29er HT Build or Buy?

[rpedro]

29er Titan custom build

[Cav']

That is the best looking Titan I've seen so far

[TheV]

Very very nice peter.

[chrism123]

Thanks for the info! Decided the build is worthwhile and the way to go! The question now is what frame to go for?

[Cav']

Thanks for the info! Decided the build is worthwhile and the way to go! The question now is what frame to go for?

Firstly you need to state the budget you will have for the frame, otherwise you might get oke's suggesting 30k frames...

[TheV]

Big Budget Dreambikes:

 

YETI BIGTOP

SANTACRUZ HIGHBALL

NINER AIR9

LYNSKEY Ti

STUMPJUMPER

 

Mid Range:

Momsen SL929 with Wheel-set current special @ R 12k

 

On-One Lurcher Carbon Hardtail 29er > BEST BUDGET Carbon Around!!

[Goodbadugly]

Build. Nice project. A composite 29er.

I was looking for one a few weeks ago. I wanted: Reba, xt crank, x9 shifts. Brake does not matter. They only slow you down anyway.

I DO NOT like the cabling to go under the bottom bracket. That is where the run offs from your bottle collects forming a stickey mess if combined with dust or mud. I want a standard size seat post.

The GT had most of these specs @R22000. But it was king of ugly with cabling routed under the BB. Good wheels. Upgrades needed on post and bar.

The Spesh I could get for a GOOD price around R30000. But I need a bike with a low stand over. Short legs. It also had a SID fork.

The Scott Expert is nice, but it had that infernal below the BB cabling, a huge seat post and xt shifts. And heavy weight wheels.

The Giant XTC has an odd downtube. Huge. Fox fork. X7 shifts and heavy duty wheels. Also around R22000 and very upgradable.

Siverback storm. WELL specced with full XT and a good fork and Crest wheels. But I am not fond of white wheels yet. Also around R23000.

 

So that left me in the R27000 price range. So I went to do a few calculations. Hub market stuff. Prices including postage.

1. Fork: got a reba off a new bike from Raysingh for R2800
   
2. Crank: Got a XT from Naas for R1800
   
3. 10 spd Cassette 1050 from Wheelerdealer for R360
   
4. X9 shifters from tigerlduplessis R800
   
5. X9 ders form CWC for around R1100
   
6. 2 chains and a load of odds and ends, stem, Conti X Kings from Kiwi for R1500
   
7. A Ritchie Superlogic bar a few months ago for R800.
   
8. Gobi saddle for R500
   
9. I have a EC70 post in the garage just gathering dust.
   
10. A good second hand set of Elixers for R1000.
    

So around R11000 for everything except the frame and wheels. Leaving R16000 for the frame and wheels.

You can take your pick on the hubmarket for anything from R4500 to R8000 or you can buy a branded frame. I got a Highball, leaving me with R2500 for wheels.

Luckily I have a Dirty Flea hubset(used, but good) just waiting for rims.

Crests/Arch for R800 from Buycycle/Rush/CWC. Leaving the Revolution spoke price for my own pocket. These are on the way from CRC. (R600 for both wheels+VAT)

Ending up with a basket price of +-R27000.

I can't wait. All these articles are still in transit from who knows where. I will build it up myself. For the same price as a store bike. With my specs.

Most guys paying R25000 for a bike and end up upgrading the tires, bar, seatpost. And later even the wheels. Mine will be EXACTLY what I want.

If you opt for a R8000 unbranded frame, you can buy wheels for R5000 and have R2500 left.

Have fun.

[Cav']

Build. Nice project. A composite 29er.

I was looking for one a few weeks ago. I wanted: Reba, xt crank, x9 shifts. Brake does not matter. They only slow you down anyway.

I DO NOT like the cabling to go under the bottom bracket. That is where the run offs from your bottle collects forming a stickey mess if combined with dust or mud. I want a standard size seat post.

