After consulting the brains of this sub… I pulled the trigger and went with the consensus pick, the S&M ATF.

    I love the bike, and it feels bomb proof — but I do feel a bit scrunched on it.

    Can I do anything to make it feel roomier? Maybe taller handle bars? If all else fails — I may just buy another S&M frame and switch them out.

    Build list:

    S&M ATF frame 20.75 Top Tube
    S&M Stem
    Credence Bars
    Odyssey Brake System
    Alienation Rims
    Profile Hubs
    Animal 175mm Cranks
    S&M Sproket
    S&M Seat
    S&M Pads
    Odyssey 32mm Forks

    by rondolph

    8 Comments

    1. Awkward_Importance49 on

      Love it. Love the hubs!

      I almost went for an ATF but I loved the geometry of the Tall Order 187 so went for that in the end. It was supposed to be my final build but ehhhhhhh, I can feel an itch to build an S&M ATF up next spring.

      Re the frame scrunchiness…

      I’d pitch your bars forward more. Any pitch up to vertical with the ground is fine. Your bars look raked back a fair amount so adjusting that could be all the difference you need.

      Drop crank length down if you’re riding 175s. Best thing I ever did was try 165s. It means your knees are coming up into your body space so high and makes a big difference to the feeling of space.

      Those two things, plus just getting familiar with your new frame, and I reckon you’ll be fine.

    2. That’s was my reasoning for the longer tt bike, don’t get me wrong the S&m is nice, but it’s short and tbh no amount of bigger bar will change that.

    3. peepersmeanteefers on

      1) this is a beautiful build. You did a really nice job. Love the color. Love the pads. Hubs matching the sprocket is a nice touch. Very aesthetically pleasing . All of it. (I have an ATF myself)

      2) re: scrunched : I’m agreeing with those here saying bump those bars forward a bit. I run mine just a couple degrees over vertical and I’m a tall guy. It’s more comfortable and it’ll give your knees and hips some room to breathe.

      However, I’ll say that it all depends on your height. If you’re over 6’ you may need a 21”+ top tube to really feel at home. It’s all personal preference to some extent, but depending on how your built an extra half inch or more in the top tube can really change your life.

      Have fun! Again, just an awesome bike.

    4. Very jealous. Similar to a build I want … maybe switching to bigger bars ? Or maybe its just a new bike feel either way ,Enjoy!!

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