Help me build up my Specialized AWOL Frameset

33 replies · 3,361 views

EagleGrinder
90 posts
#1May 1, 2017, 8:50 AM
Hi all,

been wanting to build a bike up to my specs for a while now and finally got a chance to do so. It will be a 2017 AWOL expert frameset for gravel grinding/bikepacking

I have a couple of questions for those who are AWOL'ers who can help me out.

700c vs. 29" (I know they are technically the same, but which do you prefer and why)

Favorite (somewhat inexpensive wheelset)?

What is the hub spacing on the front and rear?

Can I go 1x10? I read saying 1x11 is the only option for 1x, but want to check. (Im probably going to go Genevalle Shifters for Dyna-sys Shimano MTB Deraileur.)

Thanks!

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cyclecoachashland
7 posts
#2May 3, 2017, 9:39 AM
Been using the Genevalle shifters for 3 years on long bikepacking journeys. Good shifting with few problems. Sometimes the brake can be applied while shifting. Just have to have good hand placement. Would recoommend using the Yokozona comressionless shifter and brake housing. Hugh improvement in shifting and braking. \n
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BluesDawg
198 posts
#3May 3, 2017, 9:20 PM
Not sure what your question is about 700c vs 29". If you run a MTB tire, it will be called 29 x whatever. If you run a road or CX tire, it will be called 700 x whatever. Choose a tire size and tread pattern according to where and how you plan to ride.

Stan's Iron Cross wheels are working great for me on my AWOL with 700x42 Specialized Sawtooth tires.

Hub spacing is 100 front and 135 rear. Both wheels are quick release.

You can build your bike 1x however many rear gears you like. For 1x10, you'll need a 10 speed shifter, 10 speed RD, 10 speed cassette, 10 speed chain and a crank with a 10 speed compatible chainring.

Enjoy building your bike. Post pictures.
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EagleGrinder
90 posts
#4May 4, 2017, 8:23 AM
Glad to know the hub spacing so I can buy wheels (Dang they are $$$) appropriately. I was leaning more towards 29er since I have a Jamis Renegade thats more road than gravel for now.

I was debating 1x10 vs. 1x11 any benefits to one over the other? I know 1x11 is more expensive.

My Frame should be here Thursday and I will get it from my BIL on the 19th. Looking forward to breaking it in at the Red Clay Ramble and maybe the Hell Hole Gravel Grinder.
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shoota
91 posts
#5May 4, 2017, 8:45 AM
EagleGrinder wrote:Glad to know the hub spacing so I can buy wheels (Dang they are $$$) appropriately. I was leaning more towards 29er since I have a Jamis Renegade thats more road than gravel for now.

When you say you are leaning more towards 29er what do you mean? You already said that you know 700c and 29er are the same...
Do you mean you're leaning more towards an off-road MTB tire?
Which wheels are you considering?
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EagleGrinder
90 posts
#6May 4, 2017, 9:55 AM
Yes I am leaning more towards a 29" tire. I know that both are the same.

No idea on hubs. Any good ones you know of? I am a clyde rider. Wheels to have them built up was around 680. Just too much for my budget for now.
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shoota
91 posts
#7May 4, 2017, 10:05 AM
EagleGrinder wrote:Yes I am leaning more towards a 29" tire. I know that both are the same.

No idea on hubs. Any good ones you know of? I am a clyde rider. Wheels to have them built up was around 680. Just too much for my budget for now.

Hmm.. yeah that's alot but when you need them built up that's about what you should expect. The benefit is that you should expect them to stay solid for a long time.
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oleritter
364 posts
#8May 4, 2017, 10:30 AM
It looks to me like 2 inches is about the max there is clearance for (tires). On the Awol.

The lines are pretty blurred now that disc brakes are a common thing on drop bar bikes. But I think you would be well served by something (rim) a little wider. Like 23mm internal. I suppose you would call that a 29er rim. You will get some extra lateral stiffness and good support for 40-50mm tires.

$680 is kinda high if you ask me, even for custom wheels.

