Well, I had a few new parts sitting around, so I decided to build a new bike. Probably not the best reason, but I had fun and everything went together very nicely. The concept was to build a very good XC bike that I would enjoy riding, but not an ultimate bike. So I made some cost/benefit compromises where I felt they would make little difference in the bike's performance or reliability. Everything on the bike is brand new, though.
I bought the 7005 aluminum frame from Nashbar for about $120. I think it may be made by KHS, it uses a KHS dropout.
I had a set of these cool carbon fiber/aluminum Tamer hubs. They are no longer available, Tamer is making billet MX parts now. I got the Tamer principle on his cell phone and he gave me recommendations on the spokes and lacing. I am a Mavic fan and a UST fan, so I picked up a pair of Mavic XM819 rims from Nashbar for $150 and laced them with 2.0mm DT Champions. Michelin UST tires. The wheels weigh exactly the same as pre-SL Mavic CrossMaxes.
I have just used 80mm forks in the past, and never felt the need for more travel until I raced the NORBA National Marathon in Phoenix this spring. With excellent traction and a lot of short fast single track descents and drainage ditches, I was pushing the limits of 80mm. So I decided to go for a 100mm Reba Team.
Carbon fiber Answer handlebars, Answer 120mm stem, Raceface headset, Tamer carbon fiber straight seatpost, SDG Titanium Bel Air saddle (my favorite), Shimano SPD pedals. Pase MTB composite waterbottle cages that are light and cheap. They hold the bottle tight but they may be hard to slide the bottle out of while riding, I will have to practice to find out if there is a trick like pulling the bottle forward first.
Drivetrain is XT shifters/brake levers, XT chain and rear derailleur, LX cranks and front derailleur. SRAM 12/26 9 speed cluster. Deore V-brakes, I am one of those weirdos who prefers V-brakes to discs on a XC bike.
The bike weighs a bit more than I would have thought, 25 lbs 11 oz. My steel Rocky Mt Hammer weighs 3 oz less. I have just ridden it a couple of miles so far, everything works perfect. But I am a bit far back on the bike in terms of my knee/pedal relationship. This is a problem I have with every bike. I am going to install a 130mm stem to move me forward a bit.
In a few weeks I am going to bring it down to my cabin in Honduras, where it can meet my other two black hardtails, the Rocky Mt and my Kelly Ro Sham Bo 29er.
I bought the 7005 aluminum frame from Nashbar for about $120. I think it may be made by KHS, it uses a KHS dropout.
I had a set of these cool carbon fiber/aluminum Tamer hubs. They are no longer available, Tamer is making billet MX parts now. I got the Tamer principle on his cell phone and he gave me recommendations on the spokes and lacing. I am a Mavic fan and a UST fan, so I picked up a pair of Mavic XM819 rims from Nashbar for $150 and laced them with 2.0mm DT Champions. Michelin UST tires. The wheels weigh exactly the same as pre-SL Mavic CrossMaxes.
I have just used 80mm forks in the past, and never felt the need for more travel until I raced the NORBA National Marathon in Phoenix this spring. With excellent traction and a lot of short fast single track descents and drainage ditches, I was pushing the limits of 80mm. So I decided to go for a 100mm Reba Team.
Carbon fiber Answer handlebars, Answer 120mm stem, Raceface headset, Tamer carbon fiber straight seatpost, SDG Titanium Bel Air saddle (my favorite), Shimano SPD pedals. Pase MTB composite waterbottle cages that are light and cheap. They hold the bottle tight but they may be hard to slide the bottle out of while riding, I will have to practice to find out if there is a trick like pulling the bottle forward first.
Drivetrain is XT shifters/brake levers, XT chain and rear derailleur, LX cranks and front derailleur. SRAM 12/26 9 speed cluster. Deore V-brakes, I am one of those weirdos who prefers V-brakes to discs on a XC bike.
The bike weighs a bit more than I would have thought, 25 lbs 11 oz. My steel Rocky Mt Hammer weighs 3 oz less. I have just ridden it a couple of miles so far, everything works perfect. But I am a bit far back on the bike in terms of my knee/pedal relationship. This is a problem I have with every bike. I am going to install a 130mm stem to move me forward a bit.
In a few weeks I am going to bring it down to my cabin in Honduras, where it can meet my other two black hardtails, the Rocky Mt and my Kelly Ro Sham Bo 29er.
