Chronicles of a MTB noob

General CX/MTB
1

Okay, thought id keep all my crap in the one thread. This will be a a bit of journal to keep details on the bike build, gear, rides etc. Hope to hear both awesome advice, feedback and of course the ribbing and bagging that i expect of FOA =D

So why mtb, and why now?

Dont know really, just wanted something different from both a fitness/training and a tinkering stand point. Having joined FOA and really get into riding via mucking around with retro roadies, i thought id do the same here. Only this time around i have a better idea of what i want and what ill actually ride (i think).

Im gonna be honest and lay it out that its more the bike itself that is the hook for this more than anything else, hence the search for something a little different to your off the shelf buy.

Budget is obviously a key factor as im not sure how deep im gonna go, so as much as id love a steel ritchey or something like dubs serrota it aint gonna happen (yet). Im a massive cannondale fan so i figured ill stick to this route as the main bike id like to end up building.

Have had a few offers, and have spotted a few things, nothing committed to yet, i reckon overall budget id like to keep under $500, and my recent gumtree wins have helped me a long way

So, what my current $120 of $500 has got me so far

$20 - mid/late 90s KHS Alite 500, 7005 alu frame. Came with 7spd acera RD/FD, Truvativ X-Forge cranks, Manitou Six forks, everything else pretty generic. Pretty happy with this buy

$100 - bunch of bits that i was stoked to have found
Bell Super lid in my size and as new
pair of stans ZTR crests rims that have been drilled so only to be used with tubes
pair of michelin xcr tyres
pair of bontrager x3r/x4r team
thomson post - 30.9
thomson stem - +10 110mm
some xt chainrings - 42/34/24 i think?
xt cassette (new) -
xt deore triggers - new 9spd
xtr rd M960 and fd M960 - used but look in good nick
xtr disc brake set and tektro discs - used but look in good nick

That find has sort of given me incentive to do a little more than just fix up the KHS

Essentially, my plan is now to convert KHS to SS with a rigid fork, using all stock parts that the $20 got me

Then use that manitou fork (which i know isnt the greatest) to pair with an older cannondale hard tail ive got my eye on

Cannondale Option 1 - $550 asking price 1999 F2000. i like this, but paint is starting to bubble, and a bit over budget. Positives are frame is disc tabbed, its a dale, like the colour, and the wheels look decent? Ive offered him $300 for what you see in the pics less gears/discs/post/bar/stem. Hes having a think.

Cannondale Option 2- $500 asking price 2002 F900, xt build and crossmax SL. No pics yet, i think its similar to that volvo replica scheme. BNA member, good bloke, know his shit, i havnt made an offer yet cos he hasnt sent me apic

2

Fun peregrinations to follow here - subscribed

3

I am still getting over that $100 haul.

4

Me too. Very jealous

5

Any bets on how many 90s caad mtbs pass through your hands before the threads done

6

Might be the just one, old mate has accepted my $300 offer for the f2000 frame/fork/CODA crank/disc wheelset.

edit just noticed rear wheel dosnt seem to be same as front, will have to make sure its the same if im paying 300 beans

7

ok so wheelset is mismatched dt swiss xcr 1.7 and front is shimano xt centre lock, ive reneged and offered $200 for frame/fork/cranks/bar/post

what do you guys think about this wheelset? keeping in mind my budget.

or should i bite the bullet and build the stans to hope pros or something?? (although this will certainly push my budget)

8

If you were going to ride it - I would definitely put some extra cash aside for a nice wheelset. But because it’s your first MTB, I would just use what you’ve got for now. But with your bargain sniffing powers - I would suspect you could fin something quite nice for not much.

9

yep, pretty much agree re building wheels, ill start putting cash away. In the mean time, i spotted these.

Giant anthem take offs, i reckon $100 would be ok for em eh?

or should i go the mavic crossrides for an extra $60 ?

Oh and old mate has agree on the $200 for the dale, yay!

10

You could check Pushys, they have just started their clearance sale today.

11

$200 to add into the $500 budget, so after $320 i also have this

paint is a little crappier than i wouldve liked, but i guess i shouldnt worry too much as im not intending it to be a wall hanger. $200 for everything in the pics, not a total bargain, but im happy as its disc capable.

one issue ive over looked is the headtube, the whole 1 1/2" and 1 1/8" conversion if i want to switch out forks. grrr

dale might be on the back burner for a while





12

You won’t go too fast with that chainring :wink:

Why would you want to switch out those forks? So long as the headshok works, stick with them. And if they don’t service them so they do.

13

Nice. Super jealous of the stuff you can pick up in perth at such low prices…

14

Hope do mix and match headsets
Reducers are not hard to find if you want a standard fork.

15

just run that fork…for sure.!

16

Well work out if it works first…

17

I’ll be honest, it would be for aesthetics alone. Hate unicrown look forks

Pure luck mate!

Yeah, still annoying, gah.

Might refocus attention back to khs while I save for wheels.

In the mean time, got a brake adapter question for you kind people

18

Sweet thread, sweet bike(s).

19

I kinda think that the point of that 'dale is the headshock. I reckon it’d be a shame to swap it out eh.

20

Yeah, you need to keep the head shock on that dale. It’s so sick. I would ride the shit out of it 11/10 times. Especially if the suspension seat post works. Total dream boat.

Am actually looking forward to this!