My Custom S&M ATF

[SaMAlex]

This has been a while in the making, but it finally came yesterday:  My Custom S&M ATF.

When the ATF frame came out I really liked it. I liked that it wasn’t stupidly light weight (tho still under 5lbs), I liked the slightly higher standover height (cos it’d reduce the length of my already unfashionably long seatpost) and I liked the 21” top tube and 75 headtube angle. I also liked the simplicity of the design. Just a normal looking BMX frame. I emailed S&M to tell them I thought the ATF was very nice. I commented on how there were a few things that would stop me riding one. They Emailed back and said to tell them what I didn’t like, and they’d build one for me how I wanted it.

The main thing I didn’t like was the short back end. I’m 6ft tall, I don’t “pop” many 360s or do many hop whips, and more importantly I sometimes run 4 pegs. If you have a short back end your back foot is right ontop of the peg. My LAF (which is about 4 years old) has a 14” back end, which is perfect for me. I also prefer chain stay brakes (with NON removable mounts). I think it looks tidier, I like using the seat tube as the cable stop, and I don’t run a tiny chainring (I use 28t) so I can still fit the brake under the chain. Finally I wanted removable gyro mounts (they weren’t available on my LAF), a built in seat clamp, bolt on headtube badge, and no cable guides. (I might use a gyro again soon but Im not sure).

I also wanted some custom forks. The first thing was 990 mounts, obviously! Then, I really liked the enclosed “black hole” dropouts on the WTF frame & fork set so I got some put on my forks. They aren’t WTF forks, they are tapered leg pitchfork XTLs.

Finally I got to choose a colour. The Later LAFs and LTFs came in translucent blue and red, which I really liked so I got mine done in blue. You can still see some of the tube and weld detail (like on a raw/clear coat finish) but there is some colour in there too.
Now I just gotta get the thing Built up. Im not in any hurry. Ive got a few more parts to get and I wanna make sure everything goes together right before I take any parts off my current ride. I’ll post up finished pics when its built.

[JT71]

what he said!

don't forget a blanket to wrap it in! lol.

[josh_spratty]

 

[Del]

that trasluscent blue is awesome, how cool having your own custom frame

[harris]

utter beauty alex.

[SaMAlex]

Alex these are the hubs for that baby! 

Glen, I dont really like flangless hubs. 
Everything else on the bike will be black, apart from the chrome rims. 

[Bettyswallocks]

Very nice Alex.... 

Know what you mean about the short rear end, my son has an ATF, when ive ridden it the rear peg gets in the way (he rides opposite footed to me) apart from that its real nice to ride

If i change frames i'd deffo get one of these... 

You gonna run profile hubs?

[motomagII]

alex that is mint mate you cant beat knowing what you want and a company that actually listens to you and are willing to do as askerd and build you custom, frame.mind i reckon you may have more chance of getting what you want from them than most lol
did they give little ex member discount for you ?you must be the most loyal s&M rider there is matey .

[SaMAlex]

fair enough, do you use hub guards?

No Glen I dont use hub/spoke guards. I dont ride street much so my spokes dont take much abuse.
I like my bike to look as simple as posible ..... even tho I use 2 brakes. 

You gonna run profile hubs?

Ive got a WeThePeople front hub. Its got female axle so I can use enclosed dropouts. My rear hub is Eclat, which is sort of the matching hub for the WTP front one. They use the same bolts.

you cant beat knowing what you want and a company that actually listens to you and are willing to do as askerd ?

They even checked what gearing I use so they could make sure it would all fit 

you must be the most loyal s&M rider there is matey .

20 years in Febuary 

[scott250]

Very nice looking frame that.  Simple + clean, and I'm gonna say it (well,write it) " beautiful" 

Alex, do you run 28 - 12 gearing ?

[SaMAlex]

Alex, do you run 28 - 12 gearing ?

I run 28-10. pretty much the same ratio as to 44-16

[kev-s]

looks good alex, love the translucent blue, forks are cool too

[motomagII]

the only problem ive found with my s&M is the gearing issue cant get below 39/14 which is tad large when im actually used to 25/9 lol
gonna upgrade to better /newer s&M when one comes up at right price though as i love the next gen holmes i am using now .heavy but solid comes to mind

[generallee]

Alex, that is simply awesome. Ive enjoyed goingthrough this whole process almost with you, as we spoke about it a lot whilst emails were flying back and forth. My favourite weas when Moeller emailed you to say your frame was sitting on his desk " looking pretty" . !
That Trans Blue has always been my favourite of the S&M colours - and the mods youve had done to the ATF would make me buy one if it was xactly like that - truly  beautiful.
See you next week dude,
steve
ps - Greg - looing for a bargain S&M frame? I have a new boxed 21" S&M Stricker in white for only �189 !!!! Weight - 4.8lb, seatstay mounts, so you can run good small gearing again!

