My ican sn04 frame--Review by Sami Rusila
Sadly my hardtail silverback scoop frame saw a cracking end at summer 2017 on hard red Fiskars trails. As a quite heavy rider (read 100kg) I tend to put bike under heavy stress.....jumping and other funny stuff, well in my own opinion anyways.
So how did I broke the frame....? I guess the QR axle was the reason since it became loose one day on a decending rock garden. So the wheel was moving all a round, still thankfully staying on dropouts, but caused the damage.
Well I got the new warranty frame but I started to grave more from a frame and of course being a 45 year young, my ligaments are not quite the same as 20 years ago and sadly new frame had same QR dropouts on rear. I decided to sell the frame and start looking for new one.
On a fall 2017 I started to look for a frame and guite fast came to conclusion that one thing that holds me back is my dearest wife, you know for some mental disturb way way back we (wife did and since I thought with me balls was a bad match) thought that shared back account would be a greatest thing. So with that said, I had bluto fork and some other gears from old silverback the fatbike line was natural way to go.
And one day on a bar with pint or five I discovered a picture of sn04, and well....things started to escalate then after contacting mr. Chen with extra questions, well mostly about my weight. But the fact was the frame would be near perfect and the price along somewhat tolerable for my wife. Little did she knew the extras that I needed more, muah muah hah hah.So on December 2017 greatly feared ican cycling carbon sn04 frame arrived and boy it arrived fast from China to Finland. And I started to gather components for season 2018.
Building frame and components
Since I had bluto it was cheap and easy to upgrade from 100mm to 120mm travel. Dropperpost I had also, but sadly external wire, fine for now. Front brake, OK I use old one deore XT from shimano.
Old missmatch alu wheelset, shit but okay I settle for that even though I may go to hell. Old saddle and grips...sure just a little while. But I am going to put black and white theme and some cables white for now.
Old white flat pedals, just superb! But then about new components.... Well the bike accepts nothing else than sram eagle gx and absoluteblack oval chain ring. The rockshox debonair monarch rt3 shock and XT m8000 rear brake. Bulldozer tyres still but hell I really want maxxis minions!
First ride on March 2018
Finally the bike is almost done, and what a blast it was riding the sn04. I really liked the geometry of the frame, some little tweaks needed to be made but that time would come on a better season starting on May.... The ass saver really scared the crap out of me. When I dropped the saddle and hit a drop I thought I broke the frame allready.
I want carbon rims!
On April my wife was in a really good mood, happy and loving (I still wonder how the Hell is managing without her) so I took advantage and managed to get permission for order a set of 65mm carbon rims from ican cycling, ud mat as the sn04 frame.
Spokes black and four white where vent is and diy foam protection cause these will have sealants inside. New hope fatsno front hub as I had one for rear allready. The lacing was the most easy, rims kept the roundness and they were true. Easy dishing on kitchen top counter with cups and stack of
First good ride on May
What a feeling, black and white theme is almost spot on, new Fizik gobi saddle proved to be good match for my arse. And the full suspension was really punished that day. Sending the hills and drops not a problem at all.
I broke it!
Sad day on end of July. Triangle seat stay broke on a drop. It was not big drop but something just happend and a seat stay broke. Perhaps the reason is that the movement is not linear..... But mr. Chen said that bike can handle 120kg rider......????!!!! From the woods I emailed to ican cycling and the next day new piece was fabricated and soon sended to me. And true, on August I had the bike all good again.
Bike Burgers and Beer
On September at Fiskars had huge bike expo. Hundreds of mtb riders, with all kind of cool bikes and e-bikes. But even though two ican cycling frames found each others. Sami Jokinen and his sn01 and my sn04.
End of 2018, what now....?
Full overhaul for shock and fork. I’m going to paint the frame black with white spots here andthere... And some new componets: 150mm Highline dropper, Sram dub cranks and bottom bracket, xt m8000 front brake, all white cables. 2019 season Here I Come.
Bike abuse and videos on instagram: @viral_72.
