bcpriess

Hi! I am new to the forums, and looking to build a Wolverine. I am interested in the Wolverine because of the combination of cromoly butted tubes and wide tire clearance. I recently found a deeply discounted Mongoose Selous Comp on Nashbar, which appears to have a group of components that would be compatible with and largely finish out the Wolverine frameset, such that for about $1250 (including some stuff I already own), I could have a pretty sweet 25# gravel bike. Does this seem like a decent plan? Better ideas?

trail_monkey

I just built a Wolverine and it is a sweet ride. I know nothing about a Mongoose Selous but just do yourself a favor and buy separate components. Have your LBS give you a quote on what you need and comparison shop online to places like Jensen USA. I have bought a lot from both places. Jensen can give you super sweet deals a lot of times on OE take offs. For example you can get Race Face Ride crank sets with or without rings for just under $100 from Jensen but sometimes they have the exact same crank set that is an OE takeoff for just over $50. The last frame up build I did I had my LBS get me everything except the frame, spokes, hubs, and headset. He told me I could get the spokes cheaper at bikehubstore.com so I did. The headset and hubs were purchased from the frame maker at his discount. I paid just over $1000 for everything from my LBS and that included me buying a set of clipless shoes as well. Without the shoes it was around $975. Seriously, if you do not already have a spare parts bike to part out then don't go buying a bike just for this purpose. That's just my opinion though. FWIW the prices on parts that I got from my LBS on my last build matched Jensen USAs prices to a T. And another FWIW is that I just bought my Wolverine frame from the same LBS. It retailed for $650 bucks but he asked me how much I could get it online for and I said around $550 and he said he could match that. Then when I went to pick it up, he rummaged through his parts drawer and gave me a Surly seat post clamp for nothing, a new shifter cable for nothing, and sold me a used but good condition Chris King headset from one of his bikes for $50 as my old Cane Creek stayed in the old frame when I sold it. My LBS rocks!

bcpriess

You paid $1k including the frame or in addition to it? I priced out everything on the selous comp, and the components it is equipped with would cost about $1k going through groups like Jenson. The parts seem solid and the selous frame is double butted and accepts 45c tires, so i figure I can sell it for another $50 on eBay or Craigslist too. The bike is marked down to $650, plus another $550 for the wolverine frameset. It seems like an economical way to get rolling. If the cost gets higher I might as well start looking at something ready built like a kona rove st or a Raleigh tamland.

trail_monkey

I paid about $1,000 for just the components after I had already bought the frame and the hubs in the headset from the frame Builder. Not knowing anything about this bike (so therefore I am speaking with a little bit of ignorance and I'm sorry) I would be afraid that the group set on that bike may not be top notch? For example I had a couple of old Diamondback Sorrentos a few years ago. The parts on those bikes are pretty much low-end garbage. I mean not Walmart type quality but still for Bike Shop type bikes they were at the bottom. There's no way I would have built a decent bike and used the components off either one of those two bikes. You see what I'm saying?

mstateglfr 

The components on that 'Goose are pretty solid.
I dont do disc brakes, so I dont know- the STIs shown on the bike work with hydraulic disc brakes?...i thought hydraulic disc required a different type of STI.

Anyways, thatd be a pretty cool swap.


For my latest build which was modern gravel 11sp mostly 105 5800, i did a mix of ebay and overseas(chainreaction).

A suggestion-
Shimano 105 5800 Groupset With TRP HY/RD Brakes | eBay
this could get you pretty far along.

Below is a rundown of my build for help on comparing the difference between swapping over a bike to a frame and building up from scratch. Of course- components chosen make a huge difference in price. Getting 105 STIs would have saved about $55. There are plenty of great saddles for $40 less too. Those two changes alone drop the cost down $100.
The ebay stuff was all pulloffs or new. I didnt want used components.

I ebay'd the stem, seatpost, derailleurs, pedals, cassette, bottom bracket, saddle, and crankset.
I chainreaction'd the tires, bottle cages, bar tape, spacers, and chain.
I velomine'd the wheels
I universalcycles'd the Gevenalle shifters


frame, fork, and headset $535.00 65cm black cherry
drop bar $50.00 Origin8 Gary OS Sweep
shifters $180.00 gevenalle 11sp
cassette $62.00 SRAM pg1130 11-36
crankset $63.00 Shimano CX50 and BB
front derailleur $14.00 shimano 105
rear derailleur $18.00 shimano 105
brake callipers $20.00 diacompe XCE
brake levers $0.00 gevenalle
chain $22.00 shimano 105
wheels w/ hubs $230.00 H+Son Archetype
saddle $80.00 Brooks C17
seatpost $22.00 Easton EA50
stem $11.00 Easton EA50
bottom bracket $0.00 Shimano Hollowtech II
tires $50.00 clement mso 40mm
bar tape $9.00 XLC gel
tire tubes $12.00 kenda
rim tape $6.00 velox
brake cable & housing $8.00
derailleur cable & housing $8.00
pedals $27.00 A530
headset spacers $5.00 brandX

running total $1,432.00

trail_monkey

If that Mongoose has that high of a component group then I would say I see no problem using it. I was just assuming that it might have been a lower-end bike plus honestly I'm not up on mongooses these days. To me Mongoose is a Walmart bike although it's possible they have some higher and stuff kind of like Schwinn. So if it's decent components and not bottom-of-the-barrel garbage then what have you got to lose? But if it's going to be stuff like riveted chain rings and things of that nature I would say go another route.

mstateglfr 

I kinda question why not just ride the Mongoose as is.
As for Mongoose being a walmart brand, yeah it is. Its also a quality brand still as they have a couple different lineups- big box and lbs. I have a NOS mountain bike frame of theirs from '93 that I am slowly building up and have more than once questioned why I am putting money into a frame with that name on the downtube since its ubiquitous with walmart quality. But the frame is really solid and from when it was still a good name all around.

