1x11 Ti Hardtail: How Would You Set It Up?

[ColonelJLloyd]

I know I should probably ask on a MTB specific forum, but I know there are a lot of MTB guys here. So. . . I'm a total MTB noob. But, I've been curious long enough and I've ordered a frame and some components. I plan on exploring some local trails, but I'll also use this bike to pull my daughter's trailer on pavement, maybe also her trail-a-bike and do some bikepacking with it.


Large Lynskey Ridgeline 29SL
1x11 32t gearing
XT drivetrain
SRAM 900/Pacenti TL28 wheelset

Fork: I think I'd like to start out fully rigid. I was considering a Whisky No. 9 or Niner RDO fully carbon fork. Alternatively, my LBS has Whisky No. 7s on sale as no one wants QR on the front anymore. My hubs are easily convertible. Should I just rock the No. 7 for a while or will I really appreciate the 15mm thru axle?

Seatpost: Just go with a Thomson (sure seems popular on MTBs) or look for carbon or titanium to take the edge off?

Saddle: This is personal, I realize. On road bikes, I ride Brooks Pros, Rivet Independence and I have a little experience on a Fizik Alliante. Stick with what works on the road bike or is there MTB-specific fit issues that require giving this more thought?

Stem/Bar: No idea really. I was thinking basically a flat bar maybe with just a bit of sweep (5deg). For bikepacking later on I'd like to add aero bars. Just go with an aluminum bar? Any compelling reason for carbon or titanium bars aside from weight? Same question for the stem.

Tires: What's a favorite "general" or "all purpose" type tire in the 2.35-2.5" range?

Thanks!

[icepick_trotsky]

If it were me, I'd probably stick with aluminum stem and bars for the time being. Since you're new to this, dial in your fit and preferences before you splurge on carbon.

[cp43]

My thoughts, having never really ridden a hardtail on trails, but having done a fair bit of MTBing on a full suspension bike.

Fork, if you're going rigid, grab the QR version, I don't think you'd be able to tell the difference. Others claim (and I don't doubt them) that you can feel a difference between Thru axle and QR on a suspension fork. My MTB has a QR front on a suspension fork, and I couldn't tell a difference between that and the thruaxle fork when demo'ing new bikes. YMMV.

Seatpost, I'd go Thomson.

Saddle, on a MTB, it's less critical than on a road bike, you're out of the saddle more of the time. If it ends up mostly towing the trailer, you'll probably want your road saddle.

Stem/bars. I'd stay with aluminum. If you're thinking bikepacking, I'd think about more sweep. My wrists get sore on 2ish hour MTB rides with bars that have some sweep. I think more than 5 deg is better for sweep.

Tires will depend on how much you use it on the trails, vs how much you will be on pavement. I don't have a good recommendation there.

Have fun with it!

Chris

[christian]

I would get:

- A suspension fork, honestly
- 15mm TA
- A dropper post (but for bike trailering, a nice cheap long alloy one)
- Your favorite road saddle (I use a WTB SL8 on my MTB, but for the VT50, I'm putting on a Regal)
- Stem/bar, anything will work - I would get some OEM takeoffs from the LBS - the Giant stem/bar that come on the cheaper versions of the Trance/Reign are fine, for instance.
- For tires, for what you are doing, I would recommend Maxxis Ardent front/Maxxis Ikon rear

[gdw]

Are you sure you want to build it with a 1x11? If you're planning to use it on pavement and for off road bikepacking you might find that the high and low gears aren't ideal for either. Since you're new to mountain biking you might also consider starting off with a suspension fork instead of a rigid model. Comfort is more important than weight off road. Go with an aluminum or ti bar and seatpost instead of carbon. The straps on bikepacking gear tend to collect dirt and sand that can scar and possible weaken the parts they contact.

You'll need to experiment with saddles to find out what works best for you on a mtb. Hopefully one of the models that you currently own will be comfortable. As to handlebar styles, start out with a reasonably priced wide flat bar and see if you like it as is. You can shorten or replace it with with a riser bar as you dial in your position. Tire choice is dependent upon the area you will be riding, talk to local riders and see what they recommend.
Good luck.