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tim.bikeparty
48 posts
#9May 5, 2017, 9:05 PM
i recently built up my Monster Cross with 1x10. i used a SRAM rival 1 rear derailler, which is compatible with 10 or 11 speed. i got it because i already have SRAM 10s shifters but down the line if i upgrade to 11s that's one less thing to buy. \n \none thing i will say about 10s is there are very few cassettes with a range past 11-32 so if you live in a really hilly area and are looking to go more like 42t in the rear you pretty much have to go 11s
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EagleGrinder
90 posts
#10May 8, 2017, 12:26 PM
So we got the bike in and noticed some paint missing on the headset. Bare metal exposed. Shop owner didnt want me to take possession of it unless I was satisfied. Getting another one in Thursday hoping for the best.
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RoverAl
489 posts
#11May 9, 2017, 6:53 AM
Hey EG, I like the new color, I'm a sort of a heavy rider @215 ish and had good luck with WTB Frequency I-23's
I bought a wheelset with deore hubs online for a really good price sub 300 i think. I would buy them again.
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EagleGrinder
90 posts
#12May 9, 2017, 6:58 AM
RoverAl wrote:Hey EG, I like the new color, I'm a sort of a heavy rider @215 ish and had good luck with WTB Frequency I-23's
I bought a wheelset with deore hubs online for a really good price sub 300 i think. I would buy them again.

Do you got a link on that? I am considering another company as well. Always good to get multiple quotes.

Paint is pretty sweet. Hopefully the next bike that comes in will be less dinged up
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RoverAl
489 posts
#13May 9, 2017, 8:31 AMedited
The ones I bought are no longer available. However there are lots of offers out there, heres one. https://www.amazon.com/Monster-WTB-Frequency-Cartridge-Bearing/dp/B016YXRNPG/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1494336418&sr=8-3-fkmr0&keywords=700c+brake+monster+cross+wtb+wheelset

you get tires too. i prefer loose ball bearings for a bike like this, but just a personal choice there. Shop around check Ebay too. My set came from Niagra. Maybe Oleritter here can build you up a set for a little more check him out too.
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oleritter
364 posts
#14May 9, 2017, 8:41 AM
RoverAl wrote:The ones I bought are no longer available. However there are lots of offers out there, heres one. https://www.amazon.com/Monster-WTB-Frequency-Cartridge-Bearing/dp/B016YXRNPG/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1494336418&sr=8-3-fkmr0&keywords=700c+brake+monster+cross+wtb+wheelset

you get tires too. i prefer loose ball bearings for a bike like this, but just a personal choice there. Shop around check Ebay too. My set came from Niagra. Maybe Oleritter here can build you up a set for a little more check him out too.

I can. Can't beat the Amazon price, but apples and oranges.
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EagleGrinder
90 posts
#15May 10, 2017, 11:24 AM
I have been talking with oleritter for a buildup. Im thinking those rims we had talked about with the DT hubs are the move. when I get my summer bicycle stimulus check in the mail.
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cyclecoachashland
7 posts
#16May 10, 2017, 1:23 PM
Your willingness to invest a little more money into a wheel set is a wise decision. Next to the frame and fork the wheels are the most influential component to performance.

DT hubs are an excellent choice. They are durable, the spoke drilling is clean and evenly sized. A issued not often discussed but one that leads to good, or if poorly done, bad performance and endurance of the wheel set.

Consider your intended use when making the spoke choice. If you are thinking of bike packing very much you might consider straight gauge spokes. The stresses are very different for a loaded bike than for gravel or road riding. Otherwise double butted good quality spokes are fine.

Fun watching your build this bike.
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EagleGrinder
90 posts
#17May 22, 2017, 8:07 AM

So a new AWOL arrived in better condition than the previous one. Was really surprised by what Specialized provides you with the frameset. (Headset, Seatpost Collar, Seatpost, Handlebar with tape, saddle, stem, and other assorted items. Worth the 1,000 you pay for especially when one of my criticisms with the big "S" is they overprice their bikes sometimes for the components you receive on them. The biggest fear I had was that the small would be too small since I am right on the edge of a S/M and the small was bigger in all dimensions than my Jamis Renegade Exile. So far, with sizing 700c Wheels I think it will be a good fit. The Stem is WAAYY too small. I think its a 50-60mm stem. Looking at probably 80-90.

Another thing, should I keep the seatpost? Its a CG-R carbon with the zertz insert. I have never been a big fan of carbon since you have to baby it a little bit more and weight isnt necessarily a big issue for me (Im a clyde) Anyone have any suitable alternatives? I am debating a seatback post more than anything to stretch it out a little bit, but time will tell.

