Type of parts for building all mountain FS trail bike

[fchan]

Hello, I'm going through the learning process of building a bike from scratch. Can anyone provide some info using which type of parts to build a good FS all mountain trail bike? Parts (used) such as:

Fork:
Shock:
Cranksets:
Wheelsets:
Derailleurs:
Brakes:
Stem:

Thanks in advance.

[thepotatokid]

Hey mate,

Here's some suggestions for your spec list

Fork: Fox Float, Rockshox Revelation (this'll depend on how much suspension your frame has?)
Shock: Fox RP3, Manitou Swinger
Cranksets: Shimano XT
Wheelsets: Mavic 819 rims, XT hubs
Derailleurs: Shimano XT or SRAM X9
Brakes: Avid Juicy Fives

[shiznik]

how much you are willing to spend?

[fchan]

how much you are willing to spend?

Don't really want to spend too much for learning how to build a all mountain trail bike. But I've actually got some old bits and pieces such as:

XT derailleur/shifter 8speed
Tektro mech disc brakes
WTB wheelsets with Kenda
Marzoochi dirt jam pro 120mm

Just wondering if these parts is good enough?

[NS_Suburban]

Well, that kinda depends on your riding style and your definition of all mountain. The Dirt jams would be ok depending on what rear travel you had and for the type of bike you want you'll never break them, but one day you may want something a little lighter. The mechanical discs would be reliable enough but be careful of extra cable hanging out the back of the caliper after you've tightened it a few times.... these things like to scratch and snag on all sorts of things when you crash, not to mention the wires can end up rubbing on the rotors. XT gear is right on the money, I don't really see the point of XTR or similar on an All Mountain bike.

From here on in it depends on your frame choice really, as its the weight and geometry of the frame that's going to need the most thought. Unfortunately, frames have a nasty habit of being expensive...

[fchan]

Well, that kinda depends on your riding style and your definition of all mountain. The Dirt jams would be ok depending on what rear travel you had and for the type of bike you want you'll never break them, but one day you may want something a little lighter. The mechanical discs would be reliable enough but be careful of extra cable hanging out the back of the caliper after you've tightened it a few times.... these things like to scratch and snag on all sorts of things when you crash, not to mention the wires can end up rubbing on the rotors. XT gear is right on the money, I don't really see the point of XTR or similar on an All Mountain bike.

From here on in it depends on your frame choice really, as its the weight and geometry of the frame that's going to need the most thought. Unfortunately, frames have a nasty habit of being expensive...

My riding style is probably more towards XC/trail with minimum jump. As for the frame i suppose i'll use the 4-Bar Link Aluminum/Cromo Suspension Frame with only 3.5 inch rear travel which I have it right now. Was actually thinking of getting a 2nd hand frame with more travel but budget stop me.

[NS_Suburban]

In that case just about any stem advertised as light would do (apparently easton is best, race face is worst but I would'nt know, haven't used either of them) The only places I can see any remote need for an upgrade on what you've got is brakes and maybe the wheels but it comes down to want and need. Apart from that, shop smart and you'll have a killer bike

[v1llage1d1ot]

Ideally I'd say,

Fork: Fox 36 TALAS
Shock: DHX 5.0
Cranksets: XT
Wheelsets: Crossmax
Derailleurs:XT
Brakes:XT
Stem:Thompson

but you said you were on a budget, so maybe not.

It sounds like the parts you have will do the trick, but as others have said, there will probably come a time when you want to reduce a bit of weight. Mechanical Discs will work alright, but hydros are getting pretty cheap nowadays, especially 2nd hand. If you've got the money you'd probably want to upgrade your wheelset then your forks then your brakes.

A lighter wheelset will certainly help up the hills, and light set of forks will make a world of difference.

[Oddjob]

The stuf that you've already got will probably do the job for the moment so the sensible course of action is to ride it till you break.

Once you do start breaking stuff then you have a couple of options.

Fork:

Mazocchi All Mountain: very plush and strong fork with good bottom out resistance technology, although dampening is not as sophisticated as some of the others.
Fox 32 or 36: very good forks that are arguably the benchmarks, 32 is probably a bit flimsy compared to others and Talas system is known to cause problems.
Rock Shox Pike: a bit of a favourite of the street and 4X set, not as light as Fox, Motion Control dampening and U turn travel system are excellent.
Manitou Nixon and Minute: excellent dampening technology and very good support in Australia.
Shock: In terms of rear shocks Fox and Manitou are the only way to go in my opinion. Both manufacturers have a range of shocks for all mountain applications with the Manitou Evolver ISX-4 and the Fox DHX 5 air coming at the top of the pile. I run a Manitou Swinger 3 way and that has proven more than adequate, which is surprising given my weight and riding style.

