Hardtail buildup thread

Since a few of us have this idea, I thought I'd make a thread for it. The DH idea is gone, as my Dad ordered me an Azonic Steelhead and a BB for my birthday this week. I want to do this fairly cheap, so I was thinking a used DJ fork or Dropoff with 24 inch wheels, whatever running gear I can get cheap, and some v-brakes and I'll be good. This will be a street beater/fun trail bike, so all suggestions are welcome. Don't know of any dirt jumps in the area, but I'm going to look for some. Failing that, I can probably build some at my house.

You should make it single speed, w/ at least 130mm of travel.

Here's what I've ridden the past year.

Soul Cycles Titan Frame
Blackspire Big Block Stem
Marzocchi DJ I 130mm
FSA Pig DH Pro Headset
Hayes HFX 9 Disc Brakes 8”
Easton EA-70 Monkey Bars
Single SRAM X9 Trigger Shifter
SRAM X7 Rear Der.
Sun Single Track Wheels
Truvativ Holzfeller Urban
Maxxis Holy Roller DH 2.4
SRAM PC-950 Chain
Truvativ Team DHLT BB



Not really cheap, but has paid for itself numerous times over on cased landings and fucked-up crashes. Replace drivetrain with cheaper parts, or just go singlespees for cheaper. Use Rhyno Lyte XL wheels for cheap. Use Hussefelt crank maybe, but I have no experience with it. I just got my Holy Roller tires for cheap, and love them. Buy a cheap SRAM chain, they work, well. DJ III could be subbed for the I, but there are no adjustments, so make sure it's right when you buy it! HFX 9 discs are cheap and 12398123908 times better than rim brakes. A cheap FSA Pig headset will pay for itself in the long run. I wouldn't mess with cheap or used cockpit parts. I don't want to bash my face in when a handlebar breaks.

Run 26" wheels like a normal person. 24 inchers are for little kids and bmx

I ride a hardtail exclusively, because i am broke. it has served me well, and for some reason puts up with an extraordinary amount of abuse (other than the drivetrain which i blow up every 6 months or so due to said abuse :biggrin: )



kona roast, small frame, 02 model and beat to crap
junior t, 7" of double crown lovin' :FIREdevil
atomlabs trailpimp rims, velocity hubs, maxxis mobster 2.5 front, highroller 2.35 rear tires
fsa platinum pro bb, truvativ hussefelts, azonic x frame pedals
chris king headset
titec hellbent handlebar, marzocchi integrated stem, intense lock-on grips
sram x.9 drivetrain
thompson seatpost, t.h.e. dirt jump saddle
hayes hfx 9's, 8" front, 6" rear (these are possibly the shittiest brakes ever :mad: )

24 inchers have their place in street parks and on DJs, otherwise I'd stick w/ 26", especially if you're going to trail ride.

My problem w/ a SS freeride-style bike is that it seriously limits your ability to do ladders, bridges, teeters, etc., especially ones with incline.

Edit: My Build

My bike is a bit of a bastard. I built it to ride XC and some street, but it's slowly morphed into more of a freeride bike. The majority of the parts came off the Hollowpoint that I rode twice, hated and sold the frame and fork.

Santa Cruz Chameleon frame
Marzy Z1 FR Fork
Azonic Shorty or Weyless DH Stem (75mm or 45mm depending on the ride)
World Force Riser Bar
Shimano XT Octalink cranks/BB
Hayes HFX 9 Brakes
Cane Creek S2 Headset
XT shifters
XT rear mech
Deore front mech
SRAM casette and chain
ODI Intense Lock-Ons
Thomson Seat Post
Intense DH 2.35 front
Maxxis Larson TT 2.1 or Panaracer Fire DH 2.35 (depending on the ride)
Mavic 3.1 Tubeless Wheels (XC rims that have held up incredibly well. The rear is hurt, but still kickin'). I got a MAG 30 (thanks to fondig) that I throw on for drops, but it's so flat spotted, I don't use it if speed's involved.

my FR hardtail:

kona chute
deore/rhyno wheels
xt cranks (22-32) & ders.
xtr 8spd shift & cass. 11-28t
azonic double walls & shorty stem
hayes hydo brakes
kenda blue groove steel 2.7 front tire
kenda nevgal kev 2.5 rear tire
currently surly instigator rigid, looking for a sherman flick

generally use it for trails, urban, etc...

