Best rim/tire/sprocket/chainring/crank combo for an internal hubgear urban assault bike



P

Pilgrim

Guest
Last night I lost my two month old Swobo Folsom to a guy with a pair
of bolt cutters. In mourning, I'm on eBay building it's replacement. I
need some help with some technical aspects and wanted to get some help
from you guys.

The Folsom I just lost was quite simply my favorite bike of all time,
and I've ridden quite a few. At first I was skeptical about it's fat
knobby tires, but after stomping around on curbs and barreling down
gravelly hillsides, I'm 100% sold. I need at least 35mm wide tires
just to survive my devil may care riding style. It also taught me that
platform pedals, and coaster brakes are beautiful things. Coming to a
nice long sideways skid makes me feel like a kid. However, I never
really appreciated the fat aluminum tubing, they used for the frame,
and the single speed was often too high for the hills, and too low for
racing bike messengers.

So here's what I want to build; a classic narrow tube steel frame and
fork in the BOB tradition. Tires fat enough to ride up onto a curb at
full speed without fear of pinch flats or bent rims (I only weigh
about 150lbs so that might not take a huge tire). Tread with a nice
road-like center, and lugs toward the outside of the tire to give me
some traction in mud, and grass. An internal gear hub with coaster
brake, and cantis up front.

I have already found an old Schwinn Sports Touring fillet brazed frame
which I like. I'd appreciate any advice that can be provided about
tire/wheel sizes and these frames. I believe that it should be able to
accommodate a 700cX35mm wheel, but 26in wheels with fatter tires could
be an option as well. I basically want the fattest tires that a skinny
kid like myself could realistically need while stomping around the
city, but not necessarily doing competitive downhill racing. The
Folsom had 1.95" tires, and they seemed just a bit on the chubby side.

Also, I've picked up a Shimano Nexus 7-speed hub on the cheap. I need
to know what sprocket, and chainring sizes I need to set it up with.
As I said I'm a welterweight, and I can keep up with the bike
messengers so I don't really need a granny gear, but I'd still prefer
the widest range of gear ratios that I can get. Can anyone tell me
what sizes I should be looking for?
 
On Oct 9, 1:37 pm, Pilgrim <[email protected]> wrote:
> Last night I lost my two month old Swobo Folsom to a guy with a pair
> of bolt cutters. In mourning, I'm on eBay building it's replacement. I
> need some help with some technical aspects and wanted to get some help
> from you guys.


Shame. Cable lock then? I just ran into a hipster the other day when I
was leaving a note on his brand new Kona Paddy Wagon, which was
protected by a very gimpy cable, a note which said, "Please get a
quality u-lock if you want to keep your bike." He was very defensive,
and claimed to have owned the bike for five years (yeah, right) and
that he was going to remove the brakes, so he didn't need a lock.

Anyway--I hope a good lock is part of the plan. I like the On-guard
mini-U for my moderate crime city.

/rant
>
> The Folsom I just lost was quite simply my favorite bike of all time,
> and I've ridden quite a few. At first I was skeptical about it's fat
> knobby tires, but after stomping around on curbs and barreling down
> gravelly hillsides, I'm 100% sold. I need at least 35mm wide tires
> just to survive my devil may care riding style. It also taught me that
> platform pedals, and coaster brakes are beautiful things. Coming to a
> nice long sideways skid makes me feel like a kid. However, I never
> really appreciated the fat aluminum tubing, they used for the frame,
> and the single speed was often too high for the hills, and too low for
> racing bike messengers.


Depends on where you live. I only have to avoid a few alpine climbs
with a 42x15 fixed setup--but it's certainly nice to have gears,
especially a Nexus hub as you go on to mention.

>
> So here's what I want to build; a classic narrow tube steel frame and
> fork in the BOB tradition. Tires fat enough to ride up onto a curb at
> full speed without fear of pinch flats or bent rims (I only weigh
> about 150lbs so that might not take a huge tire). Tread with a nice
> road-like center, and lugs toward the outside of the tire to give me
> some traction in mud, and grass.


> An internal gear hub with coaster
> brake, and cantis up front.


Sounds like a typical Swedish bike, although they use calipers.
>




> I have already found an old Schwinn Sports Touring fillet brazed frame
> which I like. I'd appreciate any advice that can be provided about
> tire/wheel sizes and these frames. I believe that it should be able to
> accommodate a 700cX35mm wheel, but 26in wheels with fatter tires could
> be an option as well. I basically want the fattest tires that a skinny
> kid like myself could realistically need while stomping around the
> city, but not necessarily doing competitive downhill racing. The
> Folsom had 1.95" tires, and they seemed just a bit on the chubby side.


Something like a Schwalbe Marathon would be a classic tire choice.
For the rim, you can't go wrong with an Alex DM18. Less than twenty
bucks a pop, and stupidly strong.

>
> Also, I've picked up a Shimano Nexus 7-speed hub on the cheap. I need
> to know what sprocket, and chainring sizes I need to set it up with.
> As I said I'm a welterweight, and I can keep up with the bike
> messengers so I don't really need a granny gear, but I'd still prefer
> the widest range of gear ratios that I can get. Can anyone tell me
> what sizes I should be looking for?