Cranksets: Really hard to go past Shimano XT on this one considering you can get a set for $200 from www.Chainreactioncycles.com (http://www.Chainreactioncycles.com). To get anything significantly lighter or better you are up for at least twice the price.

Wheelsets: There are a couple of good options out there but your best bet is to stick to Mavic rims and reputable hubs. A ridiculously good value option is to get Mavic ex719 Discs laced to Hope Pro 2s at www.Chainreactioncycles.com (http://www.Chainreactioncycles.com). But given that they always seem to be sold ou of Hope Pro 2s DT Swiss 340s would be a great alternative.

Derailleurs: I'm a Shimano man myself and XT is perefct for all mountain. If Sram is more your thing go for X9. The XTR and X0 groupsets are a waste of money for All mountain unless you planning to ride competitively during enduros with your bike.

Brakes: Again I'm a fan of Shimano brakes especially the old XT 4 pots. I'm not a big fan of Juicies simply because they seem to be a lot of trouble in terms of bleeding, crap pads etc. Hayes Mags are great but stay away from the HFX 9s and the El Caminos. Maguras, Formulas and Gatorbrakes are interesting options.

Stem: A heap to choose from but Thomson and Easton are arguably the best. Length and angle depend on your prefernce but most people go with something ranging from 50mm to 110mm and 0-15 degrees. I run a 50mm Thomson with zero degrees and handlebars with 2 inch rise because I like to have my cockpit high and back.

[fchan]

The stuf that you've already got will probably do the job for the moment so the sensible course of action is to ride it till you break.

Once you do start breaking stuff then you have a couple of options.

Fork:

Mazocchi All Mountain: very plush and strong fork with good bottom out resistance technology, although dampening is not as sophisticated as some of the others.
Fox 32 or 36: very good forks that are arguably the benchmarks, 32 is probably a bit flimsy compared to others and Talas system is known to cause problems.
Rock Shox Pike: a bit of a favourite of the street and 4X set, not as light as Fox, Motion Control dampening and U turn travel system are excellent.
Manitou Nixon and Minute: excellent dampening technology and very good support in Australia.
Shock: In terms of rear shocks Fox and Manitou are the only way to go in my opinion. Both manufacturers have a range of shocks for all mountain applications with the Manitou Evolver ISX-4 and the Fox DHX 5 air coming at the top of the pile. I run a Manitou Swinger 3 way and that has proven more than adequate, which is surprising given my weight and riding style.

Cranksets: Really hard to go past Shimano XT on this one considering you can get a set for $200 from www.Chainreactioncycles.com (http://www.Chainreactioncycles.com). To get anything significantly lighter or better you are up for at least twice the price.

Wheelsets: There are a couple of good options out there but your best bet is to stick to Mavic rims and reputable hubs. A ridiculously good value option is to get Mavic ex719 Discs laced to Hope Pro 2s at www.Chainreactioncycles.com (http://www.Chainreactioncycles.com). But given that they always seem to be sold ou of Hope Pro 2s DT Swiss 340s would be a great alternative.

Derailleurs: I'm a Shimano man myself and XT is perefct for all mountain. If Sram is more your thing go for X9. The XTR and X0 groupsets are a waste of money for All mountain unless you planning to ride competitively during enduros with your bike.

Brakes: Again I'm a fan of Shimano brakes especially the old XT 4 pots. I'm not a big fan of Juicies simply because they seem to be a lot of trouble in terms of bleeding, crap pads etc. Hayes Mags are great but stay away from the HFX 9s and the El Caminos. Maguras, Formulas and Gatorbrakes are interesting options.

Stem: A heap to choose from but Thomson and Easton are arguably the best. Length and angle depend on your prefernce but most people go with something ranging from 50mm to 110mm and 0-15 degrees. I run a 50mm Thomson with zero degrees and handlebars with 2 inch rise because I like to have my cockpit high and back.

Thanks for the advice. I loved to get my hands on a Mazocchi All Mountain fork and the Fox 32 but probably not at this stage until I decided to get a new bike. I'll be installing the manitou swinger 3 way air for the moment and just stick to the fork, wheelsets and the brakes I have now.

