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| OS Bikes Blackbuck |
Again, what we have here is a long-time resident of the G-Ted stable of bikes. No, I probably will not ever get rid of it either. Maybe you have never seen anything quite like this? I can understand. The first run of the OS Bikes Blackbuck was only 500 frames. There was a second run which I think was even less. So, a brief telling of the story might be in order.
Mark Slate, of WTB, a Mountain Bike Hall of Fame member, decided back in about 2006 to have a run of frames he designed made in Taiwan. He formed a company to set up sales through called "Of Spirit Bikes" (OS Bikes) and dubbed the only model he ever had produced the "Blackbuck". It is a steel, single speed specific, (kind of), frame with a split eccentric bottom bracket type for tensioning of the chain. The bike could be bought with Mark Slate's radical design for a steel fork or as a complete single speed with a first generation Rock Shox Reba. 29"er wheels, natch!
You know, I can't even remember exactly how I ended up getting in contact with OS Bikes, but I imagine it was all e-mail. I vaguely remember Mark Slate reaching out to me asking if I wanted to purchase one. I think that's how it went..... Anyway. The point is that I got the frame/fork deal. I tried the fork, (I won't get all into the nitty-gritty on that- long story!) and it didn't sit well with me, but a Bontrager Switchblade fork sure did, and that's what it ended up with, although I have a suspension fork I can run on it when the need arises.
Well, Changes.... I did a wholesale change on wheels, tires, seat post, handle bar, stem, pedals on this bike recently. I laced up some old White Industries ENO hubs that my friend in SoCal, Grannygear gave me, and I put on some Kenda Honeybadger tires on the Salsa Gordo rims. Tubes here, because I don't ride this bike a lot anymore. I really like where this bike is now and it does single track around here like a champ. I see no big changes in its future. Just more riding, hopefully!
2 comments:
I did buy a 51mm offset steel fork as were offered for the Blackbuck OS bikes—as Trek never produced a G2/51mm offset Switchblade fork as far as I know.
@Skidmark - No, you are right. Trek never came out with that Switchblade fork with 51mm offset, although prototypes existed and I saw one once in 2010 I think it was. By that time rigid single speed 29 was fading off the radar fast and the whole 650B enduro thing was winding up, so I think Trek decided to 's-can' the project.
Had they gotten on the ball in 2007 when G2 geometry and the 51mm offset thing came about then I think they would have had a fair chance at selling many of them. My Switchblade has the 'old' 38mm offset which was a holdover from 26"er days. Now shorter offsets are the rage again. Not 38mm, but I'm seeing a lot more 42mm-46mm offsets again.
Another reason to thank Gary Fisher, by the way.
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