Friday, November 14 2008, 12:00 AM
Bottomless CL Day!
Sick deals back to back all day long.
Mr.T: Would you recommend CRC? That's a nice coincidence, since they have the best price on the frome I want. Oops, I spelled frome wrong. The blue one I think.
I haven't thought the fork thing through at all yet, honestly. I didn't mean to imply any conclusionsons on my part there. I want to match the 140 travel rear, I know that. Anything taller'd affect the geo. I definitely put a premium on low maintenance simplicity and I prefer to set it and forget it.
Also, I'm not kidding anyone as far as looking for the big hits- I'm not. I'd prefer to keep it as light as possible. I can't afford to give up room on the climb I can't make up on the descent. That's how I stay init.
I know what you say about Shimano XT is wise as well. I was just saying I'm not adverse to XTR... I built my Superlight XTR eight years ago, and never regretted it, but... you make sense, and with the wheels as well... There, I'll just say again that I've had fewer issues with the Mav factory wheels than previous, and I was sold on UST pretty quick, too.
Your follow up I think, is going in the right direction- with the frame consideration. There are a couple of nice plusses that come with this purchase too as you know. A sweet fresh platform, and the Fox RP23. There are other, bigger air cans out there, but that is way down the line as the shock is included.
Xt vs XTR: ‘08XT is better as the discs go, and weight savings is so, so negligible with the derailleur too. The shadow is holding on well, and a move back from such light action- now more solid feeling shifts The Shadow relies on just one spring. If me, I would save some money here, but I know XTR has that allure. Cheapest source for the drivetrain Shimano stuff is still Chainreactioncycles in the UK. I run XT cassettes too, as the ti bigger cogs of XTR just make too much noise for me, and again I save money here.
CRC most likely will give you the best grouppo price in XT and XTR.
We have a similar issue here with the fork choice. I will not go Fox because of the upkeep, and I trade the fine dialing it is capable of for my sloppiness. RS Revelations (100mm-140mm for ’09) are getting good rep, My GF’s ’09 Reba Team is nice, and the comp. adjustment is really well thought out. Manitou always releases late, so little word there, but they are my hillbilly’s choice. As said, long as I keep the bath oil fresh, topped off, I am always willing to give up some tuneablity for less worry, season long running without pit stops. Every 4 epics, and my friend’s Fox’s say “hello ready upkeep” by oil leaks. The other’s run marzoch’s so they can blaze thru fences and keep on going, damn the weight, but I am always impressed with them too. The brands mention have all upped their fixed travel, and adj travel to 160mm in the class of AM you are looking at.
All other parts for the bike land in the truly personal choice arena.
As for wheels, I am a DT Swiss fellow- I build on 240’s still, Butted spokes for sure, and for 28mm rims the 5.1 is great. (if running alloy nips, DT says ending at a 15g nipple is stronger, learning to give strength/material back to it.) Their rolled thread spokes are tough.
I'm thinking I should buy the frame w/ Fox RP23 now. Buy a 140mm fork between now and next spring. Run my Crossmax's into the ground, ditto my old XTR kit w/ RaceFace Cranks.
I'd be spending just a little (yeah sure) more than half as much up front. Then I could just hold tight until my CC resurfaces for a gulp of fresh air, and... WHAMO! Upgrade from there.
"Expensive but cheap for something priceless"...
Those sound like true words of wisdom to my ears, Mr.T. I don't want to mention the exact frame I'm after just yet, since it's a closeout and there don't appear to be many left (anywhere). The last thing I want is to see the last one disappear like a mirage while I get my yarbles in order and set about pulling the trigger on the deal.
Suffice (for the moment) to say, I'm looking at an XC/AM (Enduro) rig made by Jeff in a town that rhymes with "Dracula". As if that isn't too obvious! You remember when I asked you if your name referred to a certain bike... I like the one that Jeff makes that's most similar to that one.
Anyway, to complicate things there's now a complete bike in picture. I'd planned to build-up a frame, but there's a sweet deal on a demo, and now I'm not so sure. I'm inclined to build to my own spec, but you know how building-up a frame can stretch a budget, and make tentative pre-build estimates look downright naive in retrospect. The demo bike would simplify things, especially since I'd likely end up spending as much anyway, even after cannibalizing my SC for parts. So actually, I'd also be preserving my SC by buying the complete rig. I'm not really thinking along those lines, though...
The Pros I'm weighing in buying the complete bike are:
1.) It's a bargain, by any realistic measure.
2.) It's all XTR.
3.) I like the color better.
