Kneen SSCX

xcMuttley · November 2016

Hi all!
This is the first bike built by my own two hands,
Thanks to Downland cycles (Invicta Frameworks) for the teaching, MSP autopaint for the paintwork, Geoff Moorhouse for the headtube badge, Bicis Y Mas the bike shop I have the pleasure of working at and to everyone else that helped in the process.

Frame was made from a mix of Reynolds 853 and Columbus Life,

Spec list:
Headset: Hope 1 1/8th Purple
Stem: Thomson 90mm
Handlebars: Ritchey Comp Evo Max
Levers: Cane Creek scr-5
Brakes: Avid Shorty Ultimate
Seatpost: Thomson Masterpiece
Saddle: San Marco Regale
Wheelset: (Built by myself at Bicis Y Mas)
Hub: Surly Ultra
Rims: H PLUS SON Archetype
Spokes: DT swiss competition
Nipples: DT swiss prolock
Tyres: Challenge Grifo (Set up tubeless)
Crankset: Miche Syntium HSP 39t
Chain: DID 1/8th Chain
Freewheel: Token 16t freewheel
Pedals: Crankbrothers Candy

Extras:
Bottle cage: King Cage Iris
Bartape: Cinelli Gel cork tape
Surly cable hanger

I hope you all like it, will be the first of many!

Garry H · November 2016

Like it very much.

Cheshire Cat · November 2016

Awesome, love the colour.

mm1 · November 2016

That is a beautiful thing!

luv2ride · November 2016

That's a beauty. Love it 8)
...especially the seat tube graphics...

xcMuttley · November 2016

Thanks for all the kind words

scooter15 · November 2016

looks fucking dynamite

Hinaultscrapcousin · December 2016

Nicest bike i've seen on here and one of the few I'm jealous I don't own!

ugo.santalucia · December 2016

Love it... awesome!

ugo.santalucia · December 2016

only thing... assuming you haven't built the forks yourself, why not carbon forks?

xcMuttley · December 2016

Thanks again everyone! Actually the forks where also built by myself Ugo, maybe in the future I will switch them for carbon.

ugo.santalucia · December 2016

xcMuttley wrote:

Thanks again everyone! Actually the forks where also built by myself Ugo, maybe in the future I will switch them for carbon.

That's keen... in which case it makes total sense...

Although a Whisky No.7...

PS: I love the chainset... never seen it before...

xcMuttley · December 2016

Might just have to build another frame to go with a whisky fork....Will be doing some more building in the new year all being well so watch this space!

xcMuttley · December 2016

Somehow missed your comment about the chainset oops. The chainset is a miche syntium with some slight adjustments to make it a single ring, hidden bolt crank.

pinno · December 2016

That's some effort Mutley, wow. That's quite a lot of clearance between the seat tube and the rear wheel. Is that a deliberately relaxed angle for CX purposes? - I'm being naive here, know little about Cyclocross. Been toying with getting one for a while as there are so many gravel tracks in the Galloway hills. I could get lost, traffic free for hours.
Quite happy to ride it for you and review it

Whilst I am at it, I do love the RST Zero setback seat posts. I have one on both the summer bike and winter bike - they are a dream to adjust.

xcMuttley · December 2016

Thank you!
Yes it is deliberately relaxed, but it is also set up quite far back on the track dropouts so is giving the impression of a big gap. Handling feels spot on but I will give it some more riding and may move the wheel in closer.
Definitely worth buying a cyclocross bike, I've spent countless hours exploring on other cx bikes. Less fuss than riding the mountain bike in some situations too which is always a plus.

pinno · December 2016

Where did you deploy the Reynolds tubing and where did you deploy the Columbus tubing and why?

xcMuttley · December 2016

The front triangle is Columbus, the rear is Reynolds. I was hoping to go full Columbus at the start. But to get a 120 track spacing, with enough clearance for a cyclocross tyre, using lugs and without dimpling the chainstay the Reynolds tubing that was available to me was best for the job. The 853 rear will also give a slightly stiffer rear end which is a bonus that can be noticed when ragging around a single speed bike!

I'm not going to begin to pretend that I know much about the metallurgy and characteristics of each tube out there but it is something I'm determined to learn along with everything else!

pinno · December 2016

Did you borrow a jig or did you make one?

xcMuttley · December 2016

To build this frame I was using one of the jigs at Downlands cycles whilst been taught by Brian. I am in the process of acquiring a frame jig to start building more frames in the new year all being well.

pinno · December 2016

xcMuttley wrote:

To build this frame I was using one of the jigs at Downlands cycles whilst been taught by Brian. I am in the process of acquiring a frame jig to start building more frames in the new year all being well.

Ooh yes! Keep us posted. What's the next project?

How long did that one take you in hours?

xcMuttley · December 2016

I will do! Planning on a lugged road frame, but haven't decided on the finer details. Have a few people interested in having frames made so far which is very nice.

Honestly in terms of hours I can't honestly say, there was a lot of practicing the different skills and I joined on a few other classes for the mechanic and bike fitting side in between.

Kneen SSCX

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