Sam Hillborne Build

[Brother Beaker]

After the untimely demise of my Rambouillet, I have decided that the
way to go is with a SH.

I am fortunate that my LBS has both a 60 cm orange frame and a builder
who actually worked for RBW. I am having a great time contemplating
that build and Shawn has offered to let me essentially test ride all
sorts of components, permitting a test ride with different pedals,
tires, bars, etc. That being said, I hate to abuse the privilege and
would like to narrow things down somewhat before going nuts.

I am open to suggestions for specific gear that people love, as well
as things that never worked the way they should.

To give you some idea of how I expect to ride, I live in the Black
Hills of South Dakota, so there are very few flat roads. I am a life-
long cyclist. My favorite rides are solo. I am not fast. I am a big
rider, 6'3" and 270 lbs. I ride on roads, fire trails and a great
rail-trail system that we have here that is very similar to riding on
gravel roads. I climb because I have to, descend like a penguin, and
have a 10-mile commute (each way) that involves about a 1,000 feet net
descent on the way to work.

The parts of the build that are already set are the frame and fork,
700mm Velocity Synergy and Dyad rims and a rear Nitto rack that will
accommodate two vintage panniers and a Baggins saddle bag which was
the only thing to survive the death of the Ram. I had a Brooks B17 on
the Ram and intend to do that again on the SH (yes, the rails of the
saddle are bent beyond repair). Tires are tentatively 35 mm Panaracer
Pasela Tourguards.

I had two-sided pedals on the Ram (one side for clips, the other for
platforms) and I so rarely clipped in that I am looking for a good
platform that will work with my clown shoes (size 13E).

I am intrigued by Mustache bars, but not certain that I can leave the
drops (maybe Noodles) behind. I am not at all worried about the
weight of the build. I figure that any poundage problems are my
fault, not the bike's.

Other considerations: I have a Voodoo Rada, from their 1998-2000
incarnation which answers for any occasion on which I feel the need to
go "fast," a clearly relative term. For the true single-track in the
area, I have a nice Kona Kula. (My lab actually reacts differently
when I get the Kona out, which means that she gets to come along).
Just because there are never enough bikes, I also have an old Trek
400, which is the bike I loan people so we can ride together and a
1950's single-speed steel tandem that probably weighs 50+ pounds.

I want the SH to be the all-arounder and go-to ride, as my Ram
was . . . the one I take for my long rides, which for me means 6-8
hours with breaks as I see fit at a glacial pace.

Anyone who made it this far is clearly a fanatic and worthy of
expressing opinions.

[cyclotourist]

Give the Moustache bars a try.  You'll either love 'em or hate him, but this is a good time to find out.  Set up w/ a short stem, either the shortest (8cm??) Tech Dlx if you want them at seat level or a Dirt Drop 10cm if you want them up higher. 

If you're going to be doing trail riding a bit, maybe go w/ Marathons over the Paselas.  Paselas are GREAT, but a touch fragile + the mass you're carrying might be a bit much for them.  YMMV on that.

My $.02 :-)  Have fun building it up!

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group.
To post to this group, send email to rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com.
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bun...@googlegroups.com.
For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en.

--
Cheers,
David
Redlands, CA

...in terms of recreational cycling there are many riders who would probably benefit more from
improving their taste than from improving their performance. - RTMS

[Zack]

Have you considered a Hunqapillar?  The stouter tubing may be beneficial to you.

I was on the fence between the two and went with the Sam as it felt a bit quicker.  My riding will be mostly on pavement as well.  If I was going to be doing more trail riding than I am planning on (probably 15% of my riding will be off-pavement) I would have gone with the Hunqapillar.

I decided to think about it like I was getting two bikes - one, an upright all-rounder that I can ride in everything short of snow, and two a comfy regular style road bike for long distances (which sounds like what you are looking for).

So I am setting up an albatross cockpit and a Nitto cockpit.  (I am going to set up davinci splitters to make the swap easy).

Marathon Duremes and a brooks b 68 for the Alba cockpit and fall > spring riding.  Jack Brown Greens and a b 17 for summertime / noodle cockpit.

I am going to push the Sam to the limits of it's stated versatility and am looking at this like I am getting two bikes.  Should be interesting!  I have never had alba bars on a bike other than an old steel 3 speed, so I am interested to see how I like 'em.  

[Thomas Lynn Skean]

Hi!

I'm 245lbs, 6' tall, 90cm PBH. I have a 60cm double-top-tube canti-studded orange Hillborne. I ride it 100+ miles per week, 52 weeks/year (studded tires!), mostly commuting, 75% decent trail, the rest not-so-good to good road. I regularly carry 10-15lbs cargo and have carried over 50lbs on trail camping trips up to 60+ miles. It has always been stable and comfortable in a wide range of uses.

I love this bike enough that next year I'll have another identical one except it'll be green. (My multiple cockpits allow two otherwise-identical bikes to provide somewhat different riding experiences as desired.) I can't speak highly enough for the Hillborne; at my weight/height/usage points, it has been *exactly* what I want.

I have basic build info for mine here:

http://home.comcast.net/~thomaslynnskean/cockpits/basis.html

I've changed a few accessories since I wrote that but nothing significant in the components.