[JWDR]

Fork; I would go 15mm, unless there was a significant price difference. I would also make sure it's tapered. I owned a 15mm tapered whiskey fork and thought it was well made.

Seatpost; I own a lot of cheaper posts but use Thompson's on every bike I care about. My current favorite is a thomson dropper. Took me a couple of rides to get comfortable with it but now I can't see going back to a standard post on any mountain bike i plan on really riding off road.

Stem/Bar I currently like 70mm or shorter stems and 720mm flat bars with 8 to 10 degrees of sweep. My current favorite bar for the price is the performance forte bar.

Tires from your description I think a 2.0 to 2.1 would more than suffice. Im partial to Specialized three-dimensional but also own bontrager and continental mtb tires.

Frame I own a lynskey ridgeline 29er with slider dropouts. I would want 142mm rear end with a post mount disc brake mount.

[ofcounsel]

I would get:

- A suspension fork, honestly
- 15mm TA
- A dropper post (but for bike trailering, a nice cheap long alloy one)
- Your favorite road saddle (I use a WTB SL8 on my MTB, but for the VT50, I'm putting on a Regal)
- Stem/bar, anything will work - I would get some OEM takeoffs from the LBS - the Giant stem/bar that come on the cheaper versions of the Trance/Reign are fine, for instance.
- For tires, for what you are doing, I would recommend Maxxis Ardent front/Maxxis Ikon rear

I agree with Christian on a lot of points.

- Suspension fork... Seriously.
-15 TA over 9mm. I can tell the difference right away, but then again, I'm a heavy guy.
- Dropper post is soo nice.
-WTB Volt saddle is my preference, but get what works for you.
- Anything.
-Tires. Maxxis Ardent front/Maxxis Ardent Race rear or Schwalbe Nobby Nic Front/Schwalbe Racing Ralph Rear

[mtb_frk]

I agree go with suspension and not a rigid fork. I have a Niner rigid fork that I swap in and out with a Reba on my single speed. It really does beat on your wrists with the rigid fork.
On my full suspension bike I have been running 2.35 RaRas this year and am really liking the tires, at least here in Michigan. Conditions vary so much that what works for me might not work as well where you are.
1x11, I just updated my geard 29er this season and so far like it a lot. I have yet to run out of gears while riding to my local trails, and once riding the trails the gear range seems to work really good.

[Neves]

I would go tapered suspension fork. There are a lot of good options out there. But that in mind I would think about what suspension fork your going to get and if it's a 100mm vs 110mm front axle. More and more brands are going that route and that would drive my hub choice. Unfortunately there aren't a lot of rigid forks with 110 axle.

And let me state I hate hogde podge adapters.

Just a thought.

One last thing...I'm running Maxxis 2.2 Ikons and was surprised as to how well they grip even in slight wet conditions.

[HenryA]

Short travel suspension fork, for sure.

Normal, mid range bar, stem and post. Get blingy stuff later if you want after it's sorted to fit you.

Gears. Get more. Especially with trailer pulling and bike packing.

I like the more cushy MTB saddles. WTB makes nice ones, like the Pure. For pulling and carrying loads you'll be in work horse mode. A more comfy saddle will not hold you back when just out riding.

2.1 tires with lots of small knobs. Round cross section. Tubeless. Light rims and enough spokes.

[Tony]

Your large Lynskey has a steep 71 degree Head Tube Angle, that's steep by today's standards. As others suggested I would go with a suspension fork, for sure. I would also suggest you consider a 120mm fork of your choice to slacken the head tube angle.
Here are some pictures of my Ridgeline and how its set up. Great bike!

https://picasaweb.google.com/107709068384636814318/6271008328824653425

[ofcounsel]

Your large Lynskey has a steep 71 degree Head Tube Angle, that's steep by today's standards. As others suggested I would go with a suspension fork, for sure. I would also suggest you consider a 120mm fork of your choice to slacken the head tube angle.
Here are some pictures of my Ridgeline and how its set up. Great bike!

https://picasaweb.google.com/107709068384636814318/6271008328824653425

Nicely set up, Tony!

