Moving into the 21st Century

[VamP]

I like Whyte, and I like the idea of 29ers. The components however seem a bit underspecced for the two grand price ticket, or is I just me? I say this as I have 100mm Reba forks and Elixir 3 brakes on my Trek MTB that only set me back a grand. I'm not sure on SRAM parts, so unless that chain set is the MTB equivalent of Force or Red, I'd wonder where the money is going...

It confuses me as my LBS stock Whyte, and I've always looked at them and drooled over the spec on some of them in the 1700 quid bracket!

All that said, please note there is no way the above components are LOW spec... I'd just expect slightly more for a two grand Hardtail!


:edit: found it. The model I saw in store was the Whyte 905 for 1675.00. It's not a 29er which is where I guess the money goes, but you get 120mm travel Reba forks, and Elixir 5 brakes. What I hadn't noticed in store was that it's a compact 26/39 chain set though! regardless, if it was me and I didn't have my heart set on a 29er, I'd be giving this a serious look.

I guess they charge for the very light carbon frame. I've looked at the 905, and would be happy with it now. Would I feel like I wanted to upgrade to a lighter frame with 29er wheels in a year or so? Very likely. Looked at that way the extra £300 seems like a good spend right now.

Still mulling it over though, the 905 is still in the frame.

 

[VamP]

Ooops clicked on the wrong Whyte in that link VamP

I thought you must have done.

 

[02GF74]

29er - i don't think it is fashio, larger wheels will roll easier over uneven terrain = that's physics for yer,

consider cannondale flash as well as specialized & scott., i suspect carbon frame versions will be more than 1,900

 

[VamP]

29er - i don't think it is fashio, larger wheels will roll easier over uneven terrain = that's physics for yer,

consider cannondale flash as well as specialized & scott., i suspect carbon frame versions will be more than 1,900

Am looking at the flash and the Scott as well. They come in more expensive than the Whyte for similar spec, but it's not deal breakingly more expensive.

Yeah, I don't think 29ers are fashion either. The lads on them at Checkendon were brutally fast.

 

[VamP]

An update:

So a mate has a pile of MTB kit, which he reckons is sufficient to build a competitive machine, sans frame. I need to go round and look through, but he's willing to let me have the lot for £100 as he's having a clearout.


Once I've identified what's there, I will start frame shopping.


In the meantime, as I don't want to be missing races, I have fixed up my rigid, new stem, new bars, new tyres. I'll let you know how that goes

I have gone for riser 680mm bars (previously flat 600) and much shorter stem (90 instead of 135). 2.1 Rocket Rons over previous 1.5 CX Comps.

Feels like a different bike. In a good way. In race form it weighs in at 24lbs.

If I like the way it races, I might consider building up a 29er with rigid carbon forks, unless Dave has a wheelset amongst his pile of stuff, in which case I might stay with 26.

 

[lukesdad]

Do you need 2.1 s ?

 

[VamP]

Do you need 2.1 s ?

Need, need... who knows what I need. Better legs probably. But in the interim I got these racing ralph's as PX had them on a special. And 2.1 was a bizarre typo, they're 2.25.

 

[VamP]

Update.

Finally got to traipse round to mate's house (North London) and go through his bits. Decided to put 29er on hold and bought his Pace RC305 frame and a bag full of bits off him. Whole bunch of XT groupset, a wheelset Hope/Mavic, Hope brakes, decent Easton/Thompson finishing kit all in for £300. Just ordered the missing bits (fork mainly , crankset, one shifter) and am looking at a total build cost of £800, with Reba RLT 120mm, XT drivetrain, Hope 180/160 brakes, halfway decent wheelset that's just been rebuilt, and a whole bunch of various spares thrown in.

Can't wait to get stuck into the build now just what i need now, a project to take my mind off the fact that I can't get out and ride.