Bike build for my wife

caputo1989 · Jun 7, 2008

Roco air,
boxxer team
sunline bars and stem
hayes strokers
thompson seat stem (post)
whatever saddle she chooses
Tires of your choice
X9 all the way around
LG1
XT cranks

DirtyMike · Jun 7, 2008

Problem Solved

http://www.transitionbikes.com/2007/Syren.cfm

BmxConvert · Jun 8, 2008

DirtyMike said:
Problem Solved

http://www.transitionbikes.com/2007/Syren.cfm

I got to check out one of those frames last weekend. They look pretty awesome.

-Kevin

Defenestrated · Jun 8, 2008

well if he already has a frame...

bikerpunk98199 · Jun 8, 2008

boxxer race
new xt brakes
x9 or new shadow xt derailer

(edit)

just saw you wanted an air fork. Mabey 36...

PatBranch · Jun 8, 2008

You could get a boxxer team and make it air like the WC.

rockwool · Jun 8, 2008

DirtMcGirk said:
I am pretty sure I am going to do the pink King hubs on 823's, but that's as far as I have gotten.

Suggestions?

823's are stupid heavy and light wheels are fundamental if you want a fun bike. I'm 70kg and I've been running 721's for years w/o problems. This year (or next at latest) I'm going to build my self a new set of DH wheels on EN521 with DT Revolution spokes and brass nipples. They're just as wide, welded, but 540gr instead of 590gr (823's are some 660gr?). :brows:

As you said that she's a XC rider she probably won't be hitting too many pedals, and therefore will be fine with XT cranks (they come in 165mm now!). I'm thinking of using them again (have Saints now).

As for a fork, dunno what A-C measurment they recomend, but maybe something like a 66 ATA or coil (personal preference)? The 55/Lyric/36 might be too small, while the Fox 40 comes in 6-8" adjustability (I belive). If you're buying a used fork, then a 06 Boxxer Ride will be fine as it's adjustable in 6-8". Totem coils should be fine, I think (I have a coil Pike which I like), but I've heard that Solo Air's are trouble.

Make the rest of the build light but with dual ply tyres.

dhkid · Jun 8, 2008

a 40 would be fine. i weigh less and am using one just fine. i am using a soft spring, its a bit too soft for me, and you can go even lighter too, there is xtra soft.

you could look into using crossmax sx wheels, those are nice!! otherwise maybe use 819 rims. 823's are kinda overkil

norbar · Jun 8, 2008

If she is light I'd rather go for her with a strong SC fork. Totem coil or 66 SL ATA.

Gustav's will be overkill. I'm very light and when switched to lighter breaks I only feel a sligthly larger arm pump but not much loss in breaking power. Would rather aim at magura luise. All my friends who race them are supper happy with them.

Switch the PG-dh casette as it is heavy for some road one(sram makes quite good road casettes).

ex823 may be nice but if she knows gow to ride light I'd try 721s.

rockwool · Jun 8, 2008

970 cassette eats freehub bodies.

WBC · Jun 8, 2008

Shimano Ultegra and DA cassettes have the nice one piece carrier that keeps the cogs from digging into aluminum driveshells (It actually is kind of a big deal, especially on King hubs). Plus, the cogs aren't that strong, especially when you consider the cassette weighs twice the DA. Strong roadies put more power through their bikes than the biggest of us do.

Gustavs are heavy and parts are hard to find and expensive. Nobody needs brakes that strong, especially not someone really light. Shimanos or Juicys would be perfect.

I am 240ish and 721s are fine for me. I can get away with even running 819s with a good wheelbuild. Cut the rims down to 721s max, maybe even 5.1s or 719/819s, and there is no reason to go 28 holes. It's not much lighter, it just ****s you on rim compatibility.

Marzocchi forks are heavy and the damping is too heavy for lighter people to get a consistent, quick and responsive feel. Even at my weight, it was difficult to get my 888 damped light enough in regards to the high speed compression and rebound to feel like a proper DH fork. A Totem, Boxxer or 40 would be lighter weight and have better damping that wouldn't kill her hands at Whistler, while probably costing less money.

I hate Kenda tires. I think they're awful, but every girl I know that is into DH riding loves the Nevegal. I think it's because they do not break loose in turns all that easy and they have good braking traction. On the plus side, they're cheap and the 2.35 comes in at a good size.

DirtyMike · Jun 9, 2008

That 9sp link works on both Sram and shimano 9sd chains. Lose teh Gustavs, get some Strokers!!! She will love them

davep · Jun 9, 2008

a lot of this really depends on how 'hard' she is going to be on stuff. My guess is with her weight she can get away with a fair bit of stuff that may seem WAY underbuilt to you...

