Forum menu
I've got a Liteville 301 frame on the way! I need some inspiration for my upcoming build. I'm planning to set it up as 2x9 with Zocchi 44 Ti's.
´Post up your builds!
I don't know how to post a pic but mine is...
Raw frame (the best!!)
Rct3 dual position revs
1x10 zee
Xtr cranks
Xt brakes
American classic tubeless wheels
Mk2 front, nobby nic rear, both 2.4
I'd deffo recommend the wheels. Light, stiff, wide.
It's sofa comfy to ride once set up and climbs like a mountain goat. I got up Smiths Coombe in the quantocks which I've not done on any other bike.
One thing though is I couldn't get an e type front mech to fit it it must do!
i'm getting a raw too! Did you use a straight or tapered fork?
Tapered. But purely for cosmetic reasons as the headtube is so massive it looks better!
(Hangs head in vanity shame!)
Lyrik air 160 forks
1 by 10; 30t with 11-36 cassette.
Easton carbon bars
Spank 30mm stem.
Flow wheels; Minion and Ardent.
Mallet pedals (old style)
XT everything else.
For and aft stability awesome (1200mm wheelbase in XL size) but still very nimble at slow speed.
same weight as the hardtail Kona I had in 2007.
Rode one for few days in Garda couple of months ago, awesome piece of kit, I'm dead jealous!
Ok you asked for it so here goes:
It's quite a conservative build in some ways as it's got a lot of Syntace kit on it
Liteville 301 Mk10 L 140mm rocker plates
Pike RCT3 150mm
Syntace w35 27.5 wheels
Hans Dampf 2.35 front
Mavic CrossRoc rear
Syntace Vector Carbon bars
Syntace Megaforce 2 30mm stem (highly recommended)
XT 1x10 with Hope 32t retainer ring and 40t-rex expander sprocket
Xt brakes w ice tech 180 rotors front and rear
Reverb
WTB rocket saddle
DMR Vault pedals
I took it to a Bike Park last week and had amazing fun doing 6 foot drops, jumps etc. Never felt overwhelmed on it.
I'm eyeing up a CCDB inline though....
Mk11 size large 160mm plates
Pikes 26" 160mm
XT 2x10 King BB
Hope Tech M4 180mm floaty rotors
King on Stans 355, though the rims are dying...
Hans Dampf and Nobby Nic tubeless
Reverb Stealth, still getting used to that.
The most stable and capable bike I've ever owned. It's bloody brilliant
[url= https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3688/13540250913_fae21a6cee_b.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/66452821@N00/13540250913/ ]Liteville 301[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/66452821@N00/ ]ritcheyp20[/url], on Flickr
They're strange critters when bottomed out
[url= https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7298/13360431944_124a7732de_b.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/66452821@N00/13360431944/ ]Liteville 301 Compressed[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/66452821@N00/ ]ritcheyp20[/url], on Flickr
Not got an up to date pic but:
Mk8 black frame (large) 140mm rockers
Fox RP23 shock(I think) with oversize air can (also have DT shock)
Just fitted 160mm coil converted Lyrik(tapered) to replace 150mm Revs
SLX brakes 180 discs f&r
Ragley carbon risers 720mm
Ragley stem, 55mm
Crest hoops on Pro2s (rear Crest a bit beaten up now - had to pull the rim out in a vice a couple of times...)
2.4MK front, 2.35 Fat Albert rear, tubeless
RF Next carbon cranks running 2x9 with bash. 22/36
XTR BB
11-34 cassette
SRAM XO shifters
SLX Shadow Plus rear mech with 6mm spacer bodge
LX front mech
Fizik something or other saddle
34.9 Reverb
520 SPDs
According to my elderly spring balance scales it was about 28lbs with the air spring Revs so maybe around 29 now.
Have run it with 140, 150 and 160mm forks. Only done one ride with the Lyriks but feels great. I really like this bike - but would like a raw one - and I'd like to try 650b - to see if the trail can come any more alive.
vonplatz - I'd hardly call that a conservative build... Very nice.
The bikes above look great!
Two questions...
1) P20, what front mech are you using? What is the fitting?
2) Pike owners, do your forks have dual 26''/650b compatability?
My build will be something like...
MK11 frame xl, raw
Shimano 2x9 or 2x10, depending on budget.
Marzocchi 44 Ti RC3 150mm
Sun ringle black flag wheels
Full XT or SLX/Saint brakes
Reverb stealth
I think the rake on the 26/27.5" Pikes differ but if you want to be sure that you can run both then go with the 27.5s
It's an XTR E-type front mech. From memory there isn't any other choice for the 40/28 rings I run. Shifting is excellent both up and down. The down side of those rings, the front syntace chain device doesn't fit.
