[mtbnut]

I am going to order a new spot tomorrow and I have couple of different setup's available. Option one is about $145 more than option 2. I thought I would run this by the experts and get some advice. The frame on Option 1 is the new annodized black and Option 2 is the powder coat. Are there pros and cons to each??? What will look nicer longer?? Does the annodized fade after time??

Option 1
* Frame Size & Color: Black Med (annodized)
* Fork: Sherman Firefly
* Brakes: Hayes HFX Mag Plus
* Cranks: XT
* Shifters XT Rapid Fire
* Front Derailleur: XT
* Rear Derailleur: XT
* Pedals: egg beaters
* Stem: Thomson
* Handlebar: easton monkey lite
* Seatpost: Thomson
* Saddle: (Already have this)
* Bottom Bracket: XT
* Cassette: XT
* Headset: CK
* Grips:
* Front Tire: Pan Fire XC Pro 2.1 UST
* Front Rim: Mavic 819 UST
* Front Hub/Skewer: KC/Salsa
* Rear Tire: Pan Fire XC Pro 2.1 UST
* Rear Rim: Mavic 819
* Rear Hub/Skewer: KC/Salsa

Option 2
* Frame Size & Color: Black Med
* Fork: Sherman Firefly
* Brakes: Hayes HFX Mag Plus
* Cranks: XTR
* Front Derailleur: XTR
* Shifters XT Rapid Fire
* Rear Derailleur: XTR
* Pedals: egg beaters
* Stem: Thomson
* Handlebar: easton monkey lite
* Seatpost: Thomson
* Saddle: (Already have this)
* Bottom Bracket: XTR
* Cassette: XTR
* Headset: CK
* Grips:
* Front Tire: Pan Fire XC Pro 2.1 UST
* Front Wheelset: Mavic Crossmax SL
* Rear Tire: Pan Fire XC Pro 2.1 UST
* Rear Wheelset: Mavic Crossmax SL

Biggest difference is XTR vs. XT and the Wheelset. $145 difference in price and probably a pound in weight. What do you guys think?

 

[Flying Wombat]

I would skip on the crossmax

After just having my second freehub failure on crossmax wheels (and once on some kysriums) I am down on crossmax right now, due to their ridiculous 3 pawl setup. BTW at 140 it is not like I am huge gear mashing clydesdale either!
I like number one, good quality choices. I wouldnt worry about the extra pound, you wont notice it. I dont know about Turner's ano, but my wifes Titus has held up fine four a couple of years without fading.

 

[Bikezilla]

After just having my second freehub failure on crossmax wheels (and once on some kysriums) I am down on crossmax right now, due to their ridiculous 3 pawl setup. BTW at 140 it is not like I am huge gear mashing clydesdale either!
I like number one, good quality choices. I wouldnt worry about the extra pound, you wont notice it. I dont know about Turner's ano, but my wifes Titus has held up fine four a couple of years without fading.

Depending on the terrain I'd pass on the XTR tripple. I never used my big ring and only ended up grinding half the teeth off it on rocks and logs. I switched from XTR to the XT cranks just so I could drop the big ring and get a bash guard. Your mileage may vary though. It really depends on what kind of riding you'll do.

I gotta go with FWombat on this. I'm rather dissatisfied with my XMXL rear wheel. (the front has been perfect) Also, I think it's a limiting factor to put a lightweight wheelset like the SLs on a hardcore trailbike like the spot. The Mavic wheels requre special spokes, $5 ea. Mavic's CS is exclusively through the retailer and they do not like to work with the end users. Their freehub has very slow engagement (three pawls 16 teeth) so they're not optimal for technical terrain. They also have fairly poor seals. According to the rep my rear hub was full of gunk after less than a year....it would roll the chain forward when turning the wheel. I have had others that stayed quite clean inside for much longer. OTOH, I like the wheel's overall design, they are stiff as all get-out, easy to adjust and instantly convertable from std to 20mm. They look great and seal UST tires extremely well. I can get my Conti Vpros off and on by hand, and they hold air as long as tubes. But in the end I'll be replacing them. I just had my R wheel totally rebuilt by mavic (new spokes, nipples & rim, rebuilt hub) They'll likely go up for sale right after my new set arrives... uh, want em?

 

[S.C.R.]

Hey zilla, what wheelset are you going to use?

Anyway, I would go with #1 first, but, I would ditch the XT shifters and rear der. in place of X9 sram. They shift much better, and should cost the same. Ive used XT for several years and as of late tried new Sram stuff and cant believe how much better it is.

