Linus’ - “Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should” -MTB build (1 Viewer)

[LINUS]

I’m starting with that as a motto as this may work wonderfully, or be a full John DeLorean / final product.

A bit of backstory:

— Had some super frustrating family health issues that between C19 & Seattle essentially shut down to incoming I-5 traffic as the CHAZ/CHOP thing was tossed on top - I could neither see, visit, even talk on the phone - with family who was in a major medical moment.
—Totally powerless, totally frustrated—

—So—

In order not to either go really mentally wrong & dark, or make a choice to drink to escape (can happen easily) - I came up with what will ensue.

Enjoy my nuttiness - I’m a thick skin so while we start in bikes, say what you like - I am crazy, but not mentally fragile

All that BS / pretext handled, the road so far:

An aluminum frame Santa Cruz Nomad G4 frame:

Pic skips ahead a little, as it already is wearing a 2.8 Minion tire (27.5+) - and a 230/65 Fox DHX2 shock with a custom lower link (still raw AL).

A (literal) - metric eff-ton of work with calipers, trigonometry, and to be honest - some faith between me & the guy I bought the used frame from he wasn’t snowing me on RR triangle width esp as to trying to stuff a full 28.25” OD, Plus - width tire with a few MM to spare.

What you’re seeing in 1 pic is easily 30+ hrs of communication, design/copy, and mentally escape of what I was in.

The link was the big work as I made it / learned / pushed what I’m trying to master (Fusion 360 / CNC work). It took alot of time & kept me busy as it allows the shock to fit & increase travel a little.


So far, that’s the bulk of the project & updates will be slow as I want to keep this tail-heavy & not run a dual crown fork - so I’m like the masses waiting for a Fox 29’er / 180mm travel single-crown.

Also - my RR brake is backordered until ???

Overall, I’m gathering used parts & my goal is a 27.5+ bike that is a mini-V10 (Santa Cruz’ full DH bike) - call it a “V8”.

It’ll be a 1x11/12, will get prob 35mm rims so I can swap from Plus down to 2.5’s in dry dirt, etc.

As parts slowly creep in, I’ll update.

::: PS/edit -I’ll tag @jembourbe -he saw my comment/what I choose to do with my frustration & said ‘pics or didn’t happen / make a thread’ - so blame him

 

[jembourbe]

Nice work! So are you going with a reverse mullet: 29 up front and 27.5 in back?

Why did you want to run that particular frame shock? Nice skills fabbing your own link. Did you make it to receive the regular 7902/6902 bearings the stock Nomad linkage uses or go with something more exotic (but hopefully not proprietary)?

I don't know about keeping it trail-y. You're building a pretty big beast. It could go either way with the 1X or 2X crown fork. Either way you're not gonna want to ride it uphill. lol

Looking forward to the build!

 

[LINUS]

@jembourbe - glad I tagged you, you get some terms alot may not yet.

I’d I could still go down in ::glorious flames:: - a bike where I toss $$, doesn’t do crap.

————————————

—So a good idea of my use of this mutant: —

I casually pedal some 1/4mi from my now-house, throw my bike over a fence & duck some brush, to a fence gap where I grab my bike. yes, I’m 48yo. -still doing it-

They keep the ‘po foolk’ -out that way

From there, I ride a full 750’-1000’ decent I groomed as a kid in the late 80’s that became a pedestrian trial/trail - 6 hard switchbacks, 2 you can stump-drop the switches. But they are now big drops IMO I was fearless @ 20yo of.

It’s steep enough, someone dropped posts & rope handrail on the inside 6’ of the switches for the walkers.

From there, now since ~2005, there‘s a golf course access road out, or you can ride asphalt - the decent parallels a par-3 shot over a 150’ drop to the green valley where the blackberry bushes are 600’+ in the canyon from the teebox for that hole - it’s a cool looking par 3 for golfing guys.

(can collect alot of free golfballs I re-sell ) - think Titleist Pro V’s / & such. No cheap range balls, haha.
No lie- I hunt balls in Summer - fresh ones are worth the time & fun of the ride, and supplement $$.
Free money laying on the ground.

Once you’re at the bottom, the ride out is a gradual incline - you’re some 5+ miles before you’re back to grade - depends which path back you choose.

It’s a terrain-heavy course - carts only, to help give an idea.

The balls & rainwater all funnel down in a 10mo creek where walkers / bikers -collect them.

