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    • Prospector

    $2,500.00
    196894366d827c56344bfe5186dbcf64%2Fsage-cropped copy.jpg

    Prospector

    $2,500.00
    Complete Bike Deposit
    196894366d827c56344bfe5186dbcf64%2Fsage-cropped copy.jpg
    196894366d827c56344bfe5186dbcf64%2F2_TumbleweedBikes-VKS-Product-ISO-Build-Prospector-Green-597-June17-2021.jpg
    196894366d827c56344bfe5186dbcf64%2F4_TumbleweedBikes-VKS-Product-ISO-Build-Prospector-Green-608-June17-2021.jpg
    196894366d827c56344bfe5186dbcf64%2F3_TumbleweedBikes-VKS-Product-ISO-Build-Prospector-Green-643-June17-2021.jpg
    Prospector
    Prospector
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    196894366d827c56344bfe5186dbcf64%2F12_TumbleweedBikes-VKS-Product-ISO-Frame-Prospector-Blue-483-June17-2021.jpg
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    196894366d827c56344bfe5186dbcf64%2FTumbleweedBikes-VKS-Product-ISO-PhilHub-251-June17-2021.jpg
    196894366d827c56344bfe5186dbcf64%2FTumbleweedBikes-VKS-Product-ISO-RohloffHub-964-June17-2021.jpg

    More Prospector frames will be arriving in the fall of 2022, hopefully in October. Thanks for your patience!

    The Prospector is our timeless and rugged expedition mountain touring bike, designed around the stalwart Rohloff Speedhub drivetrain. It’s a bike designed to be reliable, tough and field serviceable in the harshest of conditions. In the face of ever changing bicycle part standards and the integration of exotic materials, the Prospector is built to last and to buck the trend of short product cycles and throw away upgrade culture. We believe that the most important features of a reliable expedition bike are a comfortable fit, a tough frame/fork, strong wheels, reliable components, and as much tire/mud clearance as possible.

    While the Prospector is derailleur compatible, it was designed specifically around the Rohloff SPEEDHUB, a 14 speed internally geared drivetrain that has proven itself to be supremely dependable and capable. We've been using Rohloff hubs on our tours for over a decade and tens of thousands of miles through sand, mud, snow and at elevations of up to 18,000' without issue.

    The Prospector has several features that separate it from other expedition bikes. A Phil Wood eccentric bottom bracket offers half an inch of bottom bracket height adjustability, custom cast dropouts work seamlessly with the Rohloff hub, and a hollow chainstay yoke maximizes every millimeter of mud and tire clearance to round out a complete package that can take you anywhere in the world with confidence.

    Complete Bike Purchase Process

    We will build complete bikes in the order that deposits are received. Our standard build as shown is $4600, some upgrades are possible, but part availability has been a challenge. We will contact you to finalize the build spec after you place your deposit, and the invoice for the balance due will be sent when your build starts. 

