44 Bikes

[fortyfour]

why is there a chain guide and not one of the new style dual width tooth chain rings?

No one (to my knowledge) makes a 44t 104BCD 10spd compatible chainring that has the XX1 style chainring tooth profiles. The largest e13 guide ring that I believe they make is either a 40t or 42t. The client really wanted a 44t up front. Thus what we ended up with. Limited choices. Also, I saw it mentioned over on a tumblr account regarding an actual Sram Red Wifli rear derailleur in the wild. We were originally going to go with Sram force all around but when I went to order a Force mid cage rear derailleur, QBP was out of them and Security had some in stock but were not allowed to sell them because apparently something was wrong with that derailleur... So we ended up with that monster out back.

But I truly appreciate your first comment. If that's what my only contribution is to the bigger picture in the long run that is cycling, I'll pass the torch a happy man.

[fortyfour]

When I read you were working on a front rack I was really curious as to how it would turn out, because when I think 44 Bikes I think MTBs made to shred (I know that's your slogan, but even if it wasn't, that's what I think), not rando bikes (which is what I picture when I think of a front rack). But that rack is the business, and the custom bag really knocks the whole package out of the park IMO. Great job.

I was curious how this would turn out too. But like some projects, you don't know until you get started. I had some ideas, but sometimes I work best if I'm solving problems in real time and taking my time working things out on the fly. It kind of helps to have a brain that can take things apart in 3 dimensions, spin them about and assemble them back together again. I never liked how most racks attached at the crown, and I do like some of the other solutions regarding fixing them to the top of the crown. But I wanted to take the bolt out of sheer hence the "keyed" feature:



The sides have recessed flats to located the .375" tubing legs:



Then the whole thing gets mounted up:



I wanted consistence of visual weight between the braces and the rack hence all these bend joints:





I added a bit more space between fender and bed so you can sneak a allen key in there to remove that 4mm screw (all the rack and fender hardware share the same allen key - which was a goal - the Thomson stem shares the same allen too).

But I had to do some serious stepping back and visualizing the build in different configurations before those were implemented so I could balance everything "just so".

I've gathered that the perception out there might be he just makes mountain bikes, but like you said, the motto is "Made to Shred". That applies to bicycles in general. I know I tell myself where I feel most at home is "Anything with knobs that touches dirt". Now that I've built this one, I can't wait to build another like it albeit hopefully in a different color scheme. Would be nice to see something different. It's funny as people see my own bikes (which are all black with the exception of my fat bike) and honestly, the gloss black is just drippingly sexy for a powder and the satin black (technically called "Black Magic") when paired with gloss contrasting decals is a looker. So people see that in person and their mind is made up. But it would be nice to get some different colors in the mix. However, I don't mind that my 'team color' is black as outlined here, last page, last sentence under *NOTE...

[dgaddis]

It kind of helps to have a brain that can take things apart in 3 dimensions, spin them about and assemble them back together again.

Absolutely it helps, and is required for frame building I'd imagine. I can do that (visualize stuff in 3D) as well, but some people definitely can't.

Now that I've built this one, I can't wait to build another like it albeit hopefully in a different color scheme.

Honda Championship White would be cool...

[Burnette]

Just wanted to say I ordered my 44 Bikes kit today, upgraded to full zip jersey and bibs with a nice chamois.
I missed Zanconato's kit, but did score an e-richie skin suit,
didn't want to miss your kit, so I jumped on the 44 threads before the cutoff, which is soon.
Glad to add your threads to the collection (which just got more awesome), love your work.

[fortyfour]

Just wanted to say I ordered my 44 Bikes kit today... Glad to add your threads to the collection (which just got more awesome), love your work.

Thanks for your support! It's truly appreciated. Can't wait to get mine. Is it August yet?



And just a friendly reminder to all: Deadline for the "flow team" kit is approaching rapidly. June 17th is the deadline! You don't have to own a 44 Bikes custom to own a jersey or full kit. Heck you don't even have to pin numbers on. Guaranteed to Shred. I'm tellin' ya. Kit details:



THE GOODS: Club Cut Jersey, Bib Shorts, Wind Vest. Hand picked by yours truly. Just the essentials? Forget about it. These are hotter than all get out. I don't pick fly by night operations, only the finest have been chosen to make these garments. Made in the USA by the fine folks at Voler. Sewn to Shred - That's GAH-RON-TEED. You're not riding unless you're riding in these duds so let's get down to business...

Order details here.

[Too Tall]

Kristofer Henry Jebbus Mary Joseph you are giving back in a meaningful way. Everyone appreciates how much time away from the bench it takes to answer questions and document your excellent work. You've got some really happy clients.

[devlin]

Damn I hate being broke.......or should I say I haven't got the cajones to ask the boss. That kit is kick arse.

