[slcrockymountainrider]

Ok, the "all-mountain" was a bit of a joke...sort of.

I just built this up after waiting what seemed like an eternity to get a few missing, yet crucial to the build, parts.

2010 Vassage Bandersnatch in the Large size sizeway.
So as this will probably be my only bike for 2010 I had to mix it up a bit and shy'd away from a true XC build and went with something a bit more "all-mountain." There you have the lame reason.

The specs:

-2010 Fox F29 RLC FIT in a QR15 axleway and 120mm travel. That's correct, 120mm.
-XT crankset with a 22/36/bashguard, held in place with a Black Spire Stinger.
-Wheelset is an oversize DT Swiss 240 front with a 240 rear in the larger 10mm RWS axleway. DT Competition spokes and ProLock nipples all laced to Mavic TN719 rims: my first wheelbuild in like a decade.
-Avid Juicy Carbons with 7in rotors.
-King headset
-XO Shifters, R. Derailler, XTR cassette and SLX dual ring f. derailleur (for added clearance), PC991 chain.
-Old school XTR pedals
-Thompson 90mm stem (may swap this out for a 50mm)
-Race Face Atlas low rise bars cut down to 30inches in matching wannabe burnt umber colorway.
-4 inch drop Gravity Retarder remote with a well used and comfy WTB Silverado Ti saddle.
-2.25 Maxxis Ardent up front and an Aspen bringing up the rear.

Weight? I don't have a scale handy but I'm guessing 27/28lbs.

The color of the bars just sort of worked themselves out without any thought on my part. They came off the Intense Tracer VP I just barely sold and it didn't hit me that they matched until about 5 minutes after the bike was done .

Here's the living room thrash test result: Unless you're 6ft 4inches tall or taller OR you have a super high groin, don't go with the 120 fork. I have enough standover, but it's nothing to write home about. If my nuts hung any lower I would be in trouble.

Looks like a lot of fun sitting here while it's f#cking cold and snowy outside. Can't wait for spring.

Yes, those are Christina Begy's legs in the photo.

Speculate on.

 

[bunnyhopbikes]

I think its great! Keep an eye out on this forum, soon there will be a first gen fisher 29er frame goin' all-"all-mountiany", too. Why not, they work great, and more often than not, the big chain ring becomes a toothed bashguard anyways! Freakin' NICE:thumbsup:

 

[boomn]

I think your build looks great! Nothing looks tougher to me than a hardtail with a tall fork.

However, I must say that I now find tires to make a bigger difference in "All Mountain" vs "XC" feel to me than any particular fork setup. Big meaty tires on a rigid fork feel more aggressive to me than a smaller, less grippy tire on a 100mm susp fork. Get an Ardent 2.4 for the front and you can really call that "All Mountain" in my books :thumbsup: (not like that counts for much, lol)

 

[jrm]

Well if

the 120mm of travel turns to be to much then you can always reduce the travel

 

[slcrockymountainrider]

I think your build looks great! Nothing looks tougher to me than a hardtail with a tall fork.

However, I must say that I now find tires to make a bigger difference in "All Mountain" vs "XC" feel to me than any particular fork setup. Big meaty tires on a rigid fork feel more aggressive to me than a smaller, less grippy tire on a 100mm susp fork. Get an Ardent 2.4 for the front and you can really call that "All Mountain" in my books :thumbsup: (not like that counts for much, lol)

Tires can definitely make or break a bike. One of the goals with this bike coming off a 33lb Intense Tracer VP was to cut cost, wrench time and weight. On the Tracer I actually ran a single ply 2.5 front and 2.35 rear. I came close to going with a 2.4 Ardent and may in the future-but want to give the 2.25 its day in court first. The only reason I didn't boiled down to weight. I am a bit worried about that Aspen rear and have an Ignitor sitting here at the ready if that tire proves to be a pinch flat nightmare. It looks fast though.

I doubt I'll need to install the reducer. Once the fork is sagged it takes away all the static geometry that may be a bit annoying sitting here in the living room.

 

[gotdirt?]

Nice bike. I just ordered the same frame today . Let me know how it handles with the 120mm on there,im thinking of doing the same.I was going to do the 100mm fork anyway but i could get a good deal on a 120.

 

[onlyontwo]

That looks like a ton of fun to ride. Cheers on a cool color scheme and great build. How did you manage to get ahold of the white 240's?

Cheers,
Andy

 

[S:Drive]

I did something similar, but I have the White Brothers Fluid 110mm travel fork up front. Looks Real Nice!

 

[slcrockymountainrider]

That looks like a ton of fun to ride. Cheers on a cool color scheme and great build. How did you manage to get ahold of the white 240's?

Cheers,
Andy

Andy,
Somehow I ended up with a few pairs of DT Swiss EX1750's. Sold a pair on this site, have an older, somewhat tattered pair sitting in my storage unit and another pair I stripped of the rim/spokes and nipples which ended up on my buddy's Iron Horse laced to a pair of 440's. The hubs, minus the stickers, ended up being laced to this new 29'er setup.
That's the story in all it's glory and why they are white and why the rear is the larger 10mm RWS. So go out and buy a pair of $1000 wheels and you too can have white OS 240 hubs .

I have to say that I'm a big DT Swiss fan now. The 240's seen here are actually the 240 oversize so they convert from 20 to 15 to 9mm with adaptors that take about a minute to swap out: the 20 and 15's screw on and the 9mm press in/pull out.

 

[slcrockymountainrider]

Nice bike. I just ordered the same frame today . Let me know how it handles with the 120mm on there,im thinking of doing the same.I was going to do the 100mm fork anyway but i could get a good deal on a 120.

gotdirt?,

Unfortunately it's probably going to be another month before I can get out and ride this on anything but dry pavement. Hopefully by mid-February the Mack Exit Fruita stuff will be dry enough for a weekend road trip and I can see how the bike works out.

As someone mentioned, you can slap the reducer in the 120 that comes with a new fork and drop it down to 100. I've never done this on a Fox, but did so-but in reverse-on a 29'er Reba a few years back.

Sitting in the living room static it seems fine, only the standover's obviously quite a bit higher than Vassago lists on it's website. I'm 6-4 and I have about an inch before I'm tapping sack on the top tube. But I'll risk a bruised testicle for a bit more raked out front.

 

[slcrockymountainrider]

Update: Put the Bandersnatch on a Park scale: 28.02 lbs as it sits with pedals.

Nothing stellar, but I'm glad it's not any heavier.

 

[noosa2]

Ok, the "all-mountain" was a bit of a joke...sort of.

I just built this up after waiting what seemed like an eternity to get a few missing, yet crucial to the build, parts.

2010 Vassage Bandersnatch in the Large size sizeway.
So as this will probably be my only bike for 2010 I had to mix it up a bit and shy'd away from a true XC build and went with something a bit more "all-mountain." There you have the lame reason.

Weight? I don't have a scale handy but I'm guessing 27/28lbs.

Speculate on.

I know this is an old thread but wanted to see how you are enjoying your "all-mounting" bandersnatch.

 

[insanitylevel9]

cool bike how you like the bars