|   How to upgrade the old hardtail??? (long) | Waide
Jun 16, 2002 9:27 PM | | I have an old '93 Stummjumper FS. When my FSR XC was stolen, it became my only bike. Most of the drivetrain/transmission is original equipment, excluding the pedals, the cassette, two of the chainrings, and the chain. I did replace both derailleurs (LX/XT) with LX eight-speed units, but it still is a seven-speed machine.
Since I have long had plans to upgrade this bike, I have a set of XT eight-speed shifter levers, an eight-speed LX crankset, and an 11-30 eight-speed cassette. I want to buy some Avid SD-3s, a set of LX/Mavic 221 wheels, and a Manitou Mars Elite fork. I will also need a new headset and stem when I go threadless.
I am worried what will happen to the geometry of this bike when I replace the Future Shock fork, which is basically a Mag 20, with the longer travel Mars Elite. The bike already has a long stem (0 degree rise) which may have helped me to learn to shift my weight lower and to the rear, so as to avoid flying over the handlebars. None the less, I still enjoy the stretched-out body position of this bike. Maybe I should just keep the old fork and get a stem of equal length to the old one. If I do upgrade the fork, should I try to compensate for the longer fork by getting a different size/angle of stem?
I am hoping that the new shifters will improve the shifting of the rear derailleur. Currently it has an SRAM eight-speed chain. Since before I replaced the derailleurs and the cables/housings, I have not been able to find that sweet spot where the cable tension is just right for both upshifts and downshifts. Sometimes single downshifts do not happen. I wonder if derailleur hanger misalignment could be the problem there? Perhaps it's a rear-derailleur spring problem? Maybe I need Gore-Tex cables or a roll-a-ma-jig.
Anyway, I'm looking for input on my proposed upgrades, particularly the fork. Improving shifting and braking (from the old cantilevers) are also important. What I'm intending to do will cost me at least $400, and that will also put me $400 further from getting a new FS rig. Maybe I should just ride the old hardtail as is and save my money for a new FS bike. |
| Save your money. nm | fred³
Jun 17, 2002 2:49 AM | | |
| Save your dough... | Dirt Pilot
Jun 17, 2002 6:17 AM | | ...No matter what you do to that old HT you're still going to want to replace your FSR with something as good or better...right?
With your downshifting problem it sounds like your cable is binding somewhere...most likely in the short section of housing where it loops into the rear derailleur. Try removing the cable from the housing, wipe it clean with WD40, spray WD in each section of housing, blow out w/compressed air, repeat, repeat. This treatment should smooth things out for $0.00.
Avoid putting any $$ into this bike that isn't absolutly necessary and save it for a new rig.
Bike thieves should be hanged!!
Wooops, just noticed you just installed new cables....maybe the loop section of housing is a bit short? |
| re: How to upgrade the old hardtail??? (long) | Kapusta
Jun 17, 2002 7:26 AM | | If you are looking to get another rig at some point, I would spend as little as possible on this one. I'd think long and hard before buying a new shock, headset, and stem. Is your headtube even 1-1/8"? The new drivetrain you already own sounds like a good idea, but first find out if an 8-speed cassette will fit on your current hub (you'll have to ask someone else about that). Otherwise you are dumping money into a new hub/wheel. I think the best bang for your buck would be new brakes. Even a very cheap set of v's will be worlds better than what you have. I guess it all depends on how long you will be riding this bike.
On the other hand, if you plan to buy just a frame and build your next rig, The drivetrain (except possibly the front der.), brakes, wheels, and fork (if you don't cut the steer tube too short), will be re-usable. In fact, when I built my current bike, all I NEEDED to buy was a front der, bottom bracket, and seatpost, and new cables/housing. Everything else was usable from my old bike.
However you will spend less in the end if you just save for a new complete bike. You can most likley stick your XT drivetrain on it if you wish.
Kapusta |
| re: How to upgrade the old hardtail??? (long) | Yeti_Rider
Jun 17, 2002 5:36 PM | | figure out what you want first. Do you really want to save your money and get a new rig or do you want to put money into this one. Only you can answer that question because you know what your income is and when you might be able to get a new rig if you do drop some cash to upgrade this one.
If you do want to upgrade this one you should probably check e-bay or the classifieds on this site for used forks. You can get a good deal on one that will be tons better than what you have and it shouldn't set you back too much. However, most modern forks are 1 1/8" and I'm not sure if you have a 1 1/8" or a 1" headtube on your bike. Older bikes used 1" and if you have a 1" then you're pretty much screwed. Some companies will press in a new 1" headtube for you if you send the fork in but that costs $$$ too and it's really not worth spending.
if you do have a 1 1/8" headtube, then I'd recommend getting a 3" travel fork adn not anything mroe than that. if you still think you're geometry is too high, get a stem with 5-10 degrees of rise and run it inverted (upside down) this will get your body lower. Cannondale was famous for doing this for years on their bikes so it's an accepted method of lowering the body to compensate for a high position.
Is your current drivetrain all 7 speed? if it is, you are probably not going to be able to drop your new 8 speed cassette onto the same hub which will mean a new hub must also be purchased.
You can get Avid V brakes and levers pretty cheaply from some of the mail order companies and I've heard great things about all Avid brakes (I used Arch Rival 5.0's before converting to hydraulic discs) and other friends use the traditional V style Avid brakes with good success.
If you check out e-bay and such I'm sure you can get some good deals on what you want becasue you aren't really looking for ultimate high end components.
Good Luck
Michael |
| turn into SS | -nm-
Jun 18, 2002 3:17 AM | | |
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