but reading the thread on build a bike for £1260 got me thinking.
Sitting in the shed I have a load spare and original parts off my 2 year old zesty going to waste. I ride places like afon and cwmcarn, but not at lightening speed!
So what could I build as a second bike, to have a change from my 140mm full suspension bike. Ive got a set of Xt wheels with formula rotors, slx 9 spd cassette, and Tyres. A stem, seat post, pedals, Slx double with bash guard and sunline bars.
Why did I read that?

what could you build as a second bike?

whatever you like.

If it was me … Nice light(ish) hardtail, short travel or rigid, probably SS

As Cheez says, rediscover the hardtail rider in you. And you (probably) will end up preferring it.

Its the beginning of the end.

I used to be a happy rider, I had one bike, loads of space in the shed/manshed/workshop of many awesomes. But then I faced the same dilemma as you, and within a few evenings, a SS MTB popped out from the spares pile, then a few months later, a road bike, then a hack road bike, then a fixed town bike, and then a 1920s pave bike, then a bike for GF that then became an ex (and bike is still here), then a different bike for new GF, and then the hack road bike got chopped into pieces and is half way through being brazed back together into the shape of a hipster fixie skidder with ridiculously twitchy geometry….

And all the while, my main bike, my favourite big mountain bike that I can ride anywhere, anytime and over any terrain, has laid forgotton and slowly fell apart from lack of time/ effort/ money to splurge on it.

Moral of the storey, unless you’ve got infinite time, space and money (and GF’s) you’ll end up with more bikes, but LESS riding time.

Nah do bike building in babysitting time not riding time. That’s what baby monitors are for.

Not got a baby? That’s what you need to make first.

I only get to ride 2-4 times a month, but time for working on the bike isn’t a problem. Kids in bed by 7:30, buy the wife a new book, then she wants me out of the way 😉
I don’t want a ss, thinking maybe a 9 speed with 100-130 mm forks

Im 6ft and my zesty is a size medium which fits perfect, possibly a carbon frame.

carbon 456 😉

They’ve been on offer before for £300 posted I think. And about £499 with a decent new fork (like a rev dual air). I don’t think anyone has a bad thing to say about them either.

How about a cross bike, ie totally different to what you have now? Then once it’s built you can do 1hr jaunts from the door without driving. Buy War & Peace or Bleak House for the Mrs.

A steel hardtail to ride for variety and to use over the winter to preserve the FS.

A steel hardtail to ride for variety and to use over the winter to preserve the FS.

Another good plan – it’s pretty much what I do tho then I find myself riding the HT all year locally and keeping the FS for trail centres and rocky places.

Another good plan – it’s pretty much what I do tho then I find myself riding the HT all year locally and keeping the FS for trail centres and rocky places.

This +1

My Pitch has been relgated to special occasions (i.e. not trail centers and only if the tracks are going to be rocky). There’s something really satisfying about knowing a local trail well enough that a hardtail doesn’t slow you down. The downside is I reckon the Pitch costs me almost £50 per ride! Seeing as it’s left for the kind of rides that break things it does seem to mean longer drives (so more petrol), more replacements of broken parts (it’s on its 4th mech which means it’s probably averageing one very 5 rides!) and more upgrades (like chain devices, better brakes, new forks) to try and keep it reliable or just bcasue it gets ridden harder so upgrades are more noticable.

This could be the plan!
I don’t like the look of those cross bikes. It’s got nothing to do with me getting smoked by one on whites level climb a few weeks ago honest.

If you only ride 2-4 times per month, you don’t really need to worry about ‘preserving’ the FS.
Get a road bike- so it is properly different.
Also if you commute on it, it may encourage you to ride more.

You need a full on bonkers, nuts-out, hooligan hardtail. You’ve got a full suss for if you’re out all day. You want something that’s the other end of the spectrum. Something that’s an absolute blast for a couple of hours, but feels like you’ve been gang raped for anything more than that.

A Santa Cruz Chameleon is perfect for this, and will have you grinning like a **** jap

Can’t you just go balls out ****-jap-bonkers on the FS?

great analogy’s as usual Binners 😯

I did just that a few months back. I’d managed to get to the point where I had a spare fork, headset, saddle, bars, stem etc so I bought myself a steel hardtail and a set of wheels from Merlin.

Originally it was meant to be a hack bike, built for the commutes but it’s had far too much nice Hope kit added to it and very shortly it’s possible that a set of SLX cranks might become spare.

then a bike for GF that then became an ex (and bike is still here),

Good trade!

grinning like a **** jap

Great stuff binners, and an excuse to post this …

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEmJ-VWPDM4[/video]

This time next year you’ll notice your FS in the corner of your garage, looking unloved and pale for lack of daylight.

+1 for C456 or even the On-One Lurcher.

Did the same thing with my old components from a 2008 spec epic. Bought new frame and forks for £600 all in and built up a fantasic C456. Its primarily my stealth night bike. Nice and fast and really strong.

+1 for a HT. I built a nice Dialled Alpine to compliment my Orange Alpine (very confusing) with a frame from here and a garage full of spares.

‘Course, I ended up upgrading some of it, so now I have more spares…. 🙄 😀

If you only ride 2-4 times per month, you don’t really need to worry about ‘preserving’ the FS.
Get a road bike- so it is properly different.
Also if you commute on it, it may encourage you to ride more.

only because you`ll realise how boring a road bike is and have to make up with more MTB rides to reduce the self loathing.

build something fun. and rag the hell out of it safe in the knowledge that it doesnt matter what it looks like as long as you have more fun.