For tubeless you have 823 or 819. 819s are an 'enduro' rim and the 823 is the heaviest rim mavic makes (certainly something she does not need).

saint/xt brakes are good and light and plenty of power. I would bet 819s and DB spokes with a DH tire run tubeless would be more than enough for a wheel set for her (2.35 F/R or 2.5/2.35). Drivetrain is a personal thing, (I like shimano cassettes better, but sram shifters/der) just get a 'better' cassette, the weight diff is large. Some 'all mt' cranks like XT or gravity light...what ever pedals she likes....

Bars and stem are a bit personal as to width/sweep/length....but again, 'AM' or 'enduro' parts will be strong enough for her and save more weight....same with seat/post.

You should be able to get under 40# without doing anything outlandish or spending lots of $$.

basikbiker · Jun 9, 2008

SRAM, Derail. best ones, shift better. get SRAM, she can get used to it i bet. i did.

TtotheJ · Jun 9, 2008

I really think a Totem Solo Air would be great for her up front. The Solo air hasn't had too much in the way of problems, its the 2-Step that has all the problems and probably why most people say bad thinks about the Totems. They did have some real issues with seals leaking, but supposedly that has been fixed so don't buy an old fork, get a new one. I personally haven't ridden a Totem but I have the Lyrik solo air and the fork has been great so far with no problems at all, set the air pressure, adjust the H/L compression and you're good to go. Just remember Rock Shox has the air spring pretty dialed compared to anybody else.

rockwool · Jun 9, 2008

DirtMcGirk said:
I hear you about Marzocchi. I have always ridden 888's for DH, but I am a tank on a mission to make dirty, dirty love with a tree or two.

I think a 40 if I can find one cheap is the ticket.

We're both HUGE fans of going tubeless. Which of the Mavic line up is the right one for that?

I like the idea of the gustavs just because that is what I run, and I have 0 complaints about them.

However, after going for some demo rides today, doing SRAM for her isn't going to work. She's so used to Shimano's action that I think it would be too hard to break her of it.

Looks like my princess is getting XTR for a der, XT for a rear shift, and a Sram chain because I love the link.

I guess we could always slap Saint stoppers on her's, I have more then enough of those on bikes...

She rode the Maxxis 2.35 Minions today, loved them. I see a 2.5 UST up front, and the High Roller 2.35 in the back.

Yep, Ultegra will be just fine. With a 12-27 cassete she will also have ample range with a 32-34ish sprocket, and thus saving weight with a smaller chainguide as well.

If you already have Saints I would use them over the Gustavs, they're strong enough and lighter.

I'm sure it will only take a few days to get used to SRAM, otherwise make sure she can thumbshift the Shimano and brake at the same time (not a nessesity but it's racy

).

If you're going UST, I'd go with the 819 rim over the 823 for her. I ridden simmilar weght 719's a lot and they took my abuse w/o problems. Only one fail (rear) and that was because of untrued spokes while wallriding. Good ****!

I've used the 2,5" DHF/2,35" HighRoller combo my self and the HR tended to slide out whe I was really pushing it in corners. Side knobs are better on the DHF but they didn't sell it in Sweden in 2,35. Maybe she won't push it that far and will be just fine with a HR?

Jim Mac · Jun 9, 2008

Maybe I'm lazy, but I tried to "standardize" parts between my wife's bikes and mine - just for the sake of not getting different bleed kits, etc. It hasn't totally worked, but I have gotten her non-road bikes to align so it makes it easier if I have to cannibalize to make one bike work! (ie, both her dh and xc run hayes, shimano, etc.)

My wife isn't much heavier than yours, and I would stay away form a rear air shock. I personally don't find them as supple on small chattery stuff. She has a small VP Free with a DHX set up with a lighter spring, and she loves how it rides (for point of reference, she mostly shale surfs at Plattekill).

Good luck!

DirtyMike · Jun 9, 2008

I have been thinking about this more and more, and I must agree with others, I think a Long travel single crown is in order for this bike, like a totem OSlo, 66SLETC. I would personally keep her on the shimano shifters, the 2:1 shift ration is easier on the thumbs, it has a lighter push than Sram does. good news is you can get the newer shimano stuff which is thumb thumb, and the position os more fine tunable to the rider!!

norbar · Jun 9, 2008

Jim Mac said:
Maybe I'm lazy, but I tried to "standardize" parts between my wife's bikes and mine - just for the sake of not getting different bleed kits, etc. It hasn't totally worked, but I have gotten her non-road bikes to align so it makes it easier if I have to cannibalize to make one bike work! (ie, both her dh and xc run hayes, shimano, etc.)

My wife isn't much heavier than yours, and I would stay away form a rear air shock. I personally don't find them as supple on small chattery stuff. She has a small VP Free with a DHX set up with a lighter spring, and she loves how it rides (for point of reference, she mostly shale surfs at Plattekill).

Good luck!

