Wolbis Slugstone Build

[Mark Roland]

Before all the lovely new Sams get built up and steal the show, a few photos of my new Wolbis, finished up a couple weeks ago. I was waiting on the forks for the size larges. And of course took that opportunity to NOT build up the wheels. Anyway, done!

Photo album HERE.

[Shoji Takahashi]

great looking bike and build! the purple ano is terrific with the Riv blue.

[Ashwath Akirekadu]

It's a lovely build Mark.  Looks enviably comfortable!

I'm a Wolbis owner too.  The bike is great for the places like I see in your pictures.  One thing I have started to notice is these hillie bikes are super stable.  Even with a little distracted riding, the chances of a crash is much less.  It is quite forgiving!

Have fun,

Ash

[Mark Roland]

Thanks guys. Yes, stable in a good way, planted and naturally following your inputs, but not overly gyroscopically stable where you need to wrestle the bike to change the line. So far nimble enough for my admittedly somewhat tame single track needs--though it is currently big game season and my local favorite trail spots are off limits at the moment. Truly one of the most fun bikes to ride, ever.

[Bicycle Belle Ding Ding!]

Whimsy. You love a dose of whimsy in your builds and so do I! Yay for this really whimsical Hillibike. You’re brightening the trails right up - in fact, you’d likely be plenty visible to the hunters in big game season. Don’t try it, though...

[Joe Bernard]

3D Violet Kooka cranks! I love that you basically built a whole Rivendell around them, it's sweet!

[Jason Fuller]

I adore this bike, thanks for posting it up!  I don't think I'm quite ready to give up my full suspended mountain bike because our trails are rowdy (steep, rooty, and technical) but otherwise I'd be very tempted by either a hillibike, or a Jones. 

[Mark Roland]

We have some steep, rocky & rooty here but I stick mostly with what I can handle these days. These 29er wheels do rumble over stuff nicely. BTW, having had a Jones and also several Hillibikes (Clem L, Susie, Hubbuh) while I really enjoyed the Jones,  I prefer the Rivs.

Joe, that's pretty much what happened. I think you can relate.

I took the Susie out for a spin early this a.m with a friend, but then it was a longer ride in the afternoon over the bridge on an old friend, my 1974 Ron Kitching. The weather here was 70 degrees and bright sunshine, making the remaining fall foliage burst with saturated color, while the river had a haze over it.

couple of shots on Instagram here:

 https://www.instagram.com/p/CHT-fHhjLgv/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet

[brendonoid]

Absolutely love this build. Sort of hope that Riv does a tigged (cheaper) Hillibike so I can add one to the collection.

[Mark Roland]

Brendonoid--The Clems ARE the tigged version of the Susie and the Gus--you pretty much get all the features--long wheelbase, fat tires, fantastic geometry, ability to fenderize, rackate, and otherwise accessorize--for just a bit more than half the price. The back story on all this is on the Riv/Grant blagh.

I really had to work to justify getting a Susie when I already had my El Clem. The main difference is the size--I have the medium 650B Clem and went with the Susie in a Large 29er. The rest is just different setup--the El Clem is dressed up for town/errand/commute with full lighting, fenders, racks. The Susie is pretty much nekkid for the trails. So there ya go. (I rationalized it economically because an old racer buddy had gifted me a bunch of bicycles and parts that I sold and put the proceeds into my bike slush fund. I really like having a filet brazed Hillibike, a la T. Ritchey. )

Whether climbing or descending steep, rutty, rocky fire roads or swooping through singletrack, the Clems are just as capable as their fancy filet-brazed siblings.

[Andrew Stevens]

Nice! I'm waiting on mine, and have been stumped looking for rims. How do you feel about the Rhyno XLs? Those are the 36 hole right? I don't believe they came in a 32. Would you recommend them over waiting for Velocity Cliffhangers to come back in stock?

Thanks

Andrew in Austin

[Paul Budnitz]

Hello Mark.

What an awesome build.

Forgive me if you posted this and I missed it — what stem and handlebars are those?  I'm looking for a bar just like that one!

Paul

On Friday, November 6, 2020 at 8:49:38 AM UTC-8 Mark Roland wrote:

[Mark Roland]

I like the Rhyno XLs very much so far. I paid a little extra for the white, but you can get a nice silver pair for under $100. They built up nicely and running fine so far.

I'm pretty agnostic when it comes to 32 vs 36 spokes. Honestly for a 29er with good size tires, why not. If I were building a 650b rando, sure, I would try to hold out for 32 hole. But yeah, I did not see the Rhyno XL 700 in 32 hole configuration. Which was fine, because my awesome gold Deore LX hubs are 36.

Paul, the bars are VO Klunker bars. They are fantastic, perfect flare for this build, and the look I wanted. They do require an open faceplate stem and to continue the old school bmx-influenced mtb, I went with the bmx top loading stem in natural from BSD.  The trick with these is finding a 1 1/8" that is 25.4, since 25.4 is oversized in BMX. A lot of the stems I looked at were out of stock.Weight weenies beware, this is basically a solid chunk of aluminum with some holes for the bars and adapter.

