Good/Dream Frames For Conversions!

POST YOUR FAVORITE/DREAM FRAMES FOR CONVERSIONS (+ WHY/PARTS/ETC)



I scout and scout and SCOUT out for good frame conversions. See, I like doing this for a few reasons. You can get great deals, and find unique looks on certain/vintage frames, but also - I LIKE RECYCLING =). Haha, gotta live up to the name.

So anyway, lately, I have been on a new sort of kick... and I am really wanting to mess with some of these frames. I stuffed some batteries in some plain ol' frames... I have seen some people do that. It is pretty cool, and if you rig it up right, and plan it out, it can be maintenance friendly etc... and very slick. Also, it can be problematic. Sometimes you can wire all the batteries to a BMS hidden somewhere, or sometimes you can wire up several 3s-5s mini BMS in series/parallel... Either way... my list:

Ok, so this is my "mid drive motor behind the BB, running a slightly smaller rear wheel, and hiding the battery in the frame" list.

ORANGE frames (a little bulky for me, but still, suits the need)



PROCEED frames (these come apart READY to be stuffed with batteries!!! - a user here has some AWESOME high voltage conversions he did in some of these - but I CANNOT get my hands on any !!! nooooo)

WILL ATTATCH PIC/LINK TO USERS ES BUILD

GT I-DRIVE /FURY/RUCKUS frames

Whoo! I like these, but the carbon is way too much. The welds are... EH, but whatever.

I might break down and get a cheap frame on sale (not this color) with a cyclone mini, or a tangent behind the BB, with a small rear wheel, plenty of room in the frame for batteries.... ooooh, I don't know why I want this thing so bad. It looks nice to me, but also ugly in a way. I cannot explain it. hahaha. Or maybe I did. ALSO, see how the suspension passes through,... OOOOH do I wanna pull a 'tangentdave' and work that stype of thing into a frame design, and mount a n171b right up there, for a mid variable transmission that can take the POWER!! ahhhh.

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AHHHH the black and green frames, the black and green aahhhhhhhh I think I need one what is this all about. I wanted a high power moto seat frame, now all I want is the lightest fastest... if I turn this thing into a wheelie monster though... I think I will break it in no time... I dunno

GARY FISHER ESPECIAL frame (made that name up)

Ok, I like this... can fit something behind the BB... battery in frame, but LOOK AT THOSE DROPOUTS!. Oh boy, I could CNC something RIGHT UP for that puppy. NO PROBLEM extending the swinger like that...plenty of room for a BEAST mid drive. Ill make a custom dropout, and run it up the swinger for reinforcement.... ooooh... I am obviously wanting to build a slightly different style than my norm. NEW PROJECT CALLING.

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Honestly, not being able to find a PROCEED frame (bah, cant find the thread right now) is what launched me into this...


SO, WHAT FRAMES DO YOU WANT TO BUILD ON? WITH WHAT? AND WHY?

There is a long thread already, about bike frames. You should have a look.

I like your choices, similar to the kind of suspension that I like to tune and ride. High pivots are amazing, with long shocks especially. Lateral stiffness a must, because I build lots of power and high speed. My favourite so far is the Large 2009 Trek Session 10, so much that I have bought a second one that I have restored, painted, hanging ready to build in my shop.

MadRhino said:

There is a long thread already, about bike frames. You should have a look.

I like your choices, similar to the kind of suspension that I like to tune and ride. High pivots are amazing, with long shocks especially. Lateral stiffness a must, because I build lots of power and high speed. My favourite so far is the Large 2009 Trek Session 10, so much that I have bought a second one that I have restored, painted, hanging ready to build in my shop.

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Nice, yeah... I figured there was one somewhere... missed it tho! =)

Lets just link it and continue?

I bought this one specific for another build like my mantra that would be easier and cheaper to make more of. They still have new-old stock of the 7000 series AL for ~200 last I checked. (I was gonna put up the pics but I think I have a thread) https://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=70001&hilit=+st3

Haven't moved on cuz the klein mantra is holding up great, and I never got a tig to properly extend the swingarm for even a 24" tire. So mantra is still the winner for me. URT- love it or hate it lol.

Yeah, I had to come see ya over there. Please do post a pic! That's what its here for... I mean really, I was more thinking, 'dream conversions' but then you know how it is... first it is a dream... then you are getting ******d at for getting a new bike! HAHAHAHAHAHHA just kidding, I don't roll like that 8)

Hey, I saw it in your thread.... I just picked up one of these for pretty cheap, and I was gonna stuff the frame, but now instead I am going to do that with the other NORCO -JUMP (I think, not even sure... VPS jump? dunno, cheap old frame I'm picking up here)... but this NORCO SAVAGE is getting a TSDZ2, solid tires/rims, and as I type I am taking a break from staring at batteries for like half an hour, thinking about what I am gonna do!! hahahahah. Oh how I wish the 3d scanner and resin printer we at full steam so I could scan the body, and print a guard/body kit/battery holder that fit around the downtube there, and into the body of the TSDZ2.... ooooh

Well, uhh,,, mid drive behind the bottom bracket looks good on those frames. But uhh,, that's were the wheel will be.

