnian

As I live on a Island surrounded by beaches I have decided to build a bike to ride on them with, as It can be a laugh riding on the sand and rocks I do It from time to time but you don't really won't to be doing It on any of your good bike's what with sand and salt water.

I am using a Inbred frame and forks and I have pretty much everything else, was looking for some Ideas, I am doing this on a budget.

Tyres I need some really good wide tyres that can cope with sand and wet rock, and would work with a ghetto tube set up.

The other thing Is gears, I would like a few, anything from 3 to 8 would do fine. Internal hub would be best as we know sand and derailleurs don't mix to well but the budget kind of puts a stop to that, but I was thinking of maybe a old 5-6 speed set up, just don't know where to get my hands on one cheap.

Any other ideas are welcome.

nicklouse

so no Pugsly then?

Sarnian

No did think about It, but I have another project in the go as well and this one Is a bit of a laugh although It would probably be good training.
So with crimbo coming up and the other project, budget Is a must on this.

cat_with_no_tail

Something like this



I'd go for a rigid for obvious reasons, something with MASSIVE clearance though as the bigger the tyres the better.

Surly actually make a frame designed specifically for this kind of use, the Pugsley. IIRC it's usually run as SS though, and it's not exactly cheap.

Surly (again) do special tyres for sand riding, they are hooooojly expensive though, something stupid like £70 EACH!

I wish you luck, but it's not something I'd do without a reasonable budget. Just think that without the right components, it's not going to be much fun.

cat_with_no_tail

Grrrr, curse my slow typing and labourious google image searches.

Sarnian

A little scaled down me thinks, I have a inbred with inbred rigid forks to build on. And as from past experiences with playing on the beach all my life this will only end In tears so I am not going to spend to much

stevet1992

Maybe use some of that roadie glue to glue a tyre to a rim then run at very very low pressures ?

bomberesque

as weird as this sounds, I'd try Schwalbe big apples, if you can get them for a decent price

we were riding a very sandy area near us yesterday and one of the guys had mashed his normal bike up so was riding his city hack with (not quite)slicks. He said he surprised himself with how much traction he had, sideways grip was not there at all though.

the Big apples are 2.5" slicks. Run Ghetto and low pressure I rekon they might suit, at least for having a laugh, plus, for the size, they're more likely to fit your frame than a knobby 2.5

as for gears, I'd definitely go singlepeed, not that I don't like hub gears (I commute on an Alfine) but as you say, they're a bit pricey and I'm not really too sure how well sealed against sand / salt they are.

pictures when it's done (ofc)

Kiblams

If you get ome wide rims (like the sulrly large marges) and put pretty much any tyre on there it will give you floatation you need for the sand.

Check out MTBR.com for more ideas as they have forum dedicated to "Fat Bikes" and will be able to help you no doubt.

supersonic

8 speed set ups can be got pretty cheap.

nicklouse

Kiblams wrote:

If you get ome wide rims (like the sulrly large marges) and put pretty much any tyre on there it will give you floatation you need for the sand.

Check out MTBR.com for more ideas as they have forum dedicated to "Fat Bikes" and will be able to help you no doubt.

seen the price of those rims though.

Also on an inbred.

Kiblams

nicklouse wrote:

seen the price of those rims though.

Also on an inbred.

True, but you can use sme 46mm trials rim instead. One of the guys has actually used an inbred and managed to fit a 44mm rim and 3" tyre in the frame...

nicklouse

Kiblams wrote:

nicklouse wrote:

seen the price of those rims though.

Also on an inbred.

