[Closed] New build - Foxy Mondraker Foxy Carbon

The half circle is to protect the frame from damage if the chain drops.

I have the aluminium Foxy which I run with a Gusset top guide.

It's possibly the best handling bike I have owned, the length takes a little getting used to but wow, it flies!

What forks wheels etc are you building it up with?

If fitting a guide you just remove the chain guard, it's there to stop the chain from jamming in the frame/linkage if you're not running a guide. I'd recommend a small chain guide as I lost the chain on my 2016 Foxy Carbon a number of times, though that could be that Raceface rings are just shite as a lot of folks I know with Raceface rings have the same problem. Either way, it's worth running a guide anyway. Also watch out the pivot bolts as they have a habit of coming loose, smothering them in loctite seemed to help but I still checked before and after every ride.

The retaining nut for the rear axle is the stupidest design ever, soon as you poke the axle through it pops out unless you hold it and good luck finding that in the under growth on the side of a trail (take it from me, it takes a while!). I found it means the axle does have a tendency to come undone as well, as it's not rigidly fixed in the dropout and with the speed the bike encourages it can rattle loose, you'll soon know because it feels like you have a rear flat, you don't it's just the wheel wobbling all over the shop!

They are very, very fast bikes, even when climbing if you build it relatively light, mine weighed around 28lbs even with a Fox 36 on it and on technical climbs they're insanely good, mine had an 11-42t cassette and 34t ring and it climbed most things I attempted, with something like an Eagle drivetrain it'd be a proper techy climb monster. That reminds me actually, the chainring clearance on the chainstay with the 34t ring was virtually non-existant, not an issue if you a 30/32t ring but I'd whack some extra protection on just in case. Like a steam train going down but not great on tight stuff and while not wanting to dampen your spirits on new bike day, you really do need to keep an eye on it maintenance wise, as they can quickly rattle apart if you're not careful. A fantastic bike let down by small details in my experience and weirdly, going against the longer/lower/slacker craze, I reckon it would be even better if it were a tad shorter!

Like a steam train going down but not great on tight stuff and while not wanting to dampen your spirits on new bike day, you really do need to keep an eye on it maintenance wise, as they can quickly rattle apart if you’re not careful

+1

Also make sure the lower links are well lubed

Another maintenance tip; Regularly remove and re-grease the collet axles or come bearing swap time you may find them seized in.

I was lucky and got away with a £40 bolt kit rather than a new back end!

That's lovely that is.

Let us know how it goes....

You have now got me windows shopping for a med/long travel bike....

I would strip all the suspension pivot bolts, grease the shank, blue loctite on the female threads. Prevents the bearings corroding to the pivot bolts and vibrating loose.

Wow thank you so much for the replies - I am in no rush so will try and take preventative maintenance measures to avoid sudden kinematics disassembly.

Lawman, sorry I don't get this bit

The retaining nut for the rear axle is the stupidest design ever, soon as you poke the axle through it pops out unless you hold it and good luck finding that in the under growth on the side of a trail (take it from me, it takes a while!).

The frame came with a DT Swiss 142 rear axle thing, what is the retaining nut ?

I will transfer my 160mm Yari and full XT 11sp groupset - I have just got delivery of DT Swiss E1650 wheels in 30mm (£170 after discount and cashback on Wiggle, WTF).

I won't use the 30mm supplied stem as it can't take my 35mm Easton Carbon bars so bought a £30 Raceface Chester 40mm jobby.

Next step is having the BB and headset cups pressed in by the LBS and I'll do the rest.

Quite tempted by a Oneup Comp 170mm dropper but not sure it will fit all the way into the frame. If it does it should be at the perfect height without any post showing. The remote is available is Ispec II which would be neat too.

Sounds like a nice build, mine is the XR and came with Fox 36s, the Yaris should work well with it.

I changed the 125mm for a 150 and is perfect, im 5'10" on a medium

Don't forget to post pics when its finished!

