Bicycle Mechanics - Specialized Big Hit SPEC - Add 2nd/3rd Front Chainring and Front Derailleur?

heya,

I have finally found something to replace my Giant Warp DS1 (I think) :D. I just bought a Specialized Big Hit SPEC off eBay, AU$600.

http://bikepedia.com/QuickBike/BikeSpecs.aspx?Year=2004&Brand=Specialized&Model=Big+Hit+SPEC&Type=bike

Hopefully this should let me throw myself off some cliffs, and not feel like I'm riding a horse going down.

Anyhow, it only has a single crank in the front, I was wondering:

Is it possible to add a second or third one, and a front derailleur? (I have a spare SRAM X-9 Front, any compatibility or sizing issues?)
Is this a good idea?
What parts should I get, and what route?


Also, I have a pair of Hayes Soles, that I'm planning on swapping in for the Hayes Mechanical Discs that are on there - any pitfalls to watch out for?

Cheers,
Victor

I'm thinking that adding a front derailleur to this bike is going to be hard to do. Does it have any cable stops on the frame?

heya,

I'm actually not sure, going to pickup the bike tonight (hopefully) :-).

Are the cable stops just the grooves through which the cable is threaded? Would there be a quick/dirty solution to this? e.g. Taping the cable in place? Welding the stops? (That would damage the frame?) Some kind of clamp?

Apart from there, would there be other issues? Would you guys recommend against it?

Cheers,
Victor

I'd suggest riding the bike before toy make any planned upgrades.
I'm not sure you can really utilize a larger ring with those 26x2.50" tires and an 11T cog

heya,

The bike has been picked up, I had a fun time riding it last night through the wonderful *cough* Sydney weather...

I checked and it does seem to have some sort of grooves for a cable for the front-derailleur, running along the underside of the frame. So that solves the issue of cable stops, hopefully.

Currently, it has a Husselfelt crankset that looks quite like this one:

http://www.sram.com/en/truvativ/freeridedownhillcranksets/hussefelt/11.php

Would this other Hussefelt one be a fairly simple drop-in replacement?

http://www.sram.com/en/truvativ/freeridedownhillcranksets/hussefelt/22rg.php

Or can I go for another Truvative one? (I suppose more than two rings would be wasted?) Any advice on a front derailleur to pair with this one? (I still have that new SRAM X-9 lying around somewhere, but I don't know about sizing, it doesn't seem to quite fit around the tube).

Finally, I have a set of Hayes Sole brakes lying around, is there much point in swapping the Hayes MX-2 cable discs for them?

Cheers,
Victor

PS: Just curious, is it particularly detrimental riding through the wet? Will it damage things e.g. shocks? I did that yesterday - I gave the bike a wipe afterwards, but I didn't wipe the chain down that well, and there seems to be little flecks of corrosion. Any idea on cleaning that up?

Unless you've done a lot of bike mechanics this is a job that might be over your head.

1. Does it even have a place to bolt a front derailleur?
2. If you are successful in bolting on a front derailleur, is it's relationship to the chainrings going to change due to rear suspension travel? Picture the front derailleur with the chain on the granny ring - is it going to hit the rear tire anywhere through the complete range of rear suspension travel?
3. You are for sure going to need a cable stop near the head tube for the front shift cable. You will probably also need at least one, whose position vs. the front derailleur doesn't change due to suspension travel, near the front derailleur.