Just conjecture at the moment, but it will be getting done at some point over the summer / Autumn, hopefully in time for a trip to the Alps next summer. Won’t be doing any crazy downhill stuff, more traily type riding I guess. Whatever you want to call it. Anyway, no set budget exactly, but I’m thinking something like…

Frame – last gen Heckler, 05/06 probably with DHX Coil
Fork – Coil Pikes
Wheelset – Mavic 721 on Hope
Brakes – 07 (I think) XTs off my VT or 02(ish) Hope Minis with braided hoses – either will have 203 / 185 rotors
Cranks – Probably LX off the VT with a bash and 36T middle

And the rest build up with bits I like / have on other bikes. Any opinions / suggestions? It’ll be my everyday bounce as well.

FWIW, that’s quite similar to my bike (used on traily-type riding in the Alps every day!):

Frame – last gen Heckler with DHX5 coil
Fork – Coil Lyriks
Wheelset – DT Swiss 5.1s on Hope ProII with Maxxis tubeless DH tyres (2.5″ ST High-roller front, 2.5″ Minion rear)
Brakes – 8″ Hayes 9’s with Goodridge hoses
Drivetrain – 2+bash Hone cranks, XT most other stuff.

With the Lyriks at 130mm, it’s a brilliant bike for the sort of tight singletrack we ride right from our doorstep. Crank them up to 160mm and it copes pretty well with the DH tracks at the likes of Tignes or Pila as well.

Hmm, tubeless, that’s a though. Think Lyrics might be a bit out of my budget sadly, but we’ll see, although it’s going to be more of a trail than a downhill machine anyway.

Looks like a sensible build. I’d go for the shimano brakes rather than the hopes, purely from a parts availability perspective if something goes wrong.

Save all the hassle and buy my Coilair Supreme 😀

Yeah I think I’ll probably go with the XTs too, they’ve been flawless since I got them.

Don’t want a Coilair, sorry! I am open to frame suggestions around the £400 mark, but I’m fairly set on the Heckler…

Pikes on Heckler is good for tight stuff but if your heading down Alpine trails longer forks might be better. Ive got soem older Marz 150mm Z1s on my new Heckler and they are very very good , quite a bit longer CtoA and only cost £150 off the clasifieds.

Hmm that’s worth bearing in mind. What’s the max an old Heckler can run safely? U-Turn Domains might be worth a look too I guess

I’ll bet for that money you’ll be able to buy a brand new Spesh Pitch….
🙂

I did look at Pitches actually, I even had a go on a tiny one and they are VERY tempting… But I’ll be using a fair bit of the components off the bike I have now, so I’d probably end up with a load of bits off the Pitch to sell on.

Plus I want a Heckler. Have done for years. The Pitch is probably just as capable (certainly more so than the rider) but it won’t give me that fuzzy feeling when I look at it. And that’s important.

Fair enough, especially if you have the bits.
🙂

Hecklers are good bikes….

On the other hand if a Pitch came up at the right price, I might end up being swayed… Like I said it’s all conjecture at the moment, really. I’ll have disposable funds around August, so whatever it is will get bought then…

I think max fork travel for old Hecklers was 152 or 154mm so Lyriks are pushing it a little bit, but I don’t often crank mine out to 160mm anyway.