I'll bite, here's me hardtail: Surly Instigator
White Bros. FR3 fork
FSA cranks
Schimano xt 6" disk brakes
xt front and rear & shifters
Tioga factory mud 2.3 or Hookworms
XT hubs/ rims
Planet X platform pedals
Club Roost "Blazing saddle"
Thomson seat post
White Bros. titanium rise bars
Diabolous stem
Chris King head-set
This ride kicks ass.
Bring it on!

I have aXT disc hub, with mavic 519 cheap

also an extra rhyno lite 32h rim too

offers?

trades?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by schuss

Since a few of us have this idea, I thought I'd make a thread for it. The DH idea is gone, as my Dad ordered me an Azonic Steelhead and a BB for my birthday this week. I want to do this fairly cheap, so I was thinking a used DJ fork or Dropoff with 24 inch wheels, whatever running gear I can get cheap, and some v-brakes and I'll be good. This will be a street beater/fun trail bike, so all suggestions are welcome. Don't know of any dirt jumps in the area, but I'm going to look for some. Failing that, I can probably build some at my house.

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Get some burly cranks, since they will be abused on a urban/hucker hardtail. I'd also ditch the v-brake idea, just go for some Avid Mechanical discs, which are fairly cheap, very reliable and a hell of a lot better than any v-brake. As for wheels, I too recommend the Trailpimps. Lace 'em up up to some XT disc hubs and they last you a good while.
I'd go the Sram route, put an X7 on the back and just run a single ring up front (preferrably with some sort of chain guide). You can get the single rear shifter from Go-ride for a decent price.

Fork? eh, I don't know, at least 130mm and I'd say nothing Manitou, but's that's just me. I've got a Fox Vanilla on my hardtail and I love it.

I don't know how much you want to spend on the whole buildup, but the above shouldn't be too horribly bad. Have fun when you get that baby built up.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by White Chocolate

Run 26" wheels like a normal person. 24 inchers are for little kids and bmx

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<AHEM!>Frizzo</ahem> ;)

p.s. cool thread!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by bagtagley

I got a MAG 30 (thanks to fondig) that I throw on for drops, but it's so flat spotted, I don't use it if speed's involved.

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I thought I gave you an old Mavic D321 set up, but whatever.

As for a hardtail build. You would be a fool to put on V-brakes for any dirt jumping, freeriding, DHing, or anything else besides XCing riding.

I built up a hardtail last year about this time, after many conversations (mainly with bag) and other folks and looking at bike photos most of the day at work. I picked up a used quality hardtail around my town. I knew some parts were worthy, the rest were ready for me to break, so I swapped out the v-brakes for some discs, and the decent fork it came with for better quality and more adjustability. 6 months later I swapped the stem from 75mm to 50mm.

Brakes are pretty important to me and so is the front suspension.

But I know money doesn't grow on trees so you may have to do what you can afford first and upgrade down the road.

Hardtail build:
Ellsworth Specialist frame
Chris King Steel headset(don't want to ovalize the frame dirtjumping)
Marzy Z150
Hayes HFX Mags w/8" rotors
Thomson 50mm stem
Truvativ Husselfelt Cranks/BB
Ultegra 8 speed rear deraileur/cassette (cheap shimano shifters)
Titec Berserker DH Seat (old school)
Kona Bars & Pedals
$10 cheap seat post from LBS
$100 Used Wheels from EBAY (Sun Rhynolite rims, rear xt hub, front no name 20mm)
Odi lock on grips
I believe that is it, see I prioritized the quality gear I wanted/needed and used cheap parts to get me rolling. That's my word.