I was going to buy the simple Oneup ISCG05 chain guide but they also do a version with a bash guard (which kind of also replaces the OE half ring thing) - will that be even better in terms of frame protection or does the simple guide guarantee 100% no chain drop ?  https://www.oneupcomponents.com/products/bashguide-iscg05

Perhaps the bash guard is simply to protect the chain ring ?

Lawman, sorry I don’t get this bit

The retaining nut for the rear axle is the stupidest design ever, soon as you poke the axle through it pops out unless you hold it and good luck finding that in the under growth on the side of a trail (take it from me, it takes a while!).

The frame came with a DT Swiss 142 rear axle thing, what is the retaining nut ?

It's a very simple design, almost like an after thought. Basically the frame itself is not threaded and nor is the mech hanger/dropout, so the the axle threads into a flat, circular insert that just sits inside the rear driveside dropout. There is nothing there to hold it in, other than the axle when it's threaded together, so when the axle is not there it will just drop out. See pic below:

It's the same design they used on the alloy one, as covered by Bikeradar here -  https://www.bikeradar.com/mtb/news/article/bikeradar-staff-bike-mondraker-foxy-xr-43386/

New Foxy's have a better system, but that first Gen carbons and alloys had this system and say it's annoying is an understatement!

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New Foxy’s have a better system, but that first Gen carbons and alloys had this system and say it’s annoying is an understatement!

Gotcha - but mine is different as it's threaded into the mech hanger and can't easily fall out.

Ahhh maybe they changed the design for '17 then. In which case, one less thing to worry about! I could never figure why they went with the first solution, it just seemed daft to have something so simple that could ruin a ride!

nice

Looks just like the Dune frame I just bought

Get it from Tredz?

Could someone suggest any good heli tape or should I protect the frame with something more robust ? (I assume a bash guard only protects the ring ?).

nice

Looks just like the Dune frame I just bought

Get it from Tredz?

No from Biketart - if worked out at £1675 after discount and cashback. Which I thought was a brilliant price including next day delivery.

so when the axle is not there it will just drop out.

Happened to my Rocky Mountain, was just about to close the boot of the car and drive off and my kid said "What's that?" it was the axle nut lying in the driveway! I've stuck it on now. Didn't see any reason not to.

that wheel just made me do a funny turn. What a lovely looking hub! Black n silver see (there was a thread) 🙂

I'd love to hear from anyone who knows how to thread the cables/lines through the frame:

- I should be Ok with the gear cable with an old cable, string, hoover.

- No idea how to deal with the rear brake hose, never done that. Do you need to empty it or disconnect at one end and block it ?

- I don't even know where the cable for the dropper is supposed to route through

The dropper hose goes straight out of the bottom past the shock, mine has a small hole for a cable tie on the frame.

I have pushed a gear cable through a frame before and used a strong magnet to guide it through the slots and then pushed the brake hose up it then removed and rebled the brake, bit of  a faff but worked.

Looks lovely, that does.

Cheers Nige ! I makes sense now, will be doing some fishing about. Have ordered a Oneup 170mm dropper with a Ispec remote. Pure vanity as my current Brand X 120mm is fine.

Hoping the new dropper will go all the way into the frame and I like the idea of a 2 clamp clean cockpit, purely for aesthetics. How very sad.

Nothing to add  about cable routing, I'm still buying bikes that don't have it, other than looks like a pretty bloody nice frame, you must be well chuffed with that.

Resolved the silver hub "issue". Halfway house now. I have too much time on my hands.

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bloody nice frame, you must be well chuffed with that.

Yes Nick. Insane amount of money coming from hardtails though. It's my first ever FS and first ever non-Max mountain bike after 24 years of mountain-biking (x3 Sunns and x3 Commencals).

Oneup 170mm dropper with a Ispec remote. Pure vanity as my current Brand X 120mm is fine.Hoping the new dropper will go all the way into the frame

Interested to know if that goes in!

