Stiffee spec, sanity check

[snotrag]

Changing the Shimano BB out BEFORE you've used it is madness. You'll have to pay for it anyway as it comes with the cranks.
I'm well aware that some people have bad luck with them (i used to change them daily for customers).

However - I have a set of M770 XT cranks that are over 3 years old and have done thousands of off-road miles - still on original BB.

Replace it if, and when, it wears out, no sooner.

[mackie1]

That was going to be my next question. I should probably go for a 19.5 but might a 17.5 be more durable? It's only a tiny bit shorter.

[pdV6]

snotrag said:

Replace it if, and when, it wears out, no sooner.

I've had one go very quickly but others last for ages.

[Digga]

pdV6 said:

snotrag said:

Replace it if, and when, it wears out, no sooner.

I've had one go very quickly but others last for ages.

Not bad advice.

Of all the things I've fked up on my Stumpjumper in the first year, the Shimano BB was not one of them and mostly I was running in very sandy and abrasive ground.

I did shock bearings, headset and whole chainset, but not the BB.

[mackie1]

Thanks guys. Advice heeded and request for quote sent off. I'll see what they come back with

Still don't know what colour to go for. This looks ace:



But that's my friend's bike and I don't really want to have it exactly the same.

[Digga]

mackie1 said:

Thanks guys. Advice heeded and request for quote sent off. I'll see what they come back with

Still don't know what colour to go for. This looks ace:



But that's my friend's bike and I don't really want to have it exactly the same.

Still a few bright green frames about - reckon that looks quite a fetching shade for Stiffees.

[mk1fan]

Size is down to your personal choice. I'm 5'8" and for XC use I can get away with 17.5-inch or medium in the Stiffee or Handjob. But for throwing it about, I prefer the 15.5-inch or small.

Although my Shocker is a medium.

[P-Jay]

Should be good whatever you go for.

I'll echo what's been said on the Hope Hoops, I have heard of the odd hub failure, but personally apart from the normal wear and tear on the bearings all mine have been faultless.

Same with Shimano BB's, I know they were bad a few years ago, but mine last ages and I count Afan and Cwmcarn as my local trails, aka grit city.

I've just picked up a Stiffee frame on eBay, it's a bit dog-eared. But my mate's Husband is taking it into the bodyshop he manages for a stealth-look respray in Matte Black, waiting for CRC to get the new stickers in.



Final spec 'should' be - I say should be, because I really want to source everything second-hand to see how cheaply I can do it.

Fox 32 Float RL forks ('09's from a mate cheap)
Hope Tech X2 or M4's, might go for non-tech levers if they're cheap.
Hope Pro 2's with Mavic EN521's - these will be new, not a fan of tubeless.
Easton EA30, 50, 70 whatever's a bargain - Seat tube, riser and bars.
Charge Spoon Seat - too cheap to be pissing about looking for an S/H one.
Hope headset, again this'll be new.
X9 shifter and short cage derailleur - single speed front.
SLX chainset and DX flats.

New consumables:

High rollers, Kevlar beaded 2.3 supertacky front, maybe a 2.1XC on the back.
Some tubes from the stash

Oh and defo XTR Cables, it's the first bike I've had in ages with interrupted cable outers, unless I can bodge in an uninterrupted conversion.
SLX Cassette, PC971 chain
ODI lock-ons

[mackie1]

I'm not quite sure about tubeless either. I know where I am with inner tubes, UST is a bit unknown to me but I get people saying it's the best thing evar too. Only £60 more though...

[Parrot of Doom]

Tubeless allows you to run at lower pressures (no snakebites). If it fails you can still bung an inner tube in and carry one.

[Parrot of Doom]

snotrag said:

Changing the Shimano BB out BEFORE you've used it is madness. You'll have to pay for it anyway as it comes with the cranks.
I'm well aware that some people have bad luck with them (i used to change them daily for customers).

However - I have a set of M770 XT cranks that are over 3 years old and have done thousands of off-road miles - still on original BB.

Replace it if, and when, it wears out, no sooner.

Hmmm, never knew they came with the cranks. That's a pity. The bearings don't even have individual seals, just a bunch of balls in a race, protected by a flap of rubber and a bit of hard plastic.

The Chris King BB I used to replace it just oozes quality.

[mackie1]

Good point. Probably worth a shot, it wouldn't have been invented if it didn't have benefits.

I guess there's also no reason why you can't run normal tyres on a UST rim?

Edited by mackie1 on Tuesday 13th April 17:45

[snotrag]

There isn't. With UST rims you can run any tyre, you can run (expensive) ust compatible tyres without tubes.

Whereas if you go for stans ztr rims, you can run also run any tyre with a tube, or you can run a vast range of normal and "tubeless ready" type tyres from loads of manufacturers.

Plus the ztr rims have bettere strength to weight ratio than most mavic rims..

[tjdixon911]

P-Jay said:

Should be good whatever you go for.

I'll echo what's been said on the Hope Hoops, I have heard of the odd hub failure, but personally apart from the normal wear and tear on the bearings all mine have been faultless.

Same with Shimano BB's, I know they were bad a few years ago, but mine last ages and I count Afan and Cwmcarn as my local trails, aka grit city.

I've just picked up a Stiffee frame on eBay, it's a bit dog-eared. But my mate's Husband is taking it into the bodyshop he manages for a stealth-look respray in Matte Black, waiting for CRC to get the new stickers in.