[Russity]

Just sold this one on....should never have done it...

Might give you some ideas??

[1X10]

I would definitely go with some squish on the front if possible, not sure that geometry can handle 120 but if so do it!!

I am running a similar set up a la steel....

ENVE MTB fork has treated me really well and I have bashed the heck out of it for a couple seasons already, however after a couple days back to back in the roots, bumps, etc and such my body is always asking me why?...

I will be moving over to suspension soon...

In regards to rubber put the fattest you can fit...

My 2 pennies

Cheers Brian

[1X10]

Just sold this one on....should never have done it...

Might give you some ideas??

+1 on this setup:beer:

[Tony]

Nicely set up, Tony!

Thanks for your help setting it up!! I really like the XT 1X11 group. I recently changed the 32T XT ring for a 32T OneUp oval chainring. I did this on both the Lynskey and Ibis. I like the feel of the ring and I haven't had a single chain drop in two months.

[ColonelJLloyd]

Wow. Lots of great information here. Very much appreciated.

I'll respond in general.

Gearing: I ordered the 1x11 stuff because I really want the simplicity. The range is there. Sure, I might not always find the perfect gear, but I'm a bit of a masher anyhow and I'm okay to "just deal". If this bike sees a lot of bikepacking and it becomes a hindrance, I'll reassess.

Frame: Yep, it'll have sliding dropouts with 12x142.

Fork: Wow, I didn't expect the such a push to a suspension fork. I was thinking of a rigid fork because of simplicity, weight, zero maintenance and it can accommodate a 3.0 tire (Whisky No. 9) for some suspension if desired. That and decent squish forks are pretty expensive, no? What's a recommended suspension fork and what is the maintenance like? For kid hauling and bikepacking I would think rigid fork wins so maybe I'll get the Whisky No. 7 rigid and then shop for a suspension fork. Switching forks should be quick and easy with a second crown race.

HTA: I knew the trend was slacker HTA, but I'm not certain on the appeal. Is it because it increases wheelbase for better stability and moves the rider weight to be more optimal for downhills? Is it worth investing in an AngleSet?

Seatpost: Dropper posts are still a mystery to me. Do you just drop it to get it out of the way while descending? Then you manually pull it back up until it "clicks"?

[sandyrs]

HTA: I knew the trend was slacker HTA, but I'm not certain on the appeal. Is it because it increases wheelbase for better stability and moves the rider weight to be more optimal for downhills? Is it worth investing in an AngleSet?

Seatpost: Dropper posts are still a mystery to me. Do you just drop it to get it out of the way while descending? Then you manually pull it back up until it "clicks"?

1. Don't bother with an angleset. That's excessive if you're not a wizened veteran MTBer with extremely strong opinions on bike handling. Slack head angles aren't always about increasing the wheelbase- a lot of slack trail bikes have extremely short chainstays, which shortens the wheelbase. But yes, the slack head angle moves the rider's weight over the wheels back and is supposed to help with descending. It's hard to take advantage of that without a dropper post though, which brings me to...

2. That's (fortunately) not how droppers work- they're a bit more useful. When you push the lever, the dropper will move upwards if it has no weight on it. Think of office chairs. When you're sitting on it and push the lever, it goes down. When you unweight it and push the lever, it goes up. https://youtu.be/2jeEAZffqyw?t=159

[ColonelJLloyd]

1. Don't bother with an angleset. That's excessive if you're not a wizened veteran MTBer with extremely strong opinions on bike handling. Slack head angles aren't always about increasing the wheelbase- a lot of slack trail bikes have extremely short chainstays, which shortens the wheelbase. But yes, the slack head angle moves the rider's weight over the wheels back and is supposed to help with descending. It's hard to take advantage of that without a dropper post though, which brings me to...

2. That's not how droppers work. When you push the lever, the dropper will move upwards if it has no weight on it. Think of office chairs. When you're sitting on it and push the lever, it goes down. When you unweight it and push the lever, it goes up. https://youtu.be/2jeEAZffqyw?t=159

1. That's what I was thinking.

2. Ah! Air pressure. Thanks.

[gdw]

Droppers are great for trail riding but don't play well with bikepacking seatbags. You'll need to buy a standard seatpost if you want to use modern equipment or mount a rack like the Thule Pack and Pedal to carry gear.

