Can’t find a suitable thread for this, so here goes:
Haven’t owned an actual MTB since the 90s and have been enjoying the crap out of CX since 2008. Finally making the move to build an actual MTB and racing it, and I’m facing some decisions:
–Already committed to a 29er hardtail. I’ve been enjoying my CrossCheck on the trails but ready for something a little more gnar-tastic. Really thinking of starting out with a rigid fork first since I already enjoy that, but wondering if I should get a lockout-ready shock fork in case, or just try out shocks and embrace change. Strongly held opinions expected and appreciated.
–Have been happy with linear pull brakes but ready to embrace dick brakes for the upcoming build. My tendency is to go to cable actuated stuff to begin with as those should be pretty affordable right now. Anyone wanna talk me into hydraulic on the entry level? Be aware I’m kind of fat and slow, so shaving 3 seconds off a lap is really not the point here…
By its nature entering into competition is competitive.
This is how the story plays out. The first minute is balls to the wall and you get in front of as many people as possible. Spend rest of race trying to negotiate ways to pass on singletrack using the same dickish techniques employed against you to keep from being passed. Finish and drink beer out of a cooler with the natives.
Worry about matching your tires to the conditions and having good braking. Until you are racing against cat1’s you’ll do fine as long as you don’t show up on a broken piece of shit.
[quote=b-roll]Can’t find a suitable thread for this, so here goes:
Haven’t owned an actual MTB since the 90s and have been enjoying the crap out of CX since 2008. Finally making the move to build an actual MTB and racing it, and I’m facing some decisions:
–Already committed to a 29er hardtail. I’ve been enjoying my CrossCheck on the trails but ready for something a little more gnar-tastic. Really thinking of starting out with a rigid fork first since I already enjoy that, but wondering if I should get a lockout-ready shock fork in case, or just try out shocks and embrace change. Strongly held opinions expected and appreciated.
–Have been happy with linear pull brakes but ready to embrace dick brakes for the upcoming build. My tendency is to go to cable actuated stuff to begin with as those should be pretty affordable right now. Anyone wanna talk me into hydraulic on the entry level? Be aware I’m kind of fat and slow, so shaving 3 seconds off a lap is really not the point here…
Thanks bros/sis’s[/quote]
Yes fork, reasonably nice with either lockout or some sort of “platform” damping.
Yes discs, cheap Shimano Hydros or better. People like to yell about avids, but don’t sweat it, if you’re seriously thinking that v=braks would be OK, almost any hydro will work for you. No to cable discs.
Spend on fork and brakes. Try to get QR15 frok if possible.
At this point even Deore is pretty fucking great in terms of the rest of the drivetrain, I wouldn’t sweat it.
If you’re getting a mountain bike, get a mountain bike, you want to do more than just incrementally step up from your xcheck (which is what rigid/v-brakes would be).
If you build a basic hardtail with an on-one or a surly frame or the like and a sensible build kit (Deore and SLX mix is awzm for starting, full slx if you can swing it) and sensible wheels (stand or wtb rims, slx hubs, 32h, etc) you will have a fun bike. I’m not against good cable-actuated discs like bb7’s, though Deore hydros are so good and cheap that it’s really a matter of what you’d rather maintain.
I vote suspension fork for sure. I used to think that if you don’t get a balleur suspension fork you shouldn’t bother at all, but when options like the rockshox recon and x-fusion slide are available so (relatively) cheaply, I don’t think that’s true anymore. Definitely get a thru-axle fork. If you can’t get something at that level, then yeah, go rigid for now, but plan on wanting some travel pretty soon.
Beyond that, plan on trying a bunch of stems, bars and saddles to see what suits you.
Honestly, entry-level stuff (Deore, X7) is so damn good now that you’re not gonna go too wrong.
Deore is now servo wave and ice tech, should retail around 80-90 bucks per, which isn’t much more than BB7 with decent levers. Need to buy some rotors as well though with shimano
I’m a fan of xfusion. The recon gold isn’t bad either for the price. Get 15thru axle.
Have any brands in particular you favor for hookup or other reasons?
No particular brands for forks or brakes. Spending a good bit on a nice steel frame that can go geared/SS easily, now facing up to how much the rest of the build will eventually be. I agree that I can’t escape going through a bunch of bars, stems, and maybe froks trying to find my way. I think that’s part of what has kept me on CX bikes in the dirt for so long–on drop bar bikes I know what fits and I’ve got a pretty good idea what works. The MTB world got away from me a long time ago, and it’s going to be a little pricey finding my happy place.
[quote=jimmythefly]
If you’re getting a mountain bike, get a mountain bike, you want to do more than just incrementally step up from your xcheck (which is what rigid/v-brakes would be).[/quote]
Canfield has a couple. Voodoo has the Soukri. I wouldn’t go for anything that’s just a horizontal dropout with a hanger and oval holes for the brake for adjustment. Get something with some variety of sliding dropouts. Fuck EBB’s.
Just build a geared bike and forget ss-compatibility and you’ll end up with huge selection of awzm frames that don’t have some weird heavy, creaky shit going on at the rear dropout or bb. I hate the horizontal dropouts on my chameleon and have considered (and sketched out) a bike that is fundamentally the same but steel and without horizontal dropouts.
(Then I realized I had just drawn a crappier cove handjob)
True confessions: I have broken my First Rule of bike shopping (always start with something cheap and used, figure out what really suits you, then swap things out over time).
I’ll be taking delivery of a Ritchey P-29er frame next week. For whatever reason, I have always felt a little more in control of an SS rig in the dirt. I’m sure I’ll try out gears at some point, but I don’t feel like I’ll be unhappy with just SS for a while first.
Then spending all winter piecing together a build and paying down my CC bill…
I’m looking to do more of the XC type stuff with it. I think I’ll take the above advice and just go suspension now. Thinking of something in the low travel, bump-smoothing category, not the monsterdrop, pogo stick category. Intrigued by the Recon and the X-fusion slide as suggested above.