DaJMasta

My current setup is a decent one, I shouldn't complain. But I've been wanting to move to disc brakes for some time now and my current frame does not support them. I also have wheels with Deore non-disc hubs, not exactly ideal for going disc brakes.

I've settled on Avid BB7s with 185mm rotors for the brakes (can get a pair for $90 plus shipping, but I'm in no rush), and have a Rockshox Recon Race Air on it's way with the proper mounts. But I'm looking for suggestions on a low-mid price hardtail frame, or at least some ones I can hunt around for to find a good price, and some solid hubs to go with.

For the frame, I'm looking for something 18-20 inches, definitely hardtail (XC/urban rider), and price is a significant factor. I won't set an upper limit as I could save a bit and hunt around some more and maybe do better, but in the ballpark of $300 is on the high end for my budget. Has to have disc mounts, V-brake mounts optional, and I'd prefer an alloy one (Ti is too expensive and carbon is too fragile for my tastes.) I am a fairly large rider (borderline clyde) who often carries 30+ pounds of stuff on my back, but I don't do a huge amount of downhill or really rough trails.

For the hubs... I know I could get a pair of deore disc hubs (same as I have now but with the mounts), but I was hoping to move a step up. I can't shell out $100 a hub, but I could do maybe that much for the two. I just have no idea what the actual differences between the shimanos (deore, xt, lx, xtr, slx, etc), and other brands (i've seen some reasonably priced sram 9.0, but have no idea about their quality). I could potentially go with a full wheelset, but I've got new Mavic 317s and DT swiss spokes which i could reuse easy enough, and I'm sure rebuilding the wheel would be rewarding.

So what can I do with that budget? Don't need extremes of toughness or lightness, but I want them to be durable and long-lasting. I've got some time to look around and collect funds, so suggestions just above my pricerange are still welcome.

sirtigersalot

hubs are frustrating, b/c shimano is pushing the centerlock bs they only make the old style xt hubs in 6 bolt, the diff between the xt m756 and deore is about 6g per hub and the xt has rubber seals, so really not a big diff, the next level up is hope hubs for $$$, there are other brands out there for cheap hubs, like formula and dimension ect but...

DaJMasta

Would the Hopes offer significantly longer lifetime, more durability, or a noticeable friction reduction? I would imagine that rubber seals is something to look for, as my bike tends to be out in the elements a fair amount (lots of riding and sitting in class with rain/snow/etc.) Also, what does centerlock do? Is it a mounting system for the disk brakes that's supposedly better but is at least different?


As for the frame, since I don't know too much about what a good frame can get you, what would be significantly improved on a higher end frame when compared to this baseline:
https://www.performancebike.com/shop/...tegory_ID=3020

I'm guessing weight, durability, features (potentially... I don't really need much more than the basics), and paint job. I have something of comparable quality and build now and an upgrade to this would get me what I want - disc brakes. Then secondly, would doubling the price improve anything noticeably enough to really make it worthwhile?

Captain Jake

Biking is very much a you get what you pay for sport, when things start to get really high end the jump in quality is not as big as the jump in price, for lower end stuff though, the quality skyrockets for price. Personally I'm partial to the Voodoo Wanga frame which can be found for 349.99 I believe, but there are good frames cheaper than that. Durability, Weight, Responsiveness are all affected. You would think a bike frame is simple but this isn't true. If you plan on riding it the frame is somewhere you shouldn't go cheap.

sirtigersalot

Hope hubs are lighter more servicable, faster engageing, stiffer(alloy axle), and yeah the bearing are prolly supposed to be better, w/e.

center lock is shimano's proprietary rotor attachment system, so you can get other hubs in centerlock but i think only shimano makes the rotors, at least its their thing, basically the disadvantage is compatability, 6 bolt is international standard (i'll just let those words speak for themselves). Personally I think all centerlock rotors are ugly exept xtr but thats $$ and all the centerlock rotors always looked overpriced to me (you can get cheap ones but overall), they make adapters but the problem solvers one is only rated to 160mm if i recall correctly so I don't wanna trust it (and its ugly) and the dt one although i've heard nothing bad about it just looks sketchy to me, its 6 aluminium nubs holding the rotor on instead of 6 steel bolts... IDK, but i've never used it so make your own judgment there

DaJMasta

I figured as such, with both the frames and the hubs. Good to know about the centerlock thing... I was just gonna use the stock rotors with the BB7s, so I'll certainly avoid centerlock.


