XC Beauty is in the eye of the beholder

cammas

Seamstress
After @Ben-e posted his very nice Surly bike a while ago I said I should post mine, so here it is finally. It’s not gonna be everyone’s cup of tea but then again I didn’t build it for anyone else, I built it for me. Also it’s a bit of read

The original build took about 10 months as I was in no hurry to build it, originally for bike packing only but it’s now my main ride as I really enjoy it. My biggest priority was comfort for multiple days as I’ve had multiple injuries, surgeries including a hip replacement and have now been diagnosed with fibromyalgia. Also had to be able recharge my devices when away from home so a dynamo was a must.

This was built on a budget most parts were bought second hand including the frame which was still in its box never built so no high end carbon wheels or that, the fork was the best bargain I bought it for about $200. It was a bit of gamble being so cheap plus from interstate so something could be wrong and it was but I did not find it until after it was built. Turns out the axle was dodgy it was a 15mm Rockshox QR one that tendency to come loose and creak. So I replaced it with a Wolftooth bolt through one and no more issues, problem solved.

Since I built back in September 2018 I have been tweaking it as I go changing out things that didn’t work, didn’t end up liking or failed but the core of the build has remained the same as you can see changes in some of the photos. The ride is great and the frame is versatile, it can convert to singlespeed if needed, I have run suspension up front and regular bars. I have left the cable and brake lines a little longer than normal so I can fit my bag in there, I have purchased a K-lite light and charging system from a mate to charge cache batteries for when away. The rear wheel has now been rebuilt with DT 350 hub.

Anyone who rides at the Youies will see me trundling around there a bit, I’m still amazed what this bike takes in its stride I ride both sides of the park and ride down Lactic Acid, Boulder and Junction track but Cressys is a tad out of its depth or maybe it’s me? I’ve done everything from a couple multi day bike packing trips, 100k gravel grinds, 3hr races to 50min XC races and never tire from riding it.

Well COVID-19 has put a damper on some of the plans I’ve had but I would like to do the Mundi Bindi and the Mawson trails. Below is the specs and some photos with changes along the way.

Frame - 2016 Salsa El Mariachi steel hardtail medium 29er
Rear shock - Nope
Front fork - Salsa Carbon Fire Starter rigid with 15mm axle, did dabble with a SID 100mm fork which did liven the ride up.
Handlebars - Jones 710mm 2.5 riser bars (not as wide as they look)
Stem - Thompson 80mm zero rise
Headset - Cane Creek
Grips - Jones 210mm
Saddle - Started with a Fizik Gobi but now running a Specialized Henge
Seatpost - Usually my Syntace P6 I have swapped this from bike to bike best seat post for a hard tail, sometimes a Thompson post when loaded up.
Front brake -Shimano XT
Rear brake - Shimano XT
Rotors - XT 180mm front and rear
Cranks - Currently Race Face Aeffects with a 28T but will be switching back Shimano XT’s with a 32 when I get some fitness back
Chainguide - Nope
Chain - XT 11spd
Pedals - Shimano XT trail
Front derailleur - Nope
Rear derailleur - SRAM X1 11 speed
Front shifter - Nope
Rear shifter - SRAM X0
Cassette - Started out with Sunrace 11-46 now a Sunrace 10-46
Front hub - SP dynamo
Rear hub - Started with a Chris King but now DT 350 for the XD driver I prefer this to the King
Rims- Spank Oozy 350 (30mm internal)
Spokes - DT Swiss comps
Nipples - Red ones
Tyres - Currently trialing Maxxis Aspens 2.4’s but have run Bonty XR2 2.6 up front with XR3 in the rear, great XC combo
Tubes - No they go in the spares bag just in case.
Extras - K-lite light and charger to run off the dynamo, it charges my cache battery during the day to recharge my phone and computer at night, currently a cheap out front mount from eBay but will change that eventually. I have a variety of bags to go on it mainly brought off Facebook when someone upgraded or didn’t work for them. I have now brought a Snugpak Stratosphere (which I’m yet to test, it’s cross between bivi and a tent packs down small and light) plus one of there jungle blankets for warmer weather.
Total weight - 13.5


Further changes - new headset bearings are required and toying with the idea of an angle set to replicate the feeling of the suspension geo, as it sits around 72 degrees with the rigid on there.

Anyway here’s some photos from over the last couple of years in different configurations as it’s a very versatile bike. When I’m feeling better I’ll get some shots in its current configuration.

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cammas

Seamstress
Nice. Thats a fun trail into the back of Vaughn Springs :)
Yep certainly is have ridden there a many a time and always enjoy it in either direction. When I attempted the GDT400 last year I did a section of single track southwest of Castlemaine which came off the GDT that I hadn’t ridden and was a barrel of fun.
 

Haakon

Keeps on digging
Yep certainly is have ridden there a many a time and always enjoy it in either direction. When I attempted the GDT400 last year I did a section of single track southwest of Castlemaine which came off the GDT that I hadn’t ridden and was a barrel of fun.
I grew up about 4 kms west into the bush from Vauugn, was my stomping ground as a kid. No GDT in those days though, just lots of fire road riding :) Used to cut through the bush on my old Repco into the back of Vaughn to go swimming a lot.
 

Ben-e

Captain Critter!
Looks like a fun build there mate, can definitely understand why this is so decent off road - unladen performance in a bike packing rig is very difficult to achieve, but with the right mix of parts and frame, doable.

This rig would be ideal for a European bike packing adventure - dump your stuff at an Airbnb and set-off into the Alps on their epic trails!

