Jon,

Thanks for the note. There are a couple of factors in increased pricing and a couple of potential solves.

Increases: We buy parts on the spot market instead of warehousing them so if spot pricing goes up we have to update build pricing from time to time. We may have also increased the build spec of the bike i.e. better cranks, wheels, cockpit, etc. Or we may have updated costs due to revised standard part pricing such as a new Gates compatible crank. As we build more belt drive we learn more about what works and sometimes we learn that a previously specced part such as a crank or gear ratio isn’t compatible with the frameset. When that happens we update the build spec with what we know works.

How to get the cost down: Every bike we build is specced to suit. We could go from carbon rims to aluminum rims to help get the cost down for you. We’re also about to have a November sale as we move out our 4.1 stock. Custom builds will be 10% off so that would save a significant amount as well.

Thanks!

Stephen

Hi Mason. We have a new front derailleur mount arriving the third week of Nov ’19 which will allow running those smaller 46/30 chainrings. The original design mount was designed before micro compact rings had hit the market but does work with 32/48 micro compact.

We don’t have any plans to repeat Chocolate Creamsicle. We could end up offering an option with orange and brown in the mix but the layout would change if we did.

Thanks!

Mike,

Your question has a multi part answer.

1. If you own a Flaanimal I wouldn’t discourage you from touring on it. It certainly has rack mounts suitable for touring with gear and it is capable of carrying gear and would be a great way to try touring.
2. I don’t think someone shopping for a pure loaded touring bike would be better served by the do-it-all Flaanimal than a focused touring bike. A focused touring bike will have specific geometry for carrying heavy loads over long distances. Flaanimal has more general do-it-all geometry that doesn’t lend itself to purely touring.
3. A lot of people who are bike touring are transitioning from traditional low rider racks and bags and going with frame bags, saddle bags, and fork mounted bikepacking setups these days. In that bikepacking / touring scenario Flaanimal would be an excellent choice.

I hope this helps a bit!

-SF

Brian.

A front 140/160 flat mount plate looks like this:

https://www.worldwidecyclery.com/products/shimano-front-140-160mm-rotor-flat-mount-road-disc-caliper-mount-plate?gclid=CjwKCAjwnrjrBRAMEiwAXsCc4zCI5twT80hu4o1VNvPlHXHg_rVeA7nXAYGRHe5JDv3Z4i82WMEZuRoC51UQAvD_BwE

A rear flat mount (160mm) plate looks like this:

https://www.backcountry.com/shimano-flat-mount-disc-brake-adapter?CMP_SKU=SHI00B1&MER=0406&skid=SHI00B1-REFLTOFL-S160MM&mr:trackingCode=9489628B-7E7A-E611-80F8-005056944E17&mr:referralID=NA&mr:device=c&mr:adType=plaonline&iv_=__iv_p_1_g_20469784957_c_92885922637_w_pla-462869826687_n_g_d_c_v__l__t__r_1o2_x_pla_y_7811_f_online_o_SHI00B1-REFLTOFL-S160MM_z_US_i_en_j_462869826687_s__e__h_9028777_ii__vi__&CMP_ID=PLA_GOc001&utm_source=Google&utm_medium=PLA&k_clickid=_k_CjwKCAjwnrjrBRAMEiwAXsCc498rJreiJVk33mbQFYI5pj6m_nh78xt0XXDMJ7pFUK04O-UUDZqbwRoCHXUQAvD_BwE_k_&rmatt=tsid:1042790|cid:292653277|agid:20469784957|tid:pla-462869826687|crid:92885922637|nw:g|rnd:3445892391241595787|dvc:c|adp:1o2|mt:|loc:9028777&gclid=CjwKCAjwnrjrBRAMEiwAXsCc498rJreiJVk33mbQFYI5pj6m_nh78xt0XXDMJ7pFUK04O-UUDZqbwRoCHXUQAvD_BwE

Howdy! You will have excellent clearance with 33mm tires on a 21ish rim. The opening is approx 55mm depending on slider position so you are looking at about 10mm of clearance on each side of the tire.

Dong,

We are all sold out of top tube bags currently but we can measure when we have more in stock.

Thank you sir! Keep up the good work!

Hi Lloyd.

56 Pine Cone will be out of stock for the rest of the year. We do have the two other colors in stock. We only produce one run of Flaanimals per year and when they’re gone they’re gone for a long time unfortunately.

Thanks!

Barney,

You are correct. Any Flaanimal with a T47BB is a 4.1. We didn’t update the TT graphics because it was a minor spec change. Sorry for the confusion!

Stephen