Got the bike back yesterday from the shop, made some minor tweaks in the garage (they didn't do the high gear limit screw right, that little kind of stuff). And waiting for a remote handlebar fork open/lockout lever from E-Bay. Other than that it's done!
On a side note, whoever said in a different forum that 11-speed XT is harder to shift than SLX is 100% right. It's not 'hard' to shift XT but now I know exactly what he meant, and I don't like it either. It's on/off for click up / click down, no modulation at all. If something is getting worn on the drivetrain and the barrel adjuster is not fine-tuning it out, you can't 1/2 downshift it like you can with SLX and older ones to get the gear in correctly. It's either clicked or not clicked, nothing in-between. You push down 1/2 to 3/4 of the way for a downshift, nothing happens in back. You have to push all the way to the click to upshift. That's fine if the drivetrain is all fresh components, and the chainline, derailleur hanger, and everything else is basically perfect. It may not be fine if one or more components are relatively worn compared with others. I'll live with XT for now but I may sell it used and go back to SLX soon.
Here is the Frankenstein experiment:
27.5" DIY bikes carbon frame, 18.5 inch seat tube, 70 degree head tube (maybe down to 68 w/29" fork), 2.6 lbs
29" Suntour Axon Werx-F 100mm travel, 3.35 lbs with thru-axle (I do not like that Q-loc axle, may buy an aftermarket substitute later)
11-speed drivetrain - the aforementioned XT shifter, previous XTR M9000 cranks, 32t chainring (for now, may do 26/38t without front derailleur later), 11-52t cassette, XT RD, no extender (seems OK without it, will change to Deore M5100 RD later), around 3.6 lbs with one chainring
Previous wheelset that's lightest for actual trail riding w/2.4 Hellkat front and 2.4 Rekon rear, around 8.7 lbs including cassette, rotors, sealant
One Up V2 Dropper post 150mm 1.1 lbs
Tektro Orion 4-Piston Brake Kit 1.15 lbs with calipers, hoses, shifters, without rotors
Misc components like handlebars, seat, dropper lever, headset/stem, pedals, etc. around 2.5 lbs
Total weight 23.0 lbs. I did it! I thought it would be somewhere between 23-24 lbs, calculated it should be pretty close to 23, it was. If I lightened up the tires it could go down to maybe 22.5 lbs but no point, the traction and braking would suffer too much on loose Southern California trails. Final cost including both new and previously cannibalized components, almost exactly $3000. Not cheap for a hardtail, but it can be done for making a 23 lb one with dropper post and real MTB tires.
Will switch the rear to a Rekon 2.6 later, about the same weight as the 2.4. Front later to either Nevegal2 or Dissector 2.4 --- I absolutely need something up front with burly side knobs in this area of the USA; may even do a front semi-slick w/big side knobs. One bummer is that the chainstays are not as wide as I would have liked, but I think the Rekon 2.6 or similar will fit in back OK. Assegai 2.6 on another rim right now has a wobble and rubs against one chainstay so that may be a no-go for the rear on more challenging trails, oh well. The picture has a different wheelset that would make it 24.0 lbs, still not bad. Boy do those 27.5 wheels look small on that fork and 18.5 inch frame. And please pardon the closed cell foam tape job on top of the carbon seat. Looks horrible but saves a significant amount of weight.
![Bicycle Wheel Bicycles--Equipment and supplies Tire Crankset]()
On a side note, whoever said in a different forum that 11-speed XT is harder to shift than SLX is 100% right. It's not 'hard' to shift XT but now I know exactly what he meant, and I don't like it either. It's on/off for click up / click down, no modulation at all. If something is getting worn on the drivetrain and the barrel adjuster is not fine-tuning it out, you can't 1/2 downshift it like you can with SLX and older ones to get the gear in correctly. It's either clicked or not clicked, nothing in-between. You push down 1/2 to 3/4 of the way for a downshift, nothing happens in back. You have to push all the way to the click to upshift. That's fine if the drivetrain is all fresh components, and the chainline, derailleur hanger, and everything else is basically perfect. It may not be fine if one or more components are relatively worn compared with others. I'll live with XT for now but I may sell it used and go back to SLX soon.
Here is the Frankenstein experiment:
27.5" DIY bikes carbon frame, 18.5 inch seat tube, 70 degree head tube (maybe down to 68 w/29" fork), 2.6 lbs
29" Suntour Axon Werx-F 100mm travel, 3.35 lbs with thru-axle (I do not like that Q-loc axle, may buy an aftermarket substitute later)
11-speed drivetrain - the aforementioned XT shifter, previous XTR M9000 cranks, 32t chainring (for now, may do 26/38t without front derailleur later), 11-52t cassette, XT RD, no extender (seems OK without it, will change to Deore M5100 RD later), around 3.6 lbs with one chainring
Previous wheelset that's lightest for actual trail riding w/2.4 Hellkat front and 2.4 Rekon rear, around 8.7 lbs including cassette, rotors, sealant
One Up V2 Dropper post 150mm 1.1 lbs
Tektro Orion 4-Piston Brake Kit 1.15 lbs with calipers, hoses, shifters, without rotors
Misc components like handlebars, seat, dropper lever, headset/stem, pedals, etc. around 2.5 lbs
Total weight 23.0 lbs. I did it! I thought it would be somewhere between 23-24 lbs, calculated it should be pretty close to 23, it was. If I lightened up the tires it could go down to maybe 22.5 lbs but no point, the traction and braking would suffer too much on loose Southern California trails. Final cost including both new and previously cannibalized components, almost exactly $3000. Not cheap for a hardtail, but it can be done for making a 23 lb one with dropper post and real MTB tires.
Will switch the rear to a Rekon 2.6 later, about the same weight as the 2.4. Front later to either Nevegal2 or Dissector 2.4 --- I absolutely need something up front with burly side knobs in this area of the USA; may even do a front semi-slick w/big side knobs. One bummer is that the chainstays are not as wide as I would have liked, but I think the Rekon 2.6 or similar will fit in back OK. Assegai 2.6 on another rim right now has a wobble and rubs against one chainstay so that may be a no-go for the rear on more challenging trails, oh well. The picture has a different wheelset that would make it 24.0 lbs, still not bad. Boy do those 27.5 wheels look small on that fork and 18.5 inch frame. And please pardon the closed cell foam tape job on top of the carbon seat. Looks horrible but saves a significant amount of weight.