My pikes are 26"
P20, so your mech is similar to this one?
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/fi/en/shimano-xtr-m985-e-type-2x10-front-mech/rp-prod54896
or this one?
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/fi/en/shimano-xtr-m985-e2-type-2x10-front-mech/rp-prod83058
The first one. That 2nd one is for swing arm mounted mechs
Saw one of these in the flesh for the first time in the alps, very taken with it in the flesh, the suspension setup is very neat
My build (remarkably similar to vonplatz's) :
301 MK11 XL in black with 160 plates
160mm 27.5" Pike RCT3
Syntace W35 wheelset, 26" rear & 27.5" front (These are brilliant & make my FlowEXs look puny thin in comparrison)
Dual-ply Larsen TT on the rear & Magic Mary on the front, tubeless.
Syntace Vector Carbon 780 bar
Syntace Megaforce 2 30mm stem
2x10 XT throughout
Syntace bash
LV integrated chain device
150mm reverb stealth
SQ labs Ti railed saddle
Syntace No9 Titan pedals
~29lbs all up
My build.
Medium MK 11 in Raw with 140 plates
150 pikes
XX1
50 mm Haven stem and carbon bars
Reverb stealth.
Arch ex hoops (26)
MT6s
XTR pedals
Selle kit carbonio saddle
Rubber queens ( the light ones)
26 lb 10 oz. On ultimate digital scales before anyone says "no way"
Love it
P20 - Member
They're strange critters when bottomed out
Linkage looks sort of normal there, albeit in the wrong place. It's a clever design, I like it.
Rob2 - slight hijack: what are you doing riding up Smith's in the first place!
*opens can of worms*
has anyone tried a 301 with 26'' and 650b wheels? Are the differences so noticeable that it's worth buying new 650b wheels, tyres and forks in the future?
Oxy - it's that climb on the right when you get to the bottom. It probably has a proper name!
Not tried 650B in the back but did ask for some picks of it on here before I made a decision.
I decided on 26" in the back in the end. 650B would not have given enough mud clearance for my liking.
So I went 26" rear and 650B front.
Just like London buses, you wait all day for one and then two come along together, photos from their first proper full day out pass-storming ...
[img] 
[/img]
[img] 
[/img]
Nice pictures Ecky-Thunp.
I've got 650b back and front and I am limited to 2.25 tyres in the back.
Do I like it better? Compared to my Cotic Soul 26" it's really hard to say as they ride so differently and I ride them in completely different situations. I cant' say that the wheels make a massive difference but then I'd have to compare riding the same setup on the 301.
I went 27.5 as i fancied trying it out and it looks like the industry seems to be going that way in terms of new developments.
[url= http://dirtmountainbike.com/classics/billy-thackrays-liteville-301-review-committed.html#!bHHiS4 ]Some 650b Liteville musings[/url]
If you search for Tobi Leonhardt you will see a video of him riding a 301 with 29" upfront and 650b on the rear; sorry I tried to do a link but I'm a Luddite it seems.
p20, crikes that was a difficult read!
vonplatz, what tyres are you running?
Not the best shot of mine;
[URL= http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff167/LukeBurstow/DSC_0008_zps7a1961cb.jp g" target="_blank">
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff167/LukeBurstow/DSC_0008_zps7a1961cb.jp g"/> [/IMG][/URL]
The 44 Ti's work really well on this frame.
but is the current build. I've rebuilt the wheel with Blunt 35 rims and it's running a 2.4 rubber queen front 2.2 rear now plus the Liteville chain device under the BB. I changed the bars and stem, too.
original build;
[URL= http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff167/LukeBurstow/301/002_zps59b28c08.jp g" target="_blank">
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff167/LukeBurstow/301/002_zps59b28c08.jp g"/> [/IMG][/URL]
I have a Hans Dampf 2.35 VertStar compound up front. Very tacky and loads of grip. It has an enormous profile due to the 35mm rims. I'm very happy with it but it's wearing very quickly, as to be expected with such a soft compound.
On the rear I have a Mavic CrossRoc. Fast rolling and long lasting, it has quite a smooth central band with more aggressive side knobs meaning you can drift nicely before you find grip. Seems quite hard wearing.
HansRey: I recently converted to 1x10 so I have an XTR front mech in my parts bin with about 500km use if you're interested. I wasn't going to sell it in case I didn't like a single ring but I've been impressed so far. Send me a PM if you want it.
vonplatz, what's your email address? Mine is in my profile. I'm interested, if you can post to Helsinki, Finland.
Just written!
the frame comes today!!!
[img] 
?oh=53608467740163029261acb1b488d43d&oe=547E418A&__gda__=1415662243_080325e8b982800f188b0050d1e8b822[/img]
Happened across an MBR review of this frame - they didn't like the high BB - is that an issue?
