[jabrabu]

I like reading bike build threads, so I thought I'd share my current bike build project here in case anyone is interested. It's nothing fancy -- just a basic steel hardtail build.

It's a Niner SIR9, size medium, root beer color. The frame is new, but based on the color is a previous year's model. It's not my favorite color, but I got a good price on the frame. I was considering having it stripped and powdercoated and using some bling anodized parts, but it is a nice metallic paint job and not ugly, so I decided to leave it alone and just go with basic black parts. The forks will be white, so they won't match anything, but they were chosen for function, not color. I think a white frame with the white forks and some red anodized parts would look great, but this gives me the option of upgrading the frame later if I want.

My initial intent was to first build this as a singlespeed, but then I sold my FS trail bike, so I am going to build it with gears for now, maybe 1x9. When I get a new FS bike I will probably convert this to a singlespeed.

The frame arrived in an S-Works box. I could buy several of these Niner frames for what an S-Works frame would cost.

 

[jabrabu]

Forks

The forks arrived.

2011 Fox Terralogic 100mm 15QR. I chose these thinking that the Terralogic forks would be ideal for a singlespeed. I then decided to build this with gears, but I do expect to switch it to singlespeed in the future.

The new 2012 forks with the low friction seals would have been nice, but I found these new 2011 forks for about 60% of the cheapest price I found on the 2012 forks.

After looking at photos of root beer Niners with white forks, I've decided to go ahead and have the frame powdercoated white to match the forks. This may delay the build somewhat since they have to send the frame out to be stripped, but I'm still waiting for a lot of parts anyway.

 

[Indik]

you`ve decided to repaint SIR frame in white to match the fork? wow! post some photos please )
as for me rootbeer is the best color i`ve ever seen on a bike but thats just my preferences..

 

[Mojo Troll]

Wow talk about anal on color. I bet its been tough making decisions on what parts to hang on it then. Post pics when your done building.

 

[chase1963]

I bet it'll look great, all white.

 

[jabrabu]

I bet it'll look great, all white.

Yes, I think it will.

Should I put the Niner decals on the white frame or just leave it plain?

 

[rufus]

My initial plan for my root beer MCR9 was to go all black with it, but I had ordered 20mm thru-axle hope hubs before ordering the fork, and found out that the only black 20mm Rebas were the tapered steerer variety. I suppose I could have gone ahead and ordered 9mm conversion caps for them, but 1. that would be even more money, and 2. I kinda wanted the extra stiffness for the 29'er front end.

So I went ahead and got a white one, and while I still think the bike would look better with black, I've gotten used to it enought that it doesn't bother me.

 

[chase1963]

Yes, I think it will.

Should I put the Niner decals on the white frame or just leave it plain?

I think it would look great with some fresh Niner decals, your call.

 

[jabrabu]

My initial plan for my root beer MCR9 was to go all black with it, but I had ordered 20mm thru-axle hope hubs before ordering the fork, and found out that the only black 20mm Rebas were the tapered steerer variety. I suppose I could have gone ahead and ordered 9mm conversion caps for them, but 1. that would be even more money, and 2. I kinda wanted the extra stiffness for the 29'er front end.

So I went ahead and got a white one, and while I still think the bike would look better with black, I've gotten used to it enought that it doesn't bother me.

Yes, that looks fine. Certainly not ugly. Here are a couple that I really like, though. The first is a white Air9 with white forks. The other is a SIR9 that was custom powdercoated matte black. I like this a lot, and if I had black forks this is what I'd do.

 

[jabrabu]

The frame has been stripped and powdercoated white. It looks great, but I'm not sure if it was really worth it. The stripping and powdercoating was $80, which isn't bad considering that I got a good deal on the frame, but new decals from Niner are $30 plus about $10 shipping, so that adds another $40 (if I want to put decals back on it). Another issue is that there is overspray in the head tube and bottom bracket shell, so they will have to be re-faced.

I treated the frame with J.P. Weigle's Frame Saver.

Waiting for other parts to arrive.

 

[Mojo Troll]

$10 shipping and handling?

$40 bucks for decals shipped ? I'd just leave it bare at those prices. If you don't clearcoat over them. They are just going to crack, peel, fade in a couple of years anyways. Clearcoat will just add more to the cost. The bike will still ride the same with or without decals.

Decals are a form of advertisement. One would think Niner would have better pricing on replacement decals. Personally I wish the "Niner" decal on the down tube of thier steel frames was smaller. It's disproportionate to the small sexy tubes IMO.

 

[jabrabu]

$40 bucks for decals shipped ? I'd just leave it bare at those prices. If you don't clearcoat over them. They are just going to crack, peel, fade in a couple of years anyways. Clearcoat will just add more to the cost. The bike will still ride the same with or without decals.

Decals are a form of advertisement. One would think Niner would have better pricing on replacement decals. Personally I wish the "Niner" decal on the down tube of thier steel frames was smaller. It's disproportionate to the small sexy tubes IMO.

Yeah, I'm still undecided on the decals. I might just leave it plain white, and I'm also considering removing the Fox fork decals as well. But then it's an obvious refinish. With decals it would just look like a nice white SIR9. The stealth black bike pictured above looks great with no decals.

As you said, the decals are advertising, so I was suprised at the cost. I figured they'd just charge some nominal shipping/handling fee.

 

[Mojo Troll]

Removing the decals on the fork would look cool IMO. As well as, rims.

I personally remove as many decals as possible on my bike. When they do start to peel and remove them your stuck with nice shiny paint while the rest of the part is faded. Just as soon have everything fade equally.

Do you have white rims? A stealthy white ride would look nice.

 

[jabrabu]

Removing the decals on the fork would look cool IMO. As well as, rims.

I personally remove as many decals as possible on my bike. When they do start to peel and remove them your stuck with nice shiny paint while the rest of the part is faded. Just as soon have everything fade equally.

Do you have white rims? A stealthy white ride would look nice.

No, I've got the standard black Stan's rims. I originally was going to get a lot of red anodized bits such as headset, chainring, seatpost clamp, skewers, etc. and get some wheels built with white rims, red hubs, black spokes, and red nipples, but I was waffling on whether to get the frame painted so I just decided to get black parts. Besides, the black anodized rims are lighter than the white ones.

The problem with white saddles and grips is that they don't stay white for long.

 

[jabrabu]

Decals

I decided to put decals back on, at least for now.
These are waterslide decals, so they are probably pretty fragile without a clear coat. I'll put a coat of wax on them, but if they get too beat up I might just remove them.

 

[jabrabu]

King headset

King headset installed (crappy photo).

 

[jabrabu]

Stan's Crest wheels & SRAM PG990 cassette

I got the standard Stan's ZTR Crest wheels. I weigh 150 lbs. so these should work fine for me.

Some Hope hubs would have been nice, but going to a custom build with Hope hubs adds a lot to the cost and I'm sure these will work fine.

I'm using a SRAM PG990 cassette that I bought used earlier this year for another project.

 

[AaronJobe]

The frame looks better with the decals IMO.

 

[jabrabu]

XT Ice Technology brake rotors

I was going to go with BB7 mechanical disc brakes, but my brother convinced me to go with hydraulics, and he recommended Shimano. So I got the 2012 XT brakes, including the new Ice Tech rotors. I went with 160mm front and rear, which I expect to be plenty. If not, I'll upsize the front rotor later.

Installed them on the wheels.

 

[eurospek]

Subscribed for finished build.