Hi All,

Thanks to questions on here, and an irrational desire to build a hardtail, I've finished-ish the Chumba HX2 build.

Piccies of bike:

Piccies of far to cheeky 4 year old who decided last weekend that he was going to learn to ride his bike, now there's no stopping him. Little madam not yet riding , but scooting along quote the thing.

Of interest on the build, from this 'ere forums I got: Frame, brakes, cables, shifters, derailleurs, headset and spacers, handlebars, stem. All good experiences, fast delivery and as described. I think I thanked everyone.
Only the Hayes brakes needed a bit more TLC than expected, but with a bit of time and care they are awesome. I now find my Juicy 5s on my stumpjumper so on-off, hayes maybe a tiny bit less total power, but much more smooth.

So, on another post about sweating over a headset install, I promised to show piccies, so here you go. Thanks all for the help! No proper ride yet, but it does feel rather good. Stiff and a very good fit for me.

Kev

Interesting – the Chumba is on my 29er shortlist – comparing it with Niner I'm trying to work out if its a direct competitor to the EMD or more of a bargain priced alterative to thier more upmarket frames – maybe a bit less XC orientated than Niner? What's your verdict on build quality EBB etc?

Looks pretty nice

I think that bike looks fantastic. One of the first few big wheelers i've thought looks "right"

how does it ride…. or early days?

Very purrdy!

mmm, looks familier 8)

Ha, yeah, might be familiar Ton! Seatpost is good also, thanks.

Thanks for the nice comments, yes, it does look rather nice! It also does look nicely in proportion, as it does with me also (tall and heavy). One thing though, compared to other bikes, it is still a shock how fooking massive it is. Once I put the tires on the wheels (2.25 and 2.4 r-f) they are comically big. But for me, it all kinda makes sense. Feels like I could ride anywhere! I should put my large stumpy FSR beside it for comparison.

When I rode up to friends/neighbours last night who were also out, you could tell they were like 'Oh yeah, that's kev on that new bike he's been building. OH. MY. GOD. It's like godzilla approaching!' as I pulled up beside them.

Last night was the first spin, just out in the neighbourhood with the kids, feels lovely, but it does feel very different, compounded by the addition of carnegie bars. Thought I would give em a try anyway! Will post when had a spin (this weekend hopefully!).

Norton, I was also looking at EMD, and it is deffo a fair bit more XC. Chumba is designed around a longer travel fork (can go to 130mm i think), and it is a fair bit more burly. Quality seems very good, welding lovely, plenty of clearance for all important bits on the frame (cables, big tires, forks). EBB seems OK, no creaks or groans. not sure I will use as a single speed, but will prob try 1×9 just for simplicity. Geometry seems just right for me, hence why I went for this one.

A few things I will prob change as we go along, but at the mo I cannae wait to have a hoot in the forest with it!

Kev

Lovely, as said one of the few 29's that just looks right, that must be as its a big 29'r.. The colour is fantastic.

Cool kids.

For a 29er that's not too ugly.

Looks great, very classy for a big bike 😉

hx2's are very thin on the ground until the next batch later this year.

tinsy – Member
Lovely, as said one of the few 29's that just looks right, that must be as its a big 29'r.. The colour is fantastic.

Cheers! I never thought I would fret about looks, but suddenly when you are presented with a blank canvas…. waht a big jessie i am! 😳

Component criteria flow: 1) Colour (e.g. manitou or RS over Fox as the red/white is a better match than white/blue 😳 ), 2) Function (does it do what it is supposed to, even if not spectacular e.g. hayes) 3) Price – it's gotta be cheaper than retail (I am scottish after all)

pathetic!

si_progressivebikes – Member
Looks great, very classy for a big bike

A phrase never use din connection with me, sadly. Si, any spare rear shifter hangers? I like to ahve a spare or 2 kicking about just in case.

Thanks folks. my single ring 'widgit' has also just arrived, will post a pick and review when I get that on.

Kev

I have a few hangers, drop me a mail for details.

So, just thought I would drop an update on the Chumba. Been out for a few rides now, and as this is my first long travel hardtail, and a 29er, and with the odd bars it was a rather interesting experience. First ride confirmed 3 things:
1) Carnegies are the best bars ever. for me. even though even my non biking neighbours ask if I can affix a basket.
2) Racing Ralphs are completely shite in mud. Absolutely terrible choice of tires. what a mong. Might be OK for summer, but now replaced with Mountain Kings (2.4s)
3) A long travel hard tail requires a rather different riding style to my full sus (duh!)

