acorn_user

Here's my build plan. It's based around my much modified Dawes Kalahari (alloy trekking frame with Cromo Fork).

Wheels are going to be what's on their already; Mavic a319/deore front with a Vuelta Typhoon/Shimano Rm-40 rear. I'll be fitting a 7 speed cassette 13t/30t.

Brakes are sorted (I hope). I have some NOS Suntour XC Pro brakes to use. Likewise, I have an XC Pro rear mech. Gear levers are Suntour Command Shifters. These can run in friction or index. I have been told that they will index a Shimano 7 speed cassette if you use a Suntour rear mech. Up front will be a Sora triple. I'm going to take the 52t ring off and replace with a bash guard to make a 42/30 double. The front mech will remain the original Shimano C101.

I'll try and find some nice bars (and maybe a new stem). I'm thinking about 3ttt, Nitto and Modolo right now. Brakes levers and cross tops are going to be Cane Creek, since they are the team sponsor. I'll use the money saved by recycling to buy some nice tyres. Probably Challenge Grifos or Panaracers. My bike is going to be a bit "burly", and the brake cable run is in exactly the wrong place for shouldering, so I will have to work around that.

This was all clear, before I found out that my teammate is selling a Kona Major Jake Scandium frameset! :/
Any thoughts? In particular, how can I work around the cable guid where my shoulder should be?

cs1

I really like the idea of a steel fork and AL frame. AL forks are real stiff. CF just makes me nervous in high stress situations.

I've owned many SunTour bikes and your idea won't work. If you want indexing, you have to use a SunTour freewheel, rear derailleur and shifter. Shimano cassettes are all evenly spaced. SunTour cogs are spaced differently between the cogs. I believe that they are spaced narrower in the top 2 or 3 highest cogs. SunTour indexed shifters take this into account.

Everything else sounds great. Just use a threaded rear hub and SunTour freewheel and everything will work great. Good luck

Tim

acorn_user

Ok, I was worried about that. Thanks for the info. Oh well, nothing wrong with friction. Also means I get to be a bit lazy about set up!
Unless I can prize my chorus wheels off my friend.
The bike has a pretty smooth ride, although it usually rides on 32c tyres.

acorn_user

Sorry to resurrect this old thread, but it turns out that steel forks work really well with an aluminium frame. My frame is not super stiff (with 35 tyres, it's pretty comfy).

Thought that info might be of use to some, given that Kelly CX forks are $100 on fleabay

[also canned any ideas of drop bars with this bike; the top tube is too long]

cs1

Glad to hear everything is progressing well. Show us some pics as the build continues.

Tim