Components I am looking at so far will be SRAM 1x11 (10-42T Rear) and 30-32T up front. I like to spin on the climbs and I dont have a lot of power.

Anyone experiment with framesaver for the interior of steel bikes and what type of outer film tape do yall suggest to preserve the paint as much as possible?

Thanks,

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NoCoGreg
512 posts
#18May 22, 2017, 11:01 AM
EagleGrinder wrote:
So a new AWOL arrived in better condition than the previous one. Was really surprised by what Specialized provides you with the frameset. (Headset, Seatpost Collar, Seatpost, Handlebar with tape, saddle, stem, and other assorted items. Worth the 1,000 you pay for especially when one of my criticisms with the big "S" is they overprice their bikes sometimes for the components you receive on them. The biggest fear I had was that the small would be too small since I am right on the edge of a S/M and the small was bigger in all dimensions than my Jamis Renegade Exile. So far, with sizing 700c Wheels I think it will be a good fit. The Stem is WAAYY too small. I think its a 50-60mm stem. Looking at probably 80-90.

Another thing, should I keep the seatpost? Its a CG-R carbon with the zertz insert. I have never been a big fan of carbon since you have to baby it a little bit more and weight isnt necessarily a big issue for me (Im a clyde) Anyone have any suitable alternatives? I am debating a seatback post more than anything to stretch it out a little bit, but time will tell.

Components I am looking at so far will be SRAM 1x11 (10-42T Rear) and 30-32T up front. I like to spin on the climbs and I dont have a lot of power.

Anyone experiment with framesaver for the interior of steel bikes and what type of outer film tape do yall suggest to preserve the paint as much as possible?

Thanks,

Love the color...

Agreed one does need to be more mindful with CF posts. I like CF posts, bars and forks simply because of the feel. No it doesn't absorb the bumps but it does feel like it damps some of the buzzzzz on gravel roads. Yes CF can break in crashes, but so can everything else. YMMV... Thompson makes excellent aluminum posts - not cheap but often available 2nd hand.

I've used Framesaver on several bikes that I was planning to keep long term and where the bike was going to be used in wet conditions. I've also read that WD-40 and Boeshield are also good rust inhibitors. Your "need" is really dependent on how the bike will be used, maintained and stored. For example a well greased seat post will prevent water from getting down into the seat post. For extra protection in extreme conditions one can use old inner tubes, duct tap, zip ties for additional protection agains water entering the frame. Don't forget to also seal the seat post as well. The other popular entry ports for water are the breather holes on seat & chain stays, fork legs and headset/stem.

Your LBS should be able to provide you with precut clear frame protector strips. These are expensive but will work fine. Alternatively you could buy a roll of clear outdoor paint protector tape. This is often marketed as "helicopter tape". It's available in different lengths and widths. IMO the 1" (25mm) width works for me but the 50mm width would also work fine - it would just mean cutting slightly differently. The outdoor version "should" yellow less, or at least more slowly. Then again that could just be marketing :-)

Here's a link to a UK store. I have no experience with this retailer, they just happen to have a good selection so you can get a feel for the options...
https://www.vikingtapes.co.uk/collections/bike-protection-tape-3m-8671hs
Volsung
878 posts
#19May 22, 2017, 4:53 PM
Cobble Gobblers don't provide as much in the way of shock absorption as they claim, but they're hella strong and don't wobble back and forth unlike some of the other compliant seatposts.
If you're riding it in the muck, carbon's better than aluminum. I've had 3 aluminum seatposts seize to the frame, but they were all on Surlys which might let in more water than a Specialized. One had to be blow torched out which required a new powdercoat. If you're really good at maintenance and can remember to take it out once a month to regrease it you're a better bike maintainer than me.
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EagleGrinder
90 posts
#20May 24, 2017, 7:32 AM
Ok so Question for those in the know.

I will be most likely running a SRAM Rival 1 Group as much as I can piece together (Shifters, RD, Crank, ect). The cassette for the SRAM rival 1 requires an XD driver for the hub. I dont want to sink more $$ into that than I want, and its really expensive.

Can i run the 11-42T Apex Cassette instead with the Rival 1 rear derailleur or is this something specific?
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