# New Build project



## Cubist (6 Apr 2012)

I wanted to put a 140 Trail bike together, having decided that I would like to branch into the world of squishy bikes. My Cube Ltd, with all its great bits and upgrades is a fantastically fast bike, and if I'm on top of my game a real red route thrasher. However, a couple of excursions into rocky stuff in Scotland (Ae and Kirroughtree) showed me that I was a wee bit underbiked on an XC race bike.

Long story reasonably short I failed to raise enough to buy the Orange Five I was sort of hankering after, and after saving a bit of a bonus payment and some Christmas and Birthday money realised that if I shopped around and sourced quality used parts I may be able to get somewhere near a decent bouncer with what money I did have.

I have spent the last three months scouring the net, Ebay and the Classifieds on a couple of bike sites and have finally started the build today. I'm sitting here typing because the brakes I bought were too short and the fittings are not reuseable as I thought they were. I have ordered a set of fittings to go with the new hoses, but they won't be here before Tuesday I reckon. Oh well, I can wait that long to ride it I suppose.

I have, so far, spent just under £1100 and have built a 12kg 140 travel bike with a mix of SLX and XT drivetrain. I have had to use my old XC wheels, but they are proven to be robust. A tax rebate due this week will find me some new wheels and possibly a dropper seatpost.

I found some fantastic bargains in and amongst, best of which are a Fox Float 32 140 RL fork for £200 and an XT M785 2x10 crankset for £62. I had to buy a new BB for it as the previous idiot owner had taken it off with molegrips, and it looked just too tatty. That swung me towards a full 10 speed drivetrain, and having seen the result am glad I did.

Sad as I am I have photographed each step for posterity and will post a link to the album as soon as the photos have all uploaded. I'll add a couple of taster photos as they are available to load.


Edit: Album link.... loaded backwards for some reason
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v116/emilysdad/Canyon Bike build/


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## Cubist (6 Apr 2012)

The frame is a barely used Canyon Nerve AM with a Fox Float RP2 High Volume shock, with a tapered ACROS headset which cost me £450. 





First bit on was a direct mount mech. That took some finding. They are still only available as OEM but Wheelie UK found me one. It's one of only four brand new bits on the bike. £31








New XT BB at used money, £16


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## Cubist (6 Apr 2012)

Bargain of the year, a 38/26 2x10 XT M785, £62.




Looks good on the bike




Dinky little stem from Superstar





Holds the bargain Fox 140s. £200!


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## Cubist (6 Apr 2012)

Rear Mech, again XT M780, Ebay new "other" £43


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## Cubist (6 Apr 2012)

180mm rotor, fitted never ridden, £6




New 10 spd 11-36 SLX cassette. £38





Using the old Superleggera wheels for the time being


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## Cubist (6 Apr 2012)

Easton Carbon Monkeylite,fitted, never ridden, £45





SLX Dynasys shifters, used, just about, £35





Internal cable routing 




Measure twice, cut only once...


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## Cubist (6 Apr 2012)

Neat little cabling solutions





New chain, have I cut it right?????




10sp powerlink




B limit screw shenanigans




Thompson elite, used, immaculate, £35




Trusty old Knife


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## Cubist (6 Apr 2012)

Useful little freebie......





SLX M666 brakes, barely used, £90, but too short... bugger!




That's it so far, brake hoses cut to length, but need a fitting and bleed kit. 




Looks like a bleedin' 'ooligan.....


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## James D (6 Apr 2012)

Looking good! I rode a Canyon AM in Tignes last summer, it was a great bike


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## YahudaMoon (7 Apr 2012)

Nice

Chimney Bank no problems on that !


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## NormanD (7 Apr 2012)

Now that does look nice and looks like fun too


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## Crackle (7 Apr 2012)

That looks good and what, £600 cheaper than equivalent new?

Have you had a 2x10 before? I'd be interested to hear what you think. I hired a Commencal with a 2x10 setup, which is the first I've ridden, so not really enough time to judge but I found the top chainring a tadge high compared to my normal middle when going downhill and with the increased spread at the back I was tempted to stay in it a bit longer on a climb, meaning a double shift when it got steeper. I need to sit down and work out the ratios, as I'm not convinced they work as well as a conventional 3x8/7 but like I say, that's on fairly limited experience so far and familiarity with the ratios may well eliminate those problems.

Issues I've read about are increased wear in a dirty environment, the Commencal was new so working well but I know my road bike takes a bit more continuous tweaking with 10 gears but of course it's using different dérailleurs but with my current 3x7, I never can't get a gear and it hardly ever needs a tweak.