My 150 only just did - literally to the mm

I hope you are quite tall

– No idea how to deal with the rear brake hose, never done that. Do you need to empty it or disconnect at one end and block it ?

Take the lever off, you'll need to chop a small amount off the hose to take the nut and olive off, feed the hose through the swing arm then into the underside of the down tube. Make sure you leave a loop of hose between the swing arm and down tube (like pic below) and test it at full compression. Feed hose out of right side of head tube, reconnect lever (you'll need a new insert and olive) Bleed and your good to go.

Interested to know if that goes in!

My 150 only just did – literally to the mm

I hope you are quite tall

6ft. Was that on a L Foxy ? I only compared the stand over heights of the old vs new frame and added existing gap on my 120. That will only work if both posts have similar configurations... If not, One Up sell plastic shims to reduce max travel.

Take the lever off, you’ll need to chop a small amount off the hose to take the nut and olive off, feed the hose through the swing arm then into the underside of the down tube. Make sure you leave a loop of hose between the swing arm and down tube (like pic below) and test it at full compression. Feed hose out of right side of head tube, reconnect lever (you’ll need a new insert and olive) Bleed and your good to go.

Thanks. So I need 1 new olive and one new "plunger" (not sure what it's called, it looks like a cable end thing but with a hole). I have threaded a bit of string to attach to the end of the hose to pull it through but the hole at the top of the frame is smaller than at the bottom so can't I detach the hose from the caliper instead and leave the lever alone ? It might thread easier as I know already have an outer cable out of that side at the top, partially obstructing the already small hole...

Digging the stealth decals.

I love my Foxy Carbon. I've had it a couple of years now and I don't think I'd ever part with it willingly.

I do echo the other comments regarding bearings and bolts coming loose. Basically keep an eye on them.  I would budget for replacing them annually. My LBS (Ride-On Rawtenstall and also a Mondraker dealer) changed mine only last week. They put in upgraded bearings which are stronger and more reliable.  It was a cheap enough job too.

If anyone has a Foxy on their radar don't let the bearings thing put you off, they really are fabulous bikes.

Good to hear. How much did it cost in total for parts and labour for the updated bearings ?

The Foxy is the most beautiful bike I've ever seen. Still want.

I've had my Dune XR for very nearly 3 years now, and never had a bearing come loose, but the bike gets regular spanner checks, so maybe i've just been lucky?

I fitted the pukka Invisframe kit to the bare frame, and although expensive, that kit fits perfectly, is easy to fit, and protects and expensive frame!  They also did me some color matched fork decals because i have a 180mm lyrik on the front of my bike:

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Looking good ! That front travel must be plush and probably yields 64 or 64 HA.

I have that set up on my new carbon Dune. 180 lyrik on the front and the angle headset to reduce by 1 degree. Feels nice but haven't ridden her properly yet - Ard Rock Enduro will be the first test 🙂

I ran with the std head angle (straight cups) in the Alps, with the short chainstay chips in, and despite the length of the bike (it's a L, so with the 180mm fork, the wheel base is up towards 1.3m) and got round more tight hairpins that i ever have before, simply because the bike is so stable it's so easy to nose endo the back around!  There was one super tight 180deg RH hairpin that i even managed to, end 180 round to the left, lofting the rear wheel round and out over the "void" and then just straight ride out  😉

As i'm a skinny git, i run the fork pretty soft (45psi + 2 tokens), and with 180mm of travel available, just let it ramp up later in the travel, which gives really nice front end grip, particularly in the wet. And as the reach is long, it seems to avoid feeling too divey on hard braking, as long as you move your weight back as the brake loads are applied.

Offer the cable up before you cut it.... and check it's going to be long enough...

No from Biketart – if worked out at £1675 after discount and cashback. Which I thought was a brilliant price including next day delivery.

