My Green Machine...at Shawnee Mission Park Trails.

 

Its a shame this is no longer a sticky, but I guess we'll be seeing less and less new builds.

Here is my mostly new build out in the wild of VT

Frame: Medium HD3 with Fox X2
Fork: Pike (naked and 160mm)
Headset: Hope (Orange!)
Stem: Thomson X4 50mm
Bar: Ibis Carbon HiFi 800mm uncut
Grips: Ergon GE1
Drivetrain:SRAM GX Eagle with Wolftooth 30t Oval
Brakes: Magura MT Trail Sport
Rotors: Magura Storm HC 180mm
Dropper: Bike Yoke 160mm with Wolftooth Trigger
Saddle: SDQLab Ergowave Active 611 140mm
Pedals: Time MX8
Wheels: Hope Pro 4 (Orange!) Hubs/Nextie 32mm Asymm Rims/DT Swiss Comp Spokes
Tires: Maxxis Minion DHF 2.6 Front/ Maxxis Forekaster 2.6 Rear
Cage: Arundel Side loader
GPS: Wahoo Elemnt Bolt
Bag: Ibis/Blackburn Porkchop contains: CO2, Co2 head, Tires lever, Ritchey torque Key, Chain link, Sides of bacon

What I like? This bike climbs really well and descends better than any bike I've ever owned. I can crush new terrain with confidence and have broken numerous PRs on climbs beating my Ripley despite the weight (30-31lbs) and smaller more aggressive tires. Hope hubs run and run and run. Best spinning hubs I've had. 800mm bar....liking it despite being 67". Time MX8 pedals. Great platform and easy in/out. Big Yoke Dropper is solid

What don't l like?: Magura MT Trail brakes...they stop me, but I don't like feel. SRAM GX Eagle. I love the range, but its clunky and the shifter sucks compared to Shimano. I'll be swapping to new shimano 1x12 unless the hubshell does not make it to Hope or I9. I also don't like the Hope 54˚engagement after having ridden I9 for two years. The hubs are loud when I need to pedal. I get a hollow ping when I need to crank quickly uphill and engage the pawls.

Overall this will be my bike for a while. I'm only getting older and can't see a need for more bike. Sacrilege, I know, but unless it breaks (inthat case I'll get a used one again or HD4) this is my rig for the foreseeable future. So comfortable.

 

Good write up on the pros and cons of your build.
Me like a lot, I were going to get a HD3 then saw a Mojo 3 in my local shop and took for quick car park test and man was I sold quick.

HD3s selling for £2700 with fox 36, Ibis wheels, NX, but Deore brakes which is dirt cheap, that's like £1500 for frame and shock only which is half the retail.

 

I battled back and forth between the HD3 and M3...then swerved into HD4 land. In the end decided I really wanted more travel (Ripley already has 130/120) and the HD4 just seemed like too much bike for what I ride. I think the HD3 will be a classic for years to come and missed by many.

 

Interesting as I for one would reckon that the HD3 is more playful due to shorter toptube but would want to try an HD4 just to see judging from my Mojo 3 oh and in fireball red for sure!
Back in black sure looks badass though mind but the bank says no!
;( plus I need to get into shape big time to make use of an HD4 too so ...

 

Refreshed housings and moved brake line internal. Next rev will get thicker CF port covers so that they don't flex as much.

 

I like the internal brake line. I've accented my black HD3 with an Orange headset and hubs. Was thinking about orange cable lines, but the New Englander in me balked.

Going to ditch the Maguras I have on mine now. Maybe I'll reconsider. Who makes colored brake lines? Jagwire?

 

Jagwire, yes. I got their quick connect kit specific to the calipers, and the new line was terminated on each end, so you just cut to length and redo the lever end connections. Orange would look sweet on your bike.

I like those CF port covers. Where do you get them?

I made them. I got a 4" x 4" sample from Order A Carbon Fiber Sample From Our Huge Library | Protech then cut out slightly oversized shapes traced from the oem covers. I used a piece of sandpaper on the floor and rubbed the edges down to fit, then drilled holes.

 

I like those CF port covers. Where do you get them?

 

Keeping the HD3 love alive.

