WTB 29er build up parts

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Walker

Walker

Joined
Jan 21, 2009
Messages
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Location
New Hampshire Lakes Region
So it seems I've made a jump to the contemporary. I purchased a new, left over Kona Hei-Hei 2-9 frame and will be building it up over the winter. I'll be picking it up at the New England Bicycle Festival this coming weekend. Off to e-bay goes my beloved Rhygin Juke. Of course, as luck would have it, I'm a bit of a bike snob when it comes to anything other than RRB's. I blame my years as a bike shop employee. Anyway. I'll be putting a couple of my other old bikes up for sale (but not all), some parts too, and maybe a kidney to finance this project.
 
I wanted a new full rigid mtb to replace my '89 Supergo Access and built this for just over 200 clams by buying the frame and fork on closeout, then buying a nearly new (10 street miles) full suspension Trek that wasn't my size on CL, switching over the components and selling the frame and fork on Ebay. Maybe you could do the same with your Kona? It turned out to be a cheap way to get components.

5054516769_69492013b9_b.jpg
 
Congrats on the frame, already have a GT Peace 9R multi and just built up a Niner RIP9 in another thread;

http://www.ratrodbikes.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=27424

If it's your first 29er build, whatever you do make sure you get a strong rim/hub combo even moreso if you're anything near a Clyde. Especially concerning the rear hub, Shimano XT and below do not seem to be up to the extra torque at the rear in 29ers (mtbr forums are filled with first hand experience including me). Shimano freehub on the GT blew up after a few months, truing problems from the gitgo if wheels were even shown rocks. Outside the custom wheelset, rest of the components were close-outs ( 9-spd gearing going away so many deals out there on shifters, rear derailleurs, cassettes, chains etc), stuff I had(or stolen off the GT), and some ebay finds.
 
socal_jack said:
Congrats on the frame, already have a GT Peace 9R multi and just built up a Niner RIP9 in another thread;

http://www.ratrodbikes.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=27424

Especially concerning the rear hub, Shimano XT and below do not seem to be up to the extra torque at the rear in 29ers (mtbr forums are filled with first hand experience including me). Shimano freehub on the GT blew up after a few months, truing problems from the gitgo if wheels were even shown rocks.
Click to expand...
I have been hearing this, also. First of all, why is a 29 so hard on rear hubs? XT hubs are pretty close to top of the line. Which way are you supposed to go?
 
I learned a lot over on MTBR. I read a lot of reviews, which had to take the place of a test ride. But come to think of it, I haven't test ridden a bike before buying in over 25 years. Every bike after my S-Works M2 (first year production) has been custom built from scratch (rusty cruisers excluded). Lets see; S-Works, then a Moots full suspension, then back to the S-Works (interresting story), then the Rhygin Juke....

I had it narrowed down to a Felt Virtue, Santa Cruz Superlight, Jamis six-fifty and the Kona. It really came down in the end to cost and availability in the end.

I've got a few parts kicking around that will find their way to this bike, Race Face bars and stem, Cook Bros cranks, and I'll never give up my WTB saddle. HMMM, that's not a lot of parts so far is it :shock: .

I'll of course be scouring online auctions, and the MTBR classifieds. My lbs is going to keep their eyes open for any factory blem/warranty bikes that come around. I'm fine with used stuff, but never wheels. I'm average height / weight and I'm either a finesse rider or a whimp when it gets super knarly. I've ridden hand built by me wheels for a really really long time and have never taco'd or broken a wheel due to abuse. Back on my S-Works i ran a set of Campy Mirox rims with Union Titanium spokes (bike snob: exhibit "A"). They never required more than minor truing, finally wore out the sidewalls.

The whole 2x10 drivetrain thing is kind of interresting. I'd do a Nuvinci if it would work!
 
bigj said:
I have been hearing this, also. First of all, why is a 29 so hard on rear hubs? XT hubs are pretty close to top of the line. Which way are you supposed to go?
Click to expand...

Think of the wheel radius as a larger lever arm working against the hub. In the lower end, lower engagement point Shimanos they only have 2 pawls 120 degrees apart, there's a third pocket with nothing in it. Very unbalanced and I believe part of the source of the problem. That lever arm just snaps these pawls as one likely ends up bearing most of the the load, and bam your freehub goes fixie. WTB wheelset was also only 32H spokes part of the truing problem, other was likely a crappy machine build.

This wheelset I went with Halo Freedom rims(pretty much freeride strength) with Chris King Heady Duty 36H rear hub w/10mm QR funbolts, front CK also 15mm QR 36H. 14ga spokes. Been thru some rocks at speed and some smaller jumps to tranny, everything is dead straight still.

