What We Say... Just the most fun drop bar bike of all time! Shreddy geometry that feels confidence inspiring and stable but most importantly, so so fun. Relatively long toptube, so choose between flat or drop bars, if drop bars, go wide!! To see Bikepacking.com article on my (Tom's) First gen Rambler hit the link! What They Say... This is where we talk about the Rambler, the most honking stonking drop-bar dirt-bike this side of wherever. It’s a machine for all occasions, a drop bar MTB masquerading as a gravel bike on steroids, and in honour of the most well-worn cycling cliché of all time, it’s a bike that does it all. There, I said it and I can’t take it back. But seriously, it’s a bit of a ripper. But I bet you have questions! So here are some answers to the obvious ones to help you make an informed choice. Q – What size should I buy? The Rambler isn’t sized like regular drop bar bikes. Its longer, but not as long as all those weird and compromised MTB drop bar/regular bar hybrid things currently hitting the market. The best way to choose a size is to look at the ETT length and compare it to your current drop bar steed if you have one. The 52cm has a 560mm top tube and is sized more like a regular 54, 54cm has 580mm and is closer to a 56/58, and the 57cm has 610mm and is closer to a gate. Pick a size that will allow you to run a 50-60mm stem and take it from there. I’m 5’11 on the 54 with a 55mm stem and big wide bars and the fit is perfecto. If you’re planning on running a nice set of alt bars like the Moth Bars in the pictured bike, look at running a much longer stem. Its cool, the geometry will let it happen seamlessly. Either that or consider sizing up. In a nutshell: up to 5’9 consider a 52. Up to 6’ go 54. 6’1 and over for the 57. For alt bars, 5’11 and up should consider the 57, but only if you never plan on going back to drops at some point. Q – How should I set it up? The Rambler is designed to be run short and tall, so plenty of headset spacers, short stem and wide drops. You can also run it with all manner of cool flat, swept or riser bars and its suddenly a retro style MTB with modern geo and all the features. Q – MTB standards! What gives? First off, flat mount brakes are rubbish for this type of bike! They’re designed for carbon road bikes, not stonking go anywhere fully loaded dirt tourers. So the MTB standards on this are the brake mounts, axle standards (albeit the old type, at 142×12 and 100×15), tyre clearance and BB width (the frame is supplied with a 73mm EBB insert). You’re not going to be able to buy a groupset online for this and bolt it on, but really, where would the fun be in that? Instead buy some Halo Vapour 35s or Hope Fortus 30s or the like and start from there. Go for big rotors and BB7s or TRP Spykes. Q – Really, no GRX? Okay, so you could, but you’d need to change the brake calipers for MTB ones. And hydraulic brakes are rubbish and too modern for this steed. Plus, Microshift bar end shifters are so damned good. Here’s my idea of the perfect build – Shimano 1 x 11 MTB with 11/46 or 11/51 cassette (with anything between a 32t and 36t chainring) with Microshift 11 speed MTB bar end shifter and Tektro V brake drop bar levers with mechanical disc brakes (BB7, TRP Spyke, Shimano, Klampers if you’re feeling flush). You can also use short pull Tektro levers with TRP Spyres, BB7 Road, or any of the Shimano road calipers) You can run hydros if you really want, but you’ll need to do your homework on that. The truth is out there, somewhere., and i really wouldn’t bother. Think Sram, or GRX shifters with Deore calipers or the like. Shimano RS785 calipers will also do the job. But the basic idea of the Rambler is bombproof durability in frame and parts, kit that won’t fail and cause you massive headaches on that mammoth trip to the pub on the other side of the mountain. Q – 27.5” wheels you say? Surely that must be a typo? 27.5” wheels rock for drop bar bikes, the handling is insanely good, you can fit bigger rubber in a smaller space, the Rambler just WORKS with this wheel size. Sure, you can run 700c with something like a 44c tyre, and if you plan on building this up as a tourer with a lot of road miles then why not, but for proper off-road shenanigans and to taste the magic of this bike as it was intended stick with the 27.5″. On mine i have a 2.6 on the back and a 2.8 on the front on i29 rims. A more sensible and indeed faster option would be to run 2.6 on the front and 2.3 to 2.4 on the rear, which i’ve also done and its noticeably chippier. Worth mentioning also, not all tyres are created equal, so its probably true to say that not every 2.8 and 2.6 will fit. If you want to run full guards then 2.3 to 2.4 should be ideal. Q – Can I run a road double up front? Certainly not. The horror! Wash your mouth out etc etc. But all jokes aside, strictly speaking this is a 1X frame, meaning there are no cable stops or guides for a front mech. The eagle-eyed amongst you will shout ‘foul’ having noticed I run a front mech on mine, which brings me to….. if you want to run a front mech use an MTB Double chainset (26/36 or 28/38 – and be honest with yourself, you don’t need bigger chainrings than this) and use a Shimano sidepull front mech, running the cable under the downtube with the others. Works a treat and gives you more gear ratios than you’ll ever need. Result! This where a bar end shifter is also you friend, its soooo much nicer to use on the front, no dodgy indexing to deal with, just sweet and foolproof friction trimming. Damn, I guess that’ll have to do, my arm aches and this may just be the most tedious thing you’ve read. Any questions just fire them my way. I’m happy to help. Here’s some spec figures, just so you know…. Headset – 1 1/8th AKA EC34. IS brake mounts for use with post mount calipers and adapters, 180 max rotor size front and rear. 203 should also fit fine on the front but clearance between the rotor and fork leg might be too tight depending on the front hub tolerances and rotor width. Axle spacing – 142×12 and 100×15, allen-key thru-axles included. 27.2 seapost with internal dropper routing. 29.8 seatclamp included. Full rack and mudguard eyelets. 73mm threaded English bottom bracket EBB shell. If you plan on using a square taper bottom bracket then go with 73 x 113 or 118. For square taper, think Middleburn mtb cranks with a chainring size of 34 or 36. Spa Cycles also sell a great Stronglight chainset with a full range of chainring sizes for about £50 with postage and comes highly recommended by myself. For regular cranks, Shimano Cues are looking pretty cool, but any single ring chainset with a non boost chainline will be best (49mm) (6mm offset in Sram speak). 52mm chainline will also work fine. NB: all steel Stooge framesets have a 2 year warranty for the original owner, this is valid from the day you take delivery of the frameset.