The negatives I'm considering in buying the complete bike are:
1.) The Manitou Minute TPC fork, and XTR wheelset/ XTR disc brakes wouldn't be my first choices. Ditto the Titec stem/ bars/ post, and the seat, and tires. Obviously, the wheels, fork and brakes are big-ticket items, the other stuff isn't. I've got a saddle, bars, tires, etc. My headset, stem and post won't work.
2.) It's a demo.(?) Not sure about this...
If you go to CBO, you'll see the baby I'm talkin' about. Funky color. I like it.
If I build my own -and let's face it, I probably will- I'd either throw on the still-presentably-decent Mavic Crossmax wheelset and Hope Minis from my SC, unless I was to put down for a closeout set of Mavic STs, (which I likely would).
I'd be very interested to hear anyone's thoughts on any comparison between the XTR wheels/discs and my Mavs/Hopes. Also any thoughts on the Manitou as compared to the (140mm)Fox or RS I'd likely be building on.
Also, what price would you say is a good deal on XTR transmission/drive kit (incl. F der., R der. ((Shadow), Cassette, Chain, Cranks/BB)?
Sorry my reply took so long. My browser closed before posting, and I had to start over. Thanks.
Whose the little number?
Ya got yar parts there Hijo?
This Derosa King X-Light Frame is reminding me of something else. I've got the fever to build a new MTB at present. It's that time of year again; end-of-season savings, closeouts, etc. The left-over inventory's been thoroughly picked-through, and many of the sweetest deals dried up by the end of October, but there are still great savings out there, and... I deserve a new bike. I owe it to myself. After all, what's money for if it can't buy me happiness?
So, I've got my eye on a certain little number, a sexy little frameset I've been admiring from afar. How I long to make her mine.
You know what it's like if you should happen to let slip just exactly how much you're planning to spend building another bike, though. DON'T do this, by the way! EVER. Some people just don't get it. "You're going to spend how much? Are you crazy?" I wish those people wouldn't insist on asking those questions, if they can't handle the answers.
You've probably experienced that incredulous expression, too- the screwed-up look that comes across that person's face while they half-heartedly wrap their head around the concept of 'wasting' so much money on a bicycle, not to mention the fact that you may well -in fact- be completely insane. Hopefully they just shake their head and walk away. I don't want to argue. I don't want to fight about it.
Don't even bother rationalizing with that person how much you're saving. That person doesn't see things your way. Sadly, that person may never understand.
Those people who don't understand have their own concerns, of course- loftier ones; more important concerns. They see themselves as mature, rational people with mature and rational priorities, and you as something... else. They tend to look down their noses at you, to scoff at you and dismiss your priorities out of hand. They may be right to do so- I don't know. They might have a point, but that doesn't do it for me; that doesn't work for me.
So, can two views of existence so diametrically opposed each be defensible? Perhaps. More importantly though, can two such diametrically opposed outlooks be reconciled and coexist with each other?
This is only an observation on my part, but -although my initial impression was 'oh great, having a Time Remaining counter will be like staring at the clock in after-school detention'- I hazard to say that I'm finding this to be not that way at all; it almost seems like this latest development has picked up the (perceived) pace a little and made the waiting game that much more manageable. It's also improved my grammar and composition, vis-a-vis that last sentence; how's that for structure?
That's too bad duder. The FiveTens are going up next month-ish.
There is no difference between standard and OS at the points where your hands contact the bar.
Only way it would make a difference is if you were holding onto the stem while riding.
Was running O/S handlebars/stem on my Scott FR and my wrists were killing me, so I went down to 25.4 and soo much better.
Probably not clamoring because it's a stem for 25.4 bars rather than oversize, which is what I use. Or because we have no idea what OPF means. Also, CL has forced me to order my Five.Ten Impact 2 shoes from Pricepoint, cuz they didn't put them up here. I paid top dollar, too. For shame CL, for shame.
By the way, does OPF stand for one point five? That might be an important bit of info to have before purchasing said stem. Great stem by the way!
Where are all the guys that were clamoring for DH/FR stuff? They seem pretty quiet considering CL just posted the quintessential DH/FR stem...
Ya totally, 'cuz otherwise -ya know- we're playin' right inta tha hands a tha terrorists. Those Canadians over there, they've got us right over a barrel, dontcha know. Come on. Wake up and... be awake and smell the oil, okay?
After we drill Alaska, we can fill up all the holes with our dead batteries.
Item description apparently written by Sarah Palin.
FYI, Yukon Territory is not a part of Alaska. You can't drill there yet.
Ben and I have always known him as Todd. Anyhoo, a while back Ben and Todd and I were taking safari and here's some vid.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=wcMuTsBFQTE