Homebuilt Composite 29er

neortic

This is my home designed and built composite 29er.
I grin like a madman every time I take the bike out.

Pics: http://www.flickr.com/photos/neortic/se ... 700385963/

Frame: Homebuilt Composite 29er, 72 degree HA, 73 Degree SA, 24" TT, 17.5" CS
(Toray 3K CF and Kevlar over PU foam core,machined alloy inserts)
Forks: Carbon Cycles Exotic 470mm Carbon
Bars: FSA Maximus 710mm
Stem: FSA 70mm +/_ 6 Degree
Headset: Superstar Components Integrato
Grips: Clarks Lock-On
Bar Ends: N/A

Front Brake Lever assy: Clarks Skeletal
Front Caliper: Clarks Skeletal
Front disc :Clarks Skeletal
Rear Brake Lever assy: Clarks Skeletal
Rear Caliper: Clarks Skeletal
Rear Disc: Clarks Skeletal
Hoses: Clarks Skeletal


Shifters: Shimano Saint
Cables: Shimano/Clarks
Front Mech: N/A
Rear Mech: Shimano SLX
Chain Device: N/A

Seat: Ritchey
Seat Post: Homemade 31.6mm Carbon
Seat Post Clamp : Carbon Cycles Exotic Double 34.9mm/31.6mm

Cranks: FSA COMET Singlespeed 170mm Cranks
Chainring(s): FSA 32t
Chain: Taya 9 Speed
Cassette: Shimano HG cogs 6 speed special 14 to 32
Pedals: Wellgo V8
Bottom Bracket: FSA MegaEXO

Front Wheel: Superstar Components 29er
Rim: Superstar Components 29er
Spokes: Double Butted Stainless
Hub:Superstar
Tube: Slime 29er
Tire: Michelin Race'R 29er

Back Wheel: Superstar Components 29er
Rim: Superstar Components 29er
Spokes: Double Butted Stainless
Hub: Superstar
Tube: Slime 29er
Tire: Michelin XC 29 er

Weight: 13 Kilo

Other info:
Self designed and built from carbon fibre and kevlar materials on my kitchen table.
I wanted to prove to myself I could do it and it rides superbly. I base this statement against a 26er carbon frame I purchased off the web (chinese no doubt) that had similar rigid setup..it always seemed a compromise fit wise, the 29er I have tailored to my size and build.
The frame is wet lay up composite.
I machined the head tube inserts, seat tube insert and BB Cups.
Dropouts are commercially available items.

Si1988

Pretty sick mate, a true one-off. Bloody good job! How long did it take to make?

chainslapp

Is that a Staffordshire Knot on the head tube?

neortic

Yes it is a Staffordshire Knot.. I am Staffordshire born and bred so thought it apt.

It took about five months to build all told, from the initial fullsize paper layout to the pictures you see here.
I had to change a few things on the fly whilst building as I had never built a bike frame or used carbon fibre before.
Everything learned on the job as I went along.

cat_with_no_tail

That's very clever indeed. Well done!

Not much clearance at the back between tyre and seat-tube / stays by the looks of it. What's the reason for that? Is it purely to make a shorter wheelbase, or was there some other reason?

Again, very well done, unbelievable that you managed to knock something like that together on your own.

neortic

Yes it did come up pretty close......
I didn't want to put overlong chainstays on I had read so many things and not being a designer I wasn't sure what to do,so i pinned them at the length Niner uses on it's frames.
But during construction of the BB hoop and chain stays I added more laminations, the bottom bracket area has a lot of carbon/kevlar in there for stiffness and strength, hence I lost some of the room envisaged from the original plan.
I realise I am limited there on tyre size but hope it won't be a big issue even in bad clag I will have to see..I have different ideas for number two.

chainslapp

I take it the images are taken at Cannock Chase then?

neortic

No Chainslapp ....Needwood Forest early on sunday morning. :P

gezzza

Shes a little ruff around the edges, BUT bloody good job for a first go :shock:
What did it cost you?

neortic

Granted she is not production spec.
I needed to prove theory and the mechnics of it all and to be honest it came together far better than I had ever hoped.
It has cost me about £800 for the complete bike..so in reality the price of an on one 29er frame.
I need to work on the finish now I know I can build someting that stays in one piece.
I do have enough fabrics etc. to build proto two !

