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I'm looking for a 14" hardtail frame for my lad's next bike. He's 9, and I already have some lovely 26" forks and wheels. Bike discount have some bargain (70 euros ish) cube 27.5" frames. What would the consequences of building one of these up with 26" parts? My thoughts were a gain in stand over, and lower bb, anything I should be worried about? Ta.
nothing to be worried about.
I suspect it will work just fine. If the axle to crown on the forks is less than the design intended it will steepen your angles a touch but I doubt it will be a problem, the lower BB is only a concern for more pedal strikes but I didn't find it a big deal and if you are putting short cranks on the small (14mm?) difference between 26 and 27.5 will be negated anyway
Yes, no probs at all. I've got a Flare with 26" wheels which measure up pretty big- close enough to 650B to make bugger all difference and prove the Great 650B Swindle- and 26" forks in. The frame's meant for up to 140mm 650B forks so I just set the 26" ones at 150mm to make up for the slight height difference. I haven't died yet!
edit- there's a decent article about fork offsets [url= http://www.bikeradar.com/mtb/gear/article/pushing-the-limits-of-fork-offset-an-experiment-45343/ ]here[/url]
I did the same (ish) by going 24" wheels in a 26" frame. I just got shorter (150mm) cranks to compensate.
Works a treat.
Looking at doing this too, great thread! Has anyone tried to get away with 24" wheels in a 27.5 frame.. I know it would be a really low BB but with short crank arms (150mm?)... Too low?
I think I might do this too. xs 26" frames seem thin on the ground, so those cube 27.5 ones seem fine. Presume the acid frame is the same as the attention?
I think it is, yes.
I think it makes total sense and for me as it will save him growing out of a bike very year or so and me some money as I will build it with some parts from the parts bin and they can be moved on to the new frame when the time comes.
Where are people sourcing smaller 'bits' from - cranks, hydraulic brakes with shorter levers...?
Thanks.
I've done this all before as yakjunior 1 has an xs commencal el camino 26er (from a heads-up on here), but yakjunior 2 is catching up fast!.
I used an extensive parts bin to get a 1x9 build, deore brakes as they can be set close to the bars, and thorn 152mm cranks from SJS cycles. I believe a suntour short-armed crank can be had for less via ebay. I also bought a rockshox gold30 fork from bike discount in 80mm. It was shipped 'dry' though so be prepared to open them up and get some oil in the lowers. Tbh a 2nd hand reba would have been better.
So you would use 26" wheels and forks in the 27.5 frame? Interesting this as I'm currently building a cheap first bike for a mate and I got a Boardman frame on here cheap that's 27.5 and 26" forks would be cheaper.
Yes, I would/ planning to. Unless you plan to put 27.5 wheels in later on that is.
Thanks Yak, all really helpful information. Jonny, 26" forks will go in a 27.5 they will just lower the bottom bracket and alter the geometry slightly. I think there is a risk of the forks touching the tyre too? Spacers might work? Google is your friend as it's been done many times!
Link for Suntour junior cranks:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0029MP3AO/ref=pe_385721_37038051_TE_3p_dp_1
Got these, replaced the rings with a single 32t and put it on my sons 26" Commencal el camino build, perfect!
Awesome thanks Swedish!
Yes, no probs at all. I've got a Flare with 26" wheels which measure up pretty big
Me too, it's fine, drops the BB about 10-15mm but then so could a tyre change...
As long as you don't do anything silly like put a very short 26in fork on a long travel 650B frame, and then run tiny 1.9in tyres it'll be fine.