The GT had most of these specs @R22000. But it was king of ugly with cabling routed under the BB. Good wheels. Upgrades needed on post and bar.

The Spesh I could get for a GOOD price around R30000. But I need a bike with a low stand over. Short legs. It also had a SID fork.

The Scott Expert is nice, but it had that infernal below the BB cabling, a huge seat post and xt shifts. And heavy weight wheels.

The Giant XTC has an odd downtube. Huge. Fox fork. X7 shifts and heavy duty wheels. Also around R22000 and very upgradable.

Siverback storm. WELL specced with full XT and a good fork and Crest wheels. But I am not fond of white wheels yet. Also around R23000.

 

So that left me in the R27000 price range. So I went to do a few calculations. Hub market stuff. Prices including postage.

1. Fork: got a reba off a new bike from Raysingh for R2800
   
2. Crank: Got a XT from Naas for R1800
   
3. 10 spd Cassette 1050 from Wheelerdealer for R360
   
4. X9 shifters from tigerlduplessis R800
   
5. X9 ders form CWC for around R1100
   
6. 2 chains and a load of odds and ends, stem, Conti X Kings from Kiwi for R1500
   
7. A Ritchie Superlogic bar a few months ago for R800.
   
8. Gobi saddle for R500
   
9. I have a EC70 post in the garage just gathering dust.
   
10. A good second hand set of Elixers for R1000.
    

So around R11000 for everything except the frame and wheels. Leaving R16000 for the frame and wheels.

You can take your pick on the hubmarket for anything from R4500 to R8000 or you can buy a branded frame. I got a Highball, leaving me with R2500 for wheels.

Luckily I have a Dirty Flea hubset(used, but good) just waiting for rims.

Crests/Arch for R800 from Buycycle/Rush/CWC. Leaving the Revolution spoke price for my own pocket. These are on the way from CRC. (R600 for both wheels+VAT)

Ending up with a basket price of +-R27000.

I can't wait. All these articles are still in transit from who knows where. I will build it up myself. For the same price as a store bike. With my specs.

Most guys paying R25000 for a bike and end up upgrading the tires, bar, seatpost. And later even the wheels. Mine will be EXACTLY what I want.

If you opt for a R8000 unbranded frame, you can buy wheels for R5000 and have R2500 left.

Have fun.

Now you Have to post pics when the build is complete!

[TheV]

Now you Have to post pics when the build is complete!

 

WE DEMAND SOME FEW PICHAS !!!!

 

@ Goodbadugly!!! Don't know where you are, but if your in Gauteng you are welcome to come and use my tools/workshop if you need any special tools to complete your build... Just bring beer and pizza! I just about have all the tools you could ever need...

 

A little tip, if you buy one or two tools every now and then, then soon you'll never have to depend on any bike shop or be at their mercy... get TOOLS! TOOLS are cool

Edited May 6, 2012 by TheV

[jannosmit]

Thanks for the info! Decided the build is worthwhile and the way to go! The question now is what frame to go for?

 

Rapide Evolution 29er is very nice @ R7600, got very good service from Wayne. 2 year warranty.

 

https://www.bikehub.co.za/classifieds/25708-rapide-evolution29-carbon-29er-hardtail/

[SteveS]

I think you guys are not doing your sums correctly. Most of the builds discussed here, the guys had some of the parts are were buying used parts of the hub. I went through this exercise before i bought my Scott Scale pro. Lets use the Silverback Storm 1.0 as an example. One of my friends just bought one for R21000. I would like to see someone building it up for the same price. Lets try:

 

Rapide 29 er frame (cheapest branded carbon frame in SA = R 7600

Full XT groupset including brakes (special on the hub) R7800

Decent wheelset Minimum R4500

Rock shox Sid or equivalent fork minimum R5000

Maxxis crossmark (ok these are not ust) x 2 so lets call it r250 each = R 500

The cockpit (people always underestimate this cost) conservativly R 2000

Getting a LBS to build it up (us normal non bike mechanics) R500

That gives a total of R28000.

