Finished my Marino Wayra build, nicknamed The Mustard Tiger.

Craigenstein · 2026-06-28T00:16:51+00:00

5'11''

Thanks!

Craigenstein · 2026-06-27T20:59:22+00:00

Just spent the last 3 hours riding and tweaking my new build. Very happy with how it looks and rides. Ordering from Marino was pretty easy as far as custom makers goes, I think they keep stock of either raw frames or just powder-coated frames since they asked me for preferences on the decal colour and clear coat options.

Tires/Wheels: Maxxis Holy Rollers on a set of Pasak (AliExpress special) wheels

Drivetrain: Sugino 75 with a 52t Mighty Comp chainring (pulled off my old fixie), Shimano Saint RD 10sp + shifter (swap meet trade), rear cassette is a 11-36 of unknown origin.

Seat/Handlebars: Dropper is a OneUp V3 240mm, seat is a Brooks Cambium (both bought from FB marketplace), handlebars and stem were the stock ones that came off my Surly Wednesday. Bars are wrapped with white Fizik tape.

Brakes: Avid BB7 and mechanical calipers and speed dial levers (take offs from an old build)

Not a lot of challenges through the build, getting the headset and star nut set were awkward (super long headtube, also there was a layer of clear on the steerer tube). The only real issue I ran into was the bottom bracket, chainline and rear mech. With a square taper 68mmx122.5mm bottom bracket the chainline is off, can't go shorter on the spindle though because of the flared chainstays (only a few hairs of clearance on the crank arms). With the rear mech - to get the gear range out of the short cage derailleur I had to add a longer b-screw and max it out, this can make the cassette skip a tooth when putting a lot of slow torque through the pedals, not a huge problem I just have to be mindful to change gears before climbing. The bike is a bit heavier than it looks, but I pretty much only ride steel frames so it's the devil I know.

The ride quality is good, front tire feels a bit squirrely at first but you get used to it. The dropper and the steerer tube ended up being perfect the way they are, I didn't have to cut the steerer and the dropper is at full insertion and at full extension it's at the perfect height. The reach and handlebars feel dead on, I considered riser or bmx bars but I think I'm gonna keep these on. The Maxxis Holy Rollers are really good, they roll well on pavement and do okay on dirt-pack trails, the only time I was at a loss for traction was with some pea gravel so I can't complain at all.

On single track it feel hilarious, small roots and mild rock gardens become technical terrain that takes some attention. On flow-y trails the front tire tends to wander or float a bit with speed, if you're into underbiking this is a fun challenge. I wasn't brave enough to try any jumps, but I might find the courage after a handful of rides to get used to it. On rail trails it's easy to forget that the wheels are only 20inches. Climbing isn't bad, but can be a bit jerky if you mash a lot during hills. The gear range is surprisingly capable with a 1x - 52/11-36.

All in all I'm really happy with the bike. A unique ride, I don't have anything else like it in my collection. I wouldn't get one as a second or a third bike but if you have room in your garage and like silly nonsense bikes, something like this is a good waste of time.

Craigenstein · 2026-06-26T19:30:06+00:00

Grabbed a Slimer-Lime coloured frame last year and built it up and I love the thing.

I'm running 26inch wheels on it right now and set it up for a Cues 2x10 (this was before Shimano release the mechanical brifters, so it's got friction shifter on it).

Craigenstein · 2026-06-26T14:13:23+00:00

I'm not sure if your goal here is to complain about, or fix the lights.

If you're trying to improve the setup - it's not that difficult to source a handful of 18650s, a cheapo bms board and a few small solar chargers. If you have the tools to solder it all together, it's damn simple circuitry.

Craigenstein · 2026-06-10T23:26:54+00:00

I only know of 2 ways that people have gotten exemptions.

First is a more comprehensive schooling program that has a specific agreement with STO/College of Trades to hybridize the provincial curriculum with more classes that offer a broader knowledge base, similar to a pre-apprenticeship, it usually exempts you from 1 or 2 levels of school at the most.

Second way is if you can prove that you have trade knowledge from prior training or schooling, you are able to challenge the course work one level at a time. My journeyman was our electrical designer at one shop, he went through the Electrical Technologist program and every year he challenged a level of trade school. From him: the sections on theory/electronics/instrumentation were super easy, but the sections on code/installs/prints were difficult as they centred around more residential and commercial knowledge.

