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Built myself up an xc/trail bike on a Bird Zero TR frame about 18 months ago. Got no reason to go new bike at the moment so looking at upgrades - about £300 budget. Looking at either groupset, wheels or fork. What would give me the best bang for buck - I'm thinking wheels but the SLX 1x12 groupset for £250 on Merlin is very tempting. Current wheels, fork, groupset is:
1x10 XT
Mavic Crossride
Rockshox Sektor RL gold 130mm
1 x 10 XT is OK, you may be able to get an after market cassette that gives you a wider spread of gears. If you can, I would keep that.
The wheels are OK, not the lightest or strongest but they're OK, depends on your style of riding.
There are better forks out there than the Sektors and your frame can take more abuse than the forks. I would see about selling your Sektors on a well know electronic auction site and seeing what the money plus your £300 could get you. At least a set of Yari's, if not Pike's and possibly even an older set of Lyriks. Do the Cross-rides have boost hubs?
You'll need a microspline hub to go 12sp ... and to be fair gets you from 46T to 50T instead of just fitting a Deore or Sunrace 46... do you need the 4 extra teeth and 2 sprockets you'll likely not notice you have that much?
Is the frame pre-boost? If so then you might want to ask if you really want to buy non boost wheels?
For £250 I'd think of putting a nice used form perhaps or wew 10 sp chain, cassette and chainring?
Frame and wheels are both non-boost. 1x12 from merlin plus a microspline adapter comes in at about £310 I think
Am i the only one who thought this might me a sexist post about divorce?
You can grab a 11-46 10sp cassette for £50 and some used Pikes with the rest? (That would be my choice but YMMV)
I mainly do cross country mile munching to be honest so maybe higher gear range is the way to go.
I’d change the fork for a secondhand Pike or Fox performance elite I think.
If you want more range then 12 speed does have that - but it’s quite an expensive way of doing it. Depending on your rear mech you could run at least an 11-42 and maybe an 11-46. Would have through that would be sufficient range with a 32t chainring?
Wheels would be last on my list if range is an issue on the gears - cross rides are ok but you could get something much nicer. If you’re planning to keep the bike a while you could buy non-boost Hope Pro4 hubs and stick on some DT Swiss XM421 rims. Hope make boost adapters for their hubs so you’re future proofing yourself on the wheel front.
I would go forks as well
I very much doubt there will be any issue with a 42T with the Bird mech hangar and the XT 10 speed and probably 11-46 will be fine but I'd ask someone who's tried it. I run a 11sp 11-46 and 32T chainwheel on my Aeris and don't feel the need for more teeth... My XC bike has 11-42 and 34T but it rarely gets exercised where there are any hills worth calling "hill".
OK, looks like the people have spoken. I'll hunt for a fork upgrade - bird recommend 130mm travel. The Sektor is 130mm and seems to suit.
That Pike 2 posts up looks a bargain. Just add a £42 debonair 2019 airspring for the 130mm travel and away you go.....
Pike has a stiffer chassis, isn’t too heavy and the damping is much better. Rct3 charger damper gives you open / pedal / firm too - so if you tend to like locking your fork out it’s easy to form it up - plus in open you get lsc adjustment.
Pike over Yari all day, I've had both.
No brainer if only after 130mm and no intent to upgrade the Yari to a Lyrik too.
How’s that pike compare to this Yari?
Lighter ... and a better damper ...
Pike is all you'll need at 130mm
For your bike I’d say the Pike is better than the Yari. It’ll be plenty stiff enough at 130mm travel and has a better damper.
If you were running up near 160mm travel it would be a tougher call....as the Yari can be upgraded to a Lyrik damper down the line and that > Pike. The Yari has a stiffer chassis than the Pike and is also a bit heavier.
New paintjob, perhaps dirty blonde 😜
So this looks like a newer fork, already debonair and available with 130mm of travel. Comes in at just under £400 delivered.
I know its boost but may be a bit of future proofing assuming I can get adapters to get my existing front wheel to fit
That’s a Pike Select which is right at the bottom of the range. I’m not sure if that’s a full charger bladder damper - or last years Revelation Charger damper which is different.
I think the rct3 damper is better, assuming it’s a charger 2 damper.
Also, check the offset. I’m not sure what is normal offset wise.....
To add - if Mavic don’t make a boost converter for the crossride then you can get a generic kit from velosolo:
https://www.velosolo.co.uk/shopmisc.html
I’ve had Sektor, Yari and Pike. Thought Sekors were terrible, Yari decent but not without problems, Pike very good. Spend the money getting the best fork you can imo as it’ll make far mor difference than the group set.
Are debonair kits available for the pike on Merlin joebristol? Fork looks like a 2017 model
I have that era of Pike RCT3 on my Zero AM. Mine has a Luftkappe in it but I’m 90% certain it takes the newer Rockshox airshafts. Far better damper than in the recent Select Pike or any Yari. Big upgrade over your Sektor.
I wouldn’t change the gears until you’ve worn them out.
I’m pretty sure the Pike on my hardtail is a 2017 RC. It has a charger 1 damper - and the 140mm 2019 debonair airshaft in it is working fine