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145 Posts
Last year when i picked up a used Scott Spark 940 29er for myself i found out these existed and have been looking ever since. I just picked one up this weekend and am excited to get started modding it.
Last year i got my then 5.5yr old a used GT Scamp. The build was pretty decent and one of the few 7sp bikes that i could find in a 20" tire and had a short enough reach that he could ride (barely
).
My first impression of the spark what that the frame, fork, and saddle were pretty nice but the rest was a bit of a let down for what would have been $485 8 years ago.
Phase 1 will be happening over the course of the next week and will include the following
7spd QR wheelset from his existing GT
7spd derailleur from his existing GT
7spd trigger shifter from his existing GT
Shortened SRAM S600 crank setup 1x ($35 on ebay)
nicer Shimano V brake arms (takeoffs bin from a closing LBS)
lighter tektro brake levers from his existing GT
New shift and brake cables and housing from parts bin
Lock on OE specialized grips so i can experiment with bar widths easier
31.8 cut down flat bars (takoffs from my adult spark)
31.8 45mm stem ($10 on amazon)
aluminum seatpost (found in parts bin)
Not sure if im going to use the tires that came on the bike or the ones off his GT. The GT had a knobby 20x2.4 front which is heavy but gives him great rollover.
Phase 2 is going to be a bit more aggressive but i need to find parts at swap meets and/or ask around about other peoples spares bins.
I have a full 10 spd driveline (cassette, chain, derailleur, trigger shifter) but it requires a wheelset that will accept a cassette. While i am sourcing hubs i want to convert to disks. So i need to source some hydro brakes too.
I am on the fence about tubeless. It sounds weird but i like the ability to swap tire types easy since he is starting to like family races so in a (september) he would be doing a street race, a cyclocross race, and rooty muddy singletrack on our regular weekend loop.
There are a bunch of GREAT Spark Jr 20 builds out there but we dont live near any lift assist parks so this will be geared more towards the average kid rider who could use something sligthly better then stock but hopefully doesnt break the $300 mark when all said and done and give him a much better platform to just have fun on and want to keep up with the hobby years from now when he is a teenager and too cool for his had.
Last year i got my then 5.5yr old a used GT Scamp. The build was pretty decent and one of the few 7sp bikes that i could find in a 20" tire and had a short enough reach that he could ride (barely
).My first impression of the spark what that the frame, fork, and saddle were pretty nice but the rest was a bit of a let down for what would have been $485 8 years ago.
Phase 1 will be happening over the course of the next week and will include the following
7spd QR wheelset from his existing GT
7spd derailleur from his existing GT
7spd trigger shifter from his existing GT
Shortened SRAM S600 crank setup 1x ($35 on ebay)
nicer Shimano V brake arms (takeoffs bin from a closing LBS)
lighter tektro brake levers from his existing GT
New shift and brake cables and housing from parts bin
Lock on OE specialized grips so i can experiment with bar widths easier
31.8 cut down flat bars (takoffs from my adult spark)
31.8 45mm stem ($10 on amazon)
aluminum seatpost (found in parts bin)
Not sure if im going to use the tires that came on the bike or the ones off his GT. The GT had a knobby 20x2.4 front which is heavy but gives him great rollover.
Phase 2 is going to be a bit more aggressive but i need to find parts at swap meets and/or ask around about other peoples spares bins.
I have a full 10 spd driveline (cassette, chain, derailleur, trigger shifter) but it requires a wheelset that will accept a cassette. While i am sourcing hubs i want to convert to disks. So i need to source some hydro brakes too.
I am on the fence about tubeless. It sounds weird but i like the ability to swap tire types easy since he is starting to like family races so in a (september) he would be doing a street race, a cyclocross race, and rooty muddy singletrack on our regular weekend loop.
There are a bunch of GREAT Spark Jr 20 builds out there but we dont live near any lift assist parks so this will be geared more towards the average kid rider who could use something sligthly better then stock but hopefully doesnt break the $300 mark when all said and done and give him a much better platform to just have fun on and want to keep up with the hobby years from now when he is a teenager and too cool for his had.
