Meet Cloe (that's a variant of "Chloe" without the "h").
Except for installing the headset and trimming the steerer tube, I built her myself. Her build philosophy and component selection follow the concept of "light, but reliable." In building her, I avoided the pitfalls of "stupid light" or "show light." I wanted this bike to be light, not in the sense of merely
race light, but
epic light as well. I.e. the bike must be tough and reliable enough to withstand multi-day, self-supported epics. Disc brakes were eschewed as the mechanical variants remain comparatively too heavy, and hydraulic versions are difficult or impossible to repair in the field.
SpecificationsApplication: Cross-country racing and epics.
Configuration: Hardtail.
Frame: Custom 20.5" (52 cm)
Merlin XLM Titanium, with strengthened seatstays and dropouts for rear rack capability.
Headset: Chris King Titanium Threadless.
Headbolt upgraded to 6AL-4V Titanium.
Steerer Tube Spacers: Carbon Fiber.
Fork: Fox Racing Shock F100 RLC.
Front Brake Bosses upgraded from steel to 6AL-4V Titanium.
Stem: 125mm, negative 5-degree rise,
Litespeed Titanium.
Handlebar: Titec 118 Titanium with BERTs.
Bar Ends: IBS Titanium.
Grips: Specialized Body Geometry Performance.
Bar Plugs: Salsa Fire-Plugs.
Seatpost: 27.2mm diameter, 380mm
Moots Titanium Layback Seatpost.
Saddle Rail Bolts upgraded from Dacromet™
to Moots 6AL-4V Titanium.
Seat Tube Clamp: Extralite Ultra Clamp with Custom Titanium Bolt.
Saddle: Sella Italia SLR, with Carbon Fiber shell and Titanium rails.
Brake Levers: Avid Speed Dial Ultimate.
Front Brake: Avid Ultimate Single Digit V-Brakes.
Cable and noodle linkage bolts upgraded to 6AL-4V Titanium.
Rear Brakes: Avid Ultimate Single Digit V-Brakes.
Cable and noodle linkage bolts upgraded to 6AL-4V Titanium.
Rear Brake Pivot Mounting Bolts upgraded from stainless steel to 6AL-4V Titanium.
Brake Pads: upgraded to Kool-Stop Thinline.
Rear Brake Booster: Shimano Carbon Fiber Brace.
Brake Housing: Avid Flak Jacket Kevlar™ Mesh.
Cable Sleeve Tubing upgraded to Teflon™.
Brake Cables upgraded to Teflon™
-coated.
Shifters: SRAM Rocket Twist Shifters.
Front Derailleur: Shimano XTR 960 top-swing and top-pull.
Band Clamp, Cable Clamp, High Limit, and Low Limit adjustment bolts upgraded to 6AL-4V Titanium.
Rear Derailleur: Shimano XTR 952 SGS.
Mounting Bolt, Cable Clamp, Jockey Pulleys, B-tension, High LImit, and Low Limit adjustment bolts upgraded to 6AL-4V Titanium.
Avid Rollamajig Shift Enhancer.
Derailleur Housing: Avid Flak Jacket Kevlar™ Mesh.
Cable Sleeve Tubing upgraded to Teflon™.
Derailleurs Cables upgraded to Teflon™
-coated.
Cranks: 175mm, 44/32/22
Race Face Deus.
Inner Chain Ring bolts upgraded to Action Tec 6AL-4V Titanium.
Bottom Bracket: Race Face X-Type. Bearings
upgraded to Enduro bearings after 562 miles.
Pedals: Crank Brothers 4Ti Eggbeater Titanium.
Stock plastic cleat shims upgraded to CNC-cut stainless steel.
Cassette: Shimano XTR CS-M960 11-34 Titanium.
Chain: Shimano CN-7701 Durace / XTR.
Chainstay Protector: Lizard Skins Jumbo.
Tires: Specialized Roll-X Pro D2.
Front Wheel: Sun Ringlé R.P.M. Lite 0 degree rim, 14/15 gauge double-butted DT spokes (24), alloy nipples, Sun of Bubba hub. Radial laced.
