My new IBIS Tranny

bomberesque
bomberesque Posts: 1,701
edited July 2009 in Your mountain bikes
The most expensive bike I've built to date and it's got no suspension and only one gear!

The tranny has a pivot at the seatstay bridge and a sliding spigot setup connecting the BBshell to the chainstays, thus the chainstays can be lengthened to take up chain slack. It also means that it comes to bits and Mrs B was able to fit the whole frame in her check in luggage wrapped in clothes and cardboard

The frame is 1500gr incl seat collar. Ibis claim 1350, but perhaps that is small and nude finish. Whatever, it's superlight and stiff enough to SS, which was my brief to myself when I was looking. And it's not aluminium (tired of alu HT frames trying to break my back).

I know it breaks with some SS traditions where frames have to be 20 year old recoops or hard as nails steel made in a shed, but I had the cash and I wanted a superlight singlespeed that would be comfortable. So far, it seems I fulfilled my brief (only ridden it once so far)

3594422699_0662c10967.jpg
Got her out for a first run last weekend. I was a little worried about singlespeeding on the knee, but it seems to be holding up well. The bike is superb. light as all hell (I *think* 18lb, but not weighted it properly yet ) but planted and feels strong

3595229394_4b43390a89.jpg
Hmmmm ... carbon underpaints

the Ibis is definitely a better size for me than the dale was. That frame was from when 120mm was short for a stem, this one is happy atm with the 90 that's on there and I may experiment with shorter, depending how the handling feels when I throw it at something proper over the next weeks. Definitely the back end is more compliant than the cannondale (but then; what frame is less compliant in the back end than a 1990s cannondale frame? OK, a Klein probably but you get my point )
The forks are Nukeproof and far from being clones of On-one/Pace/etc etc they have a nuclear symbol on each leg ... which makes them go faster. All in I'm very happy with the new SS atm, It'll probably get a needlessly bling shock fork (thinking DTswiss) at some point and the Jury's out on the I-beam saddle which has less give than ... well something with no give, but then you don't spend much time in the saddle on a SS so I imagine it'll stay as I think it's actually lighter than the air it displaces


bits;
  • Nukeproof carbon fork
  • Easton XCOne wheels - light but not bonkers and very stiff
  • XTR brakes (was planning to go with BB7s but got a combo deal on the brakes and wheels)
  • Middleburn ISIS crank (XTR weight for XT money and lifetime guarantee )
  • carbon seatpost and H-bars
  • SDG I-fly Ibeam seat. Not so sure about this, it's a lot harsher than a railed one and wasn't available in cow )
  • Tyres and tubes are spares from another bike atm. I have fresh rubber on the way
Everything in moderation ... except beer
Beer in moderation ... is a waste of beer

If riding an XC race bike is like touching the trail,
then riding a rigid singlespeed is like licking it
... or being punched by it, depending on the day

Comments

  • DrWorm
    DrWorm Posts: 66
    That looks awesome mate. If you came past me on that (and at around 18lbs you would come past me!) I'd be drooling.

    Envy.
  • dunker
    dunker Posts: 1,503
    oooh very nice bike :) eyeing up your nuke proof there, umm and ahhing about sticking one on my malt.
  • george.b
    george.b Posts: 41
    woah. looks sweeet. Bet its bloody nice to ride aswell!
  • gcwebbyuk
    gcwebbyuk Posts: 1,926
    Gorgeous bike - have been toying with the idea of going carbon for my next bike/upgrade...
  • bomberesque
    bomberesque Posts: 1,701
    took it out for 35k yesterday on the club evening ride. It really is fast. The fork is not as stiff as the Identiti Tuning fork I had on my old SS, but it's half the weight, 40mm longer and seems stiff enough at the moment. Taking it to the meerdael Bos tomorrow, which will be more of a test.

    and DrWorm; the lightweight is definitely an advantage, but where the motor can't drive, the kit won't follow! I'm no rabbit, but this is a fast bike. 8)

    very happy so far :D
    Everything in moderation ... except beer
    Beer in moderation ... is a waste of beer

    If riding an XC race bike is like touching the trail,
    then riding a rigid singlespeed is like licking it
    ... or being punched by it, depending on the day
  • k2rider
    k2rider Posts: 575
    get some gears on it! waste of a gorgeous frame otherwise.
    who cares?
  • bomberesque
    bomberesque Posts: 1,701
    k2rider wrote:
    get some gears on it! waste of a gorgeous frame otherwise.

