random e-bay purchase, Ellsworth with a twist

[Wold Ranger]

XC

8 pounds is pretty hefty for XC with 4.75 4 inch travel bikes and 5.75 5.5 travel around now, but it will ride prety well I imagine, is it not a bit wallowy?

Oh and what exactly do you call Peanuts in real money?

 

[IbocProSX]

The whole purpose of the project is to figure out if it is wallowy, i reckon the Fox RP3 should help with that too.

And have a look at frame weights in the ww listings. Many contemporary 6" frames come in at 3 to 3.3 kg. Also German mag Bike lists actual frame weights (damper separate) with all their group tests which makes for interesting pub talk. Let's say I take 8 pounds on the scale over 7 in the brochure any day

As for peanuts, it was 220 quid with a near new Manitou Stance 170mm, sealed bearing headset, RF post and Hone front mech. I sold the Stance in a matter of days after a mate from work brought it over to Holland on his commute from Norwich.

Enjoy!!

 

[kool maudit]

nice.

 

[Anthony]

Unless there's distortion in the photo, the head angle is 70, which is pretty much on the button, so I'd say that's a pretty clever redesign.

 

[IbocProSX]

Thanks but I can safely say the picture does distort, it's slacker in real life.

 

[Wold Ranger]

Long Travel

Strangely enough my LBS has a Kona Stinky Deelux frame for sale, at right money, which the Ellsworth is a virtual copy of. Am tempted to buy it and look at a similar conversion with Airshock. Have you had it for a ride yet?

 

[IbocProSX]

Nope not a ride yet. In fact I´m posting from the Hotel computer on a beach in Spain. Family holidays, with some nice mountains not too far away, still to see what I can whip up for a bike out here.

Back on topic, I´m not familiar with Stinky´s in the flesh. But I guess the fit a shorter shock & fork trick to maintain steereing geometry should apply as well. Watch carefully what the BB height is before the "drop" though. The Dare in stock form is quite extreme with the BB well above the line through both wheels axles.

Enjoy!!

 

[andrewl]

Bitd Ellsworth got a lot of stick for the Dare not being strong enough for the riding it invited you to do, i.e. too light in the eyes of DH/FR riders. It was always commended as a very good pedalling bike for it's long travel.

I thought the fact that they broke was the basis behind the "not strong enough" comments....

Its an interesting build but you may find it doesn't ride as well as you want. Even with the XC rear the head angle is pretty slack (I can't remember the offical numbers) and the shorter DH top tube length may also cause a few issues too.

Theres only one way to find out though

 

[IbocProSX]

Indeed not strong enough, but that always has two sides to it; what was it designed for and what did it get thrown into (or off). Somewhere in the middle is the quality of the execution, and that looks OK afaict.

The head angle is indeed the one that could make or brake this project. The virtual horizontal top tube measures 56 cm (22") which is short for full-on XC but ball park for the Bike Park run.
I could also go full Hooligan on it and fit my 36 TALAS and set it short. But somehow I feel the plush Mavericks should match the rear end better.

I´m not finding out real soon, viz the holiday thing. Just been out on a hotel "Mountainbike": rigid steel, 1" quill stem all steel fittings and 3x6 Shimano SIS gears. Saddle is hard as a brick too and tires are scary. But it got me up and down the mountain in one piece and it felt suitably retro.

Aloha!