https://www.nashbar.com/bikes/Produc...52_-1___206406

Mongoose Selous Comp Gravel Bike
FRAME Gravel Grinder double-butted aluminum, Tapered head tube, English thread bottom bracket, Top tube-routed cables, Clearance for 40c tires
FORK Carbon fiber
HEADSET Tapered headset
CRANKSET FSA Omega, 50/34T chainrings
CASSETTE Shimano HG50 10-speed, 11-32T
SHIFTERS Shimano Tiagra 4601 2x10-speed
FRONT DERAILLEUR Shimano Sora 3500
REAR DERAILLEUR Shimano Tiagra 4601 GS 10-speed
BRAKES Tektro HY-RD cable-actuated hydraulic disc, 160mm rotors front/rear
LEVERS Shimano Tiagra 4601
TIRES WTB Nano, 700x40c, Folding bead
WHEELSET Rims: Alex DP-23 tubeless ready; Hubs: VP aluminum with quick release front/12x135mm thru-axle rear; Spokes: Stainless steel
BARS Double-butted aluminum, 31.8mm clamp diameter, 16-degree flare
STEM 3D forged 6061 aluminum, 31.8mm clamp diameter
SEATPOST Aluminum, 27.2mm x 350mm
SADDLE Mongoose Cross
CHAIN KMC X10 10-speed
PEDALS Not included
GRIPS/BAR TAPE Mongoose Cross

trail_monkey

Now that I am home and on my laptop, I can see just what this bike is. You know that is a pretty bike. And I could see just buying it and riding it although I see it only has a 62 mm BB drop (that's really high!). As far as swapping parts from one frame to another there is some things to consider. First is what if the steerer happens to be too short for your liking with this new frame. Best to start out with a new fork and cut it down to what works for you vs trying riser adapters and all that other stuff. Secondly what if you find you want different pieces here and there? What if you don't like the "Mongoose double butted drop bars" and instead want to go with a Cowbell 2 bar or something similar? To me the whole point in "building" a bike is getting the components you want not the components you are stuck using. I totally get it that if you have a bike laying around and you want a wolverine frame/fork and want to part out the other bike then do it. And as money allows replace what you want to replace. But to buy a bike you have never ridden just for the sole purpose of using the parts on a different frame is not the way to go. But that is only my opinion. Do it right the first time dude and you will love yourself long time lol!!!

trail_monkey

Oh and I almost bought a Kona Sutra frame and am now glad I didn't! I think the Sutra would have been super sweet but let me tell you......You have got to ride a wolverine! Just too much to describe. I had a Vassago Fisticuff prior and I really loved that bike but it didn't ride anywhere as smooth as the Wolverine does.

bcpriess

Re not having ridden one - I totally hear you on the Selous but based on spec, it's a middle range cross bike and the components don't suck and I'd say are good enough (Shimano brifters- check, not a Sram 1x setup- check, not fully compact gearing - check). I have an extra saddle I like and have a few extra bars lying around and wouldn't be opposed to swapping one or two of those for a Junebug or Cowbell so on that end I'm covered. I also haven't ridden the Soma but based on a friend that owns one (not locally) and from what I've read, I assume it will feel a lot like my Carlton Raleigh (which is great on mixed terrain except that the tires to top out around 35c, and I kind of like it as a vintage-y ride) but with greater ability to accept modern components and much wider rubber.

trail_monkey

I am running a Sram 1x set up cause I wanted a mtb clutch derailleur with road shifters. Can't do that with shimano. I really like the double tap. Very reliable to me.

bcpriess

One thing about components is that not having ridden the wolverine, it's hard for me to say I prefer x over y. I feel like different frames will reveal themselves through use to want different equipment. Which is to say I have a basic idea what I might want but probably won't be able to say for sure what I want until I am a thousand miles in and have fully experienced the frame and setup, whatever it turns out to be. That group on eBay looks good BTW. What did you put on your wolverine?

Re riding the goose as is, I'm expecting it to ride a lot like a Jake or get grade, which I found found to be very harsh. But maybe it is a better frame than the Jake.

trail_monkey

Wolverine has race face cranks, 38 tooth narrow wide, shimano 11x36 xt cassette, shimano 520s, sram x7 mtb clutch derailleur, sram double tap shifter and drop levers, avid bb7 road brakes, I build most of my wheels and this set was built with stans grail rims and shimano xt m8000 hubs, Bontrager 700c x32 knobbies (almost ready to replace), older style race face turbine seat post, WTB rocket seat, and Cowbell 2 bars.

I wanted a clutch mtb derailleur cause I was emailing guitar Ted at the time and he said when he was at the dirty kanza the majority of the derailleurs that were getting ripped apart from.mud cloggage were road derailleurs. Mtb derailleurs seem to be spec with looser tolerances and more clearance for mud than road derailleurs. Clutch cause I didn't want dropped chains and chain slap all the time and Sram because Shimano does not make a mtb clutch derailleur that works with their road levers. At that point it was a pretty easy decision for me and I have been very satisfied with my Sram 1x drive train.

bcpriess

The MTB issues you mention are part of the reason I had been looking for a well-preserved, well-spec'ed late '90s cromoly hardtail, rigid mtb that I could transform into a drop bar machine with some Gator IIs or regular drops w/ barends and less knobby tires, but finding anything that's tall enough (I ride 58/60 road frames and need as near as I can tell at least a 22in old style MTB frame) has been fruitless. I found a pristine mid '90s Cinder Cone about a month ago, but the seller measured the frame incorrectly and it was only a 19in. Haven't had much luck going that route.