Further rides out confirmed:
1) Mountain kings are bloody perfect for my neck of the woods. great grip in a dry-ish forest, and able to lean way over in corners (prob something to do with 29er wheels also, feel able to do much more 'swooping' in corners)
2) Carnegie bars are still bloody amazing
3) I **** love the hard tail 29er thing. I guess I kind of learned to get weight on the forks a wee bit more, throw the bike around a lot more (wheeeee!), and the wheels just roll over stuff that would have been much more tricky on other bike. Amazing. I **** love this!
4) Drops must be cushioned a bit more by my legs. First 1 footer i tackled resulted in such a crash bang wallop landing I thought I might have knackered the rear end. Cue very un-supportive laughter from friends.

Might still use the full sus for longer days out and alpine trips, but this new thing is really rather spiffing!

Cheers all!
Happy Kev

PS cheque on the way Si.

Horrible looking bars

thanks chameleon! They are fugly. Thank god they feel good. Also, when folk see my hideous sweaty visage coming towards them, the abrs are the last thing they are worried about 🙂
Kev

what do you think of the manitou?

I do like that, very nice. Fork review please. 🙂

rootes1 – Member
what do you think of the manitou?

BigDummy – Member
I do like that, very nice. Fork review please.

See, now, I find that tough. I am no expert and and I like to be told what I can and cannot do most of the time, hence why I love macs, still try to use film, have a wooden dobsonian telescope and a manual car with big buttons. Comments on the fork have to have that taken into account! I am also a bat fastard that does not do 'extreme to the power of sick' rad manouvers, so might not test the capabilities as much as others.
1) It is smoothing off, wee bump stiction is slowly but definitely getting better, just as the manual says.
2) Rebound damping adjustment doesn't seem to do much, which is fine with me as it seems to be just right anyway (whereas my fox float I am constantly fiddling and never totally happy, likely my fault… see above comment)
3) compression damping adjustment is fairly progessive, I have it at 2 clicks from wide open and that seems to be just right for me.
4) It has lovely multiple big hit capablity, e.g. steps. really nice travel, does not dive (2 clicks damping seems to help) and nice through the travel.
5) Seems as stiff as my float (which has the funny 9mm DT thingy), and for a QR 29er fork carrying a fat guy I have no complaints as that seems rather remarkable. It should be noted that IMO it deflects less under braking that the float.
6) It matched the colour scheme of my build. Actaully, put that up to no.1 😆

Hope that is of some use, no idea about reliability yet, hopefully will be ok (crosses fingers, touches wood, kisses cross etc etc)
Kev

cool ta for the fork info – any reason you did not get the through axle option?

simply price and availability. I got the forks from Jenson USA, they were a return item and cost **** all so I went for it. May be a mistake, my wheels can go 20mm, but so far I am happy. Hope that helps. Again, bear in mind they are the 2009, not the 2010 version that you are looking at.

Have fun! Let us know what you get.

Kev

yer i was think to save on the cost of a new hubs etc and for my singular swift would go for an 80mm QR version thought 80mm QR might be better suited to the swifts style.. and then save bigger stuff for a full sus in the future

makes sense to me, I say: go forth and purchase! then let me see the photos, as I still ahve a huuuuuuge hankering for a swift even though the geometry is all wrong for me. 😥

love everything about that bike, bar those most odd looking bars. it's got a great look to it, very clean lines!

I considered buying Tons HX2 but decided against it as IIRC he said he found it quite a harsh ride so instead went for the Banshee Paragon (which is a **** awesome bike). The HX2 does look nice though.

I'm also a fat fecker and am running 2009 Manitou Minutes but the 100mm 20mm bolt through option. They are a great fork. I did have them on my Swift and i must say it rode fantastically (till i cracked the frame having dropped something on the top tube 🙄 ). I would happily get another set so if your considering getting some then go for it rootes1 😉

Looks good. Let me know if you hate the RR's enough to want to sell them

Hey bigsi, your swift looked sweet, nightmare on the crack! what the hell did you drop on it?

Been out for another go on it on the HX2 on Sunday, proper decent offroad ride into france and back, one mate on a stumpy FSR and another on a Gary Fisher HT 29er with fox forks. not sure which one but a lovely looking bike. After 4 hours all my joints and bones were quite happy, but when we were going down some seriously steep, fast, rutted and rocky track, the full sus 26er was deffo faster, and the HX2 was indeed pretty, shall we say, resilient. However, when we got to swoopy singletrack through the forest, the 26er FS just couldn't hold onto us. Amazing how we could clear logs, and just swoop about a hell of a lot faster than the 26er. Sweet!

jfeb, might give them a try again as a rear tire, but thanks for the offer!