Considering an enduro frame

[goosander]

Just noticed that SJS are selling off enduro frames at half price, and am quite tempted but would like some opinions on the bike in general and frame sizing.

Anyone here have an enduro, in particular the MLXL size, what do you think of it?

I am currently running a rohloffed Airborne Lancaster 18" frame (590mm effective top tube) and sometimes feel that the bike is a little small for me, but wonder if the MLXL enduro frame which is also about 18" but has a very long 635mm top tube is perhaps too long.  I'm 6' with I think fairly average proportions for my height (34" inside leg).

[justin]

You could probably compensate with a short stem and a straight seatpost (ie no layback - which you wouldn't want anyway on a bike with short chainstays).

I am on a 534SXL, for "people with short legs!!". My legs happen to be very normal and I'm 5'10". No problems at all. I used a 90mm stem and no lay-back. It's fairly easy to work out the relative difference to expect by sitting on your existing bike with a tape measure.

Other than that it's a lovely frame to ride. Given the choice now, I'd sooner buy a sliding rear dropout (eg like on the Endorfin) rather then the EBB, but it does the job.

[goosander]

Thanks.  Pretty much what I was thinking, inline post and maybe an 80mm stem.

Have you had any problems with the EBB?  I was had several months of creaking from the one on my Sport Tour and was convinced it was the EBB, but in the end it turned out that the bottom bracket wasn't done up tight enough.  Once sorted its been fine since.

[justin]

Hi Goosander.

I've had no problems with my EBB really (I did spent some time erroneously believing it was creaking before tracing it to a pedal bearing!).

My only issue is that it seems to be hard to acheive very small degrees of tightening without running the risk of the holes slipping together. I'll freely admit that only aesthetics require a nice taught chain at all times. Previous owner of my frame obviously did too much tightening, and several intents on the EBB have run together. Probably not a problem in reality. From a practical point of view, I know my chains begin to bounce off the chainring at 0.5% stretch, which should be a coarse enough operation (probably ~1.5mm overall) to tighten properly with the EBB.

Rgds

[vik]

Hi Goosander.

I've had no problems with my EBB really (I did spent some time erroneously believing it was creaking before tracing it to a pedal bearing!).

My only issue is that it seems to be hard to acheive very small degrees of tightening without running the risk of the holes slipping together. I'll freely admit that only aesthetics require a nice taught chain at all times. Previous owner of my frame obviously did too much tightening, and several intents on the EBB have run together. Probably not a problem in reality. From a practical point of view, I know my chains begin to bounce off the chainring at 0.5% stretch, which should be a coarse enough operation (probably ~1.5mm overall) to tighten properly with the EBB.

Rgds

The EBB shell of the Tout Terrain frames seems to get around this by simply clamping the EBB rather than sinking pinch bolts into the EBB.  That seems like a superior system to my eyes, but I've never owned a bike with an EBB before.  Is there some downside to the Tout Terrain system I'm not seeing?

[PH]

The EBB shell of the Tout Terrain frames seems to get around this by simply clamping the EBB rather than sinking pinch bolts into the EBB.  That seems like a superior system to my eyes, but I've never owned a bike with an EBB before.  Is there some downside to the Tout Terrain system I'm not seeing?

There's also the wedge type that works like a quill stem.  Sheldon Brown has details, saying they've all got pros and cons but they all work fine;
http://sheldonbrown.com/synchain.html

[brummie]

I ride the Catalyst in the same size you're considering - It sure is a long toptube ( I'm 6ft ) but it's incredibly stable, particularly on descents, & it climbs well too ! No trouble with the EBB either - just buy one - great price for an 853 frame !

[Dave Whittle Thorn Workshop]

Wedge type EBB's seize up and end up needed to be heated or machined out, Squeze up BB's let water in and corrode.