Having just ridden what the wettest winter for...well a long time, my Santa Cruz's components have been wrecked and been a real drain on the wallet to replace/service! Don't get me wrong I still love it but can't afford to replace the XTR drivetrain after every winter! So, to follow the route of some others on here, and to heed repeated suggestions! I have gone for a winter mud hack bike build.
After some guidance from Makster and Painter I decided on the frame being a Rock Lobster...Steel 853 tubes but the disc tab version. After a couple of months scouring ebay (it seemed that there was never a big enough one!) I finally found this 2001 midnight blue pearl 20" frame! Not seen many in this colour and was hoping that the paint would be in better condition than in reality it is! Not terrible but fair amount of chain slap and some rash rust...but I have to keep reminding myself its a winter hack!
I want it to work well and reliably so have gone for a mid skool parts build! In the spares box I had an XT M750 rear mech and LX M571 chainset and XT BB, LX M570 shifters and a pewter coloured Ritchey seat post. I have coming to me a pair of Sunringle disc hubs/Ryde rim wheels, some Rockshox Reba SL and a complete Avid Juicy disc brake set, (thanks to racingsnake for that!). Some bits I have yet to source are:
- Top pull front mech, 28.6mm Shimano M750 M571 whatever is cheap!
- Stem and riser bars. I'm hoping to go for Easton Monkeys/matching stem.
- A Flite saddle, might just stick the white syncros saddle thats spare.
Tyres are a big deal to me, they need to grip well at lower speed through sloppy mud. Having seen the benefit of good mud tyres this winter I want this ride to have the suitable rubber! I have had Bonty's Mud tyres on the Santa Cruz and they were great! So my first thoughts are to just go for the same tyres in 26" flavour, but I want to look at other choices too. So at the moment these are the front runners!
- Bontrager Mud XR Team
- Maxxis Beaver or Medusa
- Schwalbe Hans Dampf/Nobby Nic
Think it will probably be the Bontys if I can get them cheap enough!
So this is how it stands at the moment...a frame waiting to live again! If I like it I might treat it to a new paint job we'll see!
Doug
After some guidance from Makster and Painter I decided on the frame being a Rock Lobster...Steel 853 tubes but the disc tab version. After a couple of months scouring ebay (it seemed that there was never a big enough one!) I finally found this 2001 midnight blue pearl 20" frame! Not seen many in this colour and was hoping that the paint would be in better condition than in reality it is! Not terrible but fair amount of chain slap and some rash rust...but I have to keep reminding myself its a winter hack!
I want it to work well and reliably so have gone for a mid skool parts build! In the spares box I had an XT M750 rear mech and LX M571 chainset and XT BB, LX M570 shifters and a pewter coloured Ritchey seat post. I have coming to me a pair of Sunringle disc hubs/Ryde rim wheels, some Rockshox Reba SL and a complete Avid Juicy disc brake set, (thanks to racingsnake for that!). Some bits I have yet to source are:
- Top pull front mech, 28.6mm Shimano M750 M571 whatever is cheap!
- Stem and riser bars. I'm hoping to go for Easton Monkeys/matching stem.
- A Flite saddle, might just stick the white syncros saddle thats spare.
Tyres are a big deal to me, they need to grip well at lower speed through sloppy mud. Having seen the benefit of good mud tyres this winter I want this ride to have the suitable rubber! I have had Bonty's Mud tyres on the Santa Cruz and they were great! So my first thoughts are to just go for the same tyres in 26" flavour, but I want to look at other choices too. So at the moment these are the front runners!
- Bontrager Mud XR Team
- Maxxis Beaver or Medusa
- Schwalbe Hans Dampf/Nobby Nic
Think it will probably be the Bontys if I can get them cheap enough!
So this is how it stands at the moment...a frame waiting to live again! If I like it I might treat it to a new paint job we'll see!
Doug