So my “home track” -is a quick warm, do a solid 700‘++ -of fun, then choose either the road now or old golf course equipment roads they drive the bigger mowers & tractors.

I’m spoiled - total truth.

So that‘s the full purpose/95% use of this bike.
——————————————————————————

All that said, it’s the whole reason to build this bike.

Only real place I plan to ride, unless it’s a stunning winner to take elsewhere.

We’ll see....

 

[LINUS]

Nice work! So are you going with a reverse mullet: 29 up front and 27.5 in back?

Why did you want to run that particular frame shock? Nice skills fabbing your own link. Did you make it to receive the regular 7902/6902 bearings the stock Nomad linkage uses or go with something more exotic (but hopefully not proprietary)?

I don't know about keeping it trail-y. You're building a pretty big beast. It could go either way with the 1X or 2X crown fork. Either way you're not gonna want to ride it uphill. lol

Looking forward to the build!

1) — Yup, expecting a 27.5+ isn’t going to fit the Fox bridge of a 27.5 fork, so expecting to be a 29’er.
Unless I catch a miracle, reverse mullet it’ll be.

Not fond of getting even slack-er of a head tube/29’er fork, but I’m sitting on a NOOP King headset already, so not buying a camber-offset one.

2) — for a RR shock, the lockout of a DHX2 works for climbing - I have a Push 11/6 & a DHX2 for the Bronson, the used DHX2 was $300 & with the link is the right size.

And the Push lever just is two levels of comp resist, neither act like a lockout - and I don’t feel like burning at least $850 on their next sale or $1100 reg price.

The link is a slightly less aggressive stretch of a Cascade Link and mine was built using standard replacement Nomad bearings & seals as I don’t know what Cascade does, but I didn’t want a complete 1-off unit.
And even if I have to replace bearings semi-often, Santa Cruz supports their bikes with parts really well.

Other things I’ve proved out/like - having a 203mm RR disc & a 180mm FR - backwards, but I like Saint brakes & I can swing/steer the FR end toward the fall line if I’m upright, or slide the rear if I’m leaned over.
Works awesome on the Bronson.

3) —I’m thinking of the new 12sp XX1 cassette with a 52t (hard maybe TBH) - but now after having Sram XX1 shifters on the Bronson, I like XTR’s hands down - so this will have Shimano shift/derailer, even at the expense of having to nix the new XX1 for a Shimano 12sp cassette (not sure what MSRP will be on the new XX1 52t - budget rules here)

I still need to keep wheels $$ in mind, but ideally I find some used Onyx hubs & build some 35-38mm internal wide hoops.

They will be a touch wide for Maxxis 2.5/2.6, but a touch narrow for full Maxxis Minion 2.8’s - but as close to happy medium as I can see.
Raceface makes a 38mm carbon hoop, and in reality I could break down my Onyx hubs from my spare wheels with Arc 30 hoops.

I really like the pawl engage of Onyx, and the silent freewheel - it’s cool not being chased by “angry bees” in freewheel

I did already get a new closeout Fox 2020 (not the 2021) seat stem. I’m totally excited as I keep hearing it’s not fussy like the ~2016/17 Rockshox oil unit I swear needs a bleed anytime I hang the bike vertical. Common issue I hear.

Anyhow - these are thoughts swirling / certain parts may change subject to finding good deals on used / on sale parts.


Comments / experiences with parts welcome.

 

[jlm43]

Looks like that's going to be a fun project. I haven't had any time off from Covid but it has kept me at home on the weekends. It's led to me ordering a new custom Ti frame I'll build up as a single speed. It's good to have projects that make you smile. This looks like it will be a hoot to ride. Sometimes it's the odd bike that brings the most fun.

What's the two tunes on your 11-6? I have one on my 5010v2 with DH and Climb modes. The climb mode is pretty stiff. Not a full lock out but it doesn't move much for me.

If you have a zs44/zs56 frame with a straight steerer tube (probably dual crown to find one), then here's a great and cheap option for an angleset. The Amazon warehouse deals are just customer returns and open box buys. I just scored a CC 110 ZS56 in blue for the new Ti frame for $30.

Amazon.com: Buying Choices: Cane Creek Angleset Tapered Zs44-Zs56/30 Kit, Black

I realize you're already into the new Fox but you really should try the BikeYoke Revive. I got one from the second batch (first batch was for Kickstarter purchases) which still had to be purchased directly from Stefan. This is my 4th season on it and it hasn't failed me once. I'll have to do the occasional "revive" bleed which takes a 4mm allen wrench and 48 seconds. It's the only dropper brand in the fleet.