As for the frame.... I'm looking around and it seems that a good weight range for an alloy frame in a 19" size is about 3.5 lbs, with some cheaper ones up above 4. I do like the looks of the Wanga, but I'm hesitant to go for anything at a price that high before at least seeing it in person. I've got a bid on a decent $300 or so frame for $100, if that doesn't pan out (on paper it looks like a fine frame), I'll be off to the LBS to check out their stock and see what pointers they have to offer.


As for the hubs.... I'm still not sure. The hopes seem to be a significant step up, but I'm having a lot of difficulty justifying them in my head when a set will be $160-200 (provided I get good prices...) and my current wheelset cost $130. I'll continue to see what kinds of deals are available, but at the moment some of the mid grade shimanos are looking like the best option for the pricerange.

Edit: Looks like DT hubs will cost only a little more than Hopes, and the Shimano XTs are towards the higher end of my original pricerange (enough to get me just the front hub of a hope or DT).

sirtigersalot

i think you are under-pricing the hope hubs, they are popular enough that you can't get them for dirt cheep on ebay

cyclezen

WOW! are we all cookie-cutter knockoff's out here? What you described is EXACTLY what I've just been going through... down to the parts mentioned...
reason I'm movin to newer is mostly cause the old TREK HT is justa wee bit small and I can't really get comfortable on it.
I ended up deciding on 2 bikes, one full sus and one HT...
Forgetting the full SUS...
I found a nice GF Tassajara frame on CL, but ebay also has some great frames listed, always...
Found a great deal on a Rockshox Tora on ebay... your recon race sounds the Bomb for a nice build.
I Bought a nice pr of Deore/WTB wheels - recommended by another BFer on a thread I posted a little bit back. These are the same wheelset, same price, just not the same seller... nice thing is they can be either disc or rim brake.
gonna try the ghetto tubeless setup on these...
also going with BB7s ...
we'll have to compare when they're both done - I'm not expecting to get the Tass built fully until late April or there abouts. Just no time right now.

DaJMasta

Hahaha nice, I actually just bought new tires as well, but they're normal tube Panaracers, a Dart and a Smoke for the oft mentioned combo. I'm sure you're looking forward to the upgrades as much as I

And I may be underpricing them a little... but I think about $200 is in the ballpark, even with the rear hubs being almost 50% more. Regardless, I doubt I can afford hopes

sirtigersalot

yeah i'm trying to get some hopes too, wanna have a good wheelset come summer, already got some xm819s in waiting for hubs, even with my discount hope hubs are really pricey, and they are overpriced in the qbp book which i lame. So unless i get some more cash, i'm lookin on ebay for hopes or the magical chris kings. One thing I can tell you I'll prolly do is run a good rear hub, and then just and xt front hub (the older style 6 bolt 756) cause the quality matters more in the rear what with the freehub and all that, whos ever had reliability issues with looseball front hubs.

DaJMasta

Well it turns out my problems are pretty much solved.

I bid and got a Giant XTR Team 2007 frame in my size for $130 shipped, normally priced around $300-$350. Then I went ahead and ordered the BB7s and a headset and things, ended up going with WTB FX28 rims and 6 bolt XT hubs for a replacement wheelset, and since my current set is so low mileage, I'll just put it back up to sell.


So i've got a fair bit more building in my future.... but my Recon Air Solo arrived today and it looks like this new ground-up build will be a good competitor



Hopes would have been nice, but a wheelset for less than the rear hub costs is at least as good