Please educate this Newbie [1996 BotE Martyn Ashton] [1x9, bashguard, lacing]

[little fox]

Dear retrobike-gurus,

I am working on this teenage dream of mine and it's my first actual build:

Hello you all from me and my teenage dreams, the Cannondale BOTE/F700 1996/7

Since i have been lurking around in here long enough for it to seem creepy if i don't say hi and introduce myself, here goes: Hi, i'm Felix. "Dirty Tricks and Cunning Stunts" is what sparked my love for technical riding (not neccessarily trials only) back in the day. Since then i always rode...

www.retrobike.co.uk

1x9:
I am completely new (and somewhat clueless) to the concept of a meaningful 1x9 setup.
I know that Martyn used a 7speed casette and a Sachs Quarz RD but as i'm not going for an exact replica (it has been done here before by people way more knowledgable than me) i am wondering what a good working setup would be for getting back into a bit of street trials after a looong time.
I do have a scruffy wheelset with XT-hubs for now and it has a decent 9speed M750 casette on it,
but am hoping i can get a nicer wheelset built with @Luke26mhz rims and hubs and would be chuffed to get these.
- Shall i go with a narrow-wide chainring or am i better off with a regular middle because i am planning to have the DCD on?
- Are there benefints of an original setup (quarz 7speed) or will i be happier riding a newer / different setup and if, what are your recommendations?

bashguard:
i have a 94BCD 34T FSA coming in but would be highly interested if anyone can indetify the original Bash used on this bike:


lacing:
The scruffy d521 wheelsets i recently got (with XT hubs and XT m750 casette) are laced radial in the front and 3x / radial in the back.
Now i have read a lot about the downsides of radial and am unsure if the conclusion i came to is right that this is no good for light street trials.
(am hoping to get good D521 ceramics and beautiful Hope Hubs soon anyway, would have these built up in a meaningful way from scratch)
- should i just ride these for a bit until i can get my hands on Lukes good stuff or rather wait?

Thank you to all who take the time to read this and have some wisdom to share with the clueless Newb i am.
I have already learned so much from reading through so many threads in this amazing community and still have so much to understand.

 

[wadsy]

My 2p!...
Narrow-wide chain-ring is a good idea, especially if not using a clutch RD, which you won't be - the UJ DCD looks cool though.
Quartz 7-spd won't work with your 9 spd XT cassette - pick up XT or LX 9 spd shifter and RD, or maybe Sram 9 spd shifter/RD.
Imho, the XT hubs will be a good choice for reliability, especially over old Hopes!... less likely to crack/be cracked I would think....
just re-lace the front wheel from radial to 3x.

 

[little fox]

Thank you wadsy, yeah if I were to use a Quarz I’d also use a fitting cassette, but it makes more sense to go with your suggestion. Thank you for your input. Really I don’t wanna, you know, suck up to the old guard but really, all the experience and help in here is like Hansel and Gretels breadcrumbs for me. Guidance and nourishment.