HI folks
I have a Ghost AMR for nutter/trail duties and I want a lightweight cross country carbon 456 for all day xc stuff and like the idea of the flexibility the frame would give me over the whippet or say a Carbon Cube. However their complete bike build is aimed at a downhill/trail rather than the all day stuff I'm after so i have an idea....
I can get a brand new Boardman Team full suss for £800 currently selling for £999
http://www.boardmanbikes.com/mtb/fs_team.html
And I can get a new 456 frame for £300 so that gives a very good build price well within my budget and a frame and shock to sell on to get more cash back
I would be happier with the 130mm travel id get from the Boardman Rock shox sector than the 140mm Revelation that comes on the built on 456 so thats a bonus
so my questions are
1, Any better (at the same price) donor bikes out there? i really dont think so as im getting the boardman at a great price
2, Are there any bits that wont swap over to the 456 frame? Bottom bracket, crankset. headset?
3, Any obvious flaws in my plan?
Some might say just use the Boardman as its a good lightish xc bike but my Ghost will do what the Boardman will so I'm trying to build a bike that's different to what ive already got. ie, rides different, lighter etc
The bonus of using the 456 is that ive ridden a very well specced one and loved it and if i want to do some more arggo riding on it then its designed to take a longer travel fork and ill have enough money doing it this way to get say a Vanilla for it aswell so i can swap and choose as it suits
Cheers for the input
You might need the headset to go with the 456, it has an external bottom race the Boardman looks to be integrated. There have been posts of some people having prob's fitting tapered RS forks to the 16" frame but there is a workaround for that.
The front mech needs to be a topswing as the tube swells lower down towards the BB, Providing the seatpost & clamp are the same size, , The rest should be fine.
They are long on the top tube, I'm 6'2" and for this reason I'm running an 18" with a 400mm seat tube and a 70mm stem and it's now spot on for me.If you've ridden one then you'll know where to go with that.
I fashioned a chainsuck protector in paper then transferred that to a thin sheet of stainless steel from an old oven door front,cut out the shape, a bit of bending and shaping with a hammer it fitted great, looks tidy and has been tested a couple of times & has saved the carbon a treat.
I have 120mm Rebas and love it for fast all day XC here in Spain. Very "comfy" but still bombs when the going gets rough. I covered the tender areas with some helicopter tape and this has worked well.
I had a couple of big offs including a dead stop into a deep pothole that launched me off the front of the bike, when I could breath again I was convinced the headstock would be shattered but I was glad to discover that the bike was still in one piece. seems really tough.and I would probably buy another if I ever manage to break this one.
Enjoy.
Hi Aid, You have to post a pic of your bash guard lol
I was thinking the front mech probably wouldnt fit so was thinking of going single ring at the front at first as my neighbours who ive ridden has that and i managed fine even on some pretty narly climbs. If i can drag my Ghost up hills with its gearing then a 3kg lighter bike should be pretty easy lol
I guess if i tell on-one what fork im going to use they will be able to supply a suitable headset
tbh I found that 120mm just wasn't right on my 456/456Ti, and 140mm worked well - 150mm didn't really add anything either.
the one ive ridden had the tallas adjustable forks on and on its lowest setting (cant remember if it was 120 or 130) it climbed really well and just ffelt better to me
I think 130mm will be ideal for me
Hey we're all different and more so on where we ride, here in Andalucia Spain we have loads of long tough climbs and the 120mm on mine works fine if a longer fork wouldn't affect the climbing I would try it at some point but I find mine aOK.
appy [url=
e's a pic of my chainsuck protector.[/url]
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thats looks really neat
Cheers, It wraps around top and bottom of the chainstay and is just deep enough on the back wings to allow it to be slid on from the area that you see sticking out. Because the chainstays are tapered it tightens on as it is pushed on.It goes right up to the side of the BB cup and I've helitaped below it. As I said it's stainless so it looks after itself.
It has served it's purpose a couple of times when the chain has jumped on rough fast down hill tracks where you don't pedal for a while then find its all gone tits up just when you need it again.
Looking at that picture I don't think it will be long before I put on the new chain rings I have waiting, they have done about 3,000Km so not too bad.