[Moroskim]

:madman: :madman: :madman: :madman: :madman: :madman:
Well here is the rig I am thinking of putting together. I havea few questions. 1) ninespeed or eightspeed caset. I have heard mixed reviews about both. 2) any general recomendations on components? So far I have only purchased the crank and deralures. 3) what about pedals? I ride alot of single track and do some small drops but i want to start trying some more aggressive stuff. Not alot of Downhill but if it is on the trail I want to hit it with confidence. Should I go clipless or should i go platform. Right now i have those crappy cage pedals with the nylon straps and plastic toe front piece thingys. I have been riding for about 3 years now but this is my first build and i am just started getting serious about riding (3+ days a week 15-20 miles a day) this past summer. So i realy dont know much. Thanks for the help these forums rock.

-04 Hardrock comp frame
-:Easton EA70 MTN Seatpost '07
- FSA OS-150/ 90 Degree Stem
-Rock Shox Tora 318 Coil U-Turn Fork '07
- Shimano XT Disc/Rhyno Lite XL Wheelset
-FSA xc 190 handle bars.
-Avid Ball Bearing Seven Disc Brake '06
xt 761 front/rear drlrs
-lx crank
-xt 9spd caset or 34tooth mega range 8spd
-Sram chain
FSA xc 190 handlebars.
Rims: stock
egg beater style clips not sure what brand yet

 

[SS-Dad]

Sounds like a nice build

Nice list you got there. As far as 8spd vs 9spd? You will probably be hard pressed for a solid answer there. I personally liked 8spd componentry. It worked/s fine. For that matter so did 6 and 7spd stuff. Anyway, 9spd is the norm now and good parts, both new and replacements, are readily available. 8spd stuff is still out there, though it is becoming harder to find good parts.

In my experience, 8spd worked better in adverse conditions, ie. wet, mud, sand. The chain and spacing on the cassette allowed room for sloppiness. 9spd, using tighter spacing and a narrower chain loses that room for muck and stuff. I experienced more chain skipping, ghost shifting, and general drivetrain mishaps and noise. But, you do gain a lower gear with the 9spd cassette. So, whatever. You'll be fine with either.

For pedals, another can of worms there too. I use and love eggbeaters. Never had a problem or complaint. I also use platforms on an other bike so I can bail out when jumping or doing stupid stuff. For all a round type riding, I would suggest a clipless style.

I hope this helps. Like I said, it sounds like you've got a nice setup planned. Good parts selection. Don't get too caught up in brands and lightweight this and that. Just have fun!

 

[Sideknob]

I'd go 9 speed. All the high end stuff is 9spd now, if you want new shifters or whatever a year from now, the higher end stuff will be all 9 spd. 9spd works just fine.

My last bike had Eggbeaters, which were not a bad XC pedal. I didn't get them for my new bike, as the Eggs were next to impossible to ride on even for a short distance without clipping in. The inability to fine tune the tension PMO a little, and the cleats are soft. There are lots of options with pedals. I'd look at regular double sided clip ins. Exus, Shimano, Wellgo etc.

Your build looks OK. It's a lot of fun, speccing and building!

 

[noff]

If you like the egg-beater type clip in, but want a platform...take a look at the Time Atac Z clipless. Solid clip connection, and a large platform surface when you want to clip out. Kinda heavy, but worth it...imo

 

[Maida7]

1) get the 9 spd only because they no longer make high quality 8 spd shifters.
2) In general LX and or X7 components are the best bang for the buck. Anything above that level is not really worth the extra money. Spend the most money on the frame, fork, brakes and wheels. Do these right the first time or you will just end up wasting money upgrading them later. Go cheap on the simple stuff like headset, seat post, stem and bars chain. Sette makes very high quality parts at low prices.
3) Get the clipless and the special shoes. I like eggs because they are light, durable and don't clog with mud. Lower end chrome eggs work just as well and the super high priced Ti version and are probably more durable. If your worried about riding clipless get something with a bit of a platform like the candys but I think most people find they don't really need the platform and it's really just a physiological crutch. Time and Shimano also make very good clipless pedals. If your totally freaked with investing in clipless try some cheap welgo clipless pedals and see if you can handle them.

 

[Moroskim]

gracias

Thanks for the advice guys. My bike just went in for some surgery as i dont have the tools to do the install of the crank myself. LX cran kthe xt drlrs 9speed caset are going on today. I am going to be purchasing xt shift/break pods next paycheck and i will try to post a pic.:thumbsup:

The next thing after the shifters will probably be avid bb7 breaks.