sliding dropouts or eccentric BB

fat daddy
fat daddy Posts: 2,605
edited December 2016 in Cyclocross
Hello all,

I am looking to buy/build a singlespeed CX.

I am torn between something that has an eccentric BB like the Pinnacle Arkose, or the regular style frame with sliding dropouts.

Anyone have any experience to which is just plain better, from what I can gather the EBB makes life easier to change an inner tube as removing the rear wheel is easy and there is no adjusting of brakes etc .... I assume with that ease comes the added expense, fragility ? weight of a EBB

any advice greatly received

Comments

  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,234
    Sliding dropouts... but to be honest you can use any frame, as long as you use a small chain tensioner
    left the forum March 2023
  • 211dave112
    211dave112 Posts: 125
    I've just gone SS on my cross bike. I've done one race SS - and got my best result this year :shock:

    I'm just using my Kinesis Crosslight with a chain tensioner - one of these http://www.wiggle.co.uk/gusset-bachelor-ss-tensioner/

    Works well enough but I can't help but think it's adding a source of additional friction so I'd definitely be looking for something with either an EBB or horizontal dropouts if I was building from scratch. In fact, buy this - http://www.tritoncycles.co.uk/frames-fo ... set-p15005 so I don't have to!

    If set-up well I don't think there's much to be had between the two. Maybe the dropouts would give scope to take up more slack if you were to use 2 different cog sizes - I'm not sure.
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,234
    211dave112 wrote:

    Works well enough but I can't help but think it's adding a source of additional friction so I'd definitely be looking for something with either an EBB or horizontal dropouts if I was building from scratch. In fact, buy this - http://www.tritoncycles.co.uk/frames-fo ... set-p15005 so I don't have to!

    Always loved that frame...
    left the forum March 2023
  • 211dave112
    211dave112 Posts: 125
    ugo.santalucia wrote:
    Always loved that frame...

    Very neat solution to the issues surrounding disc brakes and the sliding dropouts
  • fat daddy
    fat daddy Posts: 2,605
    thanks for the advice, it really helpful .... that triton cycles frame is blooming gorgeous, if only I had the cash. !

    sounds like the horizontal drops might be the easiest option ... I guess it all comes down to price, but seeing that the frame set for an EBB Arkose is £350 or £850 for a brand new bike ... I looks a lot cheaper to get a simpler frame ... shame I love the idea of rear disc brakes ... ah, unless I use vertical drops and a tensioner.

    Too many decisions .... perhaps I should just buy second hand and get whatever comes up first :D
  • 211dave112
    211dave112 Posts: 125
    fat daddy wrote:
    thanks for the advice, it really helpful .... that triton cycles frame is blooming gorgeous, if only I had the cash. !

    sounds like the horizontal drops might be the easiest option ... I guess it all comes down to price, but seeing that the frame set for an EBB Arkose is £350 or £850 for a brand new bike ... I looks a lot cheaper to get a simpler frame ... shame I love the idea of rear disc brakes ... ah, unless I use vertical drops and a tensioner.

    Too many decisions .... perhaps I should just buy second hand and get whatever comes up first :D

    I actually use an Arkose (albeit with 1x10 gears) as my commute/touring bike and have used it as a spare when racing so it's seen the odd bit of action. I really rate them as all round bikes but it's definitely not a race bike (though that may not be what you're after anyway) as it's just a little bit less nimble feeling. But...for an all round fun bike it's pretty hard to beat - decent value, loads of tire clearance (40c's are no problem), and comfortable for long days.
  • fat daddy
    fat daddy Posts: 2,605
    oh really ....... would you opt for the single speed frame with the EBB or a regular setup and use a tensioner ?

    And how do you find the sizing on it, I am a average 5'11" .... but that puts me in the size chart as a Large ... which doesn't seem right, seeing that I am a medium on every other bike but the mediums recon up to 5'10" ... I suppose I should get down to evans and see if they have any in


    And, no I am not using it for racing ... more commuting, just commuting across downland, bit of single track and then road ... oh and for a quick blast on the tame MTB trails of Bristol .... so a relaxed geometry
  • andyp
    andyp Posts: 10,096
    Just a general observation, but most EBBs have a tendency to slip over time so you need to regularly check chain tension and re-adjust otherwise you'll suffer from a dropped chain.

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