Best frame and components for building a Bike?

Question

My season just ended with the last race 2 days ago, so I'm planning on upgrading my bike for next season, I would like to build my pwn bike from the ground up, any suggestions on the following components?:

- Frame (Orbea, Giant, Trek, Specialized, Cannondale)
- Deraileurs (Shimano or Sram)
- Front suspension (Fox, Mazzorchi, Rock Shox)
- Brakes (Hydralic discs, mechanical discs, V-Brake)

Any good advice would be appreciated, I plan to use on XC rides and a few technical downhills, also I have not yet established a budget, but since I'm planning on building it over the winter so I won't have to buy everything up front.

Answer 1

In my opinion, building a bike is a sweet experience, you will get what you want, but it will be more expensive than buying one package.

Prices will dictate which frame/fork/wheelset/brakes you can go.

Also, do you want a hardtail or a full suspension?

If budget isn't a problem, and you want a hardtail, check Moots or Titus Eleven titanium or Exogrid frames, they offer a great ride and last long... but will take a toll on your budget.

If you want a full suspension, Titus Racer-X, Turner Flux, Ventana El Saltamontes would be a great choice. Again, this are more expensive frames (around 1,500-2,000 bucks).

Of the ones you're planning, I like Giant and Specialized, but I would also check Cannondale.

All of your front suspension brands offer great forks, I have a Fox Talas R and a Rock Shox Revelation and both are good. Probably for XC I would look at Fox Float 32 with 100mm or a RS Reba.

The wheelset is very important, but again, you can go from somewhere in the 200-300 bucks with XT hubs-Mavic 717 or 719 rims to almost 1,000 bucks Industry 9 wheelset (very good).

Brakes, it depends on where you ride. If it is basicaly XC territory, with no big downhill sections, V's are great, otherwise, go discs. I have hydros and I like them. You can start with 130 bucks per brake disc to 300 per disc. I have XT and Like them, but Magura and Hope offers some great options (for Magura, look at the Marthas, Hope, go for Minis).

Answer 2

Ok, I have had experience with a lot of different bike parts and custom building/upgrading bikes. A lot of companies don't design their products to be properly compatible with the things they should be, this will cause you greif when adding them to your existing parts; they also design less durable components knowing that people will just have to buy new ones after the warrantee has expired.

Examples of poor design are:
Integrated headsets - where the frame wears down instead of a bearing cup.
ISIS cranks - I'm not sure about x-types, but normal ISIS bb's won't last 6 months, and the crank spline wears down if you remove the cranks more than 4 times or there abouts.
Shimano chainrings also wear down very quickly, so stick with SRAM chainrings.

Stay away from companies that change/redesign their products every year, these companies are only after your money and their products will only cause you greif when building up a bike! After all, why should they have to redesign their products if they had designed them properly in the first place?

Therefore, I conclude:
-Frame: Cannondale frames are very lightweight, GT frames are uber stiff.
-Derailleurs: If you want a bike that lasts, spend extra and get a Rholloff hub, these are a sensible design.
-Front sus: None of the above, they are all quite crap in reality and will cause you no end of grief, especially air forks as no company has designed a set that doesn't leak yet; try White brothers forks as they are supposed to be good, otherwise go for Fox, but stay away from their TALAS system!
-Hayes hydraulic discs: Hayes don't change their design every year, in fact theyv'e kept the same basic designs for nearly 8 years now. Their products are easiest to set up and won't have piston retraction problems like Hope's or pad wear problems like Avid and Shimano.
-Rims: MAVIC or perhaps Sun Ringle, don't touch any other stuff.

Answer 3

You know, I have been down this road myself. Depending upon your ability and passion, I'm not always convinced that building everything from the ground up is always the most sensible decision. It will almost certainly be more expensive than to buy a built-out ride.

Santa Cruz offers a good compromise, with some sweet frames, and a lot of package options for your drive train, suspension, brakes etc. You can always tweak things later on, especially as things break or you improve.

Ventana makes some nice frames and rides, as does Turner. Each of these manufacturers can really work with customers and steer you the right way on where to place your money.

Without knowing your budget, how good you are, and where you ride, it wouldn't be too responsible to recommend that you just dive in and start buying parts.

Start with the frame, and go from there...

Answer 4

it depends alot on your budget, but this is my suggestion.

Frame: Specialized, with FSR technology, $500-1000
Deuraillers: Shimano XTR, front $100, rear $120, dual control shifters $300, you can also get a Deore, LX, or XT which are significantly less.
Fork: Fox is the performance brand, but expect to pay over $400, i have a Marzocchi Drop off 130mm(dual SPV) very plush, not too heavy.
Dont froget rear suspension!: unless you ride hardtail, a Fox Float or Manitou Swinger will compliment the ride, the frame usually comes with a shock, but if not, it will cost around $400 new.
brakes: i recommend an 8" Avid BB7 (mechanical) for the front $130, and a 6" BB7 ($80) fo the rear. Hydros add too much weight for XC

the complete bike will justify all the costs. shovel sidewalks if you have to. get some 2.4" tires also, and smaller and you lose traction doin those downhills, any larger and it get heavy. good luck

Answer 5

FRame: Specialized
Deraileurs : sram X
Suspension: Fox if you have an extra weight, Marzzochi if you like techical parts and descents, and Rock shox if you use it for regular cross country.
Brakes: V- brakes... specially tek-tro, those are the best.

Answer 6

- Frame: Kona!
- Deraileurs: Shimano XTRs
- Front suspension: Fox
- Brakes: Avid V-Brake