Edit:
I think 24's are cute. But if you are going to put the bike through any abuse you are going to brake something. And wheels are likely things to break. Unless you got friends with 24's you will prolly have to always buy new parts instead of borrowing parts from friends when in a jam.

Also I am no fan of Manitou, they got a couple decent forks, but I don't own any.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by fondigley

I thought I gave you an old Mavic D321 set up, but whatever.

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Ah, you are correct sir.

Hmmm just found out I can get a deal on this thing...looks pretty sweet! Marin Rocky Ridge. Crappy components but easily upgradeable and it's got a good fork, brakes, and frame:
http://www.marinbikes.com/bicycles_2...cky_ridge.html

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Particle

Hmmm just found out I can get a deal on this thing...looks pretty sweet! Marin Rocky Ridge. Crappy components but easily upgradeable and it's got a good fork, brakes, and frame:
http://www.marinbikes.com/bicycles_2...cky_ridge.html

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Looks decent enough to me, if I was in the market and was getting a deal, I might go with that. Just depends on the deal.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Particle

Hmmm just found out I can get a deal on this thing...looks pretty sweet! Marin Rocky Ridge. Crappy components but easily upgradeable and it's got a good fork, brakes, and frame:
http://www.marinbikes.com/bicycles_2...cky_ridge.html

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if you have a deal lined up that looks pretty decent to dork around on. although i have a hard time accepting that $1240 msrp when Fisher is putting out the GED at $1100.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Particle

Hmmm just found out I can get a deal on this thing...looks pretty sweet! Marin Rocky Ridge. Crappy components but easily upgradeable and it's got a good fork, brakes, and frame:
http://www.marinbikes.com/bicycles_2...cky_ridge.html

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The owner of the LBS I go to in my home town owns one of these. It's soooper burly, and really well built. The only complaint I'd have is that it's a bit heavy, but that's the trade-off for a bomber hardtail.

The shifters and derailleurs aren't great, but the rest of the component spec is respectable. Strong build at a great price.

Yeah I thought it looked decent. Figured Extremes carried them. I thought it looked heavy as well, but who cares you want quality that will last. Just build some strength.

Hell I just pedalled my pretty heavy DJ hardtail about 20 miles today(well technically yesterday) to and from work. Damn did that wear my ass out, but it didn't stop me from putting in another hour of dirt jumping after work. Super tired now.

You can get an '04 Marin Wildcat Trail at reioutlet for $560... details ... any input? I'm pretty sure I "need" it. (gonna use my dividend and a gift card and get the bike for about 90 bucks off)

One thing I wouldn't buy used is a fork.
DJ1's at a good price

Quote:

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Originally Posted by KarlHungus

You can get an '04 Marin Wildcat Trail at reioutlet for $560... details ... any input? I'm pretty sure I "need" it. (gonna use my dividend and a gift card and get the bike for about 90 bucks off)

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I'm pretty certain that is the same frame as the Rocky Ridge, just a lighter build and cheaper components. Not a bad start. I'd suggest upgrading the fork, and work on other components as you get money or stuff breaks.

My Rig:

17.5 inch Cove Stiffee FR frame
6 inch Sherman Slider (2003)
Dual 26 inch Doubletrack rims w/Kenda Nevegal 2.35 and Bluegroove 2.5
Race Face riser bar
Hayes HFX Mag's 8 inch front 6 inch rear
RF Diabolous headset and stem
RF Prodigy cranks w/ RF Signature FR bottom bracket
XT rear hub, Deore cassette and XT short cage deraileur
Deore front deraileur and shifters
RF Prodigy seatpost
Marz front 20mm hub
Wellgo pedals
NRG seat

Almost only ride the Shore and Squamish