Rode Angel Staircase ( https://www.mtbproject.com/trail/5183409/angels-staircase-loop ) over the weekend. The HD3 was a great choice to handle tight switchbacks both climbing and descending. This was my first big ride and definitely pushed me to my physical and mental limits. Well worth it though.

 

I don't know why you'd bother with a boost triangle/plus wheels. My HD3 is running a DHR2 2.4 DD which works great and has plenty of clearance, even in our UK-like climate - here's a pic from last nights ride that included a couple of bogs:

 

I've seen a few pics of HD3 owners who have a rear mudguard setup to help keep crud out of the clevis and rear suspension. For those that have had their bikes for a while and ridden in crud - do you think the mud guard is needed?

 

Not really. There’s no symmetrical struts that would make it easy to attach a guard anyway

 

Not really. There's no symmetrical struts that would make it easy to attach a guard anyway

I've seen a few pics of HD3 owners who have a rear mudguard setup to help keep crud out of the clevis and rear suspension. For those that have had their bikes for a while and ridden in crud - do you think the mud guard is needed?

Some mud- like the ones found in Show Low Az are so cakey (this **** does not wash off, it needs to be scraped off) that I think having no mud guard actually is better. My experience is that these persistent mud just clogs up your wheel faster if you have mud guard on. During that trip, my rear wheel had mud clearance issues so bad we had to carry our bikes out- worse (but memorable) mtb trip ever.

 

Spring time in Nor-Cal

Looking forward to another year with the HD3 :thumbsup:

 

Looking forward to another year with the HD3 :thumbsup:

That's awesome. And here I am thinking I'm the only HD3 rider left, what with all the plus bikes, HD4s and Ripmos out there. Here's to our historical bikes! 

 

HD3 is a brilliant bike. Very little between it and my new HD4.

 

Given that the wife and I ride all day and ride up and along as well as down, we chose the HD3 over the HD4 as the more appropriate tool for the job.

The secret to picking the best bike is being honest about what you need.

 

exactly what i use mine for and i love how it handles it.

 

Still loving my HD3.

 

Some HD3 Love Thru The Years

Another Matte Black here. Love still going strong! So many memorable trips on this bike! Sorry for the upside down pic- that's the time she is allowed in the house... when the man cave is been remodeled..haha.

Bike went through 2 chains, 4 sets of tires, 3 sets of brake pads, 1 complete set of pivot bearings, 2 bottom bracks....and I have spares still lined up for her.

 

Still loving mine as well. Put a take off DPX2 on it a couple of months ago and it is more fun than ever.

 

Still loving mine as well. Put a take off DPX2 on it a couple of months ago and it is more fun than ever.

Agreed! These Fox shocks with external reservoirs are bomb! I got the x2, world's difference compared to DBInline.
They do mean you have to carry a smaller water bottle but hey, trade offs for plushness- hydration be damned. ?

 

Loving my 2017 HD3 (and the fact it's not too wet to ride)!!!

 

I'm starting season 3 with my HD3, still loving the bike. This year I decided to change the wheels from CB Iodine3 ( 28mm ID ) to DT Swiss 240s + XM521 ( 35mm ID ). I bought the bits and laced up the wheels, happy with the way they turned out. I like the profile of my 2.6" rear and 2.8" front better on the 35mm rims. Now to get a real ride in and see if it feels any different. My starting point is that I do feel tire roll on the 28mm rims.

 

I'm starting season 3 with my HD3, still loving the bike. This year I decided to change the wheels from CB Iodine3 ( 28mm ID ) to DT Swiss 240s + XM521 ( 35mm ID ). I bought the bits and laced up the wheels, happy with the way they turned out. I like the profile of my 2.6" rear and 2.8" front better on the 35mm rims. Now to get a real ride in and see if it feels any different. My starting point is that I do feel tire roll on the 28mm rims.

View attachment 1245914

Very interested to hear how the wider wheels influence the way the bike rides.

 

Here's my HD3, this is my 5th year having owned the frame from when they were 1st shipped to the Uk (jan 2015?) . It's had mostly minor tweaks over the years mostly wheels hubs cassettes and shifters derailleurs going from 10spd to very wide 11spd. Though this pic shows it wearing a new pair of Fox 36 fit4 forks (2018 leftovers ) which replaced a pair of 2014 pike 160 RCT3s & a quickly swapped rear when the original punctured enough to resist sealing with stans . The original CC IL is still working it seems despite its lack of servicing though i'm thinking of swapping to a fox dpx2 if I can locate one at a price I don't wince at.