KC/Salsa? are you meaning Chris King hubs and Salsa QR's? if so this would be a great wheelset. If you want to save a few bucks you could use Hope Bulb's, but the Kings are suposed to be the best. How about the new Raceface Deus crankset over the XT stuff, just a thought. Spec'n out the bike is half the fun!

 

[jaghouse]

I agree with SCR, go with Sram X9 it works great. I have the Crossmax XL on my ride and havent had any problems, but the engagement is slow.... I would go CK. I do like my 180mm XT cranks.

 

[Acadian]

Another in favor of the SRAM drivetrain!!

 

[mtbnut]

Thanks for the feedback

I appreciate the feedback. I've spent most of the night researching this and it looks like a build up of handmade 819 with the Chris King Hub will be hard to beat and will give me more flexibilty and easier to repair down the road. Most of the stuff I ride is very technical here in Utah. I'm worried that if I shoot a rock through my spokes I'm going to be SOL for a time with the SL's because I don't think my LBS even carries the wheelset. The guy who could build up option 2 for me is out of state. I've also heard a lot of great things about how quickly the Kings engage. I really notice the slop in my current XT Hub set up on my Jekyll and am looking forward to quicker engagement along with everything else the spot delivers.

I've heard mixed reviews about the SRAM. Some of the guys I ride with said they tried the SRAM 9.0 and have gone through a couple of rear derailers and switched back to XT. I've ridden the XT stuff for 3 years now and besides the occassional re-cabling, I have been very pleased with it. However, I'm going to check out your recommendations before I drop the bomb.

Lastly, is the finish...ano or powder coat, just a preference?? Does anyone have any experiance besides Flying Wombat on this?

I appreciate your help!!

 

[Bikezilla]

Hey zilla, what wheelset are you going to use?

I'm going to bust a nut and get the set I've been wanting since the beginning. Mavic EX823s 32/36 Black spokes, nipples and Gold CK hubs (20mm front, 36-hole rear). I'm a big guy so I want a sturdy set, and I really want the quick engagement of the CKs. I'll certainly post shots when I get them.

About the SRAM drivetrain, I just switched over from a full XTR, rapid fire, non-rapid rise setup. I now have the X.0 Rder X.9 triggers, and XTR F-der on a XT 2-ring setup (I retired the XTR HT2 crankset for more clearence)...

I only have had a few good rides on it but so far the $RAM setup works well. It's nice to be able to use only my thumbs to shift and keep my index finger on my brakes, I now find myself shifting and brakeing sometimes. I can't yet declare it an improvement in shifting over the XTRsetup. They are about the same quickness, the XTR seemed a little smoother(but that could be a fine tuning thing or just perception) the XTR DT shifted more quietly.

The $RAM setup requires more thumb pressure than the XTR DT. Especially when shifting the F-der. It's not problematic but I got quite spoiled with the XTR's light touch. The $RAM pressure feels more like the XT der & shifter combo.

I never found my shimano ders difficult to set or tune, and for me, they seemed to keep their settings nearly forever. But I may have been lucky as MANY people have praised the $RAM stuff for staying in tune much longer and in harsher condidtions than the $himanos. Side by side on the workbench the $RAM stuff has a more sensible design, and seems a fair bit sturdier. I particularly like the easy access to the tuning screws and the fact that they accecpt allen wrenches (DUH! it took a decade for someone to think of this?) Also the upper joint on the $RAM der is fixed and that eliminates der-slap although a good XT or XTR der generally won't slap on a Turner. I had one that didn't and one that did, a spring tension adjustment seemed to fix it. The $RAM ders also have a more effective B-tension adjustment. Sometimes with a $himano der, it's difficult to get enough clearance between the jockey pully and the largest cog. And for you hacks out there, the X.0 is totally rebuildable, down to every last little fiddling part.

Just one 'Zilla's thoughts.

 

[ride red]

Though I havent seen or experianced the Spot in either, I generally perfer ano over paint, its a tough call here, I dont think you can go wrong with either. I have had MX bikes redone with powdercoating and they have held up great esp over paint, I think the ano looks a little nicer, my ano frame should be here today.

 

[mtbnut]

I did it.....

I opted for Option 1. I'll send pix when it comes in this week. I should have it on Friday.

Thanks for the recommendations!!

 

[Dirdir]

If it is not too late

you may want to get an 823 in the back and leave the 819 up front, depending on your weight and riding. I am about 185 naked and my rear 819 has a bad/flat spot. Not sure if it was caused by a trail encounter or the build, but I am going to replace it with an 823 when it is no longer ridable.

As for the Sram stuff, I totally dig my x.9 over XT.