I hadn't noticed on mine - I get enough pedal strikes as it is!
in the past, i found that reading tea leaves or consulting the horoscopes were more informative/ accurate than MBR, MBUK, WhatBike, Dirt, etc. 😀
BB is high, but i can't see it being a problem for me. I'll write up my thoughts on it when it's built up. I think it's dead certain that will be like reading tea leaves too !
Happened across an MBR review of this frame - they didn't like the high BB - is that an issue?
Depends, if you like a high BB or not? I borrowed one for a while whilst I was inbetween bikes, so had a decent amount of time on it - it kinda worked ok, the frame was well built & had some decent design/thoughts, but the numbers were a bit funky, the high BB being one, and not moving towards the longer reach mindset.
The whole 650b compatible thing is a bit of a misnomer, yes the wheels fit (just, if you don't ride in the mud), but they take a bike that's already a bit high and make it REALLY high - 14.6" BB heights with a 160 fork & plates. The one I rode had offset bushes and an angleset in it to make it a bit more normal.
Personally, if it was updated to be a bit longer in the front, and (a lot) lower, it would be a really, really good bike. I understand some people like the short & high thing though, we're all different 🙂
This was the one I was on:
[URL= http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v79/chris.archer/D9E06473-D4D1-47E1-AE7F-27C5AB4F64AF-8036-000009743CA84FE5_zpsdc147536.jp g" target="_blank">
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v79/chris.archer/D9E06473-D4D1-47E1-AE7F-27C5AB4F64AF-8036-000009743CA84FE5_zpsdc147536.jp g"/> [/IMG][/URL]
Compared to my old bike I felt like I was riding a horse at first on the 301, the whole thing was bigger in every respect and I was initially worried that I'd got a size too big (L - I'm 5'11).
I thought that the bike did have quite a long reach, it certainly had a long wheelbase when comparing it to a couple of bronsons that were on a bike holiday with me, but that was an observation, I haven't looked at numbers.
I also read that MBUK review and it made it sound quite pants really... I can't agree with the height bottom bracket thing however, I get quite a few pedal strikes and have never had the sensation that the bike flops in corners. Again, not a scientific measurement.
I don't ride lots of different bikes every month and so can't compare or be impartial since I've already spent money on it and therefore have a vested interest in saying it's good so I don't look like an idiot BUT the frame is extremely solid, has been developed little by little not by model years to its current iteration, has loads of clever features and I think it rides like a dream.
Thread here!
Mine is now in 160mm mode sporting 55 RC3Tis. Awesome bike.
[IMG] 
[/IMG]
I don't get this high BB thing in the mag as I get pedal strikes if I'm not careful (150 mm forks). I think it's just very sensitive to the sag so if you have too little it really sits up. (actually I have no idea but so that is a total guess).
The little red indicator sag thing I found to be spot on with 2 turns of rebound.
Post a pic when complete sir!
Beautiful pictures and bike ecky thump!!!
I have a 301XL and I'm running 27.5 all around. According to their scaled sizing XL is supposed to be run with 29/27.5.
A Hans Dampf 2.3 fits pretty nicely in there actually. I'm running Continental Mountain Kings in 2.4. There's very little room with that combo but I don't ride much in mud and it's a mountain bike so the little scratches from rocks back there don't bother me.
The problem of that review is that he rode the 301 with 160 linkages and 27.5 combo. Then the BB gets way to high. If you're running 27.5 all around or 29/27.5 only 140 linkages should be used in my opinion.
Then you're in the ballpark of a Specialized Enduro or Trek Slash.
The 301 feels like more travel than 140 already so I don't see the point in 160 and for that a 601 might be the better option anyway.
.....one thing I forgot......
Vonplatz: the CC DB as well as the inline does NOT fit the 301!
You will have to take a dremel to your linkages to make it work if you're up for it.
The CC does also not perform the best in a 301.
I recommend going with a RS Monarch + and have it specifically tuned.
The 301 is special, not every shock works in there, most of them are overdamped.
Write Stefan an email! wildsautreiber@gmail.com
He tunes Monarchs specifically for the 301 to your liking.
Your riding style, your weight, your MK Model, your preferences!
He's become so popular that he now tunes the bikes for Liteville team riders and other professionals for Syntace.
Will you kindly stop posting on this topic.
I would love to get a 301. But am not allowed or able to spend that much money on a bike. They are the finest and tidiest looking FS bike ever conceived . And I have hardly hear a bad word said of them.
[i]But am not allowed or able to spend that much money on a bike[/i]
I was fortunate to get one in the Bromley Bike Ebay clearout last year or I'd still just be watching from the sidelines too.