Retro MTB Overhaul
Discussion
amongst my collection I've got a early 2000's Cannondale F2000. No plans to get rid but much of it is in need of a significant overhaul;
Magura Louise brakes probably beyond servicing.
2x9 drivetrain; chain, cassette and chainrings all worn out, XTR rear mech is pretty knackered too.
Replacing the above with equivalent low/mid spec Shimano is going to set me back a few hundred quid - granted nott he high end components from 20 years ago but probably just as good.
What appeals to me though is to upgrade and modernise a little bit: LBS reckon I'll be able to get an 11 speed cassette on the existing freehub. I'm told 12 speed would require a new freehub which in reality would mean new wheel. So a move to 1x11 is tempting.
Anyone done similar? What components would you recommend as a good compromise between price and performance/weight?
Magura Louise brakes probably beyond servicing.
2x9 drivetrain; chain, cassette and chainrings all worn out, XTR rear mech is pretty knackered too.
Replacing the above with equivalent low/mid spec Shimano is going to set me back a few hundred quid - granted nott he high end components from 20 years ago but probably just as good.
What appeals to me though is to upgrade and modernise a little bit: LBS reckon I'll be able to get an 11 speed cassette on the existing freehub. I'm told 12 speed would require a new freehub which in reality would mean new wheel. So a move to 1x11 is tempting.
Anyone done similar? What components would you recommend as a good compromise between price and performance/weight?
UpTheIron said:
amongst my collection I've got a early 2000's Cannondale F2000. No plans to get rid but much of it is in need of a significant overhaul;
Magura Louise brakes probably beyond servicing.
2x9 drivetrain; chain, cassette and chainrings all worn out, XTR rear mech is pretty knackered too.
Replacing the above with equivalent low/mid spec Shimano is going to set me back a few hundred quid - granted nott he high end components from 20 years ago but probably just as good.
What appeals to me though is to upgrade and modernise a little bit: LBS reckon I'll be able to get an 11 speed cassette on the existing freehub. I'm told 12 speed would require a new freehub which in reality would mean new wheel. So a move to 1x11 is tempting.
Anyone done similar? What components would you recommend as a good compromise between price and performance/weight?
If it's purely for XC use I wouldn't bother with 11speed. I did this about 12 years ago on an old kinesis frame I had. I went 1x9 running a 30t up front and the biggest 9 speed cassette I could find at the time - you can now get wider range 9 speeds than was available back then. I found I could climb most things despite being 6'5" and living in the N Yorks moors. It'll save you a chunk of money. Only thing I would add is a chain retention device in place of the front mech. Magura Louise brakes probably beyond servicing.
2x9 drivetrain; chain, cassette and chainrings all worn out, XTR rear mech is pretty knackered too.
Replacing the above with equivalent low/mid spec Shimano is going to set me back a few hundred quid - granted nott he high end components from 20 years ago but probably just as good.
What appeals to me though is to upgrade and modernise a little bit: LBS reckon I'll be able to get an 11 speed cassette on the existing freehub. I'm told 12 speed would require a new freehub which in reality would mean new wheel. So a move to 1x11 is tempting.
Anyone done similar? What components would you recommend as a good compromise between price and performance/weight?
I'd try that first as it's significantly cheaper and spend what you save on a fork service (headshock or lefty?)
take-good-care-of-the-forest-dewey said:
If it's purely for XC use I wouldn't bother with 11speed. I did this about 12 years ago on an old kinesis frame I had. I went 1x9 running a 30t up front and the biggest 9 speed cassette I could find at the time - you can now get wider range 9 speeds than was available back then. I found I could climb most things despite being 6'5" and living in the N Yorks moors. It'll save you a chunk of money. Only thing I would add is a chain retention device in place of the front mech.
I'd try that first as it's significantly cheaper and spend what you save on a fork service (headshock or lefty?)
Cheers.I'd try that first as it's significantly cheaper and spend what you save on a fork service (headshock or lefty?)
Had another chat with LBS and it seems the rear mech is fine after all, so I won't be binning that just yet. Off to take a look at what can be had cassette wise...
I'm midway through refurbishing an early 90s 3x8 Specialized Hardrock bought on Gumtree. It's new life will be as a 1x9 tourer/shopping/pub bike for my wife.
Stripped everything off down to frame and forks.
New bearings and regreased was enough for the headset. Kept seatpost, saddle. Wheels just needed a few spokes tightened.
Shorter stem £10. Lighter bars. £10 Total 175g saved.