 

Then guys start talking Niner carbon frames. You can add another R5000 to the above costing.

 

Dont get me wrong i love building a bike to my specs, but if you are on a tight budget you can not beat some of the deals to be had on new off the shelf carbon bikes.

[TheV]

Hey Steve - you are 100% correct, and most of us agreed with your sentiments...

 

However, you might have missed the point we were trying to make...

 

If you buy a standard bike, you will end up making upgrades to it because they have to compromise the build in some way by either mixing groups, low end wheels or low end forks, or really low end finishing kit...

 

Take your bike for example, it's a really nice bike, I really do like it, but the saddle, stem, bars, grips, and seat post would require an "upgrade" in my opinion, and your R2000 estimation is rather conservative. I personally would also be itching to change the brakeset because I "have" to roll with XT12 brakes...

 

When you take all of this into consideration it often is cheaper to build... in the long run

 

But you are right, cant beat the initial "value" of the silverback, momsen or some of the scott's for a roll-off the floor deal.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

To add to The V's post. A more than decent on one carbon frame can be brought in for less.than 4k.

[Goodbadugly]

I think you guys are not doing your sums correctly. Most of the builds discussed here, the guys had some of the parts are were buying used parts of the hub. I went through this exercise before i bought my Scott Scale pro. Lets use the Silverback Storm 1.0 as an example. One of my friends just bought one for R21000. I would like to see someone building it up for the same price. Lets try:

 

Rapide 29 er frame (cheapest branded carbon frame in SA = R 7600

Full XT groupset including brakes (special on the hub) R7800

Decent wheelset Minimum R4500

Rock shox Sid or equivalent fork minimum R5000

Maxxis crossmark (ok these are not ust) x 2 so lets call it r250 each = R 500

The cockpit (people always underestimate this cost) conservativly R 2000

Getting a LBS to build it up (us normal non bike mechanics) R500

That gives a total of R28000.

 

Then guys start talking Niner carbon frames. You can add another R5000 to the above costing.

 

Dont get me wrong i love building a bike to my specs, but if you are on a tight budget you can not beat some of the deals to be had on new off the shelf carbon bikes.

You are right. Depending on your budget. The carbon GT, Giant XTC, Silverback Storm, Scott Scale Expert, Merida options are very good options. But if you are on a tight budget, there are even better options than the mentioned carbon bikes. Take for instance the Siverback Vida 1. Good fork, XT drivetrain, Crest/Stans wheels and that at a VERY competetive price of around R16000.

A friend of mine got himself a nice Scott Scale Pro. A top spec bike indeed. Ending up 'upgrading' the bar, seatpost, saddle and wheels. Now where does that leave you? With a bike close to R35000.

Another friend has a Stumpy. Costing R32000ish. Ending up with a 'upgraded' the stem, post and bar.

Two others bought Scott full sussers for around R30000 each. Ending up with tubeless conversions on tires and a few other thingys. Like bars. Another guy bought his wife a Cannondale hardtail for R40k plus. And the wheels are due for an upgrade...

Now I am not saying this is the norm. These are just examples of R30k-ish bikes. This is BEEG money.

 

The point made by TheV is that peeps buying bikes in this price bracket DO tend to suffer from serious spells of upgraditis.

If you want value for money, get a Vida 1.

Me? I do tend to suffer from upgraditis from time to time. So building a bike will cost you more than a complete offering. But then the upgrades are already done. And you don't have to sit with a garage full of OEM seatposts, stems, bars and wheels. (which you paid for)

[Goodbadugly]

And as I walked into a bike shop this morning I saw a Scott Scale Expert 29er 2012 with a set of Crossmax 29er wheels... Not OEM.

[JoJaCa]

I'd seriously suggest the Silverback Storm 1. Full XT with XT Brakes, SID RL Fork, Stan's ZTR Crest Wheels and. 10.4 KG for R 20 000.