Good luck and keep us posted!

 

[LINUS]

@jlm43 - TBH, I‘d have to fish up the papers from Push to tell you my 11-6 tune.
I intentionally ordered it 20#’s lighter than me, to keep it semi-plush.

So while I moan about it, it never was meant to be like the DHX’s - full lockout mode for me.
I run it soft on that local deep-drop, flip to the lever to firm-mode climbing out on my Bronson.

_———————————

Both brakes are here - Shimano Saints - Big boys know these are the gold standard.

Will post a pic of current collected parts soon.

 

[LINUS]

Yikes! - 2mo since last update.

Fox is still pretty much in ‘lockdown’ - so no fork even if I had the $$ (been burning $$ getting my smile bones all fixed right-n-tight) - but a fork and a set of laced wheels are pretty much the last big-ticket items, aside from a RR cassette.

The ‘parts box’ as things are available & between dental $$:

 

[LINUS]

I did change my mind after alot of thought & a talk w/ 2 of the Fanatik guys on speaker-phone.

The future is dual crowns - and going to a Fox 40/49 -is the path for this bike & intended use.

I have my exact loop, and since I’m trying to make this like a Santa Cruz V10 but with conventional drivetrain - the dual-crown makes the most sense.

Plus, the DC fork has the travel to keep pace with the new RR triangle travel.

So when funds allow, a Fox 40/49 is what I’ll get - I’m keeping the Bronson CC so not like this is my ‘quiver killer’ - and even if, it’s all alloy & town rideable if need be.

Locked to a bike rack, it can take bumps & scuffs.

No carbon / PITA of obsessive worry of scratch depth either urban or trail - just good old powdercoat on popcan tube.

Simple simple.

 

[Wompom]

Rad build.
Any close up shots of that link or CAD shots?

Let's ride Galby sometime - currently waiting on a replacement chainstay since i snapped mine.

 

[LINUS]

Rad build.
Any close up shots of that link or CAD shots?

Let's ride Galby sometime - currently waiting on a replacement chainstay since i snapped mine.

I’ll do a re-teardown & show my link - CAD is on a unlabeled USB stick in a box of them I have - crappy organization skills.

I would dig hitting Unemployment Line or a few others, but I took another trip to the ER to staple my scalp back together & broke my collarbone as a topper

Concussion/break was 3wks back, but no feathers season at all, or bike rides until I get cleared on the clavicle (2 full breaks, and a stray chip that’ll prob just float in there/never attach back).
We’re hoping it heals w/o any surgery. I’m in a sling ATM. Fun days.

 

[Wompom]

I’ll do a re-teardown & show my link - CAD is on a unlabeled USB stick in a box of them I have - crappy organization skills.

I would dig hitting Unemployment Line or a few others, but I took another trip to the ER to staple my scalp back together & broke my collarbone as a topper

Concussion/break was 3wks back, but no feathers season at all, or bike rides until I get cleared on the clavicle (2 full breaks, and a stray chip that’ll prob just float in there/never attach back).
We’re hoping it heals w/o any surgery. I’m in a sling ATM. Fun days.

Ouch - heal up. Been there.
At least you can mostly ride year round in bellingham!

 

[nonstopbike]

Hope you're healing up, curious if you've made any progress on this build? Parts are looking promising no doubt.

I owned an older alu V-10 back in my days of DH racing in California, and sold that bike off due to weight concerns for the courses I was doing ( Fontana/Sea Otter) with the occasional day out at Mammoth.

Been itching to get back on something longer travel, after nearly 8years of no MTB in my life.

 

[LINUS]

Fox is essentially unobtainium presently still w/ C19 - plus 29’ers are in demand even more now.

I’ll be stripping the frame & repowdercoating my own color too - really making this a bike that if stolen, I’d know it without asking any questions.

My Bronson is still more bike than I am rider, so this is a longterm project - lets the price of 12sp Shimano cassettes & XTR drivetrain drop in meantime too

I still need to get wider wheels built / laced as well - that’s prob my next thing.

 

[Dirt Ferguson]

How much do the used golf balls go for? Do you sell them by the sleeve/ or dozen? eBay? I love that you’re a forager. Peak hippie-capitalism. Bike build sounds rad, too.

