How to build a MonsterCross Bike 101

[NotSoBigBen]

On 5/2/2025 at 9:20 AM, Mongoose! said:

https://bikehub.co.za/classifieds/item/mountain-bike-hubs/813717/american-classic-hub-cannondale-lefty

Getting so close to actually being able to fit it now! Picking up a new Lefty sticker now 😎

Got a complete wheel that just needed some TLC .... Fixed a few spokes, serviced the hub ... Bonus!

[NotSoBigBen]

Finally, a few small details to sort and then riding time!

[Toasted marshmallows]

Big Ben is the fork permanently locked out? Or did you push the compression circuit down to open?

[guidodg]

[NotSoBigBen]

2 hours ago, Toasted marshmallows said:

Big Ben is the fork permanently locked out? Or did you push the compression circuit down to open?

That's one of the small things to sort out today 😁

Will put the lockout on and bleed it

[SSCC]

3 hours ago, guidodg said:

That looks great. What stem length and whats the biggest front chainring you could fit on there? 

[guidodg]

80mm for now but will go to 70mm to try

34T on it now but have a 9-46 E-thirteen on the back ...so similar to a 38T with a 10-50

Edited Saturday at 12:06 PM by guidodg

[Bub Marley]

On 5/10/2025 at 12:25 PM, guidodg said:

80mm for now but will go to 70mm to try

34T on it now but have a 9-46 E-thirteen on the back ...so similar to a 38T with a 10-50

This looks fantastic 🥰.

 

I would run a more inverted stem though. I have the same dilemma on my drop bar hardtail, so trying to source one still. Given the increased stack height on a mtb, I found that I needed to get lower.

[cadenceblur]

On 5/10/2025 at 12:25 PM, guidodg said:

80mm for now but will go to 70mm to try

34T on it now but have a 9-46 E-thirteen on the back ...so similar to a 38T with a 10-50

stem length definitely a factor - considering the reach to the hoods, unless you spend most of your time on the bars / or at the bend of the bars.

[cadenceblur]

I see you also have quite a slope on the top tube, whereas mine is flatter 

[guidodg]

12 minutes ago, cadenceblur said:

stem length definitely a factor - considering the reach to the hoods, unless you spend most of your time on the bars / or at the bend of the bars.

hence I used a smaller frame😉

[RobynE 🚵‍♀️]

And so she takes flight in phase 1 of being a dual purpose road/gravel tandem steelie.  

Massive thanks to @kermitt for all his attention here. Responding to an ad for a set of tandem DT rims resulted in some ridiculously cool stuff from the lekker guy who is kermitt. 

Dame Judy as she’s been named, is now sporting some bigger tekkies (she’ll be able to comfortably run 40 (min) tubeless at the rear and a bit wider still up front - now 38 tubed on both), a very lekker carbon fork, front mechanical disc brake, larger rear v-brake caliper pending disc conversion at the back, stretched dropouts to run her delicious DT tandem rim/disc wheels, new bar tape and brake cables, new-to-us chainrings. Thanks so much, Gareth!! 
 

Before: 

 

After: 

I just need to fiddle with saddles as they’re the OG ones from the bike which is probably a 90s model, but we’ll see you at Race To The Sun on Saturday 😁 

[RobynE 🚵‍♀️]

⬆️ NB the tyres have a reflective strip on them which makes the wheels seem very deep in pics but the rims wear a 38 tubed very nicely indeed and I think tubeless will be epic. 

[Bub Marley]

Anyone know if it’s possible to put a manual lockout on a fox front fork which comes with the remote lockout functionality? I dont really want remote levers on my drop bars?

[RobynE 🚵‍♀️]

38 minutes ago, Bub Marley said:

Anyone know if it’s possible to put a manual lockout on a fox front fork which comes with the remote lockout functionality? I dont really want remote levers on my drop bars?

I think that has something to do with the damper - if yours is currently a cable lockout (turn key) then it wouldn’t be a problem as you could just remove the cable, but if it’s hydraulic then I don’t think so (I stand under correction) as there’s nothing to manually turn. 

[Bub Marley]

1 hour ago, RobynE 🚵‍♀️ said:

I think that has something to do with the damper - if yours is currently a cable lockout (turn key) then it wouldn’t be a problem as you could just remove the cable, but if it’s hydraulic then I don’t think so (I stand under correction) as there’s nothing to manually turn. 

Pretty sure it’s a cable actuated. There’s only a lock and unlock function. No middle ground etc.