3x10 to 1x10 Merida Big Nine HT conversion on a budget

[BSG]

My spacer is on the chain side, don't know if it's the drive side but I assume it is. And then I've got spacers on between the chainring and where they bolt onto.

Edited September 16, 2019 by BSG

[gemmerbal]

So I’m adding a couple of budget upgrades, pics and details to follow soon ????

[gemmerbal]

So here goes:

 

After the K2C my derailleur just wasn’t the same, so this week i spotted a x9 shifter and derailleur on the hub and decided for R750 it was worth the upgrade. And man does it shift smooth. Took a bit of fine tuning to get the short cage to work with my 46 tooth and the rapide extender but its all sorted now and runs beautifully. Thanks Baracuda for the sell!

 

My big upgrade was my fork. Saw a Rockshox Recon with straight steerer and 9mm QR on the hub last weekend, unused in the original box, for R3000, including a fork pump! Oliver and I agreed on R2750 and today it arrived, in brand spanking new condition, via Postnet for R99. Took me all of 2 hours to install it tonight and it looks so sexy! It took 2 hours because I procrastinated over the cutting of the steerer, but I sucked it up and went for it. Really easy install, bit of grease on the headset bearings and all sorted! The only tool I had to borrow was the starnut setter, thanks to my LBS - Attitude Cycles.

 

Im so happy to have finally found a fork at a price I could justify spending on my old faithful donkey. The Suntour served me well but it had its days, and I can now finally experience proper suspension at the front!

[MORNE]

So here goes:

 

Lekker Tienie!

 

almost shocked that you got that x9 to fit over a 46T....even with the extender. i thought that generally ment 42T max since most 10 speed shortcage things were meant for 36T in the day. Congrats on the fork! they are becoming unicorns in that spec.

there is always new old stock somewhere lol. that will work a treat...need to find one of those for the wife's bike too... same problem, k2c murdered that poor sentaur fork lol.

 

1x10 is still lekker. hell, Box is bringing out premium 1x9 setups again haha.

Edited October 26, 2019 by morneS555

[BSG]

So here goes:

 

After the K2C my derailleur just wasn’t the same, so this week i spotted a x9 shifter and derailleur on the hub and decided for R750 it was worth the upgrade. And man does it shift smooth. Took a bit of fine tuning to get the short cage to work with my 46 tooth and the rapide extender but its all sorted now and runs beautifully. Thanks Baracuda for the sell!

 

My big upgrade was my fork. Saw a Rockshox Recon with straight steerer and 9mm QR on the hub last weekend, unused in the original box, for R3000, including a fork pump! Oliver and I agreed on R2750 and today it arrived, in brand spanking new condition, via Postnet for R99. Took me all of 2 hours to install it tonight and it looks so sexy! It took 2 hours because I procrastinated over the cutting of the steerer, but I sucked it up and went for it. Really easy install, bit of grease on the headset bearings and all sorted! The only tool I had to borrow was the starnut setter, thanks to my LBS - Attitude Cycles.

 

Im so happy to have finally found a fork at a price I could justify spending on my old faithful donkey. The Suntour served me well but it had its days, and I can now finally experience proper suspension at the front!

I have exactly the same bike and that Suntour coil fork just sucks, my upgrades on my bike, air fork, carbon handle bar, short stem, changed the rims to a better set (from a Scott), also went 1x10 and Spez saddle. Actually it's only the frame, seatpost and seatpost clamp that's still original. Even resprayed the frame as well. And added a mudguard which I bought in the UK.

Edited October 26, 2019 by BSG

[AndrewMo]

Also went the 1x route with my Big Nine.

 

[gemmerbal]

haha thanks Morne, ja look, I was watching the hub as well as ebay for a long time, and i reckon as far as doing things on a budget is concerned, I could not have made a better choice on the fork. all the alternatives I looked at would have meant spending more money on adapters and whatnot. So for R2750 it was a no-brainer, like you said, UNICORN!

 

I took a chance that the short cage derailleur would fit, and for R750 I was willing to take the chance. I must be honest, I cannot believe how different/better SRAM is!!! Click, it shifts. Finish. And we are talking about entry level Sram components? It did take a bit of finesse to get the shifting sorted, I played around with lengthening the chain, then shortening etc etc and finally found the sweetspot. I think I might throw on the Sram chain I got mahala when I bought the derailleur and shifter! Oh, and now I'm looking for a matchmaker...

 

You say about your wife's fork. Funny enough that was the only thing that didn't take a beating at this year's K2C, must be because I PACKED it with grease the week before. I'm yet to fully explore and discover the limits of the new fork, and still trying to fine tune the pressure and rebound settings.

Lekker Tienie!

 

almost shocked that you got that x9 to fit over a 46T....even with the extender. i thought that generally ment 42T max since most 10 speed shortcage things were meant for 36T in the day. Congrats on the fork! they are becoming unicorns in that spec.

there is always new old stock somewhere lol. that will work a treat...need to find one of those for the wife's bike too... same problem, k2c murdered that poor sentaur fork lol.

 

1x10 is still lekker. hell, Box is bringing out premium 1x9 setups again haha.

