plus one single speed it’s all you need for 90% of the good mtbing around melb.
Yet neither BC or Spirito live in Melburn…
Thanks for all the info and offers of help guys … appreciated. I’ll peruse rotorburn and check for info.
The suggestions for a suspension fork have thrown me a little because I didn’t really want to use one. I want to keep costs down (and my head tells me a cheap suspension fork is gonna be crap), I want to use rims brakes, I’d like to keep the weight down a little bit and I like the look of a rigid fork.
I can see there’s situations where a suspension fork will be better but I’m not sure I’ll be doing much of that.
My biggest hiccup for now is that the fork I have in the shed has too short a steerer, and I guess going to an threadless steerer and using the headset as fitted makes it a little easier to track down a fork and stem to suit. I have a threaded headset as well, so going old school is OK too as I like the look of a quill type stems … even if it’s a riser. I’ve been thinking of going somewhere like Jacqui Phelan’s bike (made by Charlie Cunnungham) with flared out WTB/road drops. Kinda Mtb meets CX. Reading about her and seeing her bike has been quite an influence. Chick is fast to this day!!!
But anyway, I’m just theory and ideas right now, you cats have experience and would know what’s practical. The pics below are so you can see what I had in mind. I threaded fork and quill stem would allow me to dial and adjust the bars a lot easier. I still haven’t figured out what drops, or whether I might try something more moustache’y.
Not in a hurry … I’ll let all this ruminate till I get the right direction. And it’s not something new, I’m just trying to revisit the grassroots, earthy beginning’s of mountain bikes and broaden my bike education. A back to basics kind of thing, if you will 
jacquie phelan | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
I knew you’d like … the level of detail on this bike is just incredible !!!
I take it you are aware of this:
Jacqui Phelan - Sydney Cyclist
At the same time that was posted my mate in Perth sent me a photo of his latest build:
No, I wasn’t aware of the recent link/post but it’s cool to see more angles and info. I read about Phelan in an article in Bicycle Quarterly and her bike just screamed at me.
Your mates build is very cool. Gives me stuff to think about re: ahead stems. I think the trickiest thing will be to figure out position and reach and get that right. I’ll work from the back … wheels, saddle, cranks etc and once seated I’ll have better idea.
I’d be a pain in the ass as a bike shop customer … I know fuck all yet I have very specific ideas and complicate everything <grin>
thanks for the double heads-up
faarrkkk … there’s so many cool bikes in that thread. So many different approaches too.
Thanks for the link
MTBR is quite handy, though US based. Beat me to the monster cross thread.
I have some old school Rock Shox Judy DH’s with alloy cartridge and and Ti spring upgrades. They would neat on that frame, though sadly not for sale. You are right about old 2nd hand Sus forks, they don’t age well.
I thought straight out of kenso was kensington Melbourne not everybody can live in the best city in Australia I guess.
this thread is ruling pretty hard. there are obviously some very knowledgeable mtb heads here - is it time to revitalize the “fixed mtb” forum?
Yes please!
I take your drop bar mtb and raise it check out John Tomacs Yeti. I don’t think this is the original though looking at the sti’s on it.
forks are also pretty expensive to buy on their own, much cheaper to buy with a bike. i was considering fixing up my old giant, but in the end it was much cheaper to buy a whole bike than to buy individual components if you don’t have them lying around.
you can get cheap ordinary rigid forks pretty easily, and if you want something a bit taller then you can get a 29er fork (just need to either run discs or no front brake with a 26" wheel)
If you guys are intrested in early mtbs you have to watch the doco Kluckers and check out the english site www.retrobike.co.uk
Not quite the same though is it.
Are you building a bike for mountain biking, or just something that looks like an old school MTB? 'Cause they’re two very different things. The idea that a full-rigid SS mtb is just as good off road as a full suspension bike doesn’t really hold water. Maybe if you’re riding firetrails or ultra-smooth singletrack, but otherwise it’s worth having something with a bit of give in the front.
your digging up of french history never ceases to amaze…
triple triangles forever!
Sekt, my mtb of choice is a SS ridgid 29er. Tyres are 2.25, so there is a bit of cush. I find the lack of gears more limiting than lack of suspension. I mainly ride around Daisy Hill State Forest.
Having said all that, I do have a geared/suspended bike for places like Nerang.
Yeah but the point is you’ve got a sprung bike for the rough stuff. I just get a bit shat with this whole retrophile thing in mountain biking, when in the end it just means you can ride less trails, and what you can ride you end up riding slower.
I guess my idea of mountain biking is steep, rocky Tasmanian singletrack that is more fun the faster you go. Not much smooth, groomed stuff around here.
You make a fair point.
Some of the guys and girls I ride with, speak highly of Tassie trails.