    :lol:

    it's designed to be run singlespeed. to run it with gears would be to waste the core design of the frame. and if i had wanted a geared bike I could have found something lighter and probably cheaper too.

    However, I am considering getting a casette, cable and shifter spare so I can convert it to 1x9 when necessary.. I race a couple of 24 hr races a year and that might be the sort of time to go for a few gears
    Everything in moderation ... except beer
    Beer in moderation ... is a waste of beer

    If riding an XC race bike is like touching the trail,
    then riding a rigid singlespeed is like licking it
    ... or being punched by it, depending on the day
  • Airienteer
    Airienteer Posts: 695
    Nice forks :wink:
  • bomberesque
    bomberesque Posts: 1,701
    4899_94523227009_574677009_1876960_2240559_n.jpgMy favorite style of trail marker. Looks like we're gonna get muddy!
    4899_94523207009_574677009_1876957_7002204_n.jpg
    note the thoughtfully placed mud shelf. Bloody Californians :-P
    4899_94523217009_574677009_1876958_2480342_n.jpg
    Obligatory chainline shot
    4899_94523222009_574677009_1876959_1539710_n.jpg
    Hmmm swoopy

    it rides superbly and is exactly what I was looking for; a superlight Singlespeed that is comfy and fast. It is a tart's bike though, I constantly worry about scratching it which I never have with previous bikes ... and I just finished helitaping the leading edges and inside of the chain and seatstays :roll:

    Now I need to find somewhere to order up a bling-bling Boone TI (or similar) cog for the rear.
    Everything in moderation ... except beer
    Beer in moderation ... is a waste of beer

    If riding an XC race bike is like touching the trail,
    then riding a rigid singlespeed is like licking it
    ... or being punched by it, depending on the day
  • Carlos13
    Carlos13 Posts: 152
    I'm interested in building up a single speed hardtail, probably based on an On-One Scandal. I like the cranks, what bottom bracket do you have?
    08 Commencal Meta 5.5.2
    On One Scandal single speed
    08 Specialized Tricross Singlecross
    Felt CA1
    70s Claud Butler Campag Gransport - Fixed conversion
    Various other junk
  • bomberesque
    bomberesque Posts: 1,701
    Carlos, soory for the late reply, I've been in Sweeden and Norway for 3 weeks of (mostly) being rained on

    the BB is a basic FSA Platinum ISIS. I checked Titanium options but it seems that, for ISIS at least the weight saving is nominal (10s of g rather than 100s). I may up to a titanium one when this one wears out. If I were you I'd keep an eye out for the faintly (I read it ont eh internet somewhere) rumoured external BB Middleburn. That would inyterest me greatly.
    Everything in moderation ... except beer
    Beer in moderation ... is a waste of beer

    If riding an XC race bike is like touching the trail,
    then riding a rigid singlespeed is like licking it
    ... or being punched by it, depending on the day
  • The Prodigy
    The Prodigy Posts: 832
    Never been into trannies but like the look of this one
  • adb1006
    adb1006 Posts: 938
    My goodness that frame is sexy :shock:

    Do they do a "gear-friendly" version?
  • gcwebbyuk
    gcwebbyuk Posts: 1,926
    adb1006 wrote:
    My goodness that frame is sexy :shock:

    Do they do a "gear-friendly" version?

    The idea of the trannie is that it can be changed between singlespeed / geared bike.

    It is indeed a very sexy bike! Not often I say I have seen a sexy Trannie!

    Sexy Tranny:

    Tranny_X9_green_on_white.jpg

    Nasty Tranny
    tranny-736956.jpg

    yuck
  • adb1006
    adb1006 Posts: 938
    Pass the eye bleach :shock: