Brother Cycles Pinecone Frameset - Electric Blue

The Brother Cycles Pinecone is a steel frameset for those who like the feel and simplicity of a good mountain bike from the 80s and 90s, but want to avoid the limitations that come with a thirty-year-old frame. Brother has taken the classic idea - slim steel tubes, a relatively straight top tube, quick release, and uncomplicated standards - and built a modern all-terrain bike that can become anything from a forest bike and single speed to a touring bike or a truly personal everyday build.

It’s also a frame that encourages you to use parts you already have. At the rear, horizontal dropouts with 135 mm hub spacing mean the Pinecone can be built as a single speed without a chain tensioner. If you want gears, a separate derailleur hanger is included. You can also choose between cantilever/V-brakes and disc brakes. With rim brakes, you’ll build it around 27.5"/650B wheels, while disc brakes open up more wheel sizes. That’s exactly the kind of flexibility we like about the Pinecone - an old XT groupset, a pair of nice V-brakes, or modern disc brakes can all be the start of a great build.

The frame is made from heat-treated 4130 chromoly, with double-butted tubes in the main triangle. Brother has deliberately kept the tubes relatively slim to make for a more compliant ride on rougher terrain, rather than the very stiff feel of many modern MTB frames. The geometry follows the same idea. 440 mm chainstays and a 70-degree head angle make for a bike that feels stable on longer rides but is still fun on gravel roads, forest trails, and easier trails.

Pinecone is also designed to let you carry gear on the bike. The segmented steel fork has three mounting points on each fork leg, the frame has three bottle cage mounts in all sizes, and there are mounts for both racks and fenders. Tire clearance is up to 27.5 × 2.6", or up to 29 × 2.2" when using disc brakes. This offers plenty of options for building anything from a fast, simple all-terrain bike to a fully equipped bike for longer rides.

We built the Pinecone ourselves with a mix of old and new components - including 27.5 × 2.35" tires, Avid BB7 disc brakes, a Sugino crankset, a Nitto stem and Crust handlebars. That says quite a lot about what this frame is all about. The Pinecone isn't a modern mountain bike in the traditional sense, nor is it a pure gravel frame. It's a frame for those who want to build a bike their own way, use quality components regardless of age, and get a bike that works on far more roads than it first appears to.

Quick Specs

• Model: Brother Cycles Pinecone
• Type: Steel frameset / all-terrain
• Frame: Heat-treated 4130 chromoly, double-butted main triangle, ED-treated
• Fork: Segmented steel fork with mounts for fenders, luggage racks and three mounting points on each fork leg
• Sizes: Small, Medium, Large and X-Large
• Wheels: 27.5"/650B, also 29"/700C with disc brakes
• Max tire width: Up to 27.5 × 2.6" or 29 × 2.2", depending on the brake and actual tire width
• Rim brake: Cantilever or V-brake, 27.5"/650B
• Disc brake: 51 mm IS mount
• Rear hub: 135 mm quick release
• Rear dropouts: Horizontal
• Derailleur hanger: Separate derailleur hanger included
• Single speed: Yes
• Headsets: 1 1/8" threadless, EC34/28.6 upper / EC34/30 lower
• Seatpost: 27.2 mm
• Seatpost clamp: 30 mm, included
• Bottom bracket shell: 73 mm, ISO threaded
• Front derailleur clamp: 28.6 mm
• Max chainring: 36T single, 38/28T double or 44/32/22T triple
• Bottle cage mounts: 3 sets on all sizes
• Mounts: Luggage racks and rear fenders
• Frame weight: Approximately 2.4 kg in size Medium
• Fork weight: Approximately 1.3 kg with uncut steerer tube