Joined
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7,191 Posts
Got about 700 miles on my Banjo. It's nice to see it get dirty.
So far, it's really been fantastic. Gearing is a little high for pulling a trailer, but perfect as soon as I take the trailer off... If nothing else, pulling a trailer with a 53/39 front and an 11-26 rear builds some legs.
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Things I've learned in the whole process of ordering a custom. building it up and actually living with it: I love horizontal drop-outs but they are a serious PITA with fenders. Next time, I'll listen to the builder when he suggests vertical drops. Custom stem was totally worth it. It was weird getting a bike where really, all I needed to do was get the saddle adjusted.
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Still not 100% convinced on the brooks swift. Love the Mafac Racers- still not 100% dialed in, but they are wonderfully progressive- definitely not on/off like single pivots. And scary light. Brazed onto the frame, there's not a whole lot of flex and no howl.
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700 miles in, it's exactly what I wanted- an all-weather bike that will do just about everything I like to do. It's solid on gravel and crappy roads, it's comfortable, it's got quick handling, and the front bag will hold a DSLR, no problem.
The only thing I'm not loving is the wheels. the XTR hubs are fine, but the DT 1.1 rims are a little too fragile for my liking. I worry about potholes with them more than I'd like. Next time, open pros.
All in all, it's been a great experience and the bike couldn't be better. Looking forward to getting more and more miles in this year.
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So far, it's really been fantastic. Gearing is a little high for pulling a trailer, but perfect as soon as I take the trailer off... If nothing else, pulling a trailer with a 53/39 front and an 11-26 rear builds some legs.
Things I've learned in the whole process of ordering a custom. building it up and actually living with it: I love horizontal drop-outs but they are a serious PITA with fenders. Next time, I'll listen to the builder when he suggests vertical drops. Custom stem was totally worth it. It was weird getting a bike where really, all I needed to do was get the saddle adjusted.
Still not 100% convinced on the brooks swift. Love the Mafac Racers- still not 100% dialed in, but they are wonderfully progressive- definitely not on/off like single pivots. And scary light. Brazed onto the frame, there's not a whole lot of flex and no howl.
700 miles in, it's exactly what I wanted- an all-weather bike that will do just about everything I like to do. It's solid on gravel and crappy roads, it's comfortable, it's got quick handling, and the front bag will hold a DSLR, no problem.
The only thing I'm not loving is the wheels. the XTR hubs are fine, but the DT 1.1 rims are a little too fragile for my liking. I worry about potholes with them more than I'd like. Next time, open pros.
All in all, it's been a great experience and the bike couldn't be better. Looking forward to getting more and more miles in this year.