[SaMAlex]

Steve, thanks loads for your help. Long phone conversations and many emails about everything from frame colour to what seatpost to use! (man, we are sooooo sad!).

What about the Email from Moeller that just said "Balls is slammed". (UK translation: "Timmy Ball (who builds the frames) is very busy at the moment")

[gobshite]

thing of beauty


i approve....

[SaMAlex]

i approve....

Thankyou Joe. Thats all I need 

[gobshite]

serious.....


cant fault it at all,
looks just the way a bmx frame should look,
proper stand-over height, good head angle, props for the non-removable ad mounts on the chainstays, cable stop at the seat tube,
clean, fast and tidy,

best frame i've seen forever.

[gobshite]

building today?

[SaMAlex]

building today?

Im starting the build. Everything will be new apart from the wheels/tires and front brake which are on my current ride. I dont want to go dismatling my LAF (which is running so nice) untill the ATF is totally ready to go.

I dont have a chainring, Im thinking United (cos it looks like a flight ring) or BSD.

Im not sure what seat to use. I might use the railed Union seat off my LAF but I like the simplicity of a Pivotal, I just cant find one I like.

I got a Suelo (Fly) brake for the rear but its white .... but not for long.

Not sure about levers, I might get some Odyssey, same as Ive used for a while. There are some nice new levers out but they are SOOO expencive

I dont think I'll have it done in time for Old Fools next week, which is a shame but I dont wanna be caught out with "first ride" problems when Im away riding for a few days.

[Dark Diggler]

building today?

Im not sure what seat to use. I might use the railed Union seat off my LAF but I like the simplicity of a Pivotal, I just cant find one I like.

P gut conversion?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/43049269@N04/sets/72157624505736488/

Love the frameset BTW

[SaMAlex]

P gut conversion?

I dont really get that P gut thing. Make your pivotal post into a micro adjust, simply but cutting a big hole in the seat. The only time I can see it being OK is if you have a built in Pivotal frame and want to a use railed seat.


Part of the problem with pivotal is that the seat is kinda far forward and you cant adjust that. But this is great:

http://imgdistribution.blogspot.com/2010/06/odyssey-convertible-seat-post.html

The pivot part of the post is set back so the seat is further back. Whats more, it comes with P-gut type setup so you can use railed OR pivotal seats on it. The guts do up from underneath (cos its slung back) so you dont have to butcher the seat. There aint many good micro adjust posts around at the moment so this is great, AND its quite long.

Ive already got one, just gotta find a seat I like now 

[motomagII]

i absolutely love the s&M p rail seats all my bikes have them on thanks to generalee  .i like clamp on posts and the seat is perfect sixe to not catch your knees and comfy when i do sit on it.

[motomagII]

my s&M holmes is 2000 model and to be honest i love it but it has quite few floors to the design compoared to me  dk dayton frame (which i didnt get on with as wel.
firstlky the chainring can be 39/14 and that just clears the brake i could prob get to 33 at puch but then id have to spend loads cash on low brake caliper .
also the rear wheel clearance  is poor i run  the wheel slammed normally but on this i cant as it rubs the brake arms so it has to be near the mifddle of the axle slots to miss the brake arm.making the wheelbase 3/4 inch longer ish.
also when i got it out the box it has 14mm axles supposably and my 14mm wheel wont fit?i measured the axle slots with vernier calipers and the are on 13.49mm so i have used a 10mm wheel with 12mm axle washers to make it suit

this is probably one of the hardest bikes ive built everything was not fitting or a problem but you really cant beat s&m for a solid frame and well made/nice design for sure
just wish i could have afforded one of the new ones like alex and made it to my liking .
20.75 top tube

seat stay mounts


10mm axle slots

top tube cable guide and adjuster

integrated seat clamp

short rear end

and not silly light either as i like to feel a bit weight under me .i find these 20 or under lbs bikes are way too light to ride and end up being scary /uncontrolable when riding

[Bettyswallocks]

Get it built.... 

Here's one i prepared earlier.....