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## Crackle (7 Apr 2012)

I forgot to say, it looks really good. Of course you know who'll want a trail bike next in the family.......


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## Cubist (7 Apr 2012)

Crackle said:


> That looks good and what, £600 cheaper than equivalent new?
> 
> Have you had a 2x10 before? I'd be interested to hear what you think. I hired a Commencal with a 2x10 setup, which is the first I've ridden, so not really enough time to judge but I found the top chainring a tadge high compared to my normal middle when going downhill and with the increased spread at the back I was tempted to stay in it a bit longer on a climb, meaning a double shift when it got steeper. I need to sit down and work out the ratios, as I'm not convinced they work as well as a conventional 3x8/7 but like I say, that's on fairly limited experience so far and familiarity with the ratios may well eliminate those problems.
> 
> Issues I've read about are increased wear in a dirty environment, the Commencal was new so working well but I know my road bike takes a bit more continuous tweaking with 10 gears but of course it's using different dérailleurs but with my current 3x7, I never can't get a gear and it hardly ever needs a tweak.


 
The nearest equivalent would be the Nerve AM 7.0 which has XT M780 3x10. It costs 1999 euros, so is a bargain in its own right, but weighs 1.5kg more than mine 

By the time I've put on some bling wheels and a Reverb I'll be further up the scale. The same sort of spec from mainstream makers would be in the £2k-£3k bracket by my reckoning. 
New territory for me a 2x10. I've worked out that I have the same climb the walls 26-36 as I have on the 3x9 (22-32), but lose out on top gear, 38-11 as opposed to 42-11. However, I've very very rarely been up into the big ring on the 3x9, and never on a man-made trail. I've occasionally shifted there for fire roads or road descents, but I don't think I'll miss it.


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## Cubist (7 Apr 2012)

Crackle said:


> I forgot to say, it looks really good. Of course you know who'll want a trail bike next in the family.......


He'll have to save for a frame, but the kit on his Ragley would swap over very nicely. It's only a matter of time!


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## Cubist (9 Apr 2012)

Finally got he bits I needed for the brakes and up and running this evening. I took it round a local car park with some drops and steps on to get the feel of it. It's very composed, and very light to ride. I'm not sure what I was expecting, but it was incredibly good to ride. I took it round the local common which has some ruts and a bit of singletrack, and it is absolutely planted on everything there. I ran out of light, but Cubester and I will take it up to a fantastic bit of moorland we know where it will be put through some serious paces tomorrow.


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## VamP (10 Apr 2012)

Great thread. Thanks for sharing.

Enjoy your susser!


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## Francesca (10 Apr 2012)

Great thread Cubist ! very nice


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## GilesM (10 Apr 2012)

Looks very good, and certainly a real bargain, however the Reverb will soon eat into the money saved, but definately worth it. Have fun and let us know what it's like on some real stuff.


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## GilesM (10 Apr 2012)

Crackle said:


> Have you had a 2x10 before? I'd be interested to hear what you think. I hired a Commencal with a 2x10 setup, which is the first I've ridden, so not really enough time to judge but I found the top chainring a tadge high compared to my normal middle when going downhill and with the increased spread at the back I was tempted to stay in it a bit longer on a climb, meaning a double shift when it got steeper. I need to sit down and work out the ratios, as I'm not convinced they work as well as a conventional 3x8/7 but like I say, that's on fairly limited experience so far and familiarity with the ratios may well eliminate those problems.


 
I've been running with 2 x 9 for over a year now on my Orange Five, just a 22, 32 up front and 11 to 32 cassette, obviously I've kept the same low gears I had with the triple, but lost the higher gears, however, I never used them, and the big ring had just become a bash ring, which is what it has now been replaced with.
When I wear out the current bits I will replace the drivetrain with a 1 x 10 system, get rid of the front mech, and fit a chain guide. I am sure the ratios will be fine as long as I'm not riding on the road very much, on road the gears would be too low.


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## Cubist (11 Apr 2012)

Well, took it onto Norland Moor this afternoon and played. Very wet as you can see, but made for some interesting climbs, and a test of how well Ralphs cope with wet rock.


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## Cubist (11 Apr 2012)

Oooh, that HMRC refund came today, so I've ordered a Hope Pro 2 Evo on Stan's ArchEX wheelset..... and some big fat Nobby Nic 2.4 snakeskins. On close inspection today the straight Evo sidewalls on both tyres have taken a bit of a beating, so they aren't up to rocky stuff. I may have done them at Llandegla last week, but some snakeskin should be more robust.


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## flying start (18 Apr 2012)

Lovely looking bike you have there cubist


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