[fortyfour]

Kristofer Henry Jebbus Mary Joseph you are giving back in a meaningful way.

Thanks for that thought. I'm trying to spread the word in as meaningful a way as I can.

In other news... Been working on a second set of bike packing bags. You know in my "free time". Actually I don't believe I have free time, it's all just one big soup of making (which is what I do instead of watching TV basically). I got to talking with a friend / client, and he's taking a point to point trip out west this July. Since we basically share the same bike setups, we decided he'd make a good test pilot to field test this new setup. More later this week on FNL :

[fortyfour]

Detail of the expanding saddle bag:

[fortyfour]

Starting another 650b. The next 3 bikes will be 650b's...

[fortyfour]

Tacking Francois's 650b today. More on FNL tomorrow including another 650b.

[fortyfour]

29er hot off the presses this week too. More shots on FNL 224...



And after an morning and afternoon of answering the phone, running client's goodies to UPS and USPS, last minute "revisions" to design projects that were filed under "D.O.N.E."... I was able to get Francois's seat stays tacked. Weldfest first thing monday morning. My favorite part.

[blasdelf]

29er hot off the presses this week too.

you know paging through your flickr photostream I thought "damn this dude takes a lot of pictures of his MTB"

only just realized that almost all are customer builds

you've got a type nailed, even moreso than e-richie!

this is what a brand looks like

[devlin]

What's the seat height on that 29r Kris?

[fortyfour]

What's the seat height on that 29r Kris?

From the center of the bottom bracket to the top of the seat is 29.25". Seat tube is 17" center to top of seat tube. Bars and saddle are about dead even which is what I shoot for typically setup wise. Here's another shot for reference:

[fortyfour]

you know paging through your flickr photostream I thought "damn this dude takes a lot of pictures of his MTB"

only just realized that almost all are customer builds

you've got a type nailed, even moreso than e-richie!

this is what a brand looks like

Thanks. I'd like to have some other colors in there but clients thus far have gravitated to the flat black with gloss decals and the gloss black powder. I think from the past 30 bikes, 25 have been black? It's definitely my "team" color. I'm joking when I state "I'm painting my bike black until they make something darker" naturally. I even hand over the Tiger Drylac color book to clients and they end up with "Just paint it that black!". I'm not complaining though. Johnny Cash would be proud.

Definitely refining the look based on function out here on east coast trails and that look you speak of all has a certain "stance" that I'm after visually. I try and balance all of these things so it's still relating back to that look and feel that make the bicycle a 44 Bikes. I suppose this would be the signature look if I can say that. For the sake of conversation, here's Proto #1 below. My buddy Steve was kind enough to bring his gear when he visited for a shoot in my studio here up at the house:



Proto #1 the second I had it built up. I was so excited. Excited will never be past tense though...



Here's #2:



Here's #3 with a few different setup changes along the way:







One of #1 and #3 to compare the two on trail and also to show a potential client 2 different setups on the same stretch of trail (were were of similar dimensions):





From proto #2 and #3, here are how the "flip-switch" dropouts work. I'm working on a refined version of these and I think they will be more appropriate for CX type setups with canti's. The female parts I think will be a common element, but the actual aluminum parts i.e. the dropouts, I think I will design different configurations for all the standards. A long term project actually and one I've been meaning to revisit in the winter of 2014. I still want them to be very small, light and compact:







As a trade, a good friend who is an electrician helped wire up the shop in return for a bike. A good thing for both of us. So this one's technically #12, but really proto 3.25ish...



Here's the first client bike to roll out of the doors here at 44HQ when I finally finished the build out, so technically it's #13, but really proto 3.5ish...



Here's the first one testing out the procedure of internal cable routing, but pushing the chainstay thing with adjustment from 16"-16.8" with room for a 2.5" tire. I built this really to test what the feel is like by shortening or lengthening the chainstays if all things remain constant. Also the first one to utilize the formed chainstay concept for a bit more lateral stiffness:



So based on that experience and feedback from the other builds which were built for others and were out in the field for a bit, I then built this bike, so Proto #4:



And of course, in it's latest configuration : tubeless, guideless... dialed.



Everything from there on to the present has been based on this progression and feedback from everyone.

Thus ends the 44 Bikes Dept. of History lesson for now. See you next week. Same classroom. Same time. Don't be late.

[fortyfour]

Another happy customer! She better be though... That's my sweetheart.



Lynn out for the maiden voyage.

[christian]

Kris - saw that you designed the Winter Bicycles branding for Eric, which is among my favorite off all bicycle-related branding. Can you share more with us about the process you guys used to arrive at the final product? It's terrific!

[christian]

Also - your seat stay bridges are like poetry and the kerning of your downtube script is spot-on-fawking perfect. So much good stuff.

[fortyfour]