frame choice in case of parts failures - suggestions please

[mforness3000]

Hey everyone

For my next frame I want to make it possible for me to ride out of a situation in the backcountry where something breaks. I was thinking of a steel or titanium hardtail 29er (maybe something like this if I can afford it: http://www.lynskeyperformance.com/a/pages/frames-products/mountain/ridgeline-29-sl.php) with slider dropouts.

Please correct me if I am incorrect here, but if I have a hardtail with slider dropouts and bring a tomicog (http://tomicog.blogspot.com/) will this potentially allow me to ride out in the case of the following failures:

-shifters, deraileurs - if any of these break, the slider dropouts would allow me to convert to singlespeed and keep riding.

-brakes and freehub - if either of these break, the slider dropouts in combo with the tomicog would allow me to convert to single speed fixed and allow me to ride on...

I've never ridden a single speed or fixie so I am not knowledgeable about converting to either ss or fixie...so is my reasoning sound or not? Thanks for any suggestions!!! ~matt f

[AZTtripper]

Converting to SS isn't that hard to do I have done so with my standard steel hard tail. It's just a matter of shortening the chain and letting it climb up the cassette and come tight. I have also done this on a single pivot FS bike. Didn't work on the Blur though as the double pivot allowed the chain to constantly loosen and climb the cassette until it got so tight it broke. I have always picked a lower gear to allow for climbing and then coasting I should think that you could also set a higher gear if you get out on the flats.

The Lynskey looks nice but I wouldn't think sliders are absolutely necessary for SS conversion if you have a cassette on the bike.

If your bike is pretty new and fairly well maintained it's hard to imagine having more then one thing break on a ride.

If you loose the freehub you can still coast and have brakes to me that would be better then trying to ride Fixed. I only know one fixie rider and he made it sound like a real learned skill. I have ridden without a chain it's an interesting experience harder then you would think but doable. Walking or just one leg pushing on the road worked when I blew a freehub.

Can't see loosing both brakes at the same time so just ride on with one. Good to know how to deal with mechanicals but on the other hand you could easily ride a lot of miles trouble free.

 

[DesertDog]

McGyver says:  No need for a new frame with a horizontal/sliding dropout.  A chain tool, extra pins or power links, duct tape and zip ties are all you would need.

Just break the chain, route around the crank and cassette gears you want to use, then set to the tightest length of chain you can.  If there is slack that may allow the chain to slip off, simply put a couple zip ties around the chain stay and lower chain run to give some tension and take up the slack.  Secure the zips to the chainstay with tape and wrap some around the zips at the chain to prevent any catching.


This is something else you can do, a slight deviation and modification of the concept, just uses a metal bobbin for a sewing machine.  I'd just use duct tape to secure to the stay though.  

http://www.pinkbike.com/photo/2703972/

Either solution should be able to get you home.

[AZTtripper]

Nice McGyver action not sure if it's really necessary to do all of that though. Seems like if you set the chain a little loose it just climbs up the shift ramps until it's tight.

Nothing wrong with being prepared for anything though. And a little McGyverisim is a good thing.

[Marshal]

Repair vs keep going???

I think the other comments all make perfect sense for ‘trail side’ get-home repairs.  And if you currently have a typical geared frame you ‘want’ to keep, nough said. 

However if you ‘want’ a new frame the slider dropout would allow exactly what you propose.  You would be able to convert trail side to dependable SS with the ‘gear’ of your choice and then continue your ride with no need to go home early. 

I have never seen the tomicog, pretty clever idea.  If you ever had to use the tomicog you would be riding fixed, with only a front brake–no easy task on dirt even with both brakes --but you could cautiously continue for days, or be sure of a solid repair to get you home. (you could get a frame with rim and disk brakes but that would be way excessive for the relatively rare freehub ‘trail repair’ imo)

And unrelated to trail repair a slider dropout frame would allow you to experiment with SS and fixed riding.

Seems like it all sort of boils down to if you want a new frame or not, if so you might also check  http://www.carverbikes.com/Bikes/ for the best Ti price deals around

[Emily]

For my next frame I want to make it possible for me to ride out of a situation in the backcountry where something breaks. I was thinking of a steel or titanium hardtail 29er (maybe something like this if I can afford it: http://www.lynskeyperformance.com/a/pages/frames-products/mountain/ridgeline-29-sl.php) with slider dropouts.
Please correct me if I am incorrect here, but if I have a hardtail with slider dropouts and bring a tomicog (http://tomicog.blogspot.com/)

I've been carrying a Tomicog on long rides for exactly this reason. Be sure to try the mtn fixie thing out a bit to see what you're getting your self into.  
Based on my personal experience with the products made by that company, I would not go with the frame you link to in your original post. I do not find those sliders reliable.
I would go with a frame that was built around more reliable sliders (Paragon or similar) or an EBB. The steel Niner SIR9 with EBB has been tremendously good to me, and set up with the Tomicog easily.

[Emily]

McGyver says:  No need for a new frame with a horizontal/sliding dropout.  A chain tool, extra pins or power links, duct tape and zip ties are all you would need.

This is true for SS conversion, but not fixed.  For riding with a Tomicog this would not work for long.  The cog becomes your method for rear braking, so you cannot use a tensioner.  
You might ask Tomi for more clarification.

[mforness3000]

Thanks for the responses everyone! And, Emily, thank you for the specific information I was looking for. I'll definitely do my homework regarding the type of tensioner my next frame has.

Thanks again!!! ~matt f