Help me choose a frame... Da Bomb stuff.

studiorat

Hi folks,
I've decided to build a bit of a bike to take up the mountains the odd weekend. I've got an old set of rock shocks triple clamps, some nice wheels, a set of disc breaks, and a few bits and bobs. I want to spend about €140 max, so I was looking at these at CRC.

Anyone got any opinions on these?

Da Bomb Grenade

Da Bomb Sputnik

Anybody got any idea of the BB size of either of these? Not much info on the online store...

Probably going to go with a nine speed block and a single ring on the front. Just sold my Misfit Psycles single speed set up.

Thanks in advance.

kona

ive heard bad stories about those da bomb frames, apparantly they are prone to cracking around the welds, even under light use.
cycleways do them if you want to see them in the flesh.
They are designed as jump bikes, its got a mad head angle,which will mean it will be a bollix on a climb,add a big fork on this and it will make the problem worse,

the first frame is the one for you, unless you want a pain in the ass as the second is a horizontal drop-out, which is a pain at the best of times with single speed, add gears and your in trouble, i dont know if you can use chain tensioners with gears??

also what travel are those triple crowns?? 150mm would be the absoloute max that bike will take without being terrible almost unrideable, 100-130mm would be perfect.

afaik they are a 68 mm BB, not sure on the axle length.

studiorat

That doesn't sound too good, I've seen them around they look alright, made in China. One is a Cro-Mo frame and one is Alu. The only ones in Cycleways are full suspension jobs, a very different kettle of fish too at about €2,500.

I'd say the forks are 6" max. It's gonna be a bit of a chopper until I can get something newer on the front.
I need 29inches from saddle to bottom bracket on the road. One frame is a 14" frame and the other is a 15" inch frame, prob too small anyway? The smaller frame has a longer crossbar though.

I was wondering about those dropouts too, I was thinking about horizontal in case I went back to using single speed, I don't suppose a regular QR skewer will hold that back wheel in place?

Thanks for the heads up on the head angle too. I never thought about that either.

kona

studiorat wrote: »

That doesn't sound too good, I've seen them around they look alright, made in China. One is a Cro-Mo frame and one is Alu. The only ones in Cycleways are full suspension jobs, a very different kettle of fish too at about €2,500.

I'd say the forks are 6" max. It's gonna be a bit of a chopper until I can get something newer on the front.
I need 29inches from saddle to bottom bracket on the road. One frame is a 14" frame and the other is a 15" inch frame prob too small anyway.

its just what ive heard about them, as i was going to get one, but chose kona instead as I trust kona and i heard those stories about da bomb, i havnt owned one so its not from 1st hand experience.
they are jump bikes they are ment to be small, as the smaller a bike is the easier to throw around.
cyclesways had a molotov there a few months ago e300 was a bit steep tho!

if i had the choice id go chro-mo but i think that has horizontal dropouts.

29 inch is about 70cm, no bike is that big, when you measure, go BB to the top of the seat tube.

how tall are you?? id guess around 6ft with the size you gave so you be looking at a 21" or a 22".
a cross country bike would fit the bill great, although triple clamps on it will be mental!

ye youd need a bolt thru for the horizontal as i wouldnt trust QR on a horizontal drop out.
chain tensioners would be essential too.

studiorat

29 inches to the saddle...
I'd go a bigger frame for XC, but this will be just messing around in a pair of runners and jeans. My Lycra days are well over... I had a little Sunn Perimetric before it was stolen a few years back it was 14". It was a little too short, but great fun easy to chuck around.
The triple clamps are mental. They'll be the first thing to change.
Looks like the Grenade (Cro Mo) so, the other's a bit too flash looking anyway, though I love the look of the rear stays on it.
Wish me luck!

kona

good luck with the build, chro-mo is heavy, but easier to weld than aluminium, and it lasts longer and is miles stronger, so hopefully it should be fine.
be sure to order a headset and get the frame faced before you build.:)

studiorat

Weight's not a big issue, good job too, it looks well heavy.

Have a headset. Kinda new to the Ahead stuff, the one I'm using is a Hope Head Doctor, and I HOPE it's easier to take out of the old bike than it was to get in. Arrrff!

And there's gonna be a whole lot of preparation going on too. I think my biggest problem is going to be the BB and chain line. I dunno which width axle to go with yet.

Frame Faced? For BB and Head Set like? Does this mean I'm gonna have to go to a bike shop with a frame I bought on the internet? Yikes!

kona

studiorat wrote: »

Weight's not a big issue, good job too, it looks well heavy.

Have a headset. Kinda new to the Ahead stuff, the one I'm using is a Hope Head Doctor, and I HOPE it's easier to take out of the old bike than it was to get in. Arrrff!

And there's gonna be a whole lot of preparation going on too. I think my biggest problem is going to be the BB and chain line. I dunno which width axle to go with yet.

for the dimensions go onto the da bomb website and poke around.

the headset should be handy to get out, in i use a FSA pig dh headset, getting that in was, em a pig, you know its good when the fit is as tight.

get a bike shop to press the headset in dont bother with the wood, too much hassle and money on the line, let the local bike shop **** up!!!

for the cranks id go with a set of hollowtech saints or hone, that way they should* fit no matter as you have spacers with them.

studiorat

Not much info on the Da Bomb site.

I have a pair of creaky old Coda cranks and a black spire ring. I'm gonna try the BB from the old bike too, I'll see what fits then and do some shopping in town. If I buy the BB from them I won't feel bad about asking them to fit the headset cups.

Thanks for all the help K.

I'm sure I'll be back this way soon.