Final spec 'should' be - I say should be, because I really want to source everything second-hand to see how cheaply I can do it.

Fox 32 Float RL forks ('09's from a mate cheap)
Hope Tech X2 or M4's, might go for non-tech levers if they're cheap.
Hope Pro 2's with Mavic EN521's - these will be new, not a fan of tubeless.
Easton EA30, 50, 70 whatever's a bargain - Seat tube, riser and bars.
Charge Spoon Seat - too cheap to be pissing about looking for an S/H one.
Hope headset, again this'll be new.
X9 shifter and short cage derailleur - single speed front.
SLX chainset and DX flats.

New consumables:

High rollers, Kevlar beaded 2.3 supertacky front, maybe a 2.1XC on the back.
Some tubes from the stash

Oh and defo XTR Cables, it's the first bike I've had in ages with interrupted cable outers, unless I can bodge in an uninterrupted conversion.
SLX Cassette, PC971 chain
ODI lock-ons

How Cheaply do you think you can do it? I have just picked up a Stiffee frame 2nd hand but fear it may be too big for what I need it for, might be a good interim untill the Hustler warranty issue gets sorted though...

[P-Jay]

tjdixon911 said:

P-Jay said:

How Cheaply do you think you can do it? I have just picked up a Stiffee frame 2nd hand but fear it may be too big for what I need it for, might be a good interim untill the Hustler warranty issue gets sorted though...

Good question, I've not set a budget per-se, it's No3 bike for me so no rush to finish it.

Frame cost me £220

'09 Fox 32 Float RL forks £250, but might go for a set of RS Pikes, go can get them £125 ish on the bay if you're not too fusy on spec.

Hope X2 or M4's £100

Hope Pro 2's with Mavic EN521's - these will be new, not a fan of tubeless. £200 (got a great relationship with my LBS)

Easton EA30, 50, 70 whatever's a bargain - Seat tube, riser and bars. £60

Charge Spoon Seat - too cheap to be pissing about looking for an S/H one. £20

Hope headset, again this'll be new. £60

X9 shifter and short cage derailleur - single speed front. £60

SLX chainset and DX flats. £75 and £50 (new)

New consumables:

High rollers, Kevlar beaded 2.3 supertacky front, maybe a 2.1XC on the back.
Some tubes from the stash Got 2-3 2.3's in the garage already, dozens of tubes, maybe £30 for the rear unless I use another 2.3

Oh and defo XTR Cables, it's the first bike I've had in ages with interrupted cable outers, unless I can bodge in an uninterrupted conversion. £20
SLX Cassette, PC971 chain £50
ODI lock-ons £15

So, about £1000 to £1200 for a ready to ride bike. The respray's a beer transaction and apart from the headset i'll be building it myself.

TBH I'm bidding on loads of bits at the moment, if they're a bargain I'll have them, if they go too high I'll wait for the next one, some of the ideas have literally dozens and dozens auctions, some like the chainset are quite few and far between at the moment.

[P-Jay]

Ok, not a huge saving on a new one, especially given it's a lot of second-hand bits, but it's a better spec (IMHO) and I wanted a project, not a bike per-se.

[Gooby]

I have found Jagwires to be as good as XTR cables...

[pastrana72]

I went for Black with My Cove Stiffee and Handjob, as all the parts are black and they are then stealthy which is cool and do not attract much attension.

My Cove hustler is White, wish I had gone for black on that one too.

[mackie1]

Hehe, you like Coves then!

[rhinochopig]

P-Jay said:

Should be good whatever you go for.

I'll echo what's been said on the Hope Hoops, I have heard of the odd hub failure, but personally apart from the normal wear and tear on the bearings all mine have been faultless.

Same with Shimano BB's, I know they were bad a few years ago, but mine last ages and I count Afan and Cwmcarn as my local trails, aka grit city.

I've just picked up a Stiffee frame on eBay, it's a bit dog-eared. But my mate's Husband is taking it into the bodyshop he manages for a stealth-look respray in Matte Black, waiting for CRC to get the new stickers in.



Final spec 'should' be - I say should be, because I really want to source everything second-hand to see how cheaply I can do it.

Fox 32 Float RL forks ('09's from a mate cheap)
Hope Tech X2 or M4's, might go for non-tech levers if they're cheap.
Hope Pro 2's with Mavic EN521's - these will be new, not a fan of tubeless.
Easton EA30, 50, 70 whatever's a bargain - Seat tube, riser and bars.
Charge Spoon Seat - too cheap to be pissing about looking for an S/H one.
Hope headset, again this'll be new.
X9 shifter and short cage derailleur - single speed front.
SLX chainset and DX flats.

New consumables:

High rollers, Kevlar beaded 2.3 supertacky front, maybe a 2.1XC on the back.
Some tubes from the stash

Oh and defo XTR Cables, it's the first bike I've had in ages with interrupted cable outers, unless I can bodge in an uninterrupted conversion.
SLX Cassette, PC971 chain
ODI lock-ons

Having had a matt black MTB I can safely say you will regret getting it painted that colour. It will look stunning the first time you pick the frame up. By the time you've built it up it will be covered in grease marks that are a nightmare to shift. After your first ride it will look like a 10 year old knacker that people use to get to the train station. Trust me on this, they are an absolute nightmare to keep clean and looking good.