Rear wheel: Sun Ringlé R.P.M. Lite 0 degree rim, 14/15 gauge double-butted DT spokes (28), alloy nipples, 439 Bubba Lite hub. 2-cross laced.
Veloplugs used instead of rim strips.
Quick Releases:Front: Salsa Flip-Offs Cromoly.
Rear: Salsa Flip-Offs Titanium.
Tire Tubes:Summer: Specialized AirLock self-sealing tubes.
Fall, winter & spring: Forte MTB LunarLight PV ultra-light tubes.
King 3AL-2.5V Titanium Bottle Cages (2).
Bottle Cage bolts upgraded from aluminum to 6AL-4V Titanium.
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Total Weight: Summer configuration: 23.45 lbs (10.66 kg)
Fall, winter & spring: 22.66 lbs (10.30 kg)
Maximum Payload (rider + water bottles +
Camelbak): 180 lbs (81 kg).
Total Value: US$7177.77 (S$11,292.07)
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Possible Future UpgradeExtralite's
UltraTerra Ti Titanium wheelset will reduce total--and
rotating--weight by 1.12 lbs (0.51 kg).
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Pictures
Avid Flak Jacket Kevlar™ braided brake and derailleur cable housing.
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This Litespeed Titanium handlebar was originally spec'd, but, at 23.5 inches, it was too wide for my narrow shoulders. I went with the narrower 22-inch Titec 118 Titanium handlebar instead.
This brand new handlebar can be yours for US$120. Msg me. As this is no longer in production, I'm keeping it for future build projects.
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Cockpit with Titec 118 Titanium handlebar.
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The extreme wall thinness of the Titec 118 Titanium handlebar near the ends necessitates additional structural support if bar ends are used. These Bar End Reinforcement Things (BERTs) slip into the ends of the handlebar, where bar ends clamp on.
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Chris King Titanium Threadless Headset.
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Stock cable sleeve tubing upgraded to Teflon™.
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Front view.
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2007 Fox Racing Shox F100 RLC Fork.
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Race Face Deus XC crankset and Crank Brothers 4Ti pedals.
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I originally bought the Crank Brothers 3Ti Titanium pedals (186 grams / pair) for Cloe but later decided to upgrade to the 4Ti, which are lighter by 19 grams. Both are stunningly presented in an extruded aluminum case.
First US$250 takes these. SOLD.
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Crank Brothers Eggbeater 4Ti Titanium pedal with
premium cleat.
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Comparison of CNC-cut steel cleat shim upgrade (left, silver) with OEM Crank Brothers' plastic shims (right, black).
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Cleat and upgraded shim installed on
Shimano M-225 shoe.
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Close up. The shim protects the carbon fiber body of the shoe (hopefully).
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Rear derailleur and Avid Rollamajig.
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Titanium hardware on derailleur.
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Front derailleur.
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Titanium hardware on derailleur.
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Salsa Titanium rear Quick Release and Shimano XTR Titanium cassette.
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Extralite Ultra Clamp with custom Titanium bolt. It only weighs 11 grams
with the bolt!
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Avid Single Digit Ultimate V-brakes with Shimano Carbon Fiber Brake Booster and Titanium Pivot bolts.
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Front and rear Avid OEM V-brake pads upgraded to Kool-Stop All Weather pads.
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King Cage Titanium water bottle cages (28 grams each).
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Comparison of Sella Italia Flite Titanium (210 grams) on Ivy (left) with Sella Italia SLR Titanium (135 grams) on Cloe (right).
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Ivy - 18 inches (46 cm).
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Cloe - 20.5 inches (52 cm).
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Crank Brothers Eggbeater
SL (266 grams / pair) US$120 on Ivy. [Blue spring]
Crank Brothers Eggbeater
4Ti (167 grams / pair) US$425 on Cloe. [Gold spring]
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Cloe & Ivy.
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Cockpits.
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Front view.
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Rear view.
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Comparison of 2007 Fox Racing Shox F100 RLC with 1996 Rock Shox Judy FSX. The difference in the width of the stanchions is appreciable.