The Northern Monkey

Not bad for a 1st attempt!!

Is the rear wheel central? seems to lean to the right?

Also, looks very very low at the front.... what "size" is it lol!

neortic

I built it all on a jig.. and it is inline front to rear (fork dropouts to BB to rear dropouts, rolls straight with no snake or pull either way.
All the parts are hand formed so a little difference can be seen side to side.

Size wise it has a 24" top tube, 18" seat tube,465mm 29er fork(similar to 100mm unsagged sus fork) and 72 degree head angle.

VWsurfbum

Dam my work computer i cant see the Pics!!!
Sounds awesome, i'd love to do something like this, i dont have the time or patience at the moment for it, plus i'd probably end up with the odd jelly baby or farleys rusk in the build somewhere?

jairaj

Did you design it to have a particular ride feel? and if so were you successful in implementing it?

VWsurfbum

Just looked at the pics, very interesting, i'd be interested to see your next one.

sanchez89

would be interesting to see how this getting on. shame the OP hasnt been on in months!!!!

Thewaylander

It could be the reason for it

Anonymous

Might be due to problems In the frame ?

Levi_501

Nice! Maximum lad points

jaysonski

god that things nearly as ugly as my missus! it looks like it made of half chewed blackjacks.
Top marks for 'havin a go' though, it must be very stiff from the width of chainstays,
How does it ride? be interested to see the 2.0 version.
Brilliant, who said engineering was a dying art!

neortic

Still around and still building.
No1 bike going well now running 100mm Reba fork and 50mm stem great fun still love it.
Extensively tested on local runs plus two Lake District forays,Grizedale and Claife Heights.


No 2 Bike 120mm fork with 20mm screw thru' 150mm x 12 out back with Hone axle mount derailleur.
FSA cranks 1 x 8 trans with 32t front and bespoke coggedd 13 to 38t out back (38t from USA).
Slackish angles, wide bars and dropper post ''stiff fun'' lol.
Carbon and Kevlar composite hand formed tubes, carbon alloy honeycomb chain stays full carbon BB with bonded
Alloy inserts
Totally different ride to first bike but was designed that way no point having two the same.

Still chewin' Blackjacks and dripping resin on the kitchen table.
Lake District testing in between Christmas and new year hopefully riding with a friend from Biketreks.
Next project is probably a cross bike I have bought a vacuum pump and infusion kit so hopefully up the finished looks.

VWsurfbum

I'M keeping my light on. me likey

neortic

VWsurfbum wrote:

I'M keeping my light on. me likey

Thanks...will probably start forming tubes for new bike in the next few weeks have all the hardware parts to pick from.
So just have to finalise geometry and " style".
Stay tooned ;-)

VWsurfbum

gotta try a full suss

neortic

I have been sketching one up, I have made a cardboard model and looking at bearing choices.
For the easiest for me to build I am looking pivot system similar to an orange...problem is it shoves the price of the bike up going full sus , I have got to do one though.

VWsurfbum

sounds awesome apart from the orange bit.
do a build blog?

neortic

VWsurfbum wrote:

sounds awesome apart from the orange bit.
do a build blog?

I get what you say for sure but the Five type swing arm is a fairly simple linkage and not to hard for me to build in my shed.

VWsurfbum

very true. simple
love it, when I get a chance ID love to try this

MountainMonster

Man this is quite cool. Respect on building your own frame, I couldn't imagine what it takes to build one.

Anonymous

Hat off to you buddy, built not bought..