How are you finding the Shimano XT brakes? I'm looking to move away from Shimano brakes / terrible performance for bike packing.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk
 

cammas

Seamstress
Looks like a fun build there mate, can definitely understand why this is so decent off road - unladen performance in a bike packing rig is very difficult to achieve, but with the right mix of parts and frame, doable.

This rig would be ideal for a European bike packing adventure - dump your stuff at an Airbnb and set-off into the Alps on their epic trails!

How are you finding the Shimano XT brakes? I'm looking to move away from Shimano brakes / terrible performance for bike packing.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk
Yeah they’re okay I wouldn’t say stellar I’ve recently upgraded the rear to 180mm rotor to help, I think the key is having a good bleed or done right. Recently replaced the front line after an issue with a Stanley knife vs cable tie, I did the whole push pull bleed and it was off the bike to try and get every bit of air out, now my rear feels like shite, so I will have to redo that one in the same way. The good thing is they’re reliable and you can get pads anywhere which is something I considered when building it.
 

cammas

Seamstress
Okay here are some photos of how it currently looks and will probably stay this way, the saddle is still in testing phase so may revert back to a WTB pure V. I am also yet to test the tyres in anger but if they’re good enough for Nino I should be good, I also tried ESI grips but were too firm compared to the Jones grips so swapped back to the Jones.
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Here’s the dynamo if you turn the wheel slowly by hand, you can feel the dynamo its notchy, out on the trail you wouldn’t know it’s there. I have done a scientific test with it (we need a sacasism emoji) I roll down a section of great circle drive at the Youies from Cressy Gully road towards the epic trail, without turning the pedals I can roll to some white posts on most bikes.

So I did the same test with this bike and was able to make it to the same point, first with some standard wheels, same with the dynamo but no lights and then again running the light and charging my cache battery and it only come up 3 metres short, so minimal impact or drag so I’m happy with that.

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switch for the lighting, orange means it’s on
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The bar tape is from Farr and it’s hand woven and extremely comfortable so no gloves required, not sure how it will go in the rain as the weave may/probably hold the water, will have to wait and see. The stem cap goes from bike to bike
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Anyone with a hardtail best upgrade you can do is put on a Syntace P6 hi flex, they cost a bit but are so comfortable you forget about the price.
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cammas

Seamstress
So recently been feeling a little cramped when riding and was thinking of getting a 90mm stem to replace the 80mm I’m currently running, then @beeb put one up for sale.

Now it has a nice Hope stem, I have an appointment with the specialist on the 16th so I guess he will tell me when I can test it out, hopefully soon. Might have to get get some Hope spacers to match it as well.
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cammas

Seamstress
Put it on a diet the other week while I couldn’t ride the other week and took the Jones bars off converting back to flat bars, switched out the WTB seat to a Brooks Cambrium C17 and put Aspens 2.4 WT back on there. Today I was finally feeling well enough to go riding again was a little rough getting back on the rigid and was also the first time off-road since I installed the 1 degree angle set headset. Today’s ride also reminded me why I love this bike, it doesn’t have all the mod cons of other bikes but I think that’s what I like about it.
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Chriso_29er

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Great looking bike.

Aren't those mtb rigid forks usually the same length as a 100mm fork?
Been thinking they might be a good option for my hardtail.
 

cammas

Seamstress
Great looking bike.

Aren't those mtb rigid forks usually the same length as a 100mm fork?
Been thinking they might be a good option for my hardtail.
There’s various types from 80mm to 120mm but usually 80mm to 100mm mine are supposed to 100mm corrected but I reckon they are on the the lower end of the scale. I also have a set of Trek Superfly ones which are slightly longer but are also offset by 51mm, to me they’re better than my Salsa fork but don’t have any bidon mounts which I use when bike packing plus I have guides holding the cable from the dynamo.
If I was getting a set, the Trek ones would be the go, seem a little more compliant plus you can find them cheap as a lot people put suspension forks on their bikes. Maybe a Whiskey Carbon fork or if you trust them there’s plenty of no name brands on eBay or Aliexpress.
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beeb

Dr. Beebenson, PhD HA, ST, Offset (hons)
@Chriso_29er - you can get 120mm-corrected carbon forks as well, they're just a bit harder to come by.

As @cammas mentions it's worth keeping an eye on the A2C lengths as they vary a lot between manufacturers that are supposedly correcting for the same travel of fork. But if you can work out roughly were your fork sits at sag, you can normally pretty easily find the length you need.

I have a Bombtrack BPC (now rebranded to Seido apparently...) on my Highball, and holy shit it lightens things up a lot. Climbing/sprinting is so much more direct too, I really like it. The stiffness (and 44c tyres) aren't so kind on washboard corrugations though, but I guess that's what you get with an overbuilt bikepacking fork. :)
 

RastaRuss

Likes Dirt
As usual Beeb is correct.
Whiskey, Tandell & Bombtrack / Seido do a rigid fork that measures 500mm from axle to crown, effectively a 120mm suss fork.
I purchased a Tandell a bit less then 11 months ago as an experiment for a Cotic Solaris MaxHardtail & like Beeb says its a hoot.
Upgraded last week to a Seido.
 

Ackland

chats d'élevage

OOF $1,100 AU Dollerydoos
Saw the pressers and liked the adjustability but not at that price
 

cammas

Seamstress
Full rigid bikes are quite humbling.
I road the 1st Dragon Trail Stage Race & met a guy from Adelaide who won the single speed with a rigid HT, I scare myself every time I try to ride proper trails with mine.
They definitely keep you honest, this is my third, I remember popping out of a trail and I must’ve been laughing a bit too loud through the rock garden as there was a guy sitting at there asked me if I was having fun. The look on his face when he saw I was the rigid SS was hilarious, was like “ooh fark” my answer was yes.
 
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