New-to-me Rambler 59cm frameset

[Rod Holland]

I had been watching for one of these for the past 2 years, and it finally came my way, in sunflower yellow. Any build hints for this bike would be welcome.

rod

[Pondero]

Admittedly I'm a little quirky, but I'm rather fond of this set up...

https://instagram.com/p/BXMSlwogkEn/

...the best hint I can muster.

Enjoy the project!

Chris Johnson
Sanger, Texas

[Michael Mann]

Here's some pics of mine. Feel free to PM me with questions if you want. And have fun! Congrats and welcome.

https://flickr.com/photos/8199310@N04/sets/72157635510941022

 from my iPhone

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[Robert Perks]

Congratulations, and welcome to the group.  The Ramblers are pretty straight forward, and meant to be as easy, and flexible, to build up as a Surly or the like, and deliver on the low trail planing experience.  Everything is pretty straight forward, if you are hunting for anything like, seat post collar is 30.0mm and Salsa makes the best ;-) you came to the right place.  Either myself or the crew here can help you get rolling.  

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Rob Perks

oceanaircycles.com

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On Thu, Aug 31, 2017 at 6:19 PM, Rod Holland <rholla...@gmail.com> wrote:

I had been watching for one of these for the past 2 years, and it finally came my way, in sunflower yellow. Any build hints for this bike would be welcome.

rod

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[Kevin M]

I also have a 59cm in Sunflower that I built up this year. I think the only "quirk" I ran into is that the mid fork rack mounts aren't quite at the standard spot for low-riders. The Tubus Tara works fine tho, so it's not a big issue. 

Tire clearance is huge, even 38mm tires look undersized to me under the Racers. 

Kevin 

In Madison, WI

[Rod Holland]

Thanks, all! Bike building season is coming, and I retire in another month. This should be fun...

rod

[David Chamberlain]

Rod - congrats on your new Rambler! I love mine and it has been my trusty steed from many, many miles. Here's a link to some build photos: https://flickr.com/photos/32462657@N08/sets/72157648331259622

Hope you have fun building it up! Post pics...
- Dave

[John Hawrylak]

Dave

very shape build on your Rambler.   2 questions if you don't mind

What fenders and tires are you using?  Did the fenders require modification to fit?

The mudflaps look great.  Can you list the material and the dimensions?

John Hawrylak

Woodstown NJ

[David Chamberlain]

John - I used the Berthoud 50mm fenders (700c) front & back. They literally just bolted right on and other than drilling holes / trimming stays they required no modifications. I think Rob planned it that way. The mud flaps are from Rainy Day biking. I run these fenders year-round.

Also, I'm currently running Compass Snoqualmie Pass EL tires on my Rambler - they are 700c x 44mm but run about 41.5mm @45PSI on the Velocity A23 rims. Plenty of clearance and such a lovely ride!

- Dave

[Rod Holland]

Well, it's time to get the build rolling. I've been accumulating parts, but need some information on a few things. The first that comes to mind is the bottom bracket: what thread, shell width, spindle length, etc. ?

rod

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[Pondero]

Rod, I can't honestly remember the bottom bracket shell, so I won't waste your time with a guess.  But it is english threads.  My spindle width for my White Industries crankset is 113mm.  Maybe someone else can help carry you over the goal line on this.

Chris Johnson

Sanger, Texas

[Jason L. Ferrier]

I never really got into the square taper/ISIS BB width mindset, but I am pretty sure it also depends on the cranks you plan to use and how many chainrings so that you get the right chain line.

Have you picked out or have a crankset already?

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[John Hawrylak]

Spindle length depends on your crank.  The Crank mfg specifies the nominal length the crank requires.  You buy the BB with that spindle length.

I thought the Rambler was  a normal 68mm English thread BB, so a Shimano like this works, just pick the correct spindle length required by the crank

https://www.rivbike.com/collections/cranks-bbs/products/cartridge-bottom-brackethttps

Sorry if I misunderstood the post

John Hawrylak

Woodstown NJ

[Rod Holland]

Thanks, all. I do have the crankset, a Sugino XD-2 triple, and can work backwards from that.

rod

[doug...@gmail.com]

" I think the only "quirk" I ran into is that the mid fork rack mounts aren't quite at the standard spot for low-riders. "

The mid-fork eyelet is a problem for a builder because of the many variations in front racks.  Some builders don't bother with mid-fork eyelets because of this.  It's one of those "damned if you; damned if you don't" choices for a builder to make.

dougP

[Rod Holland]

Parts are pretty much in hand (it's taken a while). A question, though: has anyone had experience mounting a Jandd Extreme front rack on their Rambler? If so, how did it go?

Thanks,

rod

[David Chamberlain]

I haven’t run that rack but have run Bruce Gordon low rider and also Tubus Tara. The Tubus rack bolted on straightaway. The BG rack was a bit trickier - it required moving or piggy-backing fender mounts, and I had to make small extenders to hit the mid-fork mounts. Note: I also run a Nitto Mark’s rack but have the struts going to the inner side of the mid-fork mounts.

