Another Beast Build
- Thread starter blown240
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Tonight I finalized my geometry and did a test run with some scrap steel. Here's a pic:
And a video of it in action:
Nice Job! It's great to see someone make do full suspension. I'm also planning on making a full suspension beast when I get mine in a few days. One observation, however, is your rear suspension pivot is in the wrong location. Ideally, you want the pivot to be inline with the chain so that when you pedal it doesn't pull up or down on the swing arm. On mine I'm going to drill a hole in the seat tube above the BB and weld in a tube and put the pivot higher and inline with the chain.
I understand what you are saying about pivot location, but I feel it's more of a personal preference thing. I had considered putting it in the seat tube like you want to do, but I didn't want to worry about chain growth thru the arc of the rear wheel. With the pivot where it is my chain length actually gets shorter with travel. Also, with a geared bike it's basically impossible to have the pivot inline with the chain at all times since the chain is in different posisitions with each gear. That and since I am using a shock with a lockout, I wasn't worried about pedal bob when climbing.
It's cool you want to build a full suspension beast. I can't wait to see it.
It's cool you want to build a full suspension beast. I can't wait to see it.
That makes sense. I guess it all comes down to point of use and personal preference like you said. It's true that you can't always have the chain inline with all gears, but a lot of manufacturers put the pivot inline with the front middle chainring since that is the one used most often. If you have a lockout that will definitely solve pedal bob. Personally I never use a lockout on climbing because you have better traction climbing with suspension and I like full suspension all the time on my full suspension. I prefer an optimized suspension design with minimal pedal bob, but like you said it's all personal preference. Looks like your set up is working great and I really like the Girvin fork set up you made. I've been wanting a full suspension fatbike for a while now so seeing your build is great. It seems there's a lot of concern with bike builders about a long travel fat bike with full suspension being too tall. Personally, I think there are many advantages to a taller bike, especially a snow bike. The taller it is the deeper the snow you can ride in without pedal striking the snow. My plan is to eventually have a true 12" travel front and rear fatbike with probly around a 16" BB height, maybe even higher. The type of riding I mostly do is slower speed technical where high ground clearance is a huge plus. Back in 2001 some friends and I modified our Cannondale Super V's to have a true 12" travel and they were amazing bikes. They ripped through anything and it was a whole different world of riding. There is a tradeoff in higher center of gravity so really it comes down to the type of riding it will be used for. I'm excited about getting the all steel Beast because I can mod it for prototype and testing with minimal investment and time. Luckily, I have a friend who TIG welds, so it will be easy to build some aluminum or even titanium bikes later on based on the Beast prototype. Basically what I'm going for is a high, long travel fatbike for Bikepacking, expeditions, exploring, and technical riding. Maximum traction, flotation,comfort, etc.
12" Travel Super V and making a 6" Uber with stock triangle
I only had 10" of travel on my front fork which worked awesome for a while but then it got worn out super fast and needed rebuilding. My friend had the Risse bigfoot fork which did have 12" of travel and was modified into an air shock. The risse was way too exspensive for me and because of lack of fork options available I gave up on 12" at the time but now I'm motivated to revisit it and build my own fork.
I only had 10" of travel on my front fork which worked awesome for a while but then it got worn out super fast and needed rebuilding. My friend had the Risse bigfoot fork which did have 12" of travel and was modified into an air shock. The risse was way too exspensive for me and because of lack of fork options available I gave up on 12" at the time but now I'm motivated to revisit it and build my own fork.
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That is cool!
Luke.
Luke.
So, My Blue Beast arrived today. I took some measurements to see about modding a single crown 5-6" Travel Fork to work with the frame geometry. Well it just so happens that the head tube angle on the stock Beast is WAY too steep so the front end needs to be lifted about 3" or so to get it where I like. It also just so happens that modding the Fox Vanilla fork I have to work with the 26" x 4" tire will end up being close to the exact height it needs to be. All that will be required is to cut off the aluminum fork crown and weld up a chromoly crown that the stantion tubes clamp into like the old school suspension forks. I'll also have to cut and widen the forks arc brace some how but that will be easy. It will probably be a month or so before I get around to doing it though. Next year sometime I 'll mess with going full suspension with 12" travel but that will take a lot more planning and development so for now I'm just going to do a hard tail.
Here is a link to the hub I used:
http://www.amazon.com/Wheel-Master-...d=1387071343&sr=8-6&keywords=135mm+front+disc
You should start a build thread for your bike. I'll be interested in watching the Fox mod.
http://www.amazon.com/Wheel-Master-...d=1387071343&sr=8-6&keywords=135mm+front+disc
You should start a build thread for your bike. I'll be interested in watching the Fox mod.
Yeah I'll definitly start a build thread as soon as my parts arrive and I begin. Thanks for the link! I Just ordered the front hub. For the rear, Using the cut and widened Deore hub, were you able to reuse the rear spokes as well doing a similar reverse spiral pattern or did you have to buy new spokes?
@blown240- So I found this matching rear hub that's $10 cheaper than the Deore hub. Looks to be the same size and spec as the Deore. This or the Deore for the rear what do you think?
http://www.amazon.com/Wheel-Master-...rds=Wheel+Master+Rear+Alloy+Hub+Ch+Sf+36Hx135
http://www.amazon.com/Wheel-Master-...rds=Wheel+Master+Rear+Alloy+Hub+Ch+Sf+36Hx135
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I have had several people ask how well the rear suspension works on this bike. So I made a little GoPro video of it. I was pleasantly surprised to see how active it really is. I love active suspension, especially when it can be locked out for climbs.
So its been about 8 months since I made this bike full suspension. Ive ridden it about 150 miles. I have done ZERO maintenance to it, so it was time to give it some attention.
Tonight it got a sealed bottom bracket, triple crankset, Deore XT E-type front derailer, XT rear detailer, XT front shifter, XT brake levers, and some nice fangled cable guides. I love this bike, its as epic as they get. The suspension is still better smooth, the fork its pretty stinkin' good, and its as heavy as a overweight pygmy in a pie eating contest. Here are some pics:
Cable guides (ill do another thread on these):
3 ring crank:
Old XT!
Tonight it got a sealed bottom bracket, triple crankset, Deore XT E-type front derailer, XT rear detailer, XT front shifter, XT brake levers, and some nice fangled cable guides. I love this bike, its as epic as they get. The suspension is still better smooth, the fork its pretty stinkin' good, and its as heavy as a overweight pygmy in a pie eating contest. Here are some pics:
Cable guides (ill do another thread on these):
3 ring crank:
Old XT!
Looking good B240!
Luke.
Luke.
You don't have to go 190mm, but its super easy to spread the stays, and in my opinion will be better. 190 gives you more triangulation on the spokes, and gives you more chain-tire clearance.
Ive used the Choppers US hub on a buddies bike. We were only able to make it a 6 speed and had to spread his stays so much, that his cranks kit. We ended up putting a dimple in the stay for crank clearance.
Welding a freewheel to a coaster brake may work, but those hub drivers are pretty crappy and may not take the torque.
I have done 2 hubs like I posted, and both are still working great!
Ive used the Choppers US hub on a buddies bike. We were only able to make it a 6 speed and had to spread his stays so much, that his cranks kit. We ended up putting a dimple in the stay for crank clearance.
Welding a freewheel to a coaster brake may work, but those hub drivers are pretty crappy and may not take the torque.
I have done 2 hubs like I posted, and both are still working great!
