I am working on a single speed all road frame.
I am torn between traditional sliding dropouts and rocker dropouts. I really want Paragon 12mm BOBI but they are very pricy.
I am struggling to find good photos of this style rocker dropout on a finished road/gravel frame. All I can find is pictures of Fargos.
If you have built anything similar please share pictures!
This is an all-road frame I made for a buddy!
Edit: whoops, should’ve read that more carefully - this isn’t the rocker style you were looking for. Sorry!
FWIW the last frame I built uses the Allotec sliding dropouts:
I think they work really well if you are actually trying to tension a single speed drivetrain. I think it is also a bonus that you can buy them without a dropout hanger. It just looks soooo clean.
I would maybe worry that the rocking style don’t have enough swing to fully tension a single speed. But, I have no actual experience with them.
12mm of movement is all that is needed to accommodate any gear ratio.
For road I run dingle speed and can get a 14/16 combo in under 15mm of adjustment.
I rode an El mariachi for a long time and adjustment was never an issue but on the MTB I never change ratios. On the road I switch ratios frequently depending on fitness, elevation and who I am riding with.
I think I’m going to use the sliders. I hope they make a slightly cleaner/lighter looking rear end. I am concerned the rockers will look busy and bulky.
Latest version of the Omnium CXC uses rockers and is a roadish geo bike. It’s sold with drop bars anyway.
Personally I think that rockers actually look better than sliders would with the steep seat stay angle. Like it makes for a lighter and more open rear end or something. I love Sliders on hardtails with a low SS angle but on road geo I feel like they can end up looking a bit awkward. Have a look at the Soma Wolverine to get an idea of what I mean.
Also if you want to use flat mount brakes then the rocker insert and CS routing will look a lot cleaner too! Paragon do make a flat mount sliding insert but the limitation of that design make it look like a bit of a workaround.
I totally agree on this. Something about you the sliders dangle off the back of a road frame bothers me.
I’m considering using these Paragon rockers. They are priced more in line with what I expected.
What CS do you use? It looks like it has a bullet tip. I really like that over a concave scallop
If you are considering fenders, and why wouldn’t you, consider using an eccentric bottom bracket instead. That way your fender clearances aren’t screwed up by adjusting chain length.
The rocker dropouts from paragon are elegant in that they barely change the height of the wheel. All the other rocker designs will change your wheel height (or rotate the frame geometry depending on how you look at it). This may or may not bother you. Unfortunately, they tend to slip under single speed use, so Dave Levy came up with a additional widget that fixes that problem.
Hahn Rossman
I avoided EBB for post weld processing. I am unsure if I can ream/face an EBB accurate enough with out a mill to make sure it doesn’t slip.
Do you have any input on post weld finishing EBBs?
@brad I’ve used an eccentric designed for PF30 or BB30 shells. Like this one:
https://www.jbi.bike/site/product_details.php?part_number=11050
So, the usual precautions are heatsink, reamer, etc. Just like if you were making a frame for that standard.
They are available in GXP, or 24mm wtc.
Hahn Rossman
This style of EBB requires no post-welding work. I used the Easton inserts that Nova used to sell.
there’s some photos of an early bike I built for a close friend over HERE on chainslapmag.com with paragon rocker drops.
something I hadn’t thought about was the extra horizontal offset that the stays all need (at the dropout-end) compared to a “normal” dropout.