Well the VPP designs simply kill air shocks but if you mount it on a frame with better characteristics it may work nice with air. Yet I'd go evolver or AVA moded dhx air instead of rocco air. It has to many issues and all I've tried felt like crap (but it might been because of dumb owners)

m-dub · Jun 9, 2008

WBC said:
Shimano Ultegra and DA cassettes have the nice one piece carrier that keeps the cogs from digging into aluminum driveshells (It actually is kind of a big deal, especially on King hubs). Plus, the cogs aren't that strong, especially when you consider the cassette weighs twice the DA. Strong roadies put more power through their bikes than the biggest of us do.

Gustavs are heavy and parts are hard to find and expensive. Nobody needs brakes that strong, especially not someone really light. Shimanos or Juicys would be perfect.

I am 240ish and 721s are fine for me. I can get away with even running 819s with a good wheelbuild. Cut the rims down to 721s max, maybe even 5.1s or 719/819s, and there is no reason to go 28 holes. It's not much lighter, it just ****s you on rim compatibility.

Marzocchi forks are heavy and the damping is too heavy for lighter people to get a consistent, quick and responsive feel. Even at my weight, it was difficult to get my 888 damped light enough in regards to the high speed compression and rebound to feel like a proper DH fork. A Totem, Boxxer or 40 would be lighter weight and have better damping that wouldn't kill her hands at Whistler, while probably costing less money.

I hate Kenda tires. I think they're awful, but every girl I know that is into DH riding loves the Nevegal. I think it's because they do not break loose in turns all that easy and they have good braking traction. On the plus side, they're cheap and the 2.35 comes in at a good size.

WBC nailed it every sense. If you want tubeless 819. Im 190 and have beatin a set of 719 on my trailbike (same as 819 but with tubes) and no issues. Funny about Kendas, My wife loves them for just the reasons stated.
Go XC bars, I have seen 240lbs guys ride hard XC on carbon and hold up. Her 140lb frame will be fine. It just depends how much $ you want to throw at it. I went cheap until I knew she dug it and now its going to cost me

Secret Squirrel · Jun 9, 2008

I'm 6'7" and 275...and my front Gustav is almost too powerful for me...Go with the Louise FR's (Or maybe just the Louise). I've set my FR/XC bike up with the Louise FR's (F-8" R-7") and have the 8" version on the rear of my DH bike. It's all the brake she'll need. Pad life is pretty good even for a dragger like me...

rockwool · Jun 9, 2008

Secret Squirrel said:
I'm 6'7" and 275

OMG, mr Squirrel you're a bigfoot! :shocked:

If you get an amunition belt hanging from one of your shoulders I bet you'd look like Chewbaka.

Secret Squirrel · Jun 9, 2008

rockwool said:
OMG, mr Squirrel you're a bigfoot!

If you get an amunition belt hanging from one of your shoulders I bet you'd look like Chewbaka.

I was up to just under 300...but it finally got light out at 6:30am so I can commute both ways now...I'm down 25 over 2 months...hopefully it'll keep dropping...

Oddly enough, I was just thinking about grabbing a bandolier from a surplus store and modding it to hold 22's of all the different microbrews I can find around here...that would be killer on a hot summer day...except I'd need to drink them all before they got warm...that could spell the death of teh squirrel...

DirtyMike · Jun 9, 2008

I am still voting for Strokers for the brakes, kightweight, decent price, Great Modulation. Lots of power, but lots of control over that power. Not to mention the pretty white color!!!

Pebble · Jun 10, 2008

I would vote for the Saints. I am female I'm only just starting to have a go at DH, and well my '07 XT brakes handled it fine with 6" rotors, and being my first time they were 'on' most of the way down!

Obviously the biggest priority apart from brakes is a fork that will suit her weight, Boxxer is supposed to be the best DH fork, but I would consider single crown offerings for sure.

As for the rest, it's really down to personal preference and a balance of budget / weight / durability.

Bike build for my wife

<b>WAY</b> Dumber than N8 (to the power of ten alm

Turbo Monkey

Turbo Fluffer

Monkey

Turbo Monkey

<b>WAY</b> Dumber than N8 (to the power of ten alm

Turbo Monkey

Turbo Monkey

Turbo Monkey

<b>WAY</b> Dumber than N8 (to the power of ten alm

Turbo Monkey

<b>WAY</b> Dumber than N8 (to the power of ten alm

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause

Turbo Monkey

<b>WAY</b> Dumber than N8 (to the power of ten alm

Monkey

<b>WAY</b> Dumber than N8 (to the power of ten alm

Turbo Fluffer

Turbo Monkey

Monkey

Monkey

Turbo Monkey

MAKE ENDURO GREAT AGAIN

Turbo Fluffer

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause

Chimp

There is no Justice!

Turbo Monkey

There is no Justice!

Turbo Fluffer

<b>WAY</b> Dumber than N8 (to the power of ten alm

Monkey