Shot of my GT Peace freehub innards, the replacement freehub was so sloppy I didn't even bother may build it up as an SS cruiser;

IMG_1425.jpg
 
Walker said:
I learned a lot over on MTBR. I read a lot of reviews, which had to take the place of a test ride. But come to think of it, I haven't test ridden a bike before buying in over 25 years. Every bike after my S-Works M2 (first year production) has been custom built from scratch (rusty cruisers excluded). Lets see; S-Works, then a Moots full suspension, then back to the S-Works (interresting story), then the Rhygin Juke....

I had it narrowed down to a Felt Virtue, Santa Cruz Superlight, Jamis six-fifty and the Kona. It really came down in the end to cost and availability in the end.

I've got a few parts kicking around that will find their way to this bike, Race Face bars and stem, Cook Bros cranks, and I'll never give up my WTB saddle. HMMM, that's not a lot of parts so far is it :shock: .

I'll of course be scouring online auctions, and the MTBR classifieds. My lbs is going to keep their eyes open for any factory blem/warranty bikes that come around. I'm fine with used stuff, but never wheels. I'm average height / weight and I'm either a finesse rider or a whimp when it gets super knarly. I've ridden hand built by me wheels for a really really long time and have never taco'd or broken a wheel due to abuse. Back on my S-Works i ran a set of Campy Mirox rims with Union Titanium spokes (bike snob: exhibit "A"). They never required more than minor truing, finally wore out the sidewalls.

The whole 2x10 drivetrain thing is kind of interresting. I'd do a Nuvinci if it would work!
Click to expand...

Yikes Ti spokes, I guess so. Sounds like the average weight guys aren't having anywhere near the problems, should be OK, but if you're doing any severe hill climbing keep it in mind.

I test rode the GT, but the Niner RIP9 was bought mostly on strength of reviews like you did with the Kona. I love the RIP9 after only half dozen rides. I'm definitely a Clyde so even on the 26ers I'm a bit rough on wheelsets. Never taco'd a wheel but came close on my IH 7point3 rear wheel, limped back to the car with 3 broken spokes and a severe wobble. Got a replecement wheelset ADDH Sun Ringle, MTX33 rim is bombproof but Jumping Flea rear 150mmX12 hub blown in about a month built crappier than the Shimanos, a thrust bearing sizing issue there can't pre-load the bearing correctly it seemed like.

The guys on MTBR are real down on the 10 spd chain survivabilty, gonna stick with 9 as long as I can gotta buy up some more closeouts.
 
I visited the Niner site, nice stuff! My riding will be weekend warrior stuff for a while.

I had a friend I worked with at a bike shop, Clyde, never got out of the saddle, rode a Moots ti hardtail. He just powered through everything like a bulldozer...Slow and steady. He could blow up an XTR hub on demand. Finally went to Hugi but only got a few months out of that. Finally went to a Hugi Tandem hub which he could just get a season out of with maybe one rebuild.

I almost feel like a newbie with all the new bike stuff. I've been out of my shop for....uh...10 years. Lots of terminology to learn about.

Maybe a 2x9 is a safer way to go. I can probably use my Cooks F cranks and if it doesn't work out I can always go back to the tripple set up.

Any recommendations on disc brakes? Avid seems to be popular, maybe this is an item where is makes sense to stay mainstream?
 
Im going to be parting out a single speed bike in a few days...I dont think i want to hold onto it.
That-or im buying a redline Monocog which are immediatly getting parts ripped off.

I have:
Single speed Stylo Cranks...
 
I already had a bunch of SRAM 9 spd drivetrain stuff and TruVativ crank hardware, so that decision was already made between that and Clyde-ability.

I have Avid BB7s on pretty much everything, 7point3 has 203mm(came with Hayes MX hydros, swapped when it came service time), I have 160s on the RIP9, may go 185 on the front. GT came with Tekros mechs 160s which took some time to get really useable wouldn't recommend. BlueSKy Cycling usually has shrink wrapped OEM packaged stuff for cheaps, get the good levers though they make a difference in feel. I've never felt a lack of braking power compared to Hydros but I haven't tried some of the high end stuff. Just seems way over-engineered for the purpose, KISS applies in my book. I've never even changed a pad, but I tend not to brake much. Had some BB7s on a ~1999 GT Avalanche 1.0 never did anything but occasional adjust of the red dial for the pad in 7 years. The Hayes needed a bleed and maybe pads after 2 years, gone, gave them to a member here.

Gotta say they make some bling looking hydro stuff though, if you're going that way it may make sense as BB7 is pretty industrial looking.
 
Yeah, I've seen those around, but it only looks like my Juke! Someone's making a rasta cruiser frame too.
Pretty sure the GT's aren't hand fabbed from Reynonlds tubing :D
 
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