[Tony]

Wow. Lots of great information here. Very much appreciated.

I'll respond in general.

Gearing: I ordered the 1x11 stuff because I really want the simplicity. The range is there. Sure, I might not always find the perfect gear, but I'm a bit of a masher anyhow and I'm okay to "just deal". If this bike sees a lot of bikepacking and it becomes a hindrance, I'll reassess.

Frame: Yep, it'll have sliding dropouts with 12x142.

Fork: Wow, I didn't expect the such a push to a suspension fork. I was thinking of a rigid fork because of simplicity, weight, zero maintenance and it can accommodate a 3.0 tire (Whisky No. 9) for some suspension if desired. That and decent squish forks are pretty expensive, no? What's a recommended suspension fork and what is the maintenance like? For kid hauling and bikepacking I would think rigid fork wins so maybe I'll get the Whisky No. 7 rigid and then shop for a suspension fork. Switching forks should be quick and easy with a second crown race.

HTA: I knew the trend was slacker HTA, but I'm not certain on the appeal. Is it because it increases wheelbase for better stability and moves the rider weight to be more optimal for downhills? Is it worth investing in an AngleSet?

Seatpost: Dropper posts are still a mystery to me. Do you just drop it to get it out of the way while descending? Then you manually pull it back up until it "clicks"?

Yes, better stability in rough terrain and down hills. Your bike is designed for a 100mm or 120mm fork. If you get a chance try a MTB with a slacker head tube, than one steep, you may be surprised at the difference in feel and handling.

[d_douglas]

I would chime in to say:

suspension fork is good if you plan on any real offroading. I know people go on about rigid and I have done it (and had fun) but proper offroad riding requires a susp fork, IMO<

I would go with a TA, just for forward compatibility. Lightly used lower tier Rockshox are quite nice - I use a Recon Gold and have no wishes for a better fork.

Post: Yes, a Thomson and a QR seat clamp. Simple.

Bar/Stem: go short as you can (think 70-90mm) and wider than you think (700mm+). I stopped at 720mm bar in spite of many suggestions of 750-780mm ones - those were just too wide. The short/wide combo makes a big difference.

Saddle: whatever works. I like WTB and Aliantes myself. No reason to not use a Brooks!

Tires: Ardents are good all-round tires - yes. I have some tanwalled ones that I would sell, only because I need some more mud oriented tires. Let me know if you are interested.

[Tony]

Also, your Lynskey uses a 12mm x 142mm x 1.0 thread pitch thru axle, difficult to find. You can order one from Lynskey with your frame or Paragon Machine Works makes a nice one.

[ColonelJLloyd]

Thanks. I had just planned on using a DT Swiss.

[ofcounsel]

I recently changed the 32T XT ring for a 32T OneUp oval chainring. I did this on both the Lynskey and Ibis. I like the feel of the ring and I haven't had a single chain drop in two months.

I've been thinking about swapping out to ovals as well!

[pcxmbfj]

Thomson X4 stem aluminum that fits bar below
Flat alum bar with 6* to 11* sweep that fits hands
May want to try cheaper goods to get sizes correct
Cassette up to 36t are priced relatively cheap and may let you stay in the middle more.
You can get 42t rear adapter but more dollars.
Thomson post
Front suspension 120mm or less, RockShox is good value and easier to work on that Fox, QR is fine but Boost, plus standard, thruaxle more current.
You have 29er Lynsky? think maybe running 27.5 wheels as well.

[ColonelJLloyd]

The Lynskey is ordered, yes. Would be cool if it had clearance for 27.5+ but the stays don't really get all that much wider.

[pcxmbfj]

The Lynskey is ordered, yes. Would be cool if it had clearance for 27.5+ but the stays don't really get all that much wider.

I'm running 27.5 wheels on a Turner 29er and can't get to "plus" but do get wider.
Expands the bike options.