I don't know if Mark is actually doing the GDR, but this is the sort of bike I'd use if I was. 29+, Rohloff, rigid but with a lot of front end cush - not much to go wrong but about as much passive suspension and comfort as you can get.
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| Day in the woods? |
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| 2 weeks in the woods! |
7 comments:
The GDR is certainly on the bucket list, and was part of the inspiration for this bike! I can't wait to spend some quality time in the woods with this beast.
Mark
Is that a Waltworks fork?
The fork is a titanium Jones truss. The frame was designed specifically for this non-suspension corrected fork.
Mark
Sweet apocalypse grinder and carpet! Would a silver stem be more visually compliant? What serendipity for Jones that the form of the truss fork is so amenable to luggage. Coming from a geek geometry perspective, his published specs on the 23" frame are suggestive. I'd like to see a camera mounted to the fork and trained on the rim/tire to record deformations under tightly controlled turning conditions, i.e. same turn at +3 mph increments. Then again with the same tire on a Flow. This combined with rider impressions might give the wide-rim naysayers pause. Though a better version of this exercise would require as rigid a fork as possible.
hmmm. 29+ doesn't make sense for the TDR. there is just much road time, both dirt and paved to give up speed and add extra weight if your racing. The single track that there is is usually done pushing your bike as it's either too steep to ride or too technical on loaded rigid bike. Even riders with suspension, both full and forks walked the the really technical sections in Canada and Montana.
I agree on the Rohloff, having used one in this years TDR. But they don't spin as smoothly and several of us who used them felt like they took a bit more energy compared to a 2x10(gasp!!) they roll really well, but spinning in low gears is their weakness. on the plus side i saw many blown drivetrains due to mud where i could keep pedaling. i went through new chains every 700 miles for some reason.
I'm not knockin' the jones fork either. i keep thinking of selling my Fox and trying a passive front suspension fork, Jones style or the Lauf.
Although I have not ridden the Tour Divide, I think 29+ would be great. It's certainly been done already by a number of folks. Maybe not the fastest setup, but then again I am not the fastest rider either! It would certainly provide more comfort on the washboards and perhaps make some sections ride-able than wouldn't be on a 2" tire.
That said, most of this bikes miles will be the the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, stringing together asphalt, rail trails, dirt roads, & as much rocky singletrack as possible.
Oh, and the Jones fork is not designed for passive suspension, quite the opposite actually.
Sick Tourer! South American Steppe Shredder.
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