What types of frame is actually best for trail? Oh also thanks to everyone who has provided value informations.

[fchan]

Is it cheaper to get parts from www.Chainreactioncycles.com ? They're UK seller.

[Bowlo]

Yep, Chain Reaction Cycles is a very cheap but also good quality online bike store in the UK. I would highly recommend them for all your bicycle needs!
(sounds like a sales pitch ;)). There is also www.torpedo7.com. They have some cheap stuff for sale.
Hope that helps
Bowlo

[fchan]

Yep, Chain Reaction Cycles is a very cheap but also good quality online bike store in the UK. I would highly recommend them for all your bicycle needs!
(sounds like a sales pitch ;)). There is also www.torpedo7.com. They have some cheap stuff for sale.
Hope that helps
Bowlo

Have check them out....REALLY CHEAP ;)

[fchan]

Final after months....the parts I've bought

Fork: RS Lyrik U-Turn
Shock: Swinger 3 way
Cranksets: Truvativ Holzfeller 22t. 32t & bash guard
BB: Truvativ Howitzer
Wheelsets: WTB Dual Duty FR
Cassette: SRAM P960
F Derailleurs:Shinmano XT
R Derailleurs:SRAM 9
Brakes:Avid juicy 5
Stem:Easton EA70 100
Handlebar: Easton monkeybar
Seatpost: Easton EC70
Tyres: Maxxi Highroller 2.35 F & R
Headset: ????

I'm broke :p

[v1llage1d1ot]

Sounds like you've got yourself a great set of parts there. Have you chosen a frame for it all to go on?


As for headsets, you can't go past this (http://www.phantomcycles.com.au/product.php?productid=431&cat=41&page=1), It's a steal at $29.95

[fchan]

Sounds like you've got yourself a great set of parts there. Have you chosen a frame for it all to go on?


As for headsets, you can't go past this (http://www.phantomcycles.com.au/product.php?productid=431&cat=41&page=1), It's a steal at $29.95

Yes I've mange to get myself a used 06 reign frame.

Wow that headset is really a steal :eek:

[Oddjob]

Sounds like you've got yourself a great set of parts there. Have you chosen a frame for it all to go on?


As for headsets, you can't go past this (http://www.phantomcycles.com.au/product.php?productid=431&cat=41&page=1), It's a steal at $29.95

Just make sure its the model with the sealed bearings. There's a model with loose bearings as well.

[fchan]

Just make sure its the model with the sealed bearings. There's a model with loose bearings as well.

thanks for your advice, cheers Oddjob.

[avablast]

After building a bike from scratch. Than comparing it to what the market offers in full bikes. You realize what a waist of time and money the endevour was. Is all i have to offer.

[fchan]

After building a bike from scratch. Than comparing it to what the market offers in full bikes. You realize what a waist of time and money the endevour was. Is all i have to offer.

I got 1/3 of the parts from the bike I sold and bought better parts one at the time. To you it might be a waste of time but to me it is a hobby. It is worth building and I just love to build bikes :D

[v1llage1d1ot]

After building a bike from scratch. Than comparing it to what the market offers in full bikes. You realize what a waist of time and money the endevour was. Is all i have to offer.

I know that no matter what bike I bought standard there would be parts that I didn't like, and would eventually end up upgrading. If you build it from scratch, yeah it might cost you more, but...

a) you'll have better bits,
b) it'll be unique, and won't be the same as every other one
c) when it comes to the good shit like frames, forks and wheelsets, manufacturers rarely include them, as they skimp and include lower grade bits to make the bike for a certain price point.

Also, you won't feel the same amount of satisfaction that you do once you bike is built to YOUR specs. I'd much rather pay more and get more, than pay less and get some common whore of a bike with second rate parts...

but then again.. thats just me.

[fchan]

I know that no matter what bike I bought standard there would be parts that I didn't like, and would eventually end up upgrading. If you build it from scratch, yeah it might cost you more, but...

a) you'll have better bits,
b) it'll be unique, and won't be the same as every other one
c) when it comes to the good shit like frames, forks and wheelsets, manufacturers rarely include them, as they skimp and include lower grade bits to make the bike for a certain price point.

Also, you won't feel the same amount of satisfaction that you do once you bike is built to YOUR specs. I'd much rather pay more and get more, than pay less and get some common whore of a bike with second rate parts...

but then again.. thats just me.