Sealed bearing BB was still fine but needed to replace with a wider one to suit a 33t single chainring crankset . Total £45
Combined 8 speed brake/shifters replaced with LX 9 speed shifter from spares box. Brake levers - the superb, unrivalled Avid Single Digit 7 levers. £20 from Amazon - bargain. No idea they were still on the market.
Pair of Alivio BR-T4000 Brakes to replace usable but cosmeticallly challenged Tektros. £29
11-34 Sram PG970 cassette. £21 at Merlin. Saving a useful 80g over the 8 speed cassette removed.
Shimano Sora rd-r3000-gs £25 - 70g less than the 8 speed removed. Chain from spares box.
26x1.5 Marathon Racers and lighter inner tubes saved another bit of weight. £50
New cables/outers.
She is not a regular cyclist so the idea was for a bike that was comfortable, sturdy, and simple to operate. Hopefully end up around 1 kg lighter.
Probably little if any cash saving compared to buying a £400 hybrid but decent quality components and the exact bike wanted. 1x9 bikes are rare at the bottom end of the market. Plus keeps me busy.
Stripped everything off down to frame and forks.
New bearings and regreased was enough for the headset. Kept seatpost, saddle. Wheels just needed a few spokes tightened.
Shorter stem £10. Lighter bars. £10 Total 175g saved.
Sealed bearing BB was still fine but needed to replace with a wider one to suit a 33t single chainring crankset . Total £45
Combined 8 speed brake/shifters replaced with LX 9 speed shifter from spares box. Brake levers - the superb, unrivalled Avid Single Digit 7 levers. £20 from Amazon - bargain. No idea they were still on the market.
Pair of Alivio BR-T4000 Brakes to replace usable but cosmeticallly challenged Tektros. £29
11-34 Sram PG970 cassette. £21 at Merlin. Saving a useful 80g over the 8 speed cassette removed.
Shimano Sora rd-r3000-gs £25 - 70g less than the 8 speed removed. Chain from spares box.
26x1.5 Marathon Racers and lighter inner tubes saved another bit of weight. £50
New cables/outers.
She is not a regular cyclist so the idea was for a bike that was comfortable, sturdy, and simple to operate. Hopefully end up around 1 kg lighter.
Probably little if any cash saving compared to buying a £400 hybrid but decent quality components and the exact bike wanted. 1x9 bikes are rare at the bottom end of the market. Plus keeps me busy.
I recently resto-modded my 2008 Boardman hardtail.
Its steep head angle and old-skool x-country style meant I had little confidence on downhill trails and suffered regularly from chainsuck.
Here's the work recently completed:
- Dropper seatpost (used Gravity Dropper from Ebay)
- Slacker head angle (2 degree offset headseat from Superstar Slackerizer)
- 50mm stem instead of 100mm (Ebay)
- Flat pedals instead of SPDs (Superstar Nano)
- Ditched front shifter and mech
- Single chainring on existing crank (Snail narrow/wide 34T)
- 11 spd clutch derailleur and shifter (Microshift)
- 11spd cassette (Clarks 11-42)
- 11spd chain (SRAM)
Overall cost was about £250.
Everything else unchanged (bars, wheels, brakes, crankset, etc)
It's brilliant now. So much confidence on jumps and rooty descents and the 1x11 is superb - amazingly quiet with the clutch derailleur.
Its steep head angle and old-skool x-country style meant I had little confidence on downhill trails and suffered regularly from chainsuck.
Here's the work recently completed:
- Dropper seatpost (used Gravity Dropper from Ebay)
- Slacker head angle (2 degree offset headseat from Superstar Slackerizer)
- 50mm stem instead of 100mm (Ebay)
- Flat pedals instead of SPDs (Superstar Nano)
- Ditched front shifter and mech
- Single chainring on existing crank (Snail narrow/wide 34T)
- 11 spd clutch derailleur and shifter (Microshift)
- 11spd cassette (Clarks 11-42)
- 11spd chain (SRAM)
Overall cost was about £250.
Everything else unchanged (bars, wheels, brakes, crankset, etc)
It's brilliant now. So much confidence on jumps and rooty descents and the 1x11 is superb - amazingly quiet with the clutch derailleur.
I'm trying to get my old GT Avalanche 2.0 back up to a decent condition at the moment. I'm sure it will take more money than the bime is worth, but I've had it since I was 16, and it's the bike I've used to get back into cycling, so would lime to repair it.
Biggest issue seems to be the front forks which now wont lock out and are leaking, so need some new ones I recon. Need to strip down to see what size the headtube is.
Biggest issue seems to be the front forks which now wont lock out and are leaking, so need some new ones I recon. Need to strip down to see what size the headtube is.
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