Platypus and Mini-Motos?

[stoker]

Hi all - 

I received my wife’s 50cm Platypus last week. I am setting it up with Cliffhangers and 650b x 48 tires (Switchback Hills). I am wondering if Mini-Motos would have sufficient clearance at the straddle wire. Has any body tried this combination (or something similar?)

Thanks all - Bob

[Johnny Alien]

I don't have minimotos but I do use mini v's on my proto-Gallop and I would think that would be really tight. I had Ultradynamico Cavas on it (which are around 48) and it was really close. I think the minimotos are not quite as tall as what I have and the RH tires run true to size. So I can't say for sure....maybe? I would lean toward not working.

[Joe Bernard]

You're probably not going to find someone with MiniMotos on a Platy so I did a bit of sleuthing. I have Motolites on my Riv custom with 47mm tires, the straddle wire height is 103mm, here's the clearance I show. MiniMotos have an 81mm straddle height, I think that 22mm difference is going to bite you and that's not including that one of the arms bends over even lower. 

I'd recommend the Motolites for her bike, they're super extremely amazing. 

[CoalTrain]

I have Mini-Motos on my Platypus and love them, I run 42's with plenty of room. I'll take a pic later on to show the clearance.

[Johnny Alien]

Here is a photo of the clearance when I had the Cavas on. A few things to consider.

1. The height on these is 85mm and as pointed out above the minimotos are 81
2. I have pacenti rims vs your cliffhangers so I am likely not getting near full width (48mm)
3. The Cava's say "around 48" but they probably measure less even on a rim like the cliffhangers.

So based on that I would account for there being around 8mm less clearance in your setup. I would not have gone any larger in my setup and in fact I dropped to 42's to get more clearance. I agree with Joe. Its a safer bet to go with the motolites.

[Joe Bernard]

Or you'll find somebody who has MiniMotos on a Platy. Could go either way 😬

[lconley]

Note that rim width changes the width of the tire not the height of the tire. 

The height of the tire is usually the problem, not the width.

Proper adjustment of the brakes will impact the available clearance. There more vertical that you adjust the arms on a V-brake like the Motolite - the more clearance that you will have on the cross cable. You do this by moving the spacers on the brake shoe attachments between the shoe and the brake arm around. If the arms are splayed out like on a previous post, put the thinner washers or no washer between the brake arm and brake shoe, the leftover washers go between the brake arm and the attaching nut.

Laing

[J.C. Bryant]

I know Mike Varley at Black Mountain Cycles is a big fan of the Minimoto and specs them for a lot of Monstercross builds, which has a max tire size of 700x50. Paul discusses fender clearance in this video, but as Laing has said, there are other variables at play, namely the relationship between rim width and stud spacing and specific tire fit.

I can take some measurements when I get home, but I have a pair of Motolites set up with Cliffhangers. The pads are set to the shortest extension and the arms had to be splayed outward a bit for brake pad clearance, thus reducing the vertical clearance. Not a problem with Motolites but this is significant in your case because you're flirting with the maximum allowable clearance for the Minimoto. I think a wide rim will be just enough to push you over the edge. Motolites would likely be a much better option. If you are dead-set on short pull levers, I'd recommend cantilevers.

Side note: I remember seeing a set of custom Motolite brake pad collars on eBay that were designed to get the pads a bit further from the rim, which would allow the arms to sit vertically with wider rims. I thought some guy was making them, but it was apparently a one-off and they're long gone. With the popularity of wide rims (like Cliffhangers/Atlas/Quills/etc.), I think it makes sense and I'd absolutely pay extra for an alternate set of pad collars that work a bit better with my Cliffhangers.

I'm currently going through a big cantilever phase, so I've been considering putting up my Motolites if there's anyone who wants to trade a set of Paul cantilever brakes.

[Eric Marth]

Brandon's Platypus runs MiniMotos with 44mm Rene Herse Snoqualmie Pass tires on Velocity Atlas rims, as shown in an old news post from Will last year when the Platypus first came out. 

More here: https://www.rivbike.com/blogs/news/brandons-55cm-platypus

Looks like there might be room for a 48mm in there but it would be close. I run Snoqualmie Pass tires and MiniMotos on Atlas rims on my Hillborne. If I had a 48mm RH tire I'd pop it in there and check for you but, alas, I do not. 

If you have the brakes on hand just try em out. If you haven't ordered yet you could go with MotoLites to be on the safe side, they will definitely clear. 

[stoker]

Thanks for all the feedback everyone ! I’m most likely going to go with MotoLites…

[Philip Williamson]

Those gold minimotos make me (slightly) regret selling my blue ones. 

I'll get the Francis out and see if I can finesse some fenders under its (boring silver) minimotos. They really are amazing brakes. 

Philip 

Sonoma County, Calif - have a peaceful Armistice Day

[chris n]

if anyone is still wondering i can test this setup out on my platypus within the next couple weeks