Im in the middle of my first bike build, an 09 Giant Trance. Just a couple of really stupid questions:

1) Do the brake calipers come with the associated bolts and spacers or do I need to buy them separately, if so where from? I’m thinking of the stuff like this: Brake bolts/Spacers

2) I’ve been looking at SLX brakes from Rose bikes, it says for handlebar 22.2 diameter! I’m assuming that’s the diameter where you’d clamp the brake lever and the clamping diameter would be 31.8mm if I went for an oversize bar?

3) Any suggestions on a group set would would be appreciated. I’m thinking on going 2×10 SLX with XT rear deraileur, any advice on ratios for riding in the peaks as an unfit newbie? What front mech to get? Etc

Sorry for the really thick questions but there will probably be a lot more!

1) If you’re buying new then yes, if used then check with the seller.

2) 31.8mm would be the clamping area in the centre where the stem attaches. Those brakes should fit fine but I think they come set up opposite to the normal UK way from Rose (German retailer?) so they have the right hand lever controlling the rear brake. Plenty of people have switched the hoses no problem though.

3) No idea on ratio but you can’t go far wrong with SLX or XT.

Enjoy the build and try not to lose your temper when something that should be simple turns out to be impossible and you skin your knuckles. Again!

Welcome bash.

1) Bolts – yes. Adapters for anything other than 160mm rotors f (post) &r – wont be. Probably not rotors either btw. Or olives to swap the cables over if from Germany.

2) slx fit both types mtb bars.

3) Someone with knowledge of a Trance will be along shortly I’m sure but in future – ideally you’d want to know the seat tube diameter, whether the cable routing is for top pull or bottom pull, and whether a conventional or top swing is used.

Thanks for the help, if anyone could give me a clue as to what front/rear mech I would need. I think the trance is top pull, what parts of the drivetrain are worth going XT as opposed to slx appart from rear mech?

save your cash and just get an SLX rear mech as part of a groupset.

rear mech upgrades are for marketeers and showrooms. if you were up-speccing anywhere, shifters would be much higher on the priority list for me. But just stick with SLX everywhere.

As cp siad, the SLX mechs are nice, and apparently have stronger springs in them…. At least shaddow ones do, and shaddows make less clatter.

If you want an xc-style double chainset* your nearest options are XT, SRAM, or waiting til September (???) for the 2013 SLX chainsets.

*28/40 or 26/38 with no bash ring, rather than the more free-ridey 22/32 and bash. The first two with a 11-36 cassette will more or less match a traditional triple by 9 or 8 speed 11-32 cassette, minus a gear off the top.

As above, SLX vs XT minimal difference plus any spare cash is better spent on the thumb shifters, but is quite a hike up to XTR.

Don’t forget to add cable cutters to the list of tools, and get a long length from your LBS rather than the shimano packet stuff.

check the brake mounts on your frame and fork. As said above, if you’re buying new slx brakes they will be post mount- your mounts may be either IS – international standard, or post mount. If your frame and fork are post mount, you’re home and hosed, but if IS then you’ll need adaptors to convert from IS to PM – which will be different for front and rear brakes, and will depend on the size of the rotor you’re fitting.
Be also aware (although hopefully it won’t matte to you) that there are two standards for rotors- 6 bolt and centre lock (shimano’s own standard) and some less than straight up merchants may offer good deals to offload their unwanted centre lock rotors.

If you’re new to this, best to post up a list of all the parts you’re thinking of buying, brakes and otherwise for critical analysis 🙂

I know it’s not 2×10 but how about this lot?

Slx Groupset