Well, after a lot of help from you guys, had a fantastic year of riding on my self build Chumba (one of the many ton cast offs 😉 ). It has been a slowly evolving bike, as I am sure most you lot’s ride has been also. Bike looked like this on completion back in march:

Been mud plugging, snow/ice skating, dusty trail flying, big hill epic-ing, local thrashing and I have loved it on this bike. Generally much more fun than my previous 26er Stumpy FSR, really love the big rolling 29er wheels. Also been great to have an ever increasing circle of like minded, similar-ish ability and fitness friends to share with. Been a great summer, and here in Schweiz the summer is having a nice lonnnnnnngg tail. 😀

I changed the forks to 20mm maxle’s, and that has helped massively through techies as the front end was really flexy with the Manitous. Short stem and flat wide straight bars also made a huge difference to front end stability on steep stuff, as the Carnegies and long stem felt very comfortable, but slowed down handling too much and gave me a bizarrely sore elbow, like can’t-pick-up-a-pint-after-a-ride sore (funny rotation I guess? carnegies that is, not pint drinking!). 🙄

Other wee updates in 6 months of great riding:
1) Hayes brakes dreadful, changed for tech M4s, bloody marvellous
2) Wrecked Halo spin doctor rear hub, replaced with ProII (gold – not great colour coding).
3) Snapped derailleur hanger for the first time ever, of course also for the first time when not carrying a spare. Seriously. ridiculous! (si from Progressive was super responsive for spares – thanks again!)
4) Same incident also trashed rear mech, replaced with slightly bling red X0 😳
5) Can’t manage without a dropper post (had a command post on my old bike), CRC had joplin on offer so snapped it up. love it.
6) Racing Ralphs great in dry, conti MK 2.4s good in most everything else but a bit heavy/draggy, new Ardent 2.4s seem to cover just about everything. nice.

And the white grips are really no longer white!

Kev

Actually prefer the original incarnation but if it’s giving you pleasure then all is well. 🙂

nice bike 🙂

you need some these to colour code with the rear hub 😉

Looks nice, a real riders bike.

😈 @ Si!

When you sent the hangers I was This close to asking for crampons. Not in gold though. Hideous! 😆

Graham, I try! Although I have a feeling that what the comment really means is that it looks like a dogs dinner but is clearly loved by it’s owner. Guilty!

Coyote, aye, it looks a bit different now, but it ain’t half better to ride.

Anyone know the best middle ring to buy? I keep wearing them out, and of course the implications that causes on the rest of the kit.

Ta!

Kev

Very nice, me and my mates have been doing the same thing for years. Buy the right frame for your riding and budget. Then chuck what ever you can get on it. Upgrade as soon as you can, I’m trying to build a DH bike just now, on a budget of £500 to £600.

See how it goes!

Ridefree!

schönes radl velo

When did they start doing them in gold? Only in black when i bought mine.

Lovely looking bike, clearance looks tight on the front with those RR’s, must struggle with actual treaded tyres?

Middleburn or Renthal should be good enough for your middle ring requirements.

Are those 120mm reba’s? where are they from if you don’t mind me asking.

edit – Oh yeah, nice bike too!

Hairy – ta, will check it out.

Swift – that’s the 2.4RRs, which as you know are MAHOOSIVE in volume and size. The Ardents 2.4s are about the same in terms of clearance, so seems to be OK. Will confirm when I get home! Really, clearance back & front is top notch on this bike. Amazed how much space there is around a 2.4 Ardent on the rear, although I don’t ride in the kind of claggy glor I used to at home in hte west of scotland.

tthew – Thanks! yup, 120mms. Bought from the famous JensonUSA (availability and price!)

Really wanted 2011 fox f29s (maybe even the talas ones!), but delivery etc was going to be a pain in the tits. They will send rockshox anywhere, but fox only in the US. I have friend in various parts of the US, but it was going to be a bit tricky. I relaly am very happy with the Rebas. They are breaking in now, a little more plush than at the beginning, but think I might take a squeak more air out to really sweeten them up.

oh yeah, and Kaesae – your approach is definitely the future!

For me, next is wheels, as as stiff as the Halo’s are, they are fookin heavy! It has amazed me how much difference it makes when swapping from RR to MK tyres (about 2-300g per wheel I think), so new hoops would be lovely.

Kev

Dear God! I agree with kaesea on something!