Good luck, and photo’s when done?!
- David

[Thomas Bielavitz]

I have a Rambler, and I have a Jannd Extreme, but it's mounted on a different bike. But, I'd say it would mount pretty easily. You might need to make a strut out of flat metal stock, attaching from the rack to the mid-fork braze-ons to get the correct angle. I think it'll work just fine, but I wonder if that'll stiffen up the fork? Seems to me it has a nice amount of flex for rough roads, and I wouldn't want to lose that. 

Currently, I also use a Nitto rack and when needed, I install a Tubus lowrider. 

[Rod Holland]

Well, after an entirely-too-long interval, with a somewhat hair-raising back-story that is mostly off-topic here, I finally got my 59 cm frameset built up into a beautiful bicycle. Details on the build to follow in a few days. In the meantime, thanks to Jim Caidenhead at Battle Road Bikes, Lexington MA, for turning a swarm of bicycle parts into a queen bee of a bike.

rod

[Don Voita]

Oh man, what a nice build. And closure too! How do you like the ride?

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[Rod Holland]

With the weather we've gotten in these parts (blizzard, then ice storm), I have yet to ride it. Road salt is everywhere, so I may defer the pleasure until Spring. We'll see; we tend to get our seasons a day or two at a time in Massachusetts... Good things are worth waiting for. Meanwhile, there's the old GT with the studded Nokians.

rod

[Rod Holland]

Some notes on the build:

Wheels: Rich Lesnik built, White Industries hubs laced to Velocity rims, DT Swiss spokes, Paul skewers.

Tires: Soma C-Line, 38mm. From Rob's original pre-order.

Fenders: SKS Longboards

Headset: Token Needle Bearing

Crank: Sugino XD-2, triple.

Pedals: MKS Gamma, black.

Cassette: 9 speed.

Derailleurs: Deore XT, 9 speed, front and rear.

Shifters: Suntour Power Ratchet (friction shifters).

Handlebars: Nitto Noodle, 48cm.

Brake Levers: Shimano BL-7402, Dura-Ace.

Brakes: Paul Racers (of course), w/ Paul Moon Unit straddle cable carriers.

Seatpost: Paul Tall and Handsome.

Saddle: WTB SST.

Front Rack: Nitto Mark's Rack.

Saddlebag: Jandd

Pump: Topeak Road Morph

Notes on the bike, and on the ride:

This is my second low-trail bike (first was a Rawland Nordavinden), and the difference is enlightening. The Rambler manages to be as agile as the Norda, while being simultaneously more stable. I don't feel I've gotten anywhere near the performance limits of this machine. No sign of shimmy with the Token headset, and it's not because I haven't been trying to provoke it. 

The frame is somewhat stouter, of course, and the supple tires on the Rambler are wider (the Norda is running 30mm Grand Bois Cypres Extra Legere). In any event, it's a good combination, and it feels both FUN and CAPABLE. And FAST. And it turns heads when I encounter other cyclists.

I'm just at the beginning of things with this bike, but it clearly wants to be ridden many a mile; how could I refuse such a reasonable request?

rod

[Rod Holland]

One more photo to show small but significant changes to the saddle and bar angles. Much better. 

Tinkering proceeds apace.

rod

 

[John Hawrylak]

Ron

Very nice bike and build.   One suggestion:  Try rotating the B135s down some more to get the flats more level.   

Page 7 of Nitto 2019 catalog, (attached) shows the B135 to have a small 'hump' on the flats, and rotating the bars down ward would place the hump to support your palms, similar to a Rene Herse Radonnuer bar.  I use a RH Radonneur and can feel the hump behind the brake lever when the drops are rotated down about 27°.  It is a nice feature, would not say a game changer, but nice.   Never tried a B135, but did have a B132 and could not feel hump (rotated 5° down to achieve level ramp) and the Nitto sketch did not show one.

Does Rob still produce the rambler?

John Hawrylak

Woodstown NJ

[Rod Holland]

Hi, John. The most recent photo shows an attempt to do just that, but that rotation perhaps didn't quite go far enough. I agree about the desirability of that configuration, and my other Noodle-equipped bikes are currently all set up that way, however they started out.

My understanding is that Rob has the Rambler on hiatus, owing to a series of Real Life Interrupts. Having gotten this bike built, and through riding it getting a sense of just how special it is, I can only wish that the stars line up to help Rob produce more. In any case, what he's already achieved is significant, IMO.

rod

[Rod Holland]

btw, the model number for the handlebars in question is Mod.177-480 (p. 8 of the Nitto catalog): "Noodles", in the folksonomy.

rod
, 

On Wednesday, March 23, 2022 at 6:00:39 PM UTC-4 John.H...@verizon.net wrote:

[John Hawrylak]

Ron

I apologize for mistakening the B177 Noddle with a B135.  Somehow, I thought you said you were using B135's.  I looked again at your build list and it does say Nodlde (B177).   Anyhow, the Nitto catalog shows the shapes for both.

Glad to hear Ocean Air is still around in some shape.   His problem seems to find a builder and a painter within his cost constraints. 

John Hawrylak

Woodstown NJ