Any of those frames might work that way if you fabricate a new swing arm, and move the wheel back 6 inches or so.

A small enough wheel to still fit the motor there, will jack up your frame geometry too much, but might work if you can modify the shock mounts enough to push the wheel down 6". Fabricate a new shock mount that bolts to the frame at the old mount?

It does tend to be a pretty big pita (or tooling expense). That's why I plan my next mid build to be alot like the newer eastgem (or LightningRods) parallel mids, on eastgems older all steel frame (like a raptor). It'll be heavier but have more power AND be more easily modded and bombproof.

Eyebye, if anyone wants to fab a new swingarm for the yellow ST3 frame you could make as many matching bikes as you wanted, but I guess that could be said for quite a few frames. I planned on just modding the swingarm like I did the mantra.
I'd sell the ST3 (with bht if wanted), since I'll be sticking with the Mantra's high pivot Urt for an XC mid parallel ride. I guess that's my fav frame so far. (Would also sell the '04 Norco Shore II naked frame- now those things are a work of art, it's a shame to just be sitting!)


Sidenote, I love the idea of batteries in frames but it sure sounds like ALOT of trouble with minimal reward?

I try to set things up slick so its pretty easy. A little prep work and some modular tubes, super quick... Just have to get the right game plan /assembly process. If you just make 1, yea a pain... But once you get used to it, same as anything else.

P.S... I dont think going 19" in the back will be a problem for me, and will be 19 or 21 moto in front... Not much difference. I'll have room back there without modification of swinger, none of that for me right now. A little busy... But, ill use a smaller mid drive if I need to. A hobby RC csn could get thrown in there even...

I scored an early 2000's Turner O2 on ebay for $250 3 years ago and have loved it since the day it arrived on my doorstep.



The rear brake mounts can slide up/down the rear bars.. i used them as a torque mounting point since i decided to go 100% regen for my rear braking.




Center triangle space is spacious and i was able to make a blockoff plate with hardware store bits, and install a full size frame bag. I've done this on other frames, but this frame was particularly easy to do it with.



There is an angled, threaded screw hole... i am using a cut up vbrake arm to connect the torque arm to that screw.. it just conveniently makes a perfectly stiff bridge from the torque arm to the frame.

6000W peak to a dual suspension rear? no problem.. no problem at all.

It took me 5 years of randomly browsing ebay searches for 'full suspension frame' and 'dual suspension frame' to find this peach. There are others out there.. you just have to be persistent and understand that a lot of these peaches were built in the early 2000's.. most modern dual suspension frames have funky rear dropouts and triangles otherwise, and if you want big battery + hub motor, these older ones are the way to go.

nice, yeah I like the backer plate

Some GT I-drives and early Specialized FS bikes had the shock outside the rear triangle providing the entire area for batteries; also any URT (universal rear triangle) has the "front triangle" available, but That Turner seems even more optimal for battery space. The best recent bike that I've seen is a GT Helion which has the shock adjacent to the bottom bracket.

Unified rear triangle- I think I have one- my motor is in it

Here's my fav eyebye, cuz it's the only one I've successfully gone full freewheeling parallel and up to ~7kw.



I've enjoyed the bike since 1998 or 99, and have enjoyed wicked power on demand for 2yr.

NS, looks like a Klien which I always admired, but never owned. There's a plethora of used URT's (some Catamounts and Schwinn home-growns) on ebay, but I'm "frame-heavy" right now.

The Gary fisher guy just went so hard on me on ebay. Talking about I didnt understand the listing.

I lowballed him, sure... But when he declined I asked for his counter offer... I offered 250 and no shock. To his 475. But if he countered 450, maybe I would've bought it still. Never hurts to try, why have a best offer option.

Now, he made sure I can't buy it, instead of sell it, and what do I look like trying to buy it still. I obviously "dont understand " hahaha. Errrr i wanted it bad

A Trek Diesel frame for 475$ is a gift if it is a Large. My guess is there is only a dozen Large Diesel in the world. :wink:

MadRhino said:

A Trek Diesel frame for 475$ is a gift if it is a Large. My guess is there is only a dozen Large Diesel in the world. :wink:

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fair enough, and although I don't know as much about bicycles as the counterpart here... I understand this dynamic.

the thing is, that is all he had to say, and maybe I would've paid. don't put best offer if there is no chance of budging... then when I send a message saying, 'what his offer is' he could say ANYTHING reasonable. but not 475, because if he is stuck on that, simply take off the best offer option, right?

makes sense to me, but hey.

that being said, I am in love with this frame for a conversion and it looks super nice, serial #0001 actually I think... so yeah... might be a steal =) just the reply was pretty rude, trust me.

even with the lowball I sent a message saying "yo, I know I am lowballing you, but would take this without suspension, want to make an econversion etc... send me an offer if you decline"

so I felt a little.... eh.... about the situation.

