Budget 26" HT build - 11Kg for £650 (US$1000)

[TheRookie]

Finally got around to putting my hardtail MTB on here, this is a budget build and very much work in progress (I probably change something every month!) when first finished it weighed about 2.5Kg more than this but I've gradually got it how I want it and am now happy to post on here.

The cost reflects the buying price of every item that's been on the bike less whatever take off bits have been sold for (some profits, some losses) and currently totals £652, if I add up the prices of the parts actually on the bike as photographed it is just £475.

The wired tyres are costing me about 250g versus folders but will stay on until they wear out, the Mavic Crossrides are also a bit heavy, but they are robust (Freehub aside for which I have a caged bearing replacement when it does get the screech) and stiff which I like! The frame is a little heavy as well, but it's tough and I'm kind of attached to it!

I could have swapped the rear tyre to the Panaracer Fire Mud I have and stuck some cheap (but lighter) skewers and a bolted seatpost on, but decided I would publish as it is genuinely currently ridden at least weekly.

Frame as assembled 1767
Carrera Kraken Bare Frame (painted Ford met' purple) 1742
Frame blanking bolts 2
Rear derailleur hanger plus bolts 17
Plastic BB cable guide plus bolt 3
M-part guide plus 2 cable ties 3

Crankset group 1454
Deore HT2 BB 90
BB spacers 4
Cranks complete 770
Inner chainwheel retaining bolts 11
outer chainwheel retaining bolts 19
Ally GT bash ring 82
Deore XT HT2 RH arm 368
Deore XT HT2 LH arm 220
HT2 preload adjuster 4
32T E13 ring 26
Inner guide ring 40
Ritchey SPD pedals 350
Chain 240

Gears group 329
Rear shifter - combined with brake lever 103
Rear cable front outer 8
Rear cable inner 10
Rear cable rear outer 8
Deore XTR rear mech with alloy jockeys 200

Brakes group 808
Shimano ST-M765 XT/M800 Saint front (weight
with M775 lever for comparison purposes) 259
Pads 22
front calliper bolts 12
Shimano M775 XT/M965 XTR rear 269
Pads 22
rear caliper mount and bolts 14
160mm Tektro 101
Bolts 12
Alligator rear disc 72
Bolts 11

Seat group 471
Promax carbon seatpost 234
?? QR seat clamp 40
Bontrager Inform RXL 197

Steering group 2035
FSA Cartridge headset bearing 117
Manitou Skareb Elite forks (Converted to 105mm travel,
Min oil fill, SPV cap replaced with plain valve cap, with SFN)
1450
Top cap and bolt 15
Superstar 80mm stem with bikehut faceplate 122
Syntace Duraflyte 233
Renthal Kevlar grips 77
Carbon Headset spacers 21

Wheels and tyres group 4005
Mavic Crossride 916
Tube 125
Panracer Fire XC 2.1 720
Shimano XT QR skewer 58
Mavic Crossride 1073
Shimano M760 Cassette 296
Cassette spacer 4
Schwalbe Tube 125
Panaracer Fire XC 1.8 Wired 620
Shimano XT QR skewer 68
Total 10869


Not the best photo I'm afraid!

[DRAGON60]

Looks pretty good----more people should try budget builds. Actually---it's amazing what you can find second hand if you keep your eyes open.

Mountain bikes tend to get thrashed pretty good so spending huge bucks on one is kind of money down the drain as they depreciate so fast. This is a good thing for someone willing to be satisfied with a 90% build----one not quite current but one that's very capable.

I've blown quite a bit on mountainbikes and still have them----they are not current---only moderately capable and worth diddly now.

[TheRookie]

Thanks, This actually needs updating now as I've put on new wheels which I re-rimmed (1716g wheelset) and added some lighter pedals and a lighter headset so it's just on 10.5Kg now.

[DRAGON60]

Good job----this is the type of bike I like----I'm not a downhiller---more cross country

Have a Rocky Mountain Element Race-27.5lbs--full suspension and an older KHS Montana Team hardtail--24.5

Manitou Skareb Elite forks-----are they any good? They seem very light----I'm using a Marzochhi Bomber on the Rocky and it's pretty heavy.

