Thursday, December 29, 2022

Bikes Of 2022: Pofahl Custom Signature

  It's the end of the year and time to review what's up with the bikes I used over the course of 2022. You'll get a brief overview, any changes made, and what the future has in store for each bike listed. Enjoy!

The Pofahl Custom Signature single speed I have had since 2007 was a strange idea I had for a 29"er based off my Karate Monkey single speed. It never would have seen the light of day had it not been for Ben Witt who pretty much put me and Mike Pofahl together to get this project done. 

The bike was always going to be a single speed, so there are no provisions for a rear or a front derailleur. There is only a full run housing stop circuit for the rear brake. 

In recent times this has become a favorite for longer single speed gravel travels. I wish I would have had the foresight to have had Mike put on fork mounted bottle cage bosses, but I have managed to get by with a seat post mounted bottle and Chaff Bags from Bike Bag Dude used as bottle holders as well. I've been running a set of Industry 9 tubeless compatible wheels on this for several years now and other than that, not much has been swapped out on this bike. 

I did score a 27.0mm USE seat post for this bike since it has that oddball size. I don't ever expect my original 1990's era Syncros to give up the ghost on me, but you never know, and 27.00mm posts are hard to come by in anything that doesn't weigh a ton and that is not a cheap replacement grade. 

And the only thing I can add about this bike is that I really love to ride it. I am glad I got it out in the country the few times that I have this past year. Hopefully that continues in 2023.

2 comments:

Skidmark said...

Greets GT, what led to the 27.0mm seatpost/seat tube sizing? Could it have been 27.2?

Guitar Ted said...

@Skidmark - Yeah, there is a story to that, actually. The seat tube spec was to be a 27.2mm,that is until the builder asked if he could use up a 27.0mm seat tube he had laying around and that this would make the frame cost less.

I was okay with that idea since I had this 1990's era Syncros 400mm 27.0mm seat post from my old Klein Attitude laying around. I mean- when was I ever going to use THAT again, right? So it was mutually beneficial for Mike Pofahl and I to go with that spec.

Also, Thomson makes a 27.0mm post, so I could fall back on that if need be as well. (Not sure they still offer that, but up until a few years ago, they did) I probably could always have an Eriksen or Moots post made in that size if push came to shove but, of course, $$$'s.