Now, I am dying of sadness! hahaah. Look at those dropouts... just waiting for an extension piece, and a mid drive mounted behind that BB.... OOOOOOOH! and I will never find one of these again...

that being said as much as I like the look now... I searched for it built up and did not care for it... but I could only find like two small pics of a aquamarine type color =\...

Well, look at the other side of it. It is a rare frame OK, but it does have its downsides to build a powerful ebike. 1 1/8 head tube and a pretty steep head angle, doesn't let you tune the head with an angle set. It is a very compact frame design, even a large does feel small.

Then, good frames are many. Good complete or partially built DH bikes even more, and many freeriders are buying new bikes this month. Look on Pinkbike you might find better, especially if you want to build a mid drive. I recall I saw a large Zerode Gearbox one, a bike that is calling for a mid drive. 8)

MadRhino said:

Well, look at the other side of it. It is a rare frame OK, but it does have its downsides to build a powerful ebike. 1 1/8 head tube and a pretty steep head angle, doesn't let you tune the head with an angle set. It is a very compact frame design, even a large does feel small.

Then, good frames are many. Good complete or partially built DH bikes even more, and many freeriders are buying new bikes this month. Look on Pinkbike you might find better, especially if you want to build a mid drive. I recall I saw a large Zerode Gearbox one, a bike that is calling for a mid drive. 8)

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Glass more than half full my man.

Yeah see, I don't even know what's out there! Not the heaviest bicycle background... Time to search some more... (part of my reason for this thread, I see the good models to search for!!! )

If you had time to look at the Zerode G1, you know now why I see it as a good option to build a mid drive. The IGH integrated in the frame is giving lots of possibilities. Fitting a Nuvinci, or a centrifugal CVT, or just a jack shaft reduction... It does offer a built-in space for a wide variety of mid drive solutions. Also, the unique top pivot design is making a suspension that is very active and tuneable, atop of solving chain slack problem. Braking is hard on suspension action, but this could be solved with a floating caliper assembly that would make a unique retro look. :wink:
The Zerode G1 also leaves the front triangle free to mount batteries, or even the motor.

yep! seen it... with Dave's Tangent Ascent build!

NICE! I didn't even look it up because I assume I am not willing to spend what I have to.

Here I go

I can't find a price on just the frame... probably cant find just the frame... I found a 2012 whole build sold for 2400 pounds... that's all...

I NEED ONE. I have some N171B hubs (5kw continuous) that are DYING to go in there.... OOOOOHHHH OOOOHHH OOOOOOOH.

I found this though:



I mean it looks like a giant bone... not in a good way ahahahah

I bet it is very functional though!

https://m.pinkbike.com/buysell/2199091/

1400$ CAD ( 1050$ US ) for a Large 2013 full build with many good components. I find it is a very good deal. If I was going to build a mid drive, I would jump on it.

MadRhino said:

https://m.pinkbike.com/buysell/2199091/

1400$ CAD ( 1050$ US ) for a Large 2013 full build with many good components. I find it is a very good deal. If I was going to build a mid drive, I would jump on it.

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everything good is in Canada... he probably doesn't wanna ship, says local pickup only and someone is gonna steal it...


I don't have that spare right now anyway... =(((( but I wish I could sell some of the stuff I just ordered (SHOOT ME NOW) hahaha

Thanks man, yeah, that deal is pretty good. I just signed up for pinkbike... I shoulve already been doing this... but hey!

I usually deal with a bike shop, near the seller who has no experience with shipping bikes. So he only has to bring his bike to the LBS, where they inspect and pay for it if the frame has no crack. The bike shop then pack the bike and ship it to me. I pay in advance by money transfer of course, for the bike, their work and shipping. Many of my bikes had been purchased this way. When you need only the frame and the seller doesn't want to part out the bike, reselling the components usually leaves you with a frame at a good price after all.

MadRhino said:

I usually deal with a bike shop, near the seller who has no experience with shipping bikes. So he only has to bring his bike to the LBS, where they inspect and pay for it if the frame has no crack. The bike shop then pack the bike and ship it to me. I pay in advance by money transfer of course, for the bike, their work and shipping. Many of my bikes had been purchased this way. When you need only the frame and the seller doesn't want to part out the bike, reselling the components usually leaves you with a frame at a good price after all.

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Yeah... I just have to crunch numbers and see how much I am saving for time like that, BUT - if it is a nice frame that I cannot find - I HAVE NO CHOICE. Yea... and I do realize he would need to take it to an actual bike shop, or id be liable to take a HIT through the inspections process...

Thanks for the advice. It's good