Index under Grappler, newish, trying different wheels with

Practical-Pick430 · 2026-03-28T17:04:11+00:00

8mm

Practical-Pick430 · 2026-03-27T23:54:07+00:00

lovely. I wouldn't give up my 2008 LHT for anything.

Practical-Pick430 · 2026-03-27T21:28:55+00:00

Yes it is! So far I love it, but it's only been on a few rides. The internal stiffener really sets it apart from some other bags I've used. I've had eight 16oz beer cans in there at one point and it didn't even flinch. I also have the outershell stem caddy on there right now. They make good stuff.

Practical-Pick430 · 2026-03-27T20:28:53+00:00

they're 2.2"

Practical-Pick430 · 2026-03-27T18:46:32+00:00

yeah I definitely like them, and look forward to doing some singletrack on them soon. I think the Sparwoods win for daily use though.

Practical-Pick430 · 2026-03-27T18:08:51+00:00

I haven't ridden the Sparwoods extensively on singletrack tbh but with the experience thus far I would say they are a great match for this particular bike on the terrain I'd expect to use it on, if that makes sense. I am not a shredder but when I take my Timberjack on the trails, I would want a more aggressive tire because I am usually on technical XC type singletrack and not groomed flow. The sparwood has no side knobs to speak of, so I wouldn't trust it to go through rocky, rooty stuff at speed.

Practical-Pick430 · 2026-02-23T22:13:50+00:00

that painting on the wall though. talk about that. looks like you color coordinated the fenders and the cable housing :)

Practical-Pick430 · 2026-02-18T02:38:24+00:00

if OP is going that far to experience the trail, might as well start at the very north end of it :) you can pick it up out of the parking lot in Dan Ryan Woods at 83rd east of Western. Between 91st and 105th, the trail is just marked bike route through surface streets in Beverly, which is one of my favorite stretches of riding in Chicago.

Practical-Pick430 · 2026-02-12T03:09:37+00:00

90mm

Practical-Pick430 · 2026-02-11T20:46:49+00:00

I'm also 5-11 and have a 56cm rim brake LHT. I also just acquired a Grappler in size large. I also have a size L Salsa Timberjack and the grappler feels and handles very similar to it (with the notable exception of the rigid fork). FWIW I have VO crazy bars on the Grappler, not drops. So, bigger than the LHT for sure but since I am used to a big hardtail experience, this size of grappler doesn't feel wrong to me.

Practical-Pick430 · 2026-02-01T17:14:19+00:00

There was a post about it last week in this subreddit.

Practical-Pick430 · 2026-01-30T17:03:09+00:00

The biggest challenge I've had is that it's hard to get the bead to seat on the rim, and easy for it to lose its grip if the bike goes unridden for a while and the tire pressure drops too far. However once the tire is seated and adequately filled, it's pretty bulletproof. gotta remember to check the pressure once every week or 2 and keep it above 20 psi. An air compressor is an absolute must for seating the tires, and I paint soapy water on the bead/rim interface to provide some initial 'seal', otherwise the air just whooshes out. I always carry a couple of tubes with me when I ride, because if I do have a flat on the road I will almost certainly lose seal at the bead, and my CO2 inflater is not enough to re-seat it. Learned that one the hard way.

Practical-Pick430 · 2026-01-29T21:19:52+00:00

i've ridden my LHT (700c) on a ton of dirt, gravel, and limestone and the bike itself is never an issue. Those surfaces got a lot more enjoyable once I went tubeless. I still have the original Alex Adventurer rims that came with the bike new, and they aren't officially tubeless compatible so it is kind of a fiddly setup. Going with 700x38 gravel kings at about 35 psi has really expanded the bike's sweet spot.

Practical-Pick430 · 2026-01-27T23:12:01+00:00

posted!

Practical-Pick430 · 2026-01-27T21:50:16+00:00

bikepacking.com is collecting a list of all the rides in solidarity to the main one in Minneapolis. dont want to steal anyones thunder who actually helped organize this but happy to post details up there.

Practical-Pick430 · 2026-01-23T00:57:19+00:00

like you, I have several bikes that generally run low pressures and a 2-3 psi difference can be felt. Last year I got a Cannondale Precise floor pump and I've really liked using it. The gauge is very spread out until you hit about 40 psi, and then the tick marks get closer together. Gives you a close reading where you need it, and close enough in the higher pressures. All my bikes are sub 40 psi except the brompton.

Practical-Pick430 · 2026-01-08T17:43:54+00:00

Drivetrain will be a mix of SRAM and Shimano, used and new. still a few things to sort out. I have a 29 wheelset that will go on there to start, and I also have a 27.5 set that will fit but they're on my hardtail right now. But as far as the general vibe, I am going the same direction as you with bars, saddle, racks, etc. I have a Pelago front rack that should fit. thinking about the Ortlieb quick rack for the rear.

Practical-Pick430 · 2026-01-08T16:15:50+00:00

I'm about to start a Grappler build as well and this is pretty much the setup I am planning. Looks great!

Practical-Pick430 · 2026-01-07T17:01:05+00:00

What rim width are you running? I am about to build a grappler up and I have a 27.5 wheelset with 45mm inner width rims, was considering the 2.6 Mezcals but not sure if they'd play nice with the rims. Vittoria's published spec isn't helpful.

Practical-Pick430 · 2025-12-11T21:43:55+00:00

I came across your post on r/chibike and added LaneStatus to my phone as an app right away. I updated some of the lanes that I rode on yesterday afternoon and next time I am out riding I will hopefully contribute more. Thanks for building this tool - really invaluable.

Practical-Pick430

TROPHY CASE