Dialing it in with Ooti Billeaud
Frame: Sunday Soundwave V2 20.75″
Fork: S&M Widemouth (26mm) cut flush with stem
Bars: Terrible One Classic 8.85″ USA’s cut to 26.5″
Stem: Profile Push 53mm
Cranks: Profile Column 165mm with Titanium spindle
Headset: FSA sealed
Grips: ODI Longneck ST
Bar Ends: Animal Plastic
Seat: Fiend Ty Morrow Vinyl Tripod
Seat Post: Cult Tripod
Seat Post Clamp: Profile Slim Jim
Sprocket: Madera Signet Guard Spline Drive 28t
Driver: Profile CrMo 9t
Pedals: Fly Plastic Ruben
Shoes: Vans vulcanized with thick soles
Chain: Cult 510
Front Wheel: Profile Mini Front Hub, Profile hex bolts, DT Spokes, Gsport Ribcage Rim
Rear Wheel: Profile Mini Cassette Hub, Profile Titanium axle, DT Spokes, Gsport Ribcage Rim
Front Tire: BSD Donnastreet 2.30″
Rear Tire: BSD Donnastreet 2.30″
Weight: 23 lbs.
Rear End: 13.5″
Mods: Cut the handlebars to 26.5″, cut the steerer tube flush with the stem with no spacers, cut the rear axle flush with the axle nuts, cut the flanges off the grips
Notes: I’ve been wanting to try a Soundwave frame for about 6 years now as I like beefy, stiff frames (of which there are few) not to mention all the other cool things about it. Compared to my Barcode frame, the Soundwave has a shorter rear end (13.5″), a lower bottom bracket (11.5″), a higher top tube (9″), and a longer as well as steeper head tube (75 degrees). It also has the “Black Mag” rust-proof coating inside and out which I’m assuming is just an ED coating. I had a Loosefer frame years ago with an ED coating and loved it so I’m happy to have that rust protection especially in New Orleans with all the rain and perpetual humidity. It also has the Wave top and down tube which is supposed to make them more dent resistant and consequently make the frame more resistant to cracking which doesn’t really matter to me cause I don’t grind and baby my frames anyway. The boxed chain stays look really beefy as well as stiff which is exactly what I want in a rear end. This frame also allows bigger tires and I’d been wanting to try some that were slightly larger than the Hawk P-Lyte 2.20″’s for a while now. I’m really digging the built-in chain tensioners and can’t believe I waited this long to try a frame that had them although I also want to try the Simple Wheel Slammer spacers to keep my chain tight. I’ve been riding a spline drive sprocket for a few years now and love it. I recently downsized to a 28t spline drive sprocket when I finally realized that the 30t had been overkill for years and that I’d rather be spinning out on a 28t than ride a 30t. I don’t grind or do sprocket stalls but I wanted a guard sprocket to keep oil off my pants as well as keep them and my shoe laces from getting caught in the chain. It also helps keep oil off of you if your bike is laying down and you’re sitting on the sprocket side of the frame. I got the Terrible One Classic bars in 8.85″ a while back and the geometry on them has consistently proven to be my favorite of any bars over the last 15 years. The 8.85″ height with the Push Stem feels perfect to me and the 26.5″ width remains my favorite in the last 10 years after trying wider and narrower bars over the years, especially in regard to turndowns and tables. Profile still makes the best hubs and ODI still makes the best grips. I also switched to a steeper offset fork (26mm) and love it. I feel like it’s more responsive and easier to balance on without losing any of the stability of a 30mm+ fork. I’m liking the 2.3″ Donnastreet tires; they have a tear resistant silkworm casing just like the Ruben tires which I love and I like how they grip so far. I also got a vinyl Ty Morrow Tripod seat and it’s super comfortable, well designed, and clean looking. It seems like it could tear easily but it doesn’t touch the ground when I flip my bike upside down and I never throw my bike. I still love the Tripod system. I loved the Column cranks in 175mm but wanted to try shorter 165mm Column cranks as it seems like a lot of ramp, street, and trail riders are saying they allow more control and make certain tricks easier. Lastly, I took my brakes off again. I just can’t get away from how clean and simple a bike looks without brakes not to mention how fluid it forces you to be in your riding. I never rode with my finger on the lever, I don’t do brake tricks, and there are no trails in or around New Orleans, not to mention New Orleans itself is very flat. Not having brakes removes such a huge portion of bike maintenance as well which is super nice if you don’t have a lot of time to work on your bike. I haven’t had enough time on the Soundwave to really form an opinion on how I like the geometry, not to mention the fact that I put on shorter cranks and bigger tires at the same time but time will tell. I’m really excited to ride and get used to this bike. It’s amazing to look at how far BMX technology has come in the last 20 years and it never stops improving and innovating.