 

View attachment 1247301 Here's my HD3, this is my 5th year having owned the frame from when they were 1st shipped to the Uk (jan 2015?) . It's had mostly minor tweaks over the years mostly wheels hubs cassettes and shifters derailleurs going from 10spd to very wide 11spd. Though this pic shows it wearing a new pair of Fox 36 fit4 forks (2018 leftovers ) which replaced a pair of 2014 pike 160 RCT3s & a quickly swapped rear when the original punctured enough to resist sealing with stans . The original CC IL is still working it seems despite its lack of servicing though i'm thinking of swapping to a fox dpx2 if I can locate one at a price I don't wince at.

Amazing how a 5yr old bike can still look relevant today. So many other brands do not. It helps Ibis still uses the same basic design, of course.

 

Went from 25mm to 36mm inner width using same tyres (DHF 2.5 WT and DHR2 2.4 DD). Noticeably less bite on the rear 2.4 on off-camber dirt - tyre profile is too square, will be putting a 2.5 or 2.6 on after it's worn out.
Front 2.5 is fine, and has a good profile. A little less squirm too.

 

change the wheels from CB Iodine3 ( 28mm ID ) to DT Swiss 240s + XM521 ( 35mm ID ).

Heretic! Heretic! Did you consider Ibis 738's?

A few months ago, I built up a rear 742 rim for my HD3, and I already broke a spoke--at the nipple. It seems to me that the drilling(?) isn't quite right because that particular spoke comes out of the nipple at an angle. I used the Ibis recommended Sapim HM Internal Stainless Steel Cupped Nipple Washers:

and some 14mm wheelbuildingparts.com high strength aluminum nipples. I built the wheel with DT Comp 2.0/1.8 spokes and a standard 3-cross pattern.

After the build, I noticed that some of the spokes were leaving the nipples at an angle, and I was worried about that. According to Roger Musson,

If you have a type 2 rim and incorrectly lace it as a type 1 rim then the spokes will be forced out of their natural alignment and the bending stress at the spoke threads will eventually result in fatigue fractures causing your spokes to start snapping at the spoke thread.

However, I checked the stagger very carefully, and I determined that the 742's were type 1 rims, and I laced the spokes accordingly. Does anyone know anything different?

 

Interesting, the nipples on my rims come out pretty much straight without a lot of wiggle room. The front looks fine, but the back on one side has a slight bend at the nipples because of the dish.

Never heard of type 1 and type 2 rims. With my straight pull hubs, not much you can do to mess up lacing.

 

Never heard of type 1 and type 2 rims. With my straight pull hubs, not much you can do to mess up lacing.

I think that may be a term that Roger Musson made up to distinguish between rims where the first spoke hole to the left of the stem hole (looking at the rim with the stem hole at 12:00) goes to either the DS of the hub (type 1 rims) or the NDS of the hub (type 2 rims). He says that most rims are drilled so that the first spoke hole to the left of the stem hole goes to the DS.

Do you have 742 rims? If so, for the rear wheel does the first spoke hole to the left of the stem hole go to the DS of the hub?

 

I used the DT Swiss XM521. Nipples are on the centerline on the rim, so doesn't much matter. Which ever way you flip the rim, it's the same. I even tried to loosen a spoke and see if I could get it to seat at a slight angle, made no difference.

 

This spoke thing kept bugging me. I unlaced my rear and took another look. The offset is so subtle that it's in the shadows. I shifted everything over one spoke and now it looks better, how about that. Will definitely pay more attention if I do another set some day.

Joel

 

Careful. The offset can fool you because if you look at the rim bed, the offset can be slightly to one side, but the drilling can be directional and point to the opposite side. You should drop a spoke and nipple into the spoke hole and move the spoke towards one side of the hub then the other. If there is directional drilling, the spoke will move further in one direction and that is the side of the hub that the spoke should go to--even though the offset of the spoke hole is slightly to the other side of the hub.