following on from my '93 shimano-free clockwork build, I want to start plotting the rebuild of my gringo for next year.
it is currently sitting as a bare-ass frame (plus seatpost) and i have a couple of ideas for it. I want something very clean, minimalist but cool looking - something for short sharp jaunts through the woods rather than long drawn out treks.
problem 1 - forks.
do I keep hold of the (slightly too long) 100mm travel bombers i already have or, do i look for a straight bladed rigid fork?
problem 2 - 1x9 or SS
for the extra weight of a rear mech & cassette, i'd prefer to go down the 1x9 route for the simple reason of me having knackered knees but there is something clinical about a SS build that i really like. this is probably worth solving before i decide on a solution to #1!
problem 3 - would i suffer without a front brake?
with trying to keep things smooth, i could run a V on the back (i've got an avid sd 5 sat here already) and assuming i go for the bomber i already have, there aren't any V bosses on there and the front would look nice and tidy. not running a disc also gives me a lot of options on wheel choice especially as i'll be buying secondhand. the big question though, would i suffer without a front brake?
problem 4 - shimano / sram?
i like my shamano-free clockwork build a lot. do i build this in a similar vein to avoid the 'normal' done thing and to have a semi-matching stablemate or do i go the other way and stick on some nice, slightly older XT or XTR bits on it (depending on available budget)?
problem 5 - scrap the lot and sell-up?
if i were to sell the frame & forks i could afford a better set of wheels for my clockwork, stick a better crank on it (to match the shiny syncros bits) & have a very, very nice build that would work just fine on the short trips the gringo would be used for with potentially enough cheddar left for a fresh layer of powdercoat if i drop lucky in the sales section.
i have no idea if funds are going to be tighter than a ducks backside for this build early next year and if i should cut my losses and get the clockwork perfect first.
aaaaarggh!
it is currently sitting as a bare-ass frame (plus seatpost) and i have a couple of ideas for it. I want something very clean, minimalist but cool looking - something for short sharp jaunts through the woods rather than long drawn out treks.
problem 1 - forks.
do I keep hold of the (slightly too long) 100mm travel bombers i already have or, do i look for a straight bladed rigid fork?
problem 2 - 1x9 or SS
for the extra weight of a rear mech & cassette, i'd prefer to go down the 1x9 route for the simple reason of me having knackered knees but there is something clinical about a SS build that i really like. this is probably worth solving before i decide on a solution to #1!
problem 3 - would i suffer without a front brake?
with trying to keep things smooth, i could run a V on the back (i've got an avid sd 5 sat here already) and assuming i go for the bomber i already have, there aren't any V bosses on there and the front would look nice and tidy. not running a disc also gives me a lot of options on wheel choice especially as i'll be buying secondhand. the big question though, would i suffer without a front brake?
problem 4 - shimano / sram?
i like my shamano-free clockwork build a lot. do i build this in a similar vein to avoid the 'normal' done thing and to have a semi-matching stablemate or do i go the other way and stick on some nice, slightly older XT or XTR bits on it (depending on available budget)?
problem 5 - scrap the lot and sell-up?
if i were to sell the frame & forks i could afford a better set of wheels for my clockwork, stick a better crank on it (to match the shiny syncros bits) & have a very, very nice build that would work just fine on the short trips the gringo would be used for with potentially enough cheddar left for a fresh layer of powdercoat if i drop lucky in the sales section.
i have no idea if funds are going to be tighter than a ducks backside for this build early next year and if i should cut my losses and get the clockwork perfect first.
aaaaarggh!