Black_Knight Posted April 22, 2015 Posted April 22, 2015 Hi Guys, so I,m looking to get into some freeriding but would like to test the waters first with out having to poor my wedding fund into it, the Fiancee will not be impressed, then again i could marry my bike it wont argue and when i want to ride its always ready ha ha. anyways here is the current spec of my Merida FRAME: Big 7 TFSSIZE: MediumFORK: Rock Shox XC30TK27 100BRAKES F/R: Shimano M445CHAIN: KMC X10 10sCHAINWHEEL: Shimano M522 octa 42-32-24DERAILLEUR F: Shimano DeoreDERAILLEUR R: Shimano XT ShadowHANDLEBAR: MERIDA comp OS 660 R25STEM: MERIDA NC OS 7GRIP: Spank SubrosaHUB F: Shimano XT 785HUB R: Shimano XT 785RIM: Spank Spike Race 28 Evo 27.5SADDLE: MERIDA Pro SISEAT POST: MERIDA comp SB12 31.6SHIFTERS F: Shimano DeoreSHIFTERS R: Shimano DeoreSPOKES: WTB BlackTYRES: F > WTB Vigilante R> WTB Trail Boss Im just looking for some general direction on this like should the fork be done first or are the other parts that are critical to do first. any advice is welcome thanks guys
G00SE Posted April 22, 2015 Posted April 22, 2015 Fork and frame are the big things that will hold you back with your current build - steep head angle and short travel fork are not ideal for a freeride / AM hardtail bike. Look out for a purpose built frame going on special at CRC or 2nd hand, can often pick up a frame for little more than R2000 - R3000.Next get yourself a longer travel fork, and a dropper and youre set!Oh, and wider bars...
Captain Fastbastard Mayhem Posted April 22, 2015 Posted April 22, 2015 As goose says - frame and fork. Everything else is pretty good. I'd go for this... http://www.on-one.co.uk/i/q/FROO45650B/on-one-45650b-frame And then a Lyrik / Pike / Fox 36.
Captain Fastbastard Mayhem Posted April 22, 2015 Posted April 22, 2015 Then get rid of the triple crank, slap a narrow/wide and chain guide (top guide) on there and go for it.
Ryanpmb Posted April 22, 2015 Posted April 22, 2015 PM'd. Talk to me regarding a frame and fork options. Busy building myself a HT long travel beast. Edit: Cap gave me a plug above - that's the very frame I PM'd you about.
Black_Knight Posted April 22, 2015 Author Posted April 22, 2015 Then get rid of the triple crank, slap a narrow/wide and chain guide (top guide) on there and go for it. Fork and frame are the big things that will hold you back with your current build - steep head angle and short travel fork are not ideal for a freeride / AM hardtail bike. Look out for a purpose built frame going on special at CRC or 2nd hand, can often pick up a frame for little more than R2000 - R3000.Next get yourself a longer travel fork, and a dropper and youre set!Oh, and wider bars... Wow thanks guys, so i take it the head angle affects the angle of the fork from the frame, so do you want the wheel further from the frame, sorry a bit of a noob on this one a frame i have also looked at is the Morewood Zula 650B if i was to move away from the hardtail. whats your views on that, i was trying to get away with the same frame but if im gonna need new frame due tot eh head angle I was thinking of the Morewood.
Ryanpmb Posted April 22, 2015 Posted April 22, 2015 Wow thanks guys, so i take it the head angle affects the angle of the fork from the frame, so do you want the wheel further from the frame, sorry a bit of a noob on this one a frame i have also looked at is the Morewood Zula 650B if i was to move away from the hardtail. whats your views on that, i was trying to get away with the same frame but if im gonna need new frame due tot eh head angle I was thinking of the Morewood. You want something with a slacker head angle. Both the Merida and the Zula will have relatively steep HA. 65 - 68deg with 68 being on the steeper side. This is where you want to be:
G00SE Posted April 22, 2015 Posted April 22, 2015 As goose says - frame and fork. Everything else is pretty good. I'd go for this... http://www.on-one.co.uk/i/q/FROO45650B/on-one-45650b-frame And then a Lyrik / Pike / Fox 36. That on-one is a sweet looking frame!
G00SE Posted April 22, 2015 Posted April 22, 2015 The Merida and zula frames are more XC orientated frames.Its not to say you can use them, but after your third trip OTB on steep terrain, you'll understand why you need the slack geometry of a purpose built long travel frame, and a decent long travel fork.What you have now is good to start with, but as your confidence grows, the frame / fork combo, will start limiting what you can do.
Captain Fastbastard Mayhem Posted April 22, 2015 Posted April 22, 2015 Wow thanks guys, so i take it the head angle affects the angle of the fork from the frame, so do you want the wheel further from the frame, sorry a bit of a noob on this one a frame i have also looked at is the Morewood Zula 650B if i was to move away from the hardtail. whats your views on that, i was trying to get away with the same frame but if im gonna need new frame due tot eh head angle I was thinking of the Morewood.What Ryan said. You want something with a slack head angle, built to accommodate the longer travel that a "freeride" bike generally has. The On-One is a very capable frame, and would be far more suited to that type of riding than the Zula, which is still an XC / trail frame. Yes, you could put a longer fork on your existing bike, but it wouldn't be nearly as good as going for something that is built around the different stresses that a longer fork places on the head tube Plus, it's pretty darn cheap.
Captain Fastbastard Mayhem Posted April 22, 2015 Posted April 22, 2015 Oh - if you slap a bigger fork on the Merida / Zula, your frame will have the following: Raised BB (bad for cornering) Wandering front end (on the climbs) Higher Stack (bad for handling, generally speaking) In short - get the frame, transfer your bits over. Then get the fork. Then you're sorted.
Black_Knight Posted April 22, 2015 Author Posted April 22, 2015 Oh - if you slap a bigger fork on the Merida / Zula, your frame will have the following: Raised BB (bad for cornering) Wandering front end (on the climbs) Higher Stack (bad for handling, generally speaking) In short - get the frame, transfer your bits over. Then get the fork. Then you're sorted. The Merida and zula frames are more XC orientated frames.Its not to say you can use them, but after your third trip OTB on steep terrain, you'll understand why you need the slack geometry of a purpose built long travel frame, and a decent long travel fork.What you have now is good to start with, but as your confidence grows, the frame / fork combo, will start limiting what you can do. You want something with a slacker head angle. Both the Merida and the Zula will have relatively steep HA. 65 - 68deg with 68 being on the steeper side. This is where you want to be:OnOne 45650B.jpg Sweet okay now i have direction New frame step one (Right Head angle 66 or less) then move parts then a new fork, thanks guys im no longer wondering in the the dark
Captain Fastbastard Mayhem Posted April 22, 2015 Posted April 22, 2015 Sweet okay now i have direction New frame step one (Right Head angle 66 or less) then move parts then a new fork, thanks guys im no longer wondering in the the darkBTW - I slapped a bigger fork on my old hardtail. It did all those things I listed as reasons for not doing it in the first place. But dammit, it was FUN!
Lance Cruz Posted April 22, 2015 Posted April 22, 2015 456s are phenomenal things, especially when run with 34mm+ stanchion diameter forks.
G00SE Posted April 22, 2015 Posted April 22, 2015 Sweet okay now i have direction New frame step one (Right Head angle 66 or less) then move parts then a new fork, thanks guys im no longer wondering in the the dark ... and dont forget the wide bars!!Those 660's arent gonna cut it on a long travel fun bike.
NicoBoshoff Posted April 22, 2015 Posted April 22, 2015 What do you do if that hanger snaps off the On One?
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