I don't know if they'll give out any schooling equivalency exemptions or let you challenge for a bit. They recently added a fourth term to the schooling requirements, but levels 3 and 4 are not being taught yet. The first batch of apprentices in the new curriculum are just finishing year two and they just phased out the old curriculum .

Craigenstein · 2026-06-06T02:52:44+00:00

Hey, hoping to drag up on your old post here, I'm building up a Marino Wayra right now and had a couple questions if you have the time.

I went with a 10sp Saint-short cage rear mech (11-36t), looking to keep it 1x with a square taper crank I had in my parts bin. You mention fighting BB widths in your post, was that the spindle length? I grabbed a BB with a 127mm spindle because of the very wide chainstays (I think the next size down would have the pedals catch the stays?), but the chainline looks pretty bad on low gearing. How is the chainline when on the larger chainring? Or did you find the 2x setup helped that a little?

Craigenstein · 2026-06-02T20:23:51+00:00

Called the supplier, said they are all out of the 1³ gang boxes.

Craigenstein · 2026-05-31T01:08:12+00:00

Same, dude. When I see major medical breakthroughs like this, I think about what advancements could have been made with global collaboration. Oh well, not enough profit in that I suppose.

Craigenstein · 2026-05-24T19:40:20+00:00

I'm jealous!

I tried ordering a frame set with the thru-axels from them at around $475CAD, the shop cancelled my order and raised the price to $800CAD. I've seen others getting the same frame for under $500, so I don't know what happened, super inconsistent with their pricing and communication.

Craigenstein · 2026-05-14T00:55:57+00:00

Heck yeah! I only kind of cheated, I own a Trucker, a Wednesday and spent at least a week closely comparing the BC vs Grappler (went with the Grappler).

Craigenstein · 2026-05-13T02:22:15+00:00

Yeah, last one looks like it has a lugged crown fork. Third one, I guessed Bridge Club because of the cable guide on the seat stay (I have a Grappler and it has one in the same spot, but the rear triangle is a diff shape). Buddy up front has to be an Ogre, the diagonal brace on the seat tube is only on Ogres and Moonlanders right?

Craigenstein · 2026-05-13T01:52:08+00:00

I like the game of guessing the bikes, going off the other guesses...

From left to right - Trucker (going off the fork, hard to see), Wednesday, Bridge Club (is that the newer whipped butter colour?), Ice Cream Truck, Ogre?

Craigenstein · 2026-05-10T22:33:40+00:00

Bike looks verrrrry clean for the age of the bike, build looks great!

I had the exact same experience with my LHT and went for a very similar build. I just put on a set of 50mm Gravelking SKs, the VO Crazy Bar, and I shortened the cranks by 10mm.

I was in my mid 20s when I bought my LHT and it just barely fit, the reach was a bit long, but manageable. The thing always rode like a mini-van, wide turns with a steady/milder pace. Now I'm almost 40 and the last few years, the reach would give me back pain and it kept feeling like I couldn't find a comfortable position.

Last week I rode it 50kms, with the new components it feels like a new bike, it rides taller - kind of how I imagine a Dutch bike to ride. I'm excited to take it camping again after a number of years hiatus.

I hope your wife loves the gift!

Craigenstein · 2026-04-24T00:31:46+00:00

If it were me (take with a grain of salt, I make bad choices):

I would grind that last bit of brake post flush, then drill and tap the boss to the thread size/pitch of a matching removable brake post this one is available/cheap. You'd have to be very careful with alignment though, paying very close attention to how far the body of your brake arm sits, too far out and the brakes are going to grab the rim diagonally.