True, but you can use sme 46mm trials rim instead. One of the guys has actually used an inbred and managed to fit a 44mm rim and 3" tyre in the frame...

but those are not the LM as both versions are 65mm

robertpb

You'll want some tyres like these so you have the sun at the beach at all times, http://www.suomityres.fi/aws.html

Kiblams

I only said like Large Marges, and by that meant just bigger than your average rim if you are looking to tackle rocks then I would say that the Surly endomorphs are not ideal, but a wider rim and most DH/FR tyres would most likely suit sand and rocks

cat_with_no_tail

I actually tried to get some prices on the kit needed to build up a Pugsley a while back. Unfortunately, the only Surly dealer I could use (because of postage etc) was Wiggle, and it was so much of a pain in the backside trying to get info off them, I gave it up as a bad job.
I'd love to give it another try sometime though.
Sarnian Good luck with the build, keep us updated. If it works, I might be a copycat and try something similar myself.
.

nicklouse

Cat With No Tail
talk to www.billys.co.uk as they are the importers shop.

cat_with_no_tail

Awesome, I do remember that I did have a quick look on the Surly site at some of the dealers. Most of them didn't want to deliver all the way to Isle 'O' Man though (which is fair enough) and that's why I tried to go through Wiggle in the end.

I might have to give these guys a try then, cheers Nick.

Of course, anything like this is going to have to wait now until after Crimbo. With the frame at around £400 and the rims at around £150 each, it's not going to be something I can do on a shoestring.

Daz555

Check this bad boy:

cat_with_no_tail

Mmmmmm, racy!

Sarnian

Cheers for the info, I did not really won't to buy a new set of wheels as I have a old set kicking about I know it would be better if I did buy some but got to think shoe string here. Another thing I was hoping to use rim brakes and they are going to limit tyre size.

Anonymous

Daz555 wrote:

Check this bad boy:

hoho! hell yes!

Dirtydog11

I reckon a Gates Carbon drive or some sort of other belt system married to an internal hub would be a good idea.


Video here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YS_nO79_ ... re=related


I think Orange were working on something similar.

Sarnian

yeehaamcgee wrote:

Daz555 wrote:

Check this bad boy:

hoho! hell yes!

I like I do have to be able to ride mine on the roads up and down hills, that looks like hard work

Anonymous

Dirtydog11 wrote:

I reckon a Gates Carbon drive or some sort of other belt system married to an internal hub would be a good idea.


Video here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YS_nO79_ ... re=related


I think Orange were working on something similar.

"the first step is opening the rear triangle of the frame"
Yeah, like all frames can do that :roll:

biff55

^^ saw one of those in halfords today , had APOLLO written on the frame

captainfly

It all depends on the type of sand on the beach you intend to ride, I run on ainsdale beach and dubes a couple of times a week and the variation in sand type is huem from powder when it's been really dry but more often it's quite wet and would be more like snow. I was thinking about a bike to ride there and a single speed ridgid jump bike would be best with v brakes. Then getting used to pushing up soft up hill and be prepared to clean lots AND replace worn parts fequenty. As for tyres and thing over 2.1 with oversized thickwall tubes run at low pressure. But on flat wetsand there is nothing special you would need apart from a low enough gear.

Sarnian

Just noticed tonight that I have some 3.0 kenda flames hanging up In the back of the shed, I have know idea how I came about getting these but I am wondering If It's worth trying them out.

bomberesque

Sarnian wrote:

Just noticed tonight that I have some 3.0 kenda flames hanging up In the back of the shed, I have know idea how I came about getting these but I am wondering If It's worth trying them out.

given that they're free, I'd say yah

now for myriad "what tyre for wet/dry/course/fine sand type threads! 8)

Sarnian

Have been having a look through my spare boxes and I think I might of come up with a idea that wont cost me anything, double chain ring on the front and just a single sprocket on the rear. This should give me something bigger to ride on the roads with then a smaller option for the beach

cat_with_no_tail

Curses to you Sarnian. You have re-ignited my desire for a fat bike :twisted:

I have been speaking with a nice chap at Surly called Johnny. He has very kindly been helping me to work out a spec. I'm going to take this on as a long term project over the next 6-12 months as and when I have a bit of spare dosh.

As much as I'd like a Rohloff, the cost is somewhat out of my reach. I'm thinking an Alfine with a Gates carbon drive. I've been assured by a guy who runs Alfine on his, that as long as it's looked after, sand wont be too much of an issue.