Long Chainstay Living

[Emmet Sheehan]

Accompanying Album: https://photos.app.goo.gl/4bGXtPryjGpsePdx7

Howdy all, 

Just wanted to share my new 62cm Atlantis I received by way of Hope Cyclery. While waiting for this bike to be built due to parts shortage, I came across a Rambouillet that I have been riding religiously (maybe a post for another day). Anyway, this bike is something else. When the bike came, I had issues with reach being completely upright with Tosco bars and a 100mm stem. We quickly switched to the crust towel racks 67cm with a 60mm stem. It completely made the bike for me (95 PBH with a shorter torso). Sitting in the hoods is comfortable for most riding, the drops for the cutty, and the swept back flats for those ghastly western PA climbs when I have to bailout.

It's currently set up with 2.2 UD Mars tires for the dirt. These photos were taken in Stackhouse Park just outside of Johnstown, PA. I have also ridden it in the bits of singletrack around Pittsburgh in the last couple of days. It is unbelievably smooth and completely stable which I'm attributing to those crazy long chainstays. However, it also just tears through everything. It's remarkably fast on the road with this knobby of a tire. 

Riding it like this makes me wonder if anyone has toured on the MIT Atlantis? Maybe with antelope pass tires, it makes me excited to think that it has the ability to be just as capable on paved. 

Best, 

Emmet

[Luke Hendrickson]

Beautiful build, Emmet! I’ve also fallen under the spell of the 62cm Atlantis. Knobby tires front (2.4”) and rear (2.3”) really complement the overall build (friction with 12-32 in the rear and 44-32-22 in the front). I was actually shredding on some trails daydreaming about what this would look like spec’d as a touring bike. Stoked to hear more from you about your lovely Atlantis and also hear more from others about touring with one!

[Rick Harries]

Great looking Atlantis!  I’m also enjoying a long chain stay bike - a 64 cm Homer Hilsen. Wonderful for touring with rear panniers on pavement and the occasional tow path and gravel road. Handles 35 lbs of gear in the hills and rough roads with an ease that I haven’t found in any of the other touring bikes I’ve had. I still prefer the look of a classic level top tube bike, but the ride of the LWB Hilsen is a revelation for me. 

Rick Harries

Easton, Maryland

[JohnS]

Emmet,

The pic of you smiling ear to ear says it all! Glad you're enjoying it so much.

JohnS

[J]

Sweet Atlantis Emmet! Don't go letting the dust collect on that big ol Bridgestone now. Hope to see ya at Higher Ground next weekend!

[brizbarn]

Killer bike.  I'm a PA native but live in Oregon now, gotta check out Johnstown some time.  I knew some BMXers from there years ago. I have a 60cm Appaloosa (very similar to Atlantis), while I haven't road toured on it, I've done a few overnight, mostly gravel road trips with it and it was a pleasure to ride.  Definitely dig the long chain stays.  The Appa is night and day more comfy than my Surly Travelers check that I rode, toured, bike packed on for 10ish years, and way more stable feeling when loaded.  I run a front Swift rando bag on a small Velo Orange rack daily, and a homemade rear saddlebag similar to a Carradice long flap on the rear with a old blackburn rack as bag support for trips.  I run 29x2.2 Terravail Sparwood tires and ride mostly city miles with them, they are nice and smooth but all great on gravel and single track. Basically, the Atlantis will be amazing for road touring, I'm sure you'll love it however you set it up. and it would probably road tour just great as it is.  Enjoy.