Well, to give a random example, a Bianchi Milano set up the same way
uses a 44F 20R. Depending on your terrain, adjust as necessary.
 
On Tue, 09 Oct 2007 11:37:29 -0700, Pilgrim <[email protected]> wrote:

>
>Tread with a nice
>road-like center, and lugs toward the outside of the tire to give me
>some traction in mud, and grass.


Conti Travel Contact or Schwalbe Marathon Cross. The Conti is a 700x37
and probably only 35mm wide, the Schwalbe is a 700x40 and likely to
really be 40mm wide.

Kinky Cowboy*

*Batteries not included
May contain traces of nuts
Your milage may vary
 
On Oct 9, 11:50 am, landotter <[email protected]> wrote:
> On Oct 9, 1:37 pm, Pilgrim <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > Last night I lost my two month old Swobo Folsom to a guy with a pair
> > of bolt cutters. In mourning, I'm on eBay building it's replacement. I
> > need some help with some technical aspects and wanted to get some help
> > from you guys.

>
> Shame. Cable lock then? I just ran into a hipster the other day when I
> was leaving a note on his brand new Kona Paddy Wagon, which was
> protected by a very gimpy cable, a note which said, "Please get a
> quality u-lock if you want to keep your bike." He was very defensive,
> and claimed to have owned the bike for five years (yeah, right) and
> that he was going to remove the brakes, so he didn't need a lock.
>
> Anyway--I hope a good lock is part of the plan. I like the On-guard
> mini-U for my moderate crime city.
>
> /rant
>
>
>
> > The Folsom I just lost was quite simply my favorite bike of all time,
> > and I've ridden quite a few. At first I was skeptical about it's fat
> > knobby tires, but after stomping around on curbs and barreling down
> > gravelly hillsides, I'm 100% sold. I need at least 35mm wide tires
> > just to survive my devil may care riding style. It also taught me that
> > platform pedals, and coaster brakes are beautiful things. Coming to a
> > nice long sideways skid makes me feel like a kid. However, I never
> > really appreciated the fat aluminum tubing, they used for the frame,
> > and the single speed was often too high for the hills, and too low for
> > racing bike messengers.

>
> Depends on where you live. I only have to avoid a few alpine climbs
> with a 42x15 fixed setup--but it's certainly nice to have gears,
> especially a Nexus hub as you go on to mention.
>
>
>
> > So here's what I want to build; a classic narrow tube steel frame and
> > fork in the BOB tradition. Tires fat enough to ride up onto a curb at
> > full speed without fear of pinch flats or bent rims (I only weigh
> > about 150lbs so that might not take a huge tire). Tread with a nice
> > road-like center, and lugs toward the outside of the tire to give me
> > some traction in mud, and grass.
> > An internal gear hub with coaster
> > brake, and cantis up front.

>
> Sounds like a typical Swedish bike, although they use calipers.
>
>
>
> > I have already found an old Schwinn Sports Touring fillet brazed frame
> > which I like. I'd appreciate any advice that can be provided about
> > tire/wheel sizes and these frames. I believe that it should be able to
> > accommodate a 700cX35mm wheel, but 26in wheels with fatter tires could
> > be an option as well. I basically want the fattest tires that a skinny
> > kid like myself could realistically need while stomping around the
> > city, but not necessarily doing competitive downhill racing. The
> > Folsom had 1.95" tires, and they seemed just a bit on the chubby side.

>
> Something like a Schwalbe Marathon would be a classic tire choice.
> For the rim, you can't go wrong with an Alex DM18. Less than twenty
> bucks a pop, and stupidly strong.
>
>
>
> > Also, I've picked up a Shimano Nexus 7-speed hub on the cheap. I need
> > to know what sprocket, and chainring sizes I need to set it up with.
> > As I said I'm a welterweight, and I can keep up with the bike
> > messengers so I don't really need a granny gear, but I'd still prefer
> > the widest range of gear ratios that I can get. Can anyone tell me
> > what sizes I should be looking for?

>
> Well, to give a random example, a Bianchi Milano set up the same way
> uses a 44F 20R. Depending on your terrain, adjust as necessary.


Yeah, a cable lock, but I knew it wasn't impermeable. No lock is in
San Francisco. If someone wants your bike, they'll get it. The key is
not to ride a bike that someone else would want. Therefore, the one
I'm building's gonna be ugly as sin :-D

Thanks for the tips
 
On Oct 9, 3:22 pm, Pilgrim <[email protected]> wrote:

> Yeah, a cable lock, but I knew it wasn't impermeable. No lock is in
> San Francisco. If someone wants your bike, they'll get it. The key is
> not to ride a bike that someone else would want. Therefore, the one
> I'm building's gonna be ugly as sin :-D


A cable lock in San Francisco?! That's funny! Very serious thieves in
that town. Up there with Manhattan. How long did the bike last? Five
minutes? Yikes!

>
> Thanks for the tips


No problem, hope it works out for ya. Sounds like a fun ride!
 

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