Hey, thanks for all your advice.

My basic intentions had been to build a 12-speed chromoly utility/tourer similar to some of Surly’s offerings but for much less. I figured a decent but older frame could be paired with a new drive train superior to the likes of the Bridge club (SRAM SX Eagle) for quite a bit less…. lacing my own wheels and using 2nds or older parts etc. I figured mechanical disc on the carbon fork I got cheap for stopping power could be combined with calipers on the back (both apparently have the same pull distance). Or, failing that a local framebuilder might weld a mount on for me.

Other than having slightly narrower dropouts and no disc mounts, is there a reason the 2001 Marin would perform worse than a more modern frame? (I’m unlikely to be doing anything particularly full on with this bike, other than loading it up and smashing along bridleways).

Perhaps daft, but it seemed a better route than dropping money I don’t really have on a new bike..plus (and mostly) I like the project.

I think you’re all on the ball though. The logical route is to only use old tech on the old frame and save the ol’ spondoolies. That said, I’m not known for being overly logical!

Hey, thanks all for your help.

I was aware of boost, but not the 135-to-142 change. (Now I understand Surly’s clever dropout designs!)

I’ll have a look out for some newer frames or perhaps just go full older tech and try to ignore the urge to get the new thing (on the two-decades-old frame!)

Thanks guys.

I’m looking at the full package from Merlin, which seems a good deal given the Deore set that’s just been released is about the same price.

@Scotroutes, would you run the 2x for the higher speeds on the flat and downhills? When I look at the SLX 1x I see a max 0.6:1 ratio… so I figure climbing won’t be the issue. We will have luggage, though not too much…sleeping in hedges and the like. I am a little concerned I won’t be able to get a high enough speed on flats though, with the best offered by a 32t chainring being 3.2:1

I’m looking for recommendations for hubs to build wheels around. I’m new to the 10 and 15mm axles. Any opinions on building around something like the SLX M7110 Rear Hub and then either using the pretty pricey DT Swiss conversion to make it QR compatible / using a cheapo adaptor that reduces the effective inner diameter of the hub to accept a QR skewer?

Sleeping with a native speaker is by far the best route.

Putting postit notes with vocab on items around the house and narrating farcical stories about the objects works for me (the cat ate all the cookies in the cupboard! Bad cat!)

I have to admit, I am slightly enamoured with the simplicity of single chainring thing. It’s quite possible to make a 1×10 setup with older parts… but seems to me worth making a little more outlay for a well-matched drivetrain with the big range.

That said, this might just be my consumerist tendencies… which are what I’m attempting to avoid with this build :p Any recommendations on where to source NOS? Ebay seems pretty pricey for parts at the mo’.

I’m also a little unsure about the microspline freehub and which hubs I could attach it to (can I attach it to any hub that accepts the older Shimano freehubs?)

Would but up for hearing suggestions on frames…. the Bear Valley was cheap, is the right size for me and isn’t too heavy for a chromoly… pretty sure I want to stick with steel for this bike, which is going to be touring and pretty heavy utility.

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Nice one, thanks :)