This sounds so tempting....

I'm half inclined to put the Revelation 130's back on the T-130 ... stick a 160mm airshaft into the non-Boost RCT3 Pikes and use some existing wheels and use this on uplift and big days and keep the T-130 for pottering round Swinley etc.

If I pull the group set off my current XC bike that doesn't get used much ... and the set of Zee cranks I've got I think I'd only need a dropper.

On the other hand I keep looking at a Al Strive or Al Capra... and somewhat reluctantly going onto Boost ... knowing the Capra is more bike than I can probably use... but at the same time thinking if going from 130mm rear travel to 140mm is worth doing???

Either way I guess it's a cheaper mid-life crisis response than buying a sports car?

This sounds so tempting….

I’m half inclined to put the Revelation 130’s back on the T-130 … stick a 160mm airshaft into the non-Boost RCT3 Pikes and use some existing wheels and use this on uplift and big days and keep the T-130 for pottering round Swinley etc.

If I pull the group set off my current XC bike that doesn’t get used much … and the set of Zee cranks I’ve got I think I’d only need a dropper.

On the other hand I keep looking at a Al Strive or Al Capra… and somewhat reluctantly going onto Boost … knowing the Capra is more bike than I can probably use… but at the same time thinking if going from 130mm rear travel to 140mm is worth doing???

Either way I guess it’s a cheaper mid-life crisis response than buying a sports car?

I’ve just bought an Capra AL 29 and I love it! Definitely more bike than I need but I don’t think that’s always a bad thing, I wouldn’t want to do a 25k trail centre ride on it but riding my local trails and old dh tracks it’s anazing.

Mondraker looks ace by the way OP

Yes I also considered the Jeffsy as they are such good value. Building it myself (however slow and haphazard a process for me) is very satisfying too. It's mine with all my favourite bits.

I built my Dune from a frame, simply to get the bike i wanted!  And by some careful spec choices, for within about £50 of the list price of the std bike, i have a unique built, with 11 speed 11-50 (shark cog) Di2 shifting, 180mm travel, and 203 Saint/XTR hybrid brakes (saint calipers, xtr levers),  XX1 cranks,, 800mm bars etc

The main change was deleting the Fox 36 for the Lyrik, and that saved enough money for the other juicy bits like the Di2

maxtorque

Interesting - I have also been messing about with the forks...they feel not so great with the recommended pressures. I am 77kg and dropped to about 52 PSI I think but running no tokens currently. I also swapped the spring and damper out for 2019 versions which has improved it.

I fitted the slackset as I thought it would drop the BB back down to where it should be after fitting the longer forks...

I went for a medium as I am only 5'8. Coming from a Medium Geometron which had a ridiculous 500+ reach - the 470 on this feels much better but still nice and long.

Alps trip straight after Ard rock so will be able to find some nice tight switchbacks to test her out on. I also kept the short wheelbase chips as I prefer short chain stays and long top tubes.

Yes I also considered the Jeffsy as they are such good value. Building it myself (however slow and haphazard a process for me) is very satisfying too. It’s mine with all my favourite bits.

Very good point... though in my case I guess I'd be building it myself with all the left-over bits...

In your case your going from zero to 140 on the back... whereas I'd be looking at 130 to 140 ...  and in all probability 140mm would probably be enough .. I mean so far 130 was enough... I just suffer "travel envy" when I'm sticking my bike in an uplift and everyone else's is bigger than mine.

I guess also I haven't had an actual NEW bike since the 80's.... and to some extent think maybe I buy one now before I'm any older..??? 😀

Gotta say though your's is looking really nice... and it was your initial thread pushed me into being more likely to go and buy something than not...

"How much did it cost in total for parts and labour for the updated bearings ?"

If I recall they said the bearings would be about £30 so prob about an hours labour on top. Sorry I didn't get an itemised bill as I had a lower leg service and the bike got it's annual good going over.