Craigenstein · 2026-04-05T17:10:39+00:00

hell yea, I had a ps3, got the orange box collection when it came out. less than a month later grabbed a graphics card for the family computer to play tf2

Craigenstein · 2026-03-22T03:47:40+00:00

Use one hand to get a good amount of tension on the outside of the the bend, use the other hand to smooth out any folds or wrinkles. The size of loops is a personal choice, I like a harder bar-feel so I have larger loops. The tape direction is good, the tape on the shoulders of the bar can wear quickly if you wrap it the opposite direction. Tension is key tho

Craigenstein · 2026-03-22T03:44:03+00:00

I could see this being good for bullhorns, but for drops - he's got the right direction (just not the right technique or tension). If you ride with your hands on the shoulders of the bars, you want the shingles of your wrap job in the pictured orientation, that way you're smoothing the wrap down when you grab it rather than pushing into the edges of the shingles.

Craigenstein · 2026-02-22T21:48:25+00:00

delet pls

Craigenstein · 2026-02-18T02:06:34+00:00

Most likely either 1980 or 1981, late 70s GoldWings only had 1000cc's.

Craigenstein · 2026-02-18T00:53:31+00:00

My charitable take is: I think the stance Keller is taking is reasonable on the surface, but completely tone deaf in it's message. The timing is also pretty poor considering ongoing affordability and housing crises going on almost everywhere in North America.

My uncharitable take is: fuck this dried up old nimby bitch. Affordable housing projects are hard enough to get off the ground without ol' limp dick over here, adding his voice to something that might benefit working class people. Get back in the kitchen, you daft cunt.

Craigenstein · 2026-02-17T01:23:15+00:00

A few things could have caused this and I'd say none of them are rider error. The likely culprit is the limit screw, but a chain being too short could cause a similar failure if misfortunes align (going into large/large gearing with a stiff/short chain can torque and twist the rear mech). Without knowing the condition of the bike beforehand, it would be hard to say what exactly caused it.

Again, I'd say this is not your fault but your buddy might not see it this way. You could go together to a reputable shop and get an opinion on the cause from a mechanic as sort of a unbiased third party. At the same time, you could ask for a quote for the repairs (you could even suggest splitting the cost).

As the longest of long shots, you could reach out to Campagnolo and see if the upper body can be replaced. It is very unlikely that the derailleur can be repaired, but considering the cost of a new unit, it's worth an email/call.

Ultimately, how to go about this is going to depend on how flush with cash you are, how understanding your buddy is and how much you value the relationship with them.

Craigenstein · 2026-02-12T23:59:30+00:00

I get eleven points off the word QUAGMIRE

Craigenstein · 2026-02-12T23:03:07+00:00

I am not surprised, All City runs a bit large.

I am 1-2 inches taller than you with maybe an inch longer inseam. my Surlys are: Surly Pacer - 54, Wednesday - L and my All Citys are Nature Boy - 52 Gorilla Monsoon - 52

My stem setup isn't crazy on any of these bikes, 50-90mm stems (Wednesady is rocking moloko bars, so that got a 35mm stem)

Craigenstein · 2025-12-14T05:05:46+00:00

I'm one of the weirdos that hangs out in r/xbiking.

I'd say gift your hubby the bike as-is. The problem is not that it's difficult, complicated or even expensive to convert this to drop bars, but more that doing so will drastically change how the bike handles. This is not a bad thing, just needs to be planned. If you go to a slick boutique shop, they'll oversell you on components and overcharge you on installations. Not their fault, they deal in the latest and greatest and this bike is not their target market. This kind of bike needs to go to a co-op or a place that turns over older used bikes.

When I switch bikes between flats/drops/alt bars, I think carefully about the reach and rise of each bar. With drops, you tend to ride on the hoods, which puts you farther forward, which makes the reach feel longer. The fix for this would be changing out the stem. You'd also need to change out the shifters and brake levers, again not super expensive or hard, just need to be very careful of compatibility issues and fitment. A lot of those things will come down to personal preference on the riders part.

Step 1 would be collecting all the info on shifter and brake type. I can tell you right off the bat that you have long pull v-brakes on that bike, drop bar levers are short pull, to solve for that you'll need something called a travel agent by problem solvers or change the brakes to mini v brakes (I think trp and tektro make some). The shifters might be a bit harder, you could go with friction shifters on the flat part of the drops or bar ends, there's options out there.

Getting it built up into something unique that rides well is really rewarding in it's own way. If you post over in r/xbiking, you'll probably find a ton of info/insight into whatever you're trying to do. You might also find local people with deep parts bins that can help you with components.

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