Introductions - Another hi from jockland

great to find this forum

i'm just a fair weather mt biker (yes that limits riding when you live in Scotland) Really looking forward to getting my new toy - a whyte PRST4. Ordered the frame and am currently dreaming how to build it up - so looking for input.

Welcome to the forums.

Don't tell them you are a fair weather biker. They think we are hard over here!

Which part of Scotland are you from?

Are you getting the Whyte with the funky fork?

That thing is amazing. Never ridden one, but that thing is an engineering marvel.

Regarding build, what are you thinking for components? Discs or Vee's? Expensive or Budget?

I'd be glad to help in any way I can.

L8R

hi folks, Thanks for the replies. I live just north of Edinburgh, (in Dalgety Bay so probably no more than four miles round the coastal path from you Chewa).

To be honest I already have a Whyte bike, the single pivot PRST1. It really is an amazing thing. Mine is the basic Deore with hope mini upgrades. Also as personal t qwirk of mine I kept the rapidfire on the right but went for gripshift on the left. For reasons too long winded to go into (basically last chance to splurge on such an extravagance) my wife is getting that one (she loves it as well). Really liked the look of a Santa Claws Blurr but I loved the fork on the Whyte and the back of the 4 bar is so similar to the blur I went for it, encouraged by the enthusiasm of the local dealer, Sandy Wallace. He has bought one for himself and decked it out in XTR everything, 3x Ti crank bros egg beaters. Its awsome. He loves it and tells me he's selling all his other bikes cos this is the only one he wants to ride and the only one he needs.

As for plans for my new 4 bar, I love the look of the XTR discs. I hear good things about them and reckon they should stop me from my modest velocities. I'm just under 12 stone. I like good engineering and single piece calipers just feel right to me. So that means xtr hubs and I'd like to build them to mavic x3.1 tubless rims. One thing I can't quite justify is the ~£300 for the combined gear shifters / break leavers and I think I'll go for the XT levers which I'm told are compatible

As for the drive train, I'm open to advice. I'm tempted to stich to a single chain ring on the front for simplicity and to cut down weight but would like to keep my options open to go to 3 rings later.

Pedals are another thing I'm debating. Eggbeaters look ideal for traditional scottish mud but I'm probably going to find myself in Perth Australia within the year and can't help wondering if speed plays might be another option?

Thanks for reading this far

Originally posted by cowdotpat
hi folks, Thanks for the replies. I live just north of Edinburgh, (in Dalgety Bay so probably no more than four miles round the coastal path from you Chewa).

Really liked the look of a Santa Claws Blurr but I loved the fork on the Whyte and the back of the 4 bar is so similar to the blur I went for it, encouraged by the enthusiasm of the local dealer, Sandy Wallace. He has bought one for himself and decked it out in XTR everything, 3x Ti crank bros egg beaters. Its awsome. He loves it and tells me he's selling all his other bikes cos this is the only one he wants to ride and the only one he needs.



Yep, just round the corner. I used the gym at the Dalgety Bay sports centre for rehab after my motorbike accident, and play badminton there (though not last year as I had a crash on ice at Dalmeny and damaged my right shoulder)

Sandy is a real enthusiast. I got him to build my new 700c wheels, Hope hubs, mavic 520's. really nice guy and for a small LBS has an incredible quality of bikes.

If you ever venture onto the road, I'll maybe see you. The Whyte will be distinctive. I'm normally on a red Flying Scot at the moment.

Did you know you can use a standard hub and and XT rotor with your XTR calipers. I'm not a big fan of Shimano Hubs. I think that there are so many other boutique brands that offer better quality for about the same price. I'm a bit confused, are you interested in their integrated shifter/lever combo where you shift by moving the brake lever down or just where the two devices are on the same mount. I personally prefer seperate shifter pods and levers for two reasons. One, if one breaks you only have to buy its' replacement not the whole thing. And Two, I prefer Hayes hydraulic discs, and the XT levers are not compatible (Shimano uses mineral oil, Hayes use DOT 4).

I've heard great things about the Blur, and rode my buddy's. They are sweet handling bikes. I'm a big guy, so the build was too XC oriented for my style of riding, but the suspension was very sweet! SC is planning on coming out with a 6" travel version that is a bit beefier, and I'm holding out for it.

In addition, I am currently riding an Intense, and they make the Spyder XVP, which is also a VVP licensed design. I've not ridden one, but the reviews I've read claim it's top in it's class.

L8R

I know what you mean about shimano. I've not bought anything yet but I have been offered a second hand wheel set with chris king hubs and a one off rotors to mount on the kings and work with the xtr caliper. I'm not clear on the details of the mods that were needed and it sounds like trouble but I'm intrigued. I'll come back with details once I know the details if anyone is interested.

I did mean the levers that change gear as well and totally agree about keeping things seperate. and the price is outrageous. the hayes brakes get a great press at the moment (HFX 9 ?)and are certainly complicating this delicious dilemma for me - food for thought.

Chewa, if you see me on a road bike it'll be a yellow Ducati ST4s - whole seperate forum for that.