have just picked up a 2004 HL 5-spot frame via the classifieds (well i hope it turns up, as i haven’t received it yet! lol).
i wanted to build a full suss bike for the wife as she currently has a hardtail Giant Talon.
my original plan was to pick up a set of 130mm travel forks out of the classifieds and then move all the bits across from the Giant (which is decked out with a combo of old Deore XT, new Deore, Avid Juicy 5’s, XC717/XT wheels, FSA carbon bars and seatpin, etc etc).
my additional expenditure in this instance would be just for the forks and a new headset. i have all the original parts for the Talon to put back on, so I could sell the Talon in standard form for circa £250. if i did this, the project would cost me £200 all in.
HOWEVER…. i do like to get a bit carried away.
rather than spend £200 all in, i’m rather tempted to do the following:-
* 2013 SLX 2×10 groupset
* Formula RX discs
* 2013 Revelation RLT 15mm forks
* Merlin special Stans Olmpyic / XT (15mm) wheel build (okay, i know the so-called ‘XT’ hubs are pants, but the wheelbuild should be nice and light especially as i will set it up tubeless)
* carbon bars and seatpin over from the Talon
* lightweight Selle Italia ladies saddle
This is going to cost me about £900.00 all in, once the Talon is sold (which should fetch circa £280 with the higher spec I will leave on it).
£900 plus £250 almost buys me a brand new Canyon Nerve 7.0W (women’s specific) with mostly XT and nice Fox forks.
hmmm…. Is the Horst 5-spot really THAT much of an all-time classic that it is worth going to town on it?
thoughts…