[TheRookie]

My Manitous are circa 2005/6, they are still in very good working order, just the tiniest of play in the bushings, but that hasn't got worse in the 2 years I've been using them. Once you hit the sweetspot with the SPV (Pedal platform) they are very nice as the compression damper holds the front end up nicely despite being set quite soft for absorbancy.

Mine are now weight optimised with min oil fills and I've replaced the SPV variable volume cap with a normal air spring cap, with SFN and steel crownrace and the steerer at 210mm they weigh in at 1450g.

[chucklight]

I'm not having a go at all but I think your whole budget / reclaimed build has gone a bit wayward since I was last on here if the £650 cost is correct. You've spent £650! to achieve a weight that I got lower than with a practically brand new Boardman Pro and some new tyres and tubes.

That can't compete with the fun of building your own bike from the ground up but £650 is a lot of wedge for something that's not really worth anything other than what you've put into it. The £475 price seems much better if you think that's what you've put in give or take. I wish I'd kept a list of prices I've sold items for it'd knock a bit off my top line which is awkwardly close to and if you count accessories over £1000.

It looks like a bit of a fun thrasher anyway so I hope you're getting plenty of use out of it during whatever summer we're having.

[TheRookie]

The £650 (actually £632 as I've now sold some stuff on!) is total spend including bits that have been on and off (some of them worn out over 3 years of riding - a couple of BB's, a complete set of pads and one set of SPDs) and tyres for different uses that are still in the shed. Current cost as it stands is £539 including the spare tyres, I doubt a Boardman pro would be the 10,581g mine is at now (new wheels since the above spec) even with new tyres and tubes - it is 25.5lb quoted (11.6kg) without pedals, so nearly 12Kg with, loosing 1.4Kg on tyres will be an ask!

[TheRookie]

OK bit of an update, a few bits changed and now at 10.1Kg (near enough) at 10,106g, although I need to sort some bar ends which will add about 12g.


Frame: Carrera Kraken 16" resprayed Ford Metallic purple 1735g
Forks: Manitou Skareb Elite, solo air with SPV (tuned) 1444g
Bars: Syncros UD carbon 137g
Stem: Superstar with bikehut faceplate 123g
Headset: Mix of Scott, Marin and FSA 82g
Grips: Exotic carbon foam 17g
Bar Ends: Not yet!

Front Brake Lever assy: Shimano ST-M765 (XT) 398g (lever, hose and caliper)
Front Caliper: Shimano M800 Saint
Front disc: Hayes 110g
Rear Brake Lever assy: Shimano M800 Saint 279g (lever, hose and caliper)
Rear Caliper: Shimano M965 XT (IS mount)
Rear Disc: Alligator 72g
Hoses: Alero


Shifters: ST-M765 (XT) (weight is with brake)
Cables: Jagwire 26g
Front Mech: None
Rear Mech: Shimano M965 (XTR) with alloy jockeys 200g
Chain Device: Gamut bash and home made carbon inner guide ring 108g

Seat: Bontrager Inform RXL 197g
Seat Post: Promax carbon 234g
Seat Post Clamp: Hope 40g

Cranks: Shimano XT HT2 592g
Chainring(s): E13 32T single 26g
Chain: Shimano 240g
Cassette: XT 91g
Pedals: XT SPD 350g
Bottom Bracket: BB70 XT 297g

Front Wheel 790g
Rim: Ryde Edge7
Spokes: Plain guage
Hub: Superfast
Tube: Continental 134g
Tire: Schwalbe Rocket Ron 467g

Back Wheel 928g
Rim: Ryde Edge7
Spokes: Plain guage
Hub: Superleggera
Tube: Schwalbe 125g
Tire: Michelin Dry Mountain2 608g

Weight: 10,106g

Other info: Total cost on the road £555.

[victorduraace]

Get.carbon frame and shave about 500g

[TheRookie]

Funnily enough it's changed a bit in the last three years.....

[Erwandy]

LOL, it seems you have been flunked by Photobucket as well. You can use imgbb instead

[TheRookie]

My new build will be in a new host that's for sure!