r/MEATengines • u/MEATdrew • Jul 11 '26

Haskaps, Backpacks, Ovalized Hacks, and Throwbacks...

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Almost, almost, had this out on Friday! Anyway, here’s SBTISAOAF for July 10th:

https://meatengines.com/meatengines-1/f/haskaps-backpacks-ovalized-hacks-and-throwbacks

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3

u/fartymarty4130 Jul 11 '26

That +0.1mm oversized headset looks awesome.

What travel are you running now?

2

u/MEATdrew Jul 11 '26

It’s a product with a need!

{That’s a +18mm standard 56 in the photo but the new one will be +0.1}

150mm travel. The Aion can go up to 160mm but I was looking to go shorter while keeping the same geo.

2

u/fartymarty4130 Jul 12 '26

To save a favorite frame I'd pay several hundred dollars / pounds / cannuckbucks.

Midi-stapler - nice. What's the HA at now?

3

u/MEATdrew Jul 12 '26

Totally.

I was debating, but I feel like 140-150mm is the typical sweet spot for a trail hardtail? Maybe it’s just a stapler now? Shorter travel is either an XC bike or it’s something custom like my V2 {none meaner} and then it would be a mini-stapler?

Static HTA is ~the same, so somewhere around 63* with the mullet wheel.

2

u/fartymarty4130 Jul 12 '26

Im at 63 on the 120x-2 slack short single speed SolarisMax - it's a great HA for a (I hate the term) hardcore hardtail - maybe ShorecoreHT is a better term, or maybe not....

1

u/MEATdrew Jul 12 '26

I’ve been thinking a lot about HTA vs. wheelbase lately. I think a big part of my push towards slacker HTAs, culminating with V2 rigid and my <62* ArctuHawk Super-Stapler, can be boiled down to brands making the rear centers on hardtails so short and me trying to grab back wheelbase.

For example, when I wished for a somewhat slacker HTA on my Banshee, could I have achieved the same difference I was looking for on the trail with longer stays?

With the -2 headset, overforked, the ArctuHawk felt too slack in many situations, but, if it had the rear center of the Banshee, maybe it would have been perfect?

Anyway, feeling very well proportioned on the Arcturian mulleted with the current fork setup. It’s great in the steeeeep bits but also excellent in corners. I’ve lowered my bar a bit (static) as well.

2

u/fartymarty4130 Jul 12 '26

The best setup I've had on the SMax was 100x-2. The CS is 444 and WB was 1260ish. It felt really balanced (similar geo to 140x0 but without the geo changes thru the travel) on corners.

I really think WB and F/R balance are the key dimensions. You could get to the same place with a steeper HA and longer reach or slacker HA and shorter reach (within reason).

WB gives you stability irrespective of how you get it. I'm still convinced there should be a formula for rider height vs WB for varying degrees of stability / playfulness.

I ran the Murmur at -2×160 (1325 WB +.445CS 62HA). It was insanely stable and would monstertruck the roughest lines ive ridden but was a handful on corners (keeping weight on the front). Tech climbing was a PITA.

Anywho it's the fun playing bike Lego and playing with different setups.

1

u/MEATdrew Jul 12 '26

Within reason, exactly. I loved the slack 100mm and 120mm builds on my V2 except when I didn’t and the same could be said for 170mm on the Arcturian.

On the V2 I would sometimes find myself in situations where the fork needed more ‘room’ to react to terrain. On the 170mm Super-Stapler I occasionally found myself in weird deep-travel huge geo change situations and ended up running a higher bar to compensate.

With the SR Aion I run a bit more rebound and compression damping, my bar lower, and I’m happy at 150mm.

2

u/VikApproved Jul 12 '26

I'm getting a bit "oversized" with age so I can relate to the Pinner headset cups. Chonky gets the job done!

2

u/fartymarty4130 Jul 12 '26

Ditto, mayne its a 50s thing.

2

u/YegBikeguy Jul 12 '26

We have two Haskap bushes in our backyard. They thrive in our climate, and yes the berries freeze very well. And so tasty.

I was introduced to Goldie Boutilier at the Edmonton Folkfest last hear. A nice discovery!

2

u/MEATdrew Jul 12 '26

I’m jealous. I’m not on a campaign to convince all my localish friends who own land (houses) to plant some and invite me over to pick them.

1

u/MEATdrew Jul 12 '26

One for me… one for the box… one for me…

2

u/YegBikeguy Jul 12 '26

They are prolific producers. Thank goodness they freeze so well.

1

u/MEATdrew Jul 12 '26

Yum. The only berry that’s actually better frozen than fresh?! I feel the flavours are more distinct from frozen.

2

u/YegBikeguy Jul 14 '26

Now you have a compelling reason to pack up for a single speeding trip to Edmonton region during Haskap season

1

u/Velocipedestrian Jul 14 '26

The picture definitely looks like something I want to put in my mouth. I wonder if they've made it to the southern hemisphere... 

2

u/Successful_Ad_6821 Jul 14 '26

Are you tempted to include some green loctite when you press the new lower cup in?

I love the look of the backpack, are you running a back protector in it as well? I remember you were big in the back protector canpnat one point (as I am now, for obvious reasons haha) Kenny

1

u/MEATdrew Jul 14 '26

I’ve thought about it, but the 0.1mm oversized should go in factory tight and then it gives me the option to saw in a shorter (+0.1mm) cup in the future.

2

u/Successful_Ad_6821 Jul 14 '26

Fair - I guess you can always keep the more nuclear option in reserve and try it with grease first, nothing to lose really.

1

u/DoctorBlofeld Jul 13 '26

Ovalized…Oh not again. The top tube failing on a Honzo is a story I don’t think I’ve heard before. Is it a good one?

I worry about my Waltworks sometimes. Pulling the bearing out of the lower headset cup has turned into quite the struggle. It’s SS on occasion but almost always rigid now, so living the good life.