For a while now I've been pondering the idea of a 29'er.
Initially I looked at steel and booked a test ride on a Pipedream, but the guy didn't show up with the bike, so the idea sort of got left behind and I concentrated on building and riding other stuff.
Then we got to Mayhem again, both my son and daughter making relatively easy work of the course on their respective tractors brought the idea back to life again, followed shortly after by a dealer selling off a bunch of brand new frames on ebay, and so I took the plunge.
The initial plan was for a 2 x 10 build, using as many parts from stock as possible, but when I discovered a lack of front mech and in a moment of weakness, I was persuaded to try 1 x 10, which required the purchase of a 30 tooth narrow / wider chainring.
Anyway, borrowing my son's wheels and plonking on a few bits I already had, I did a quick mock up.
Happy with the look I pressed on and then came to a stumbling block... wheels.
I wanted light wheels, having been through all this with my road bikes. Trouble is, light wheels cost real money and I had a holiday and two birthdays to pay for.
So, after a stall of a couple of months, I started a search and found that Merlin were doing some excellent deals (when are they not!), so having previously got my Shimano SLX disc brake kits from them, I then took delivery of another much bigger box containing the Stans Crest / Hope wheels.
Last weekend we played the game called, installing tubeless tyres. It was not nearly as problematic or as messy as previous rounds I have taken part in while assisting the current bun in his drive to be light, hip and modern.
With the tyres on, there was a slight delay as I waited for an sti shifter, having decided not to use grip shift this time. That arrived couple of days ago, so yesterday everything started to come together, with hoses trimmed, and brake systems bled, spacers installed in the BB and crank bolted in place.
It's not finished yet, as the slightly lop sided handlebars show, and even once it's done, there will be aspects I might change, but it's coming along.
Work to be done: Cable up the rear mech, install the chain, tighten the stem bolts, buy and fit spacers to the steerer, blag some pedals of one of my other bikes, as I forgot to get any (oops).
I will either stick with 1 x 10, and then fabricate a false bash guard or get a different crank, or maybe go 2 x 10 and slap a front mech and two new chainrings in place, I'll see how it rides first. The bars may also be a bit narrow, which is why I have left myself some room with the brake hoses, but the USE bars were in stock, so I thought they would do for the minute.
More pictures when it's actually trail worthy and a ride report once I've ridden it.
Initially I looked at steel and booked a test ride on a Pipedream, but the guy didn't show up with the bike, so the idea sort of got left behind and I concentrated on building and riding other stuff.
Then we got to Mayhem again, both my son and daughter making relatively easy work of the course on their respective tractors brought the idea back to life again, followed shortly after by a dealer selling off a bunch of brand new frames on ebay, and so I took the plunge.
The initial plan was for a 2 x 10 build, using as many parts from stock as possible, but when I discovered a lack of front mech and in a moment of weakness, I was persuaded to try 1 x 10, which required the purchase of a 30 tooth narrow / wider chainring.
Anyway, borrowing my son's wheels and plonking on a few bits I already had, I did a quick mock up.
Happy with the look I pressed on and then came to a stumbling block... wheels.
I wanted light wheels, having been through all this with my road bikes. Trouble is, light wheels cost real money and I had a holiday and two birthdays to pay for.
So, after a stall of a couple of months, I started a search and found that Merlin were doing some excellent deals (when are they not!), so having previously got my Shimano SLX disc brake kits from them, I then took delivery of another much bigger box containing the Stans Crest / Hope wheels.
Last weekend we played the game called, installing tubeless tyres. It was not nearly as problematic or as messy as previous rounds I have taken part in while assisting the current bun in his drive to be light, hip and modern.
With the tyres on, there was a slight delay as I waited for an sti shifter, having decided not to use grip shift this time. That arrived couple of days ago, so yesterday everything started to come together, with hoses trimmed, and brake systems bled, spacers installed in the BB and crank bolted in place.
It's not finished yet, as the slightly lop sided handlebars show, and even once it's done, there will be aspects I might change, but it's coming along.
Work to be done: Cable up the rear mech, install the chain, tighten the stem bolts, buy and fit spacers to the steerer, blag some pedals of one of my other bikes, as I forgot to get any (oops).
I will either stick with 1 x 10, and then fabricate a false bash guard or get a different crank, or maybe go 2 x 10 and slap a front mech and two new chainrings in place, I'll see how it rides first. The bars may also be a bit narrow, which is why I have left myself some room with the brake hoses, but the USE bars were in stock, so I thought they would do for the minute.
More pictures when it's actually trail worthy and a ride report once I've ridden it.
