Firefly Bicycles

[Tyler Evans]

Is there a picture of a tapered heatube around 20cm somewhere ? Interested to check this out.

I will review our inventory tomorrow and see if I have one to show you. I will also check our recent builds to see if we used one and show you a pic of a built bike with one.

[Lionel]

I will review our inventory tomorrow and see if I have one to show you. I will also check our recent builds to see if we used one and show you a pic of a built bike with one.

Thanks. How do you actually go after doing these tapered HT. Do you have a range of HT lengthts or is this bike by bike ?

[Toddykins]

Oh dear, what is the over/under on the 'Lionel's Firefly' thread - 15 pages?

[Tyler Evans]

Is there a picture of a tapered heatube around 20cm somewhere ? Interested to check this out.

I do not have one in stock to show you. We haven't built a frame with a 200mm tapered head tube yet. Ironically I am welding a 200mm straight 44mm headtube right now though!

You can imagine what that looks like: not tapered. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Do you have a range of HT lengthts or is this bike by bike ?

We have a range available.

IS41 / IS47 Tapered head tube lengths are currently made in these lengths:

95 mm
100 mm
105 mm
110 mm
115 mm
120 mm
125 mm
130 mm
135 mm
140 mm
145 mm
150 mm
155 mm
160 mm
165 mm
170 mm
175 mm
180 mm
185 mm
190 mm
200 mm
210 mm
220 mm
230 mm

IS41 / IS52 Tapered are currently made in these lengths:

100 mm
105 mm
115 mm
125 mm
140 mm
150 mm
155 mm
160 mm
165 mm
170 mm
175 mm
180 mm
185 mm
200 mm
220 mm

Here are some examples of fairly large IS47:

[Tyler Evans]

Lionel, Confirmed... This is a 200mm tapered head tube:

[dogrange]

Lionel, Confirmed... This is a 200mm tapered head tube:

Lionel, I assume you are concerned about aesthetics. Let me be the first to say it looks good (on a frame that big)!

[Chris Chesebro]

There are few threads that make me want a bike as badly as this one...

[Tyler Evans]

WE ARE HIRING! Click the link for details >> https://fireflybicycles.com/about/employment

Finishing-Advert-4x5.jpg

[happycampyer]

^ That ad belongs in the size 15 shoe thread.

[ABiCi]

Hi Tyler!

I was thinking about the issues for creating a modern fork the 650B or 26" low trail gravel/enduro/rando bikes recently and was wondering if you could share some of your thoughts about it.

The two most noteworthy ones I can recall from you guys are Jan Heine's and this one from a few years back now.

The traditional route for these forks was to have a lot of rake to bring the trail numbers down, using either canitlever or centre pull brakes to get adequate clearance for the wider tyres. Jan even sells fork blades specific for this application, with significant taper a slender, small diameter end.

You end up with something lookling like this (Jan's Rene Herse)

41.jpg

With disc brakes, though, this fork design and/or material choice obviously needs to change to take into account the different forces placed upon the fork under braking. and you end up with something that look's like Jan's Firefly:

firefly_studio.jpg

On the two bikes you have built I linked to above you've gone with straight bladed forks, one segmented, the other unicrown. Reading up, it seems like the consensus is that there isn't any noticeable difference between a curved of straight fork, particularly when you add in the volume of the tyres for this application. Is that only true for a bike with a fairly standard road bike rake, or does that follow through even in these cases? Was a curved bladed fork something you considered on either of these builds? Is there any practical difference in the performance of the segmented or the unicrown design or is that also an aesthetic consideration?

The other issue is the material one. To account for the pressures that the disc brake puts on the fork you need to beef up the blades. I was wondering what blades you end up using on these forks and how you think the ride quality is effected, compared to say a more traditional low-trail fork?

I guess the overall issue I'm interested in is the effects on the feel and handling of the bike that the shift to disc brakes on low trail bikes is having. While there is a lot to be gained by moving to hydraulic disc brakes compared to cable operated rim brakes, there does seem to be a trade-off in the requirement for a beefy (heavier and stiffer) fork. How do you feel about this compromise? I guess ultimately the best solution to this might be for someone to start building a low-trail carbon fork to achieve the necessary stiffness at a lower weight?

Thanks!

[Tyler Evans]

I guess the best way to summarize it would be that the fork is stiffer but the tires are more plush.

The disc fork is not only stiffer, but stronger and thus heavier... assuming that we are talking about all of them being made of steel. So your 650b gravel grinder with disc brakes will have a heavier fork than if you chose another braking option.

Handling-wise you will notice an increase in braking confidence and consistency through various conditions. You will also notice less hand fatigue on long descents. Handling will feel the same assuming that the geometries of the bikes and forks are the same. The low pressures run in the larger volume (and in most cases tubeless) tires that are being run these days absorb most of the road vibration so the fork springyness is not as much of a factor in handling characteristics.

Unicrown vs. Segmented is essentially an aesthetic consideration. In either case, there are not a lot of steel tubes available, so they all end up very similar.

You are correct in that carbon is the best material for the job and we are looking forward to low trail carbon forks becoming readily available for this purpose. Unfortunately, they are not here yet.

[ABiCi]

Thanks for taking the time, Tyler, much appreciated. I should also add that I don't think I could be more impressed by the way you guys have built up your brand. It's one thing to be able to build it, it is another to sell it and every time I see anything you produce you are really selling it! Your classy bikes look right at home next to the Herse.

[Tyler Evans]

:: Classic Side Shots :: A Retrospective :: Part XXIII ::

[Tyler Evans]

:: Classic Side Shots :: A Retrospective :: Part XXIV ::

[Tyler Evans]

:: Classic Side Shots :: A Retrospective :: Part XXV ::

[e-RICHIE]

:: Classic Side Shots :: A Retrospective :: Part XXV ::

cool stuff -

[Tyler Evans]

// New 2018 Firefly Titanium Seat Collars //











More info HERE

[Tyler Evans]

:: Classic Side Shots :: A Retrospective :: Part XXVI ::

[Tyler Evans]

Born of scrap metal and elbow grease. BEHOLD THE TITANIUM STRAW ::







Available :: HERE

[Tyler Evans]

:: Classic Side Shots :: A Retrospective :: Part XXVII ::