Cheapest 'good' MTB build

[Herman Toothrot]

So Tredz supplier only has a pile of straight steerer forks no tapered. So I can return them for a refund or get £20 off and keep them. Inclined to keep them as all I really need to do is return the headset to CRC and buy a straight steerer to tapered version instead which same brand is £1 cheaper than what I have. So -£21 to use a straight rather than tapered steerer.

[moonigan]

Deore 615 Shadow+ Rear Mech (medium cage): £19.99 from JE James.
SLX 10 Speed Shifter: £24 from Wiggle
Shimano Square Taper BB: £16

Ebay forks arrived over the weekend. Look excellent quality and weigh 1800g uncut.

[Herman Toothrot]

I took my cheap build on a 50km XC shakedown this afternoon, I actually really like it - its better than many £1200 bikes I've tried in the past. I'd go as far to say with the modern tech progression the way it performs is superior to basically any hardtail produced 15 years ago.







My final spec :-

Brand X HT-01 medium frame New £112
Brand X integral headset £19
Suntour Raidon forks New £139
Novatec wheels New £89
Deore Shadow Plus rear mech New £24
Deore 9 speed crankset and bottom bracket New £58 (will sell the rings)
Planet X 50mm stem New £8
Planet X seat clamp New £3
Clarks M2 brake set New £37 inc rotors, mounts everything

Then old stuff I had sat about doing nothing :-

Commencal ride Alpha 720mm bars, seat Post & lock on grips off my old Meta AM V4
XT 11-36 cassette
Absolute black 32T Narrow wide ring & bolts
SRAM PC1051 chain, this was New but I'd cut it so short for my DH bike
Gear cable outer New off a reel
Zee 10spd shifted and inner
Continental X-Kings 2.2 & tubes
Sella italia saddle
DMR V8

Edited by Herman Toothrot on Monday 5th December 18:53

Edited by Herman Toothrot on Monday 5th December 19:25

[BenGismo]

Wow, bike looks great!

What a bargain too!! Really good bike for very little cash...even if you factor in the price of the parts you had spare in the garage its low cost but easily worth much more.

How are you finding the clarks brakes?? (They seem too cheap to be true?? - awesome price) Any squeel or anything?

All my current bikes are 3x10/11 or 2x10 gearing, how do you find single speeding 1x10??? Do you not miss the top end gears when you on a road/fire track? Im tempted by the weight saving but want the top end speed.

Im about to build up a 29er on a budget so debating on 1x11/10 vs 2x10 etc...

Edited by BenGismo on Saturday 17th December 20:43

[Herman Toothrot]

The clarks brakes are great just as good as standard Deore, such a bargain. I'm quite a 1x10 convert I find 32T 11-36 plenty for the chilterns. My other bikes have 34T with 11-42 sunrace cassette and that really does provide more than enough range for anywhere.

[Woody]

Herman Toothrot said:

The clarks brakes are great just as good as standard Deore, such a bargain. I'm quite a 1x10 convert I find 32T 11-36 plenty for the chilterns. My other bikes have 34T with 11-42 sunrace cassette and that really does provide more than enough range for anywhere.

Did you shorten the hoses on the brakes?
How easy was it? - I considered a set for my lads bike, but couldn't find much info about shortening/bleeding.

[Herman Toothrot]

Same as all other brakes cut the hose New olive (supplied with kit), top up fluid job (shimano mineral oil) done :-)