• TD-1, the internet and the £ vs $

  After meeting up with Mark Lynskey the other day, we can reveal that our new frame, the TD-1, will be completed in a couple of weeks, and shipping to us, by air, for the first lucky customers. Which means we really ought to tell you what it is, so we can sell some.

  An unashamedly specific design, the TD-1 is a “rigid only” 29er. Meaning you can’t run suspension forks on it.

  Well, I suppose you could, but it would handle awfully. It’s designed around a 440mm fork – which is a common size for 26in wheeled bikes – but a 29in wheel fits in there just fine. Typically 29in bikes run 470-490mm forks, and so by running the shorter fork, we can lower the handlebars by 30-50mm. Which means a more racey position. What’s that? You don’t like a low racey position? You want a suspension fork? Well hey, I guess this isn’t the frame for you.

  But, if you’re fed up with bars-in-the-air, bouncy forks, and just want something pure and rigid and fast, then here’s something for you. Race proven too – our races Dave and Jase got 2nd and 3rd at the ludicrously tough Strathpuffer race earlier in the year, riding their pre-production prototypes.

  And as we mentioned Mark Lynskey up at the top, and though we do have plans for a steel version (and it will be a high end steel version, as this is a race bike, not a plodder), and might even throw some 7046 at an alloy version, it’s obvious that this first model (as we seem to often do around here) is a titanium model made by Lynskey Performance in the USA. It features their sliding dropouts, a horizontally ovalised top tube, a curved seat tube (better tyre clearance in short stay mode, and better front mech positioning too. We even got two bottle cages on the small frame, and so though mtb-forum-grumps reckon the “Seat tube mounted bottle looks like it will rub the frame.“, we don’t think it will.

  Over on mtbr, we’ve been having a “bit of a chat” about it too. Though after doing the conversion to US dollars (as most posters there are American), someone from the UK got a bit upset about us selling it “cheaper in the states than it is here”. The sum is simple:-

  UK Price = around £1200
  Without VAT – divide by 117.5 and multiply by 100 = £1021
  Into Dollars  multiply by 1.49 = $1526

  Actually, it’s just occurred to me that depending on when Hotlines paid for them, we might have to hike the price up a bit, as we pay for them in dollars, so if the pound falls, then it’ll cost us more. But I think we’re not too far off there… And the example of “how stuff costs 17.5% less” for folks outside the EU is still true.

  Right – all that before 7:15am in the morning, and I’m just drinking Taiwan Oolong Tea – no coffee. So excuse any missthakes. Cheers!

  Oh yes, that’s a point – sizing…

  3 sizes – 16, 18, 20. 18in has a 24in top tube, 4in head tube, 72 head, 73.deg seat. 16in is half an inch shorter, 20in half an inch longer (and has a half inch longer head tube). Usual sizing rules apply (5’10″ to 6’1″, you want an 18in – bigger or smaller than this, and you want to go up or down a size). BB drop is 2.5in, and chainstays sit around 17.3in fully forward with a half inch backward movement possible for bigger tyres/chain tensioning purposes.

  
  

  ragley 8:11 am on March 3, 2010 | 14 Comments | # |
  

   

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