I totally agree with you :) I'm not an expert in building or repairing but I'm keen to learn and I am enjoying it. There's also fun in building, repairing, upgrading as you'll get the satisfaction feeling at the end of the day when you ride your own build rig not to mention you repair it yourself and save heaps in the long run.

[flying high dh killer]

Show us some piccies!!

[fchan]

Show us some piccies!!

As soon as I get it back from my LBS (I don't have the tools to replace the headset) and have most of the parts install by next week and I will have the photos up :p

[ajay]

I know that no matter what bike I bought standard there would be parts that I didn't like, and would eventually end up upgrading. If you build it from scratch, yeah it might cost you more, but...

a) you'll have better bits,
b) it'll be unique, and won't be the same as every other one
c) when it comes to the good shit like frames, forks and wheelsets, manufacturers rarely include them, as they skimp and include lower grade bits to make the bike for a certain price point.

Also, you won't feel the same amount of satisfaction that you do once you bike is built to YOUR specs. I'd much rather pay more and get more, than pay less and get some common whore of a bike with second rate parts...

but then again.. thats just me.

Yeah right...

If you spend a little, you get a little, but if you spend a little more, you can get a lot more!

For example: Look at the Giant Glory - 5.5k for a brand new bike dripping with awesome parts. Try building a new bike with a spec that good for that price, cant be done (unless you know some people). Also, what would really want to change? and why?

Dont try to argue that stock bikes come with inferior parts. It simply isnt true.

The truth is, there is a little gear whore in all of us, building a bike with a custom spec is just an outlet for that. And dont get me wrong, I love building my own bikes for that very reason, I like to see an idea come into fruitation but when you look at it sensibly, a new complete purchase is a far more effective way to get on an awesome bike.

Either way, Fchan, I hope you enjoy you new steed!

[v1llage1d1ot]

Yeah right...

If you spend a little, you get a little, but if you spend a little more, you can get a lot more!

For example: Look at the Giant Glory - 5.5k for a brand new bike dripping with awesome parts. Try building a new bike with a spec that good for that price, cant be done (unless you know some people). Also, what would really want to change? and why?

Dont try to argue that stock bikes come with inferior parts. It simply isnt true.

The truth is, there is a little gear whore in all of us, building a bike with a custom spec is just an outlet for that. And dont get me wrong, I love building my own bikes for that very reason, I like to see an idea come into fruitation but when you look at it sensibly, a new complete purchase is a far more effective way to get on an awesome bike.

Either way, Fchan, I hope you enjoy you new steed!


... But its a giant, therein lies your problem. Common as arseholes. Also I wouldn't call Raceface Evolve top of the line gear, and the bike you mentioned is pretty much covered in the shit. So based on my previous comment, you'd be changing the cranks, bars, stem, seatpost and probably the tyres, seat and maybe even hubs if you were fussy.

[fchan]

Yeah right...

If you spend a little, you get a little, but if you spend a little more, you can get a lot more!

For example: Look at the Giant Glory - 5.5k for a brand new bike dripping with awesome parts. Try building a new bike with a spec that good for that price, cant be done (unless you know some people). Also, what would really want to change? and why?

Dont try to argue that stock bikes come with inferior parts. It simply isnt true.

The truth is, there is a little gear whore in all of us, building a bike with a custom spec is just an outlet for that. And dont get me wrong, I love building my own bikes for that very reason, I like to see an idea come into fruitation but when you look at it sensibly, a new complete purchase is a far more effective way to get on an awesome bike.

Either way, Fchan, I hope you enjoy you new steed!

Thanks ajay.
As a matter of fact you can get parts really cheap if you shop around the internet (learned it from farkin members). The parts I bought its actually cheaper and I actually did well then buying a new bike and with better parts.

[ajay]

... But its a giant, therein lies your problem. Common as arseholes. Also I wouldn't call Raceface Evolve top of the line gear, and the bike you mentioned is pretty much covered in the shit. So based on my previous comment, you'd be changing the cranks, bars, stem, seatpost and probably the tyres, seat and maybe even hubs if you were fussy.

So buy a common as assholes intense for 5k more.... or a common as assholes 224 for 5k more...

If you want unique, you pay for it.

Anyway, lets not start a firey debate.

[fchan]

Show us some piccies!!

Here's my custom build Reign :D
http://img297.imageshack.us/img297/9228/customreignfuq3.jpg