New Build project

[Cubist]

I wanted to put a 140 Trail bike together, having decided that I would like to branch into the world of squishy bikes. My Cube Ltd, with all its great bits and upgrades is a fantastically fast bike, and if I'm on top of my game a real red route thrasher. However, a couple of excursions into rocky stuff in Scotland (Ae and Kirroughtree) showed me that I was a wee bit underbiked on an XC race bike.

Long story reasonably short I failed to raise enough to buy the Orange Five I was sort of hankering after, and after saving a bit of a bonus payment and some Christmas and Birthday money realised that if I shopped around and sourced quality used parts I may be able to get somewhere near a decent bouncer with what money I did have.

I have spent the last three months scouring the net, Ebay and the Classifieds on a couple of bike sites and have finally started the build today. I'm sitting here typing because the brakes I bought were too short and the fittings are not reuseable as I thought they were. I have ordered a set of fittings to go with the new hoses, but they won't be here before Tuesday I reckon. Oh well, I can wait that long to ride it I suppose.

I have, so far, spent just under £1100 and have built a 12kg 140 travel bike with a mix of SLX and XT drivetrain. I have had to use my old XC wheels, but they are proven to be robust. A tax rebate due this week will find me some new wheels and possibly a dropper seatpost.

I found some fantastic bargains in and amongst, best of which are a Fox Float 32 140 RL fork for £200 and an XT M785 2x10 crankset for £62. I had to buy a new BB for it as the previous idiot owner had taken it off with molegrips, and it looked just too tatty. That swung me towards a full 10 speed drivetrain, and having seen the result am glad I did.

Sad as I am I have photographed each step for posterity and will post a link to the album as soon as the photos have all uploaded. I'll add a couple of taster photos as they are available to load.


Edit: Album link.... loaded backwards for some reason
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v116/emilysdad/Canyon Bike build/

 

[Cubist]

The frame is a barely used Canyon Nerve AM with a Fox Float RP2 High Volume shock, with a tapered ACROS headset which cost me £450.

First bit on was a direct mount mech. That took some finding. They are still only available as OEM but Wheelie UK found me one. It's one of only four brand new bits on the bike. £31

New XT BB at used money, £16

 

[Cubist]

Bargain of the year, a 38/26 2x10 XT M785, £62.

Looks good on the bike

Dinky little stem from Superstar

Holds the bargain Fox 140s. £200!

 

[Cubist]

Rear Mech, again XT M780, Ebay new "other" £43

 

[Cubist]

180mm rotor, fitted never ridden, £6

New 10 spd 11-36 SLX cassette. £38

Using the old Superleggera wheels for the time being

 

[Cubist]

Easton Carbon Monkeylite,fitted, never ridden, £45

SLX Dynasys shifters, used, just about, £35

Internal cable routing

Measure twice, cut only once...

 

[Cubist]

Neat little cabling solutions

New chain, have I cut it right?????

10sp powerlink

B limit screw shenanigans

Thompson elite, used, immaculate, £35

Trusty old Knife

 

[Cubist]

Useful little freebie......

SLX M666 brakes, barely used, £90, but too short... bugger!

That's it so far, brake hoses cut to length, but need a fitting and bleed kit.

Looks like a bleedin' 'ooligan.....

 

[James D]

Looking good! I rode a Canyon AM in Tignes last summer, it was a great bike

 

[YahudaMoon]

Nice

Chimney Bank no problems on that !

 

[NormanD]

Now that does look nice and looks like fun too

 

[Crackle]

That looks good and what, £600 cheaper than equivalent new?

Have you had a 2x10 before? I'd be interested to hear what you think. I hired a Commencal with a 2x10 setup, which is the first I've ridden, so not really enough time to judge but I found the top chainring a tadge high compared to my normal middle when going downhill and with the increased spread at the back I was tempted to stay in it a bit longer on a climb, meaning a double shift when it got steeper. I need to sit down and work out the ratios, as I'm not convinced they work as well as a conventional 3x8/7 but like I say, that's on fairly limited experience so far and familiarity with the ratios may well eliminate those problems.

Issues I've read about are increased wear in a dirty environment, the Commencal was new so working well but I know my road bike takes a bit more continuous tweaking with 10 gears but of course it's using different dérailleurs but with my current 3x7, I never can't get a gear and it hardly ever needs a tweak.

 

[Crackle]

I forgot to say, it looks really good. Of course you know who'll want a trail bike next in the family.......

 

[Cubist]

That looks good and what, £600 cheaper than equivalent new?

Have you had a 2x10 before? I'd be interested to hear what you think. I hired a Commencal with a 2x10 setup, which is the first I've ridden, so not really enough time to judge but I found the top chainring a tadge high compared to my normal middle when going downhill and with the increased spread at the back I was tempted to stay in it a bit longer on a climb, meaning a double shift when it got steeper. I need to sit down and work out the ratios, as I'm not convinced they work as well as a conventional 3x8/7 but like I say, that's on fairly limited experience so far and familiarity with the ratios may well eliminate those problems.

Issues I've read about are increased wear in a dirty environment, the Commencal was new so working well but I know my road bike takes a bit more continuous tweaking with 10 gears but of course it's using different dérailleurs but with my current 3x7, I never can't get a gear and it hardly ever needs a tweak.

The nearest equivalent would be the Nerve AM 7.0 which has XT M780 3x10. It costs 1999 euros, so is a bargain in its own right, but weighs 1.5kg more than mine

By the time I've put on some bling wheels and a Reverb I'll be further up the scale. The same sort of spec from mainstream makers would be in the £2k-£3k bracket by my reckoning.
New territory for me a 2x10. I've worked out that I have the same climb the walls 26-36 as I have on the 3x9 (22-32), but lose out on top gear, 38-11 as opposed to 42-11. However, I've very very rarely been up into the big ring on the 3x9, and never on a man-made trail. I've occasionally shifted there for fire roads or road descents, but I don't think I'll miss it.

 

[Cubist]

I forgot to say, it looks really good. Of course you know who'll want a trail bike next in the family.......

He'll have to save for a frame, but the kit on his Ragley would swap over very nicely. It's only a matter of time!