    Reviews
    BIKEPACKING.COM: TUMBLEWEED PROSPECTOR REVIEW: WOLF IN MULE'S CLOTHING
    THE RADAVIST:: DANIEL'S TUMBLEWEED PROSPECTOR ROHLOFF TOURING BIKE
    Frame MaterialHeat treated size specific Chromoly tubing, oversized triple and quad butted front triangle with integrated gussets
    Rack/Fender CompatibilityRack and fender compatible, three bottle mounts on frame triangle
    ForkUnicrown Chromoly steel with 135mm quick release or 110x15mm thru axle (thru axle included), upper and lower rack mounts, fender mounts, triple bottle cage mounts on fork legs, internal dynamo wire routing
    Max Tire Clearance26x4.0", 27.5x2.8-3.8˝ and 29 x 2.1-3.0˝, individual tire and rim combos affect tire clearance
    Headtube44mm I.D.
    HeadsetRecommend EC44 lower cup. ZS44 upper cup.
    Bottom Bracket73mm, threaded English (1.37˝ x 24t) Phil Wood Eccentric Insert. M8 cupped point set screws (8mm x 1.25 thread pitch)
    Rear Axle135mm quick release
    Seatpost Diameter31.6mm
    Dropper Seatpost CompatibilityInternally routed for dropper post
    Seat Clamp (included)35mm
    Drivetrain CompatibilityRohloff or 1x derailleur drivetrain recommended
    Brake Compatibility51mm I.S. disc caliper mounts, 180mm max rotor size, minimum 160mm rotor
    Fork Axle to Crown483mm
    Fork Steer Tube Length300mm
    Rear dropoutsVertical with integrated non-driveside Rohloff OEM slot and replaceable derailleur hanger, 135mm quick release or bolt-on hub spacing compatibility; features threaded M5 and M6 eyelets for fenders and racks
    Chainring clearance1X Boost, 1X Super Boost
    Crank clearanceChainstay width is 140mm, crank arms must have 144mm inner width, 24mm spindle recommended
    Frame GeometrySmallMediumLargeExtra Large
    Effective Top Tube Length590mm610mm630mm650mm
    Seat Tube Length15"17"19"21.5"
    Head Tube Angle69.5°69.5°69.5°69.5°
    Seat Tube Angle73°73°73°73°
    Bottom Bracket Drop*58.5mm58.5mm58.5mm58.5mm
    Chainstay Length*456mm456mm456mm456mm
    Head Tube Length110mm130mm145mm160mm
    Fork Length482mm482mm482mm482mm
    Wheelbase1118mm1139mm1160mm1181mm
    Fork Offset53mm53mm53mm53mm
    Stack608mm626mm640mm655mm
    Reach404mm409mm434mm451mm
    Standover**772mm806mm837mm871mm
    Recommended Rider Height5'2"-5'7"5'6"-5'10"5'10"-6'2"6'1"-6'7"
    Recommended Rider Saddle Height63-69cm68-73cm74-81cm80-88cm
    * Bottom Bracket Drop and Chainstay Length measured at the center off the bottom bracket shell.
    ** At center of top tube with a 27.5x2.8" tire measuring 730mm in diameter.
    Tumbleweed Prospector Standard Build
    (Parts subject to change based on availability)
    Part Description 
    FrameProspectorDesert Sage, Midnight Blue
    ForkSteel Unicrown135mm Quick Release or 110mm Thru Axle
    HeadsetCane Creek 40ZS upper, EC lower, 30mm Crown Race
    CranksetRaceFace AeffectBlack, Cinch Direct Mount
    ChainringRaceFaceBlack, 32t Direct Mount, Steel
    Bottom BracketRaceFaceBSA Threaded
    Front HubSchmidt SON28 Black 110mm Thru Axle 32 hole Dynamo
    Rear HubRohloff SPEEDHUBBlack, 32 hole, Quick release 16t cog
    Quick ReleaseShimanoBlack
    RimsTumbleweed Black 27.5" 40mm Internal Width
    SpokesSapim RaceBlack 2.0/1.8 w/Brass nipples
    Brake LeversAvid FR5Black
    Brake CalipersAvid BB7Black
    Cables and HousingJagwire Pro CompressionlessStainless Cables, Black Housing
    Disc Brake Rotor AdaptorsTektro20mm front and rear
    Front RotorSRAM Centerline180mm 6 bolt
    Rear RotorRohloff180mm 4 bolt
    ShifterRohloffOEM grip shifter
    TiresMaxxis Rekon27.5x2.8"
    ChainSRAMPC971
    GripsErgon GP1Black, Rohloff Shifter Compatible
    StemZoomBlack 31.8mm 4 bolt
    HandlebarTumbleweed PersuaderBlack 800mm
    SeatpostKalloyBlack, 31.6mm Diameter, 410mm Length
    SaddleWTB Rocket WideBlack, Steel Rails
    Tubeless Parts Tubeless Sealant, Valves and Tape
    Headset Spacers Black, Aluminum
    Can the Prospector fit a tire wider than 4"?
    4" is the widest tire than can fit with the symmetrical 135mm dropouts and 73mm bottom bracket (with a Rohloff). We definitely maximized every millimeter of tire clearance with those constraints, and 4" is as wide as it goes. The bike also fits 27.5+ and 29+, so you have a ton of options depending on where you want to ride.
    Can I use a belt drive system with the Prospector?
    The Prospector has been tested for frame stiffness by Gates and is fully approved for belt use, but there is no belt splitter on the frame. There is a company called Veer Cycles that makes split belt retrofit kits, and you could put one of those systems on, but we haven’t tested the latest version of their product yet. For big expeditions, we still feel like the chain is king. You can field repair a chain, and buy one in any bike shop in the world for less than $20. The chain drive sprockets and chainrings are generally also 1/10 the price of belt components. Chain drives are also much less finicky about having exactly proper tension, while belts will skip or can come off if they aren’t set up just right. Yes, you do need to occasionally lube a chain, but that’s really not so hard!
    Can I run drop bars on the Prospector?
    Sure, just keep in mind that the reach of the bike was designed around wide flat bars, so you’re gonna need to run a really short stem to make drop bars feel comfortable on the Prospector.
    Will there ever be a Pinion version of the Prospector?
    There are no plans at this time. The Pinion gearbox requires a completely proprietary frame due to the unique gearbox mount. I feel that for touring the Rohloff offers more benefits since you are still able to swap wheels out for a derailleur drivetrain in the case of parts failure. Also, with the Pinion drivetrain you are still reliant on a freehub mechanism in the rear wheel, which is a common point of failure. All the Pinion bikes that we’ve tried have excessive slop in the pedal engagement, sometimes as much as a quarter turn of the pedals, which makes technical climbing really challenging.
    Can I run a suspension fork on the Prospector?
    Yes, go for one with 100mm-120mm of travel and around 51mm of offset.
    What’s the warranty on the Prospector?
    We compiled the relevant frame/fork specs and warranty HERE

    Rohloff

    The Prospector was designed specifically around the 14 speed Rohloff internally geared drivetrain, a fully sealed transmission with a wide 526% gear range that has been proven to be reliable in the harshest of environments, with many reaching more than 100,000 miles.

    Phil Wood

    The Prospector is built around a 73mm eccentric bottom bracket made for us by Phil Wood, to allow for easy chain tension adjustments and provide up to 1/2" of bottom bracket height adjustment to enable various wheel/tire combinations.