So update time for the ol' Santa Cruz. I almost sold this frame recently, but it looks like lockdowns/travel restrictions are going to be an ongoing part of life for a while yet, so I needed a bike for local loops. I also wanted a bike for when I just want to go and punch out some gravel kms. Having ridden this with a 120mm fork back in my first build, I knew the geo would be perfect for such rides - but the suspension fork was mostly just unnecessary weight. Essentially the bike's a fraction small for me even for XC-type mountain biking, but is perfect for crunching km's on path or gravel - so the flat-bar gravel & path bike idea was born. I already had the frame, the skinny carbon rims, and having ridden it with both 2.3"-ish XC tyres and 2.1" slicks in the past, it seemed skinnier tyres would be better for bike paths (less wind-resistance), but retaining some tread in case of gravel would be ideal. Obviously smaller tyres help keep the rotating weight down which makes the bike feel a bit more spritely too, so ended up getting some 700c 44mm gravel tyres (for those that don't know, 700c tyres fit 29er rims)
This was intended to be a cheap build, but that went out the window pretty quickly as lockdown boredom allowwd my plans to spiral a little out of control. Did manage to re-use some parts though - with the frame, handlebar, stem, headset, BB, seatpost rear wheel and front rim being re-used (would've been a whole front wheel but I'd previously robbed the front hub for the Waltly, so had to get it rebuilt thanks to
@The Duckmeister).
Frame - Santa Cruz Highball C (Carbon V1)
Front fork - Bombtrack BPC (Carbon, 15x110mm axle spacing, WolfTooth axle, and custom machined and bonded "expansion plug" because the fork didn't come with plug or axle. WTF...)
Handlebars - Renthal Fatbar Carbon 31.8 10(?)mm rise (approx 750mm wide with grips)
Stem - Funn Stryge 70mm (underrated stem, cheap but stiff - doesn't feel like a typical noodly long stem)
Headset - Chris King (red anodised cups)
Grips - ODI Elite Pro
Saddle - Ritchey Classic V2
Seatpost - Brand X rigid alloy.
Brake system - Hope Tech X2, metallic pads, red anodised bore caps, lever adjuster screws and pivot pins.
Rotors - Hope floating 180mm (red anodised centres)
Cranks - Shimano XT M8100
Chainring - Wolftooth Drop-Stop A 32t (wider teeth to suit 9/10/11sp chains)
Chain - Shimano HG-95
Pedals - Chromag Dagga
Rear derailleur - Shimano Zee RD-M640 Shadow+ 10sp (the "Short" version, not the "DH" type)
Rear shifter - Shimano Zee SL-M640 10sp (bar-clamp)
Cassette/Cog - Shimano Deore XT CS-M771 11-34T 10sp
Front hub - Hope Pro 4 110x15mm (Red)
Rear hub - Hope Pro-4 142x12mm (Red)
Front & rear rims - Light Bicycle RM29C19 (30mm ext. width, 24mm int.)
Spokes - DT Comps (Silver)
Nipples - Silver DT brass.
Front Tyre - WTB Raddler 700c x 44
Rear Tyre - WTB Raddler 700c x 44
Tubes - Nope. Just some bear tape and Stans sealant
Total weight - Light!
It's the...
The red bore-cap detail idea actually came from the rear axle:
More matchy-matchy at the front (Might revert the master cylinder caps back to black though, I'm not sold on the red there yet):
32 teeth of a wolf:
Shouldn't need too much gear range on a bike this light (I will get some Sugru on the chainstay soon though, as it slaps a bit currently even with the clutched derailleur):
Plenty of tyre clearance here! The few flakes missing from the clear-coat prove it's not all new either:
Another of the recycled parts. The rear hub is from an old Chain Reaction-sourced Hope wheelset, ergo the different laser etching:
Took it for a spin around some bike-path (and even a tiny bit of gravel) yesterday, and it seems pleasantly 'fit for purpose'. Definitely a nippy little bugger!
(
@Chriso_29er)