Experimental MIT Atlantis Build

[James / Analog Cycles]

Rules are made to be twisted into pretzels and smothered with grainy mustard.  About 8 months ago we figured out how to get a reliable ultra wide range 9 speed friction or index drivetrain that featured a rear derailleur with a clutch.  The drivetrain, an evolution of our earlier Turkey Vulture drivetrain, had a 666% gear range.  That is pretty darn wide. We called it Turkey Vulture Supreme.  SRAM Eagle is 500%.  A 46/26 x 11-34 standard touring drivetrain has a 547% range.  We wanted to figure out how to achieve a wider range, and keep the 9 speed drivetrain intact, while simultaneously providing close gear spacing for the rear derailleur.  So when it came time to build up a demo Atlantis that would also be Candice's main ride, we decided to search for a new gear nerd nirvana.  

The new drivetrain isn't for everyone.  Don't tour loose dirt roads, single track and class 4 roads?  Like to stand when you climb?  Live in a flat spot?  Probably not for you.  Where we live, there are steep hills, big descents, big rocks in the road, miles of forest roads and single track.  We like to be able to ride fast on the road, and then crawl up the loose stuff when we point the bike onto an old logging trace.  

Turkey Vulture Loco Supreme features a 690% gear range.  It has a high gear of 100.73 inches with 650b x 43mm tires, and a low gear of 14.73 inches.  It achieves this with a 46/20 double up front.  Yes, it shifts fine.  Middleburn makes the cranks, TA makes the rings.  You could do it with a triple too, but doubles eliminate more redundant gears.  Out back, we used a 12-36 9 speed cassette.  About 1.25 chains are needed.  We prefer Connex chains because they have the best quick links and they're the toughest chains on the market.  So this has two connex links.  

A SRAM GX rear derailleur with a clutch shifts the back end, and it will index fine with the Shimano 9 speed bar cons thanks to a cable pull modifier.  The clutch keeps the rear mech from banging around on rough roads, and also helps achieve better shifting by keeping more constant chain tension.  A Shimano CX 70 (best front derailleur currently made) shifts the front end perfectly.  Here's some pics, with over all bike shots and drivetrain close ups.  0mm Analog (w)Right stem, Nitto dirt drops, Bombshell V brakes, tubeless wheels and tires.  That's a Herrmans front light on there, super bright, affordable, and made in the EU.  

On the original bar tape, she pressed flowers and fern leaves and shellac'd them to the bar.  

[Doug H.]

James,

Thank you for sharing this unique drivetrain. And, the leaves on the grip tape are cool as heck.

Doug

[iamkeith]

Are the chainstays long enough to allow use of all 9 cassette cogs with each chainting, without cross-chaining becoming an issue?

[Drw]

are you using long pull levers, or do those bombshells function as mini-v's?

[Brett Callahan]

Same question. I'm running canti pull brake levers on my MIT Atlantis with V-brakes, which requires a Travel Agent. I tried out the Tektro V-brake levers and they are hot garbage. If the Bombshell brakes work with standard levers, that would great!

[Drw]

the dia-compe drop v levers are better quality than the tektro/cane creeks, though far from perfect. i'd love to find a way to use a better lever without a travel agent also. 

[James / Analog Cycles]

Thanks Doug!  Candice is super creative with tape treatments.  Lots of tie dye, masking areas with plants as stencils... maybe we can post a guide here.

[James / Analog Cycles]

Never had a quality issue with the Cane Creek levers.  Replaceable hoods, fine bushings, the rest is the same:  stamped and formed aluminum, rubbery hoods... They're wider and longer than the Diacompe levers and erognomically work better with many bar bends.  

[James / Analog Cycles]

Yup.  They'd be long enough even if they were 44cm long or so.  We've run similar drivetrains before on shorter stay bikes.  

[James / Analog Cycles]

They're long pull levers, Cane Creek modified with IRD shifter mounts.  

[James / Analog Cycles]

I have not used the Tektro levers, which in general are just so so.  These are Cane Creek V brake levers, similar design to an older Tektro design, but nicer materials and finish.  These work well.  Wider and longer than the diacompe hoods, good for bigger hands or folks who are over the 'aero' brake lever shape.  These brakes are not designed for short pull levers.  Mini V brakes in general are kinda wacky, you have to run the brake pads really close to the rim, and they have poor mud/untru wheel clearance.  

Well set up, low profile cantis are very powerful, and if one is looking for short pull levers + canti's, that's the direction I'd suggest looking.  Lower profile than Paul's touring.  Look up the old Paul stop lites, they're perfect in terms of power.  Something similar in design would produce similar results.  Shimano Altus...  pretty great cheapo brake if you upgrade the pads and ditch the lawyer straddle wire.  

[Brett Callahan]

Thanks for the response, James. The only mini-V's I've had luck with have been Paul Moto-Lites, which I find to be wonderful. However, on my MIT Atlantis, they won't clear the large rubber + fenders. Despite having set up a number of canti brakes on a number of bikes, and having read reams of digital paper on the how and why of the setup, I've never been able to get them to stop as well as V's. So for now, I'm running short pull Gevenalle shifters/brakes with travel agents and Shimano V's. It works just fine, but I figure the travel agents will increase wear on the brake cable and require more tinkering down the road.

Beautiful build, thanks for sharing it. I always enjoy your posts. 

Cheers, 

Brett

[Clayton]

My two cents...I run Paul’s long V-brakes, with Cane Creek drop bar V-brake levers. I put on long salmon mountain bike pads and the braking is phenomenally powerful, but I have to deflate my tire to remove the wheels, as the pads don’t clear the fork. They work better than my hydraulic discs on my mountain bike with better feel too. One finger on half power can lift the rear of my bike. I’ve become a big Paul fan. (If I get a Boots, I hope they clear a 2.8” tire, because I don’t want to go back to cantilevers)..
I find the Cane Creek hoods a bit too square to be called comfortable. There is another brand who makes road levers for V-brakes too and I prefer their shape, which are a bit rounder. I can’t remember the brand, maybe Dia Comp? Regardless, they are the only two available for drop bar V-brakes that I’m aware of.
Have fun!

Clayton
DirtDance