[gemmerbal]

Andrew + BSG,

Like your conversions! I just goes to show what can be done. I am amazed at how flexible this old Merida is for upgrades. The thing I like most is the threaded BB upgrade, this pressfit business looks like an endless moneypit. The thing I dislike most is the straight steerer head tube, because finding a straight steerer fork is a pain! And doing all of the adapters and fitting new crown races and so on just makes it almost uneconomical.

 

I paid R5500 for my bike in 2014 and to date the upgrades I have made is probably around R5000-7000, I am yet to actually sit down and do the exercise. If I had to buy a new bike today I'm not sure if I would find something for R12000 with the components I have on at the moment, I am guessing, will make a finding after I have completed the above exercise.

 

So now I'm thinking... Rapide Wheelset???? Surely this is not a bike specific upgrade as wheelsets are transferable? Thus it would be justifiable???

 

PS: I'll chuck those yellow grips in the next week or so, get some red ones, stick with the colour theme and all...

[gemmerbal]

I like it! Like the colour too, maybe something to tackle myself?!

I have exactly the same bike and that Suntour coil fork just sucks, my upgrades on my bike, air fork, carbon handle bar, short stem, changed the rims to a better set (from a Scott), also went 1x10 and Spez saddle. Actually it's only the frame, seatpost and seatpost clamp that's still original. Even resprayed the frame as well. And added a mudguard which I bought in the UK.

[gemmerbal]

Nice! XTR nogal! I like it!

Also went the 1x route with my Big Nine.

 

505DC4FC-1B5D-4467-8204-70FC816367B7.jpeg

[MORNE]

snip

 

I think I might throw on the Sram chain I got mahala when I bought the derailleur and shifter! Oh, and now I'm looking for a matchmaker...

 

if you can, try a 11spd chain. They work so much nicer on 10spd groupsets than 10 speed chains. That 'ball hair difference in width from 10 speed means it runs and shifts so much nicer... and quiet!. It is instantly noticeable.

I had to throw on a new 10 speed XT chain I had lying around since my k2c carnage as Evo didn't have stock of the 11 speed kmc i like to run. It was fine i guess....but when i put the new 11 speed chain back on it was SO much nicer again. The narrower chain also gives you that tiny bit of freedom when setting the gears as it runs between the two cogs a bit easier than a thicker 10spd chain.

 

With a 10 speed it feels like you need to get it PERFECT otherwise you hear that annoying sound of the chain scraping agains the adjacent cog's face.

it's the exact reason I run a 12 spd chain on the wifes 11 speed groupo too....those are even more sensitive. 

 

edit:

the ballhairs right there lol

Edited October 28, 2019 by morneS555

[gemmerbal]

that sounds like an excellent idea! I'll tell you why, because even after lubing my derailleur cable housings it seems the worst thing to try and iron out is downshifting into the 11 cog, it ALWAYS hesitates, and if i set the limit screw further out, it messes with the indexing. So I reckon you are onto something... Thanks for sharing Morne! something to keep in mind when buying a new chain!

if you can, try a 11spd chain. They work so much nicer on 10spd groupsets than 10 speed chains. That 'ball hair difference in width from 10 speed means it runs and shifts so much nicer... and quiet!. It is instantly noticeable.

I had to throw on a new 10 speed XT chain I had lying around since my k2c carnage as Evo didn't have stock of the 11 speed kmc i like to run. It was fine i guess....but when i put the new 11 speed chain back on it was SO much nicer again. The narrower chain also gives you that tiny bit of freedom when setting the gears as it runs between the two cogs a bit easier than a thicker 10spd chain.

 

With a 10 speed it feels like you need to get it PERFECT otherwise you hear that annoying sound of the chain scraping agains the adjacent cog's face.

it's the exact reason I run a 12 spd chain on the wifes 11 speed groupo too....those are even more sensitive. 

 

edit:

the ballhairs right there lol

[BSG]

I like it! Like the colour too, maybe something to tackle myself?!

I bought my Fork of eBay UK, luckily my brother lives there and we were going on holiday to them so he got it for me. And it was cheaper than a second hand one in the whole of SA. The Spez saddle and mudguard I also bought over there. Just with a push of a computer button and it arrived within 2 days. Delivered to his address.

But the easiness of buying like this can have serious consequences if I'd have to live in the UK. [emoji1787][emoji3061]

Edited October 28, 2019 by BSG

[gemmerbal]

Lucky you! I almost won an auction on a Markhor which would have been a great buy. But as these things go, the last 30mins the bids just skyrocket and i had to pull out. Buying it for 2000 zars and then shipping and duties just wouldnt have made sense. Lucky for me a week later i saw the recon on the hub and decided to go for that instead.

I agree, buying on ebay is dangerously easy... if you live in the UK or have friends/family there that can help out with shipping.

Awesome though! I like our little Merida Big Nine Club
 

I bought my Fork of eBay UK, luckily my brother lives there and we were going on holiday to them so he got it for me. And it was cheaper than a second hand one in the whole of SA. The Spez saddle and mudguard I also bought over there. Just with a push of a computer button and it arrived within 2 days. Delivered to his address.
But the easiness of buying like this can have serious consequences if I'd have to live in the UK. [emoji1787][emoji3061]

Edited October 29, 2019 by gemmerbal

[BSG]

So Santa brought me new tyres for the Merida.