Author Topic: S&S couplers  (Read 7671 times)

mickeg

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Re: S&S couplers
« Reply #15 on: February 10, 2022, 08:29:46 pm »
I leave my Thorn coupler wrench at home when I ride around locally, but carry the Thorn coupler wrench when I tour.

When near home, I carry one of these with my spare tube.  It is made from a punch press that is not that precise, I had to touch it up with a file to work well on my couplers.  It is not an exact match to my couplers, but it will get me home if one loosens.  If you order something from Asia, I have no clue if there is customs duty charged or not.  That is small and cheap enough no duty charged in USA.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/403223452391

I bought the S&S grease from SJS when I bought my frame, but I am not sure how important that is.  But S&S really pushes that as being an important grease to prevent galling.
https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/lubricants/finish-line-extreme-fluoro-ss-coupling-approved-grease-20g-syringe/

I think this is the wrench that came with my Nomad Mk II
https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/tools/thorn-s-and-s-5-in-1-spanner-wrench-special-coupling-eccentric-tool/

I cut a short stub from an 8mm allen wrench that I can put in the 8mm hole in that wrench to use as an 8mm allen wrench on my crank arm bolts (square taper).  The 15mm part of that wrench works well as a pedal wrench.  I had to use a dremel cutoff wheel to cut the stub off of the allen wrench, that is hard steel.  To pack up my frame in the S&S Backpack case, I have to remove the crank arms.

I cut some sleeves from an old inner tube to stretch over the ends of my couplers to keep dirt out of the threads.  I highly recommend that on the downtube, less important on the top tube.  First photo is what I used initially.  Later cut them longer, second photo.

mickeg

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Re: S&S couplers
« Reply #16 on: February 12, 2022, 03:09:58 am »
Before you have a frame builder add the couplings to your Nomad Mk II, are you familiar with the concept of a Rinko bike?

The concept is to strip your wheels and fork off a full size bike that was not fitted with racks.  And that is larger than the typical airline size case, but it still is small enough for most train travel.  Some do that with regular straps to strap it together, some use some specific brackets to hold parts in place.

Not sure if that would meet your needs or not, but before you have the couplers put on your Nomad, you might consider whether or not packing your bike like a Rinko bike would meet your needs.

This is only one example, but if you did an internet search you would find many others.
https://www.renehersecycles.com/how-small-is-a-rinko-bike/

I think some with a really small frame might leave the fork in the frame.

I keep both a photo of my headset parts in the right order and orientation on my phone to install the fork quickly without having to think about it, I store the parts on the steerer tube and keep them there with a rubber binder.  I also keep a copy of the headset PDF on my phone.

The third attachment, I do not recall where I saw that, but I saved a copy to my hard drive in case I ever wanted to try to ship a bike that way.  If I recall correctly, in this example the bike owner had a threaded rod that he put through both wheel hubs inside the skewer holes to hold the two wheels together against the frame, wing nuts on the threaded rod.  And he had some DIY wood blocks with elastics to hold his wheels together, you can see them in the photo.


jul

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Re: S&S couplers
« Reply #17 on: February 12, 2022, 03:04:49 pm »
Mickeg, thanks i didn't know this method, this amounts to completely disassembling   :)

Why not it's a good idea, i have to study this..


Dan, yep i will do this ! we never know  ;)

Reynoldsfan

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Re: S&S couplers
« Reply #18 on: March 15, 2022, 12:42:52 pm »
Rinko----Yes, I looked at this. The Thorn Sherpa that I have has a frame dimension of over a metre, even with both wheels off. 85 cm is the dimension that you need to get under in order to be able to take the bike as ' luggage '  - for example on Eurostar. In fact , currently, somehow due to Covid (?) it is the only way to take a bike on Eurostar. So..its back to S & S

jul

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Re: S&S couplers
« Reply #19 on: August 15, 2023, 03:20:29 pm »
Another option for couplers ..

https://www.paragonmachineworks.com/miscellaneous/z-couplers/stainless-steel-z-coupler-santana-cycles-inc-patent-d703-031-s-choose-size.html

With S&S machine, in France these are the main ones on the market

George Hetrick

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Re: S&S couplers
« Reply #20 on: August 24, 2023, 12:13:48 am »
Bilenky recently posted a pic on FaceBook of z-couplers in use. For all intents and purposes, they are invisible (you can see a connected one at the bottom of the seat-tube).

https://scontent-dfw5-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/366352182_683822573763310_6976705753680867016_n.jpg?_nc_cat=102&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=730e14&_nc_ohc=w_wTssogA2IAX9wLToq&_nc_ht=scontent-dfw5-2.xx&oh=00_AfDDn5r5JQV8o3RPxy7lIiaGu3BA7otguRpfv1Hrx5XrcA&oe=64EA9FC1

mickeg

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Re: S&S couplers
« Reply #21 on: August 24, 2023, 05:41:55 am »
Ritchey Break Away is another coupled option, but it is not a retro fit method.  You have to buy the bike frame that way.

I was lucky to get a great price on a new Break Away bike by Ritchey, but badged as a Raleigh.

There are two seatpost clamps, one attached to the top tube, the other to the rear triangle.  The seatpost acts as a coupler at the top.  First photo, you can also see the Ritchey logo in the upper seatpost clamp.

Second photo, there is a matte black coupler on the downtube just forward of the bottom bracket shell.

They also included cable couplers.

I think the S&S couplers are much more heavy duty frame than the Ritchey downtube coupler, but in my case the Ritchey is a road bike, I won't be loading it up with a lot of weight.  So, the Ritchey system is adequate for strength on my example.