Took it for its second run up Mount Beacon this morning. Even without a dropper post, the downhill is both way faster and at the same time safer. The uphill is no miracle, but way less stress on my back. The new WTB Pure V saddle (in White and  Gold!) was the final piece of the puzzle, super comfy for this position.

[Mark Roland]

Sorry, did not fully answer Andrew's  questions. I have Cliffhangers on my Hubbuhubbuh, which is also new to me, so could not give you a comprehensive comparison. They are fine, a rounded profile with a flat silver finish and no eyelets. The Rhynos have eyelets and a more traditional boxy profile, and are made by the company that puts out the venerable CR-18 rims, always a  solid choice. I imagine they are both good reliable rims. My aesthetics favor the Rhynos (yes, even in white) but if I had to wait on one and wanted the wheels I would probably get the other and not worry about it.

On Sunday, November 8, 2020 at 2:22:37 PM UTC-5, Andrew Stevens wrote:

[Paul Richardson]

looking great.  love the wild direction you went with the build--really suits (what i consider to be) a totally whacky frame.  good synergy!!

paul

takoma park, md.

[Mark Roland]

I know what you mean, Paul. In today's world, sometimes it's the most sensible, conservative things that seem the most wacky.

When my son and I are out on the single track and jeep roads of Stewart State Forest and we come upon the occasional gaggle of "serious" mountain bikers on full suspension hydraulic disc carbon bikes with full xcountry gear, I think they look...pretty darn wacky. Especially since both me, a mostly ex-roadie, and my son, who will be eleven this month, have zero problem on any of the trails, despite riding steel rigid bikes with rim brakes.

I feel like there is a sweet spot in many technologies, where the use and function seems most appropriate and human scale. I think the original mountain bike concepts hit that sweet spot, and in many ways represent the pinnacle of useful, appropriate bicycle design for the vast majority of stuff the vast majority of people would want or need to do on a bicycle. What I love about the Hillibikes, is that they take the original mountain bike concepts and reimagine and redefine them.That someone in 2020 would design and produce bicycles like the Hillibikes is indeed wacky and wonderful!

[Paul Budnitz]

Thanks for the info Mark. 

Well all I can say is, that is one badass beautiful bike!!

On Nov 8, 2020, 6:22 PM -0800, Mark Roland <absolut...@gmail.com>, wrote:

I know what you mean, Paul. In today's world, sometimes it's the most sensible, conservative things that seem the most wacky.

When my son and I are out on the single track and jeep roads of Stewart State Forest and we come upon the occasional gaggle of "serious" mountain bikers on full suspension hydraulic disc carbon bikes with full xcountry gear, I think they look...pretty darn wacky. Especially since both me, a mostly ex-roadie, and my son, who will be eleven this month, have zero problem on any of the trails, despite riding steel rigid bikes with rim brakes.

I feel like there is a sweet spot in many technologies, where the use and function seems most appropriate and human scale. I think the original mountain bike concepts hit that sweet spot, and in many ways represent the pinnacle of useful, appropriate bicycle design for the vast majority of stuff the vast majority of people would want or need to do on a bicycle. What I love about the Hillibikes, is that they take the original mountain bike concepts and reimagine and redefine them.That someone in 2020 would design and produce bicycles like the Hillibikes is indeed wacky and wonderful!

<hillibikesticker_1600x.jpg>

On Sunday, November 8, 2020 at 8:35:49 PM UTC-5, Paul Richardson wrote:

looking great.  love the wild direction you went with the build--really suits (what i consider to be) a totally whacky frame.  good synergy!!

paul

takoma park, md.

On Sunday, November 8, 2020 at 6:10:33 PM UTC-5 Mark Roland wrote:

Sorry, did not fully answer Andrew's  questions. I have Cliffhangers on my Hubbuhubbuh, which is also new to me, so could not give you a comprehensive comparison. They are fine, a rounded profile with a flat silver finish and no eyelets. The Rhynos have eyelets and a more traditional boxy profile, and are made by the company that puts out the venerable CR-18 rims, always a  solid choice. I imagine they are both good reliable rims. My aesthetics favor the Rhynos (yes, even in white) but if I had to wait on one and wanted the wheels I would probably get the other and not worry about it.

On Sunday, November 8, 2020 at 2:22:37 PM UTC-5, Andrew Stevens wrote:

Nice! I'm waiting on mine, and have been stumped looking for rims. How do you feel about the Rhyno XLs? Those are the 36 hole right? I don't believe they came in a 32. Would you recommend them over waiting for Velocity Cliffhangers to come back in stock?

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[Mark Roland]

Thank you, Paul. And wacky as heck, I hope.

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[Paul Richardson]

well said mark, and i agree 100%.  whacky is a huge compliment in this context!  i scratch my head at modern mountainbike stuff the same way i do at carbonfiberduraacespandexdiscomfort.

i preordered my wolbis and was completely surprised when i saw the instrument decals on the top tube and chainstays.  and the more i'm on it it just feels like it embraces its individuality--the name, the insanely long wheelbase, the decals.  it's elegant and goofy and awesome all at the same time, and your purple/white parts really accentuate that.  i went more 'classic' with my build.

paul

takoma park, md.