 

[LINUS]

How much do the used golf balls go for? Do you sell them by the sleeve/ or dozen? eBay? I love that you’re a forager. Peak hippie-capitalism. Bike build sounds rad, too.

I keep anything Titleist for self use, give to buddies / trade for buying me a pint & lunch - all others go out to work & my bottom left desk drawer has balls for guys & a jar for $$/IOU’s (buck/ball).

Bonus used to be you could eat blackberries ‘till you had perma-purple fingers while scrounging balls right this time of year - it was super therapeutic & like being 10yo all over, plus the balls never got soaked unless they came out of the drain creek (soggy balls play like mush).

Bummer of the ‘Rona - the golf course (Eaglemont in Mt. Vernon) - went bankrupt & has now sat abandoned the last 2 Autumns.
They still groomed the 1st year/rogue golfers would play after staff left, but this year they just mowed when the grass got ~1’ tall & just swathed all the tees, farways, greens down to 3”.

It’s in some sort of receivership or such legal mumbo - owners were victim of some sort of Malasia eco-crash/‘Rona related, as town gossip goes.

Berries were awesome though - they’re still there

———————————
Build news :

Flat nothing -
Fox 40’s in 29’er are still hot ticket, and I had a busy Summer - Been watching for a reasonable priced used 40, but not top priority.

Once the weather turns sour / cabin fever sets, I bet I resume the build.
Wearing the 27.5+ tires it’s really going to be for saturated dirt/slog mud - Spring ‘22?

 

[coleAK]

Fox is essentially unobtainium presently still w/ C19 - plus 29’ers are in demand even more now.

I’ll be stripping the frame & repowdercoating my own color too - really making this a bike that if stolen, I’d know it without asking any questions.

My Bronson is still more bike than I am rider, so this is a longterm project - lets the price of 12sp Shimano cassettes & XTR drivetrain drop in meantime too

I still need to get wider wheels built / laced as well - that’s prob my next thing.

I re built my Kona process into more of a true enduro. Did SRAM Eagle X01 cassette+chain and shimano XT shift leaver and derailleur. Works like a champ.

 

[LINUS]

I re built my Kona prices into more of a true enduro. Did SRAM Eagle X01 cassette+chain and shimano XT shift leaver and derailleur. Works like a champ.

I’m kicking around about the exact same Shim/Sram combo - the extra $$ for the microspline conversion isn’t making me smile & my spare Onyx/Arc 30’s have a XX1 on it.

I got spoiled test-riding a Evil that had the 12-er but if I stick to my home route & never do the full Galby stuff, the 11 cassette in hand is plenty fine just with a better Shimano shifter setup.

 

[coleAK]

I’m kicking around about the exact same Shim/Sram combo - the extra $$ for the microspline conversion isn’t making me smile & my spare Onyx/Arc 30’s have a XX1 on it.

I got spoiled test-riding a Evil that had the 12-er but if I stick to my home route & never do the full Galby stuff, the 11 cassette in hand is plenty fine just with a better Shimano shifter setup.

I have a non-boost DT 240 rear hub and microspline isn’t an option on it. I sort of hate the XD driver as it is so easy to cross thread but at least sram made it easy to go 11-12 sp.

 

[LINUS]

Jeez….full year since I been here or done shyt on this.

FedEx guy just dropped me a used toy:

Seller photo but it’s a ‘21 29’er for the build.

I just wasn’t out to swallow the $2200 tag for new, this was <1/2 that froma good guy in OK.

Build once again has momentum-
I need to get some Raceface 35mm (maybe 40’s, not decided) laced to Onyx hubs- and buy the cassette & shifter/derailer (Shimano only), all other parts are on deck.

 

[LINUS]

In tangent news, the golf course may go operational again / they may put some effort into all the trails that were groomed by old management.

Apparently the group that owns Spyglass Hill GC bought the entire course & all buildings / any remaining equipment ~4mo ago.

I’d walked my loop late Summer & my trail is rough, but the access roads for all the bigger mowers & J Deere Gators, etc were totally socked in with blackberry vines & stinging nettle plants.

But, I’m not planning to move for a short term yet, so maybe I’ll get my old loop back.

—————

Trip to Fanatik got me a fork mudflap for that Fox, and a headset to adapt a straight neck 1 1/8” fork to my tapered head-tube SC frame.

I need to decide / commit if I’m going to strip & powdercoat the frame classic black w/ grey SC logo down the main tube, or leave it and start pressing bearings, etc.


I’ll call & find PC prices, that may decide it for me