I have more info on my various cockpits here:

http://home.comcast.net/~thomaslynnskean/cockpits

Are you sure you want the 60cm and not the 64? Perhaps I'm over-valuing high handlebars. My bar is always above the saddle, from about 1" to over 3", depending on which cockpit I use. If I were 3" taller I certainly I'd be riding a 64. But if you are going to have a lower bar... I can see how a 60'd be fine. I also acknowledge price is a factor: a 64cm is $1500 (as would be a 62cm Hunqapillar) while a 60cm Sam could be cheaper, depending on era or origin.

Enjoy the bike!

Yours,
Thomas Lynn Skean

[Garth]

Yeah ... get better tires .  . . there's lots to choose from that are going to be better for the typer of riding you described and the overall weight. Consider a slightly wider too.... it won't slow you down. Get foldable ones ... as many wired ones are much heavier and will feel sluggish compared to foldable ones. I'm 6'3" 170 and prefer 38mm tires as a minimum for the very rough township roads I ride on. Smooooth. Wider is even better ... but that's just me.

[Earl Grey]

Do what worked on the Ram, but here are a few additional thoughts (I
am 5'9", 175lbs, ride a 56 Sam; here is my build:
http://www.cyclofiend.com/cc/2010/cc765-gernothuber0410.html but now
with fenders, racks & basket and smooth tires:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gernothuber/5739945039)

If your Brooks leather top fit like a glove and has life left in it,
you can get new rails attached to it. Contact Brooks.

If you go with 36 spokes (which is a good idea), you may want to avoid
the offset Synergy rim and get the regular instead because of recent
reports of the offsets cracking. They may have solved the problem, but
who knows.

Get wider, but supple, fast-rolling tires. I started with JB Greens,
moved to 35mm Paselas, and now ride 40mm Kenda EZ roller Kwik Ride.
Great folding tires, $15 on closeout, probably now unavailable.
Otherwise I'd be riding Marathon Racers or Supremes, or get a 650B
bike with Hetres. :)

Try the moustaches, but make sure they are high and close enough. I'd
suggest the dirt drop stem for them.

Do look at the Hunq. I just test rode one at RBW and it felt like a
Sam, just allowed for even wider tires.

Pedals: for big feet the Grip Kings seem like the ticket. Add extra
studs if they feel slippery (http://www.rivbike.com/products/show/
pedal-spikes/14-060).

Get Tektro 520 brakes if you get a cantilever frame. Cheap and
awesome.

Cheers,

Gernot

[Peter Pesce]

It sounds like you have 90% of the build already figured out, maybe except pedals and bars? These seem like 2 things your LBS would let you test out without "abusing" the privelidge too much.
If you have a 10 mi commute each way, that means you do 100 miles a week just commuting, and it's likely the "mode" you spend most time in, so I'd think about making comfort for your commute the top priority.
One thing about the Sam - it's phenomenaly versatile, so whichever way you choose to set it up to start is by no means the way you need to keep it. It's not a huge investment to change from moustache back to Noodle's (for example) if you find you don't like the M's. It's not even a huge investment to have another set of wheels and tires, maybe more dirt-orieinted.
I currently have mine set up kind of "rando" style, but I'm in the process of doing a "go-fast" build just for fun to try it out. "Fast" being a very relative term where I'm involved!
Most of all, have fun!

-Pete

[Seth Vidal]

And I'd encourage folks to take the advice of Thomas and myself and
get a set of the quick-swap handlebar splitters.

Setting up is not that much more work and it means you can switch what
the bike is laid out for in no time at all.

-sv

[Garth]

Hey ... those Kenda Kwick Roller EZ Ride tires are great! I bought 5 of the 45's and 3 of the 40's .  Surprisingly nice riding and long lasting compound. Really too bad Kenda didn't continue making these under the radar tires.

[Brother Beaker]

I actually discussed this Friday.  I think I am going to set it up, but I expect that I will get used to and leave on one bar for most of the time. 

Thanks to all for the comments and suggestions.  I may have to re-think the tires.  I had 28's on the Ram and was hesitant to take too large a jump up in width, but after all the comments, I will look into it.

Pictures as warranted!

[Eric]

As for pedals, given that you don't clip-in and you've got larger
feet, these should pique your interest:

http://www.thecyclistsite.com/reviews/2011/7/15/introducing-ergons-pc2-pedals-on-test.html

http://bikeshopgirl.com/2011/08/preview-ergon-pc2-pedals/

http://g-tedproductions.blogspot.com/2011/07/ergon-pc2-l-pedals-first-impressions.html

http://www.thegearcaster.com/the_gearcaster/2010/09/the-ergon-pc2-pedals-for-a-better-bike-commute.html

I haven't tried these though the more I read, the more I think I'm
going to. I like to be clipped-in with toe clips but on my Long Haul
Trucker (I don't have a RIV), the SOMA toe clips and straps I got from
Riv interact too frequently with my front fender. I've tried Power
Grips from Riv and may try HoldFast straps as well but I'm slowly
coming to the conclusion that if a stellar platform existed, I may not
want/need to be clipped-in (again, talking toe clips here). I hadn't
thought that much abount the platform itself in my setup (I use MKS
touring) but having read a lot about people migrating more and more
toward bigger platforms (think GripKing, BMX platforms, etc.), it
seems that folks seemingly are looking for this pedal. I admit that
they look a little weird and they do challenge my sense of aesthetics,
but if they're pleasurable, I'll adapt. I'll probably order them soon
as I think they'd be easy to unload if they're not my cup of tea.

Intreaguing, no?

Anyway, I think these were made for guys like us -- clydesdales!

Cheers