Pimp My Ride: MTB edition

[Lewis Moon]

I have a Salsa El Mariachi coming tomorrow and it looks to be a "parts box" bike. Some good parts there but a lot that'll need to be replaced. Ebay # 173991697096.
At the very least I'll want to replace the Brooks B17 with something less brick-like, the dropper post with a nice regular post, the XT triple crankset with a newer double and the riser bars with something a bit flatter. I'll also need new grips.
I figure I'll use the same seat as my other bikes, but the rest I'm up for suggestion.

[thermalattorney]

Congrats! Since it looks like a pretty well-spec'ed complete I'd

1) Put a different saddle and grips on.
2) Make sure the brakes feel good, bleeding if necessary.
3) Ride the snot out of it and see how the fit feels. The cockpit looks to be a bit of a mess and that's where my money would go first (before drivetrain).

I'd 1000% keep the dropper post unless you're taking this on the most gentle of XC trails. Getting the saddle out of the way really transforms your descending, plus you already own one. If you're dead-set against droppers, do yourself a favor and grab a Canyon/Ergon CF3 leaf-spring carbon post (or a Chinese clone (https://www.ebay.com/itm/5-20-Carbon-Bike-Seatposts-Road-Bicycle-Shaped-Seat-Tube-Matte-27-2-30-8-31-6mm/263576974602)) for the extra cush.

Good luck!

[purpurite]

Keep the dropper. Definitely. Loose the Brooks.

Ride it a few hours on trails before doing anything else.

[dougefresh]

I'll spend some of your money.

keep the dropper

find a bar/ stem you like

ditch the Brooks, bell and bar ends, and most of the drivetrain.

change to a 1x11 or 12 group. SRAM and SunRace make 12s cassettes that will fit on the HG freehub you have; Shimano 11s stuff fits it too. nobody uses doubles anymore. Wolftooth makes a ring for that crankset that's a narrow-wide. some people even grind of the extra unused mounting points for the big ring.
https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0230/9291/products/102BCD-Installed_590x.jpg?v=1547677825

[Lewis Moon]

I'll spend some of your money.

keep the dropper

find a bar/ stem you like

ditch the Brooks, bell and bar ends, and most of the drivetrain.

change to a 1x11 or 12 group. SRAM and SunRace make 12s cassettes that will fit on the HG freehub you have; Shimano 11s stuff fits it too. nobody uses doubles anymore. Wolftooth makes a ring for that crankset that's a narrow-wide. some people even grind of the extra unused mounting points for the big ring.
https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0230/9291/products/102BCD-Installed_590x.jpg?v=1547677825

Send me your address... you plainly covet the bell and bar ends.
I'd really like to stay with a double. Hard to teach an old cadence nazi new tricks. I know it goes against the Gitrekalized marketing program, but IMHO, more gears are better. I may keep the dropper but it's a cheapie.

[stephenmarklay]

I have an EL Mariachi Frame Fork so I will be watching this thread...

[dougefresh]

Send me your address... you plainly covet the bell and bar ends.
I'd really like to stay with a double. Hard to teach an old cadence nazi new tricks. I know it goes against the Gitrekalized marketing program, but IMHO, more gears are better. I may keep the dropper but it's a cheapie.

ha! you found me out. i'll let you keep that dope bell this time.

as far as the double, you could grind the teeth off the big ring and boom you got a double with a bash guard. you do you lew

[colker]

Not only i would keep the double but have a friction thumbshifter on it... unless you want bar space for the dropper.

[Jaybee]

This is a 9th vote for keeping the dropper.

And a second vote for a 1x system. Lots of good cheap 1x11 groups available since the advent of 12 speed.

I understand that you are a roadie used to making micro changes in gearing to keep optimal cadence, but that matters way less on single track. Usually, when it’s time to shift the front it’s also time to shift in the back and maybe time to be getting on or off the saddle and raising or lowering your dropper. 1x simplifies a lot of that. This button bigger gears, that button smaller gears. I also know that this a retrogrouch board and I am prepared to get shouted down by all the guys with triples on their original YoEddys.

[colker]

This is a 9th vote for keeping the dropper.

And a second vote for a 1x system. Lots of good cheap 1x11 groups available since the advent of 12 speed.

I understand that you are a roadie used to making micro changes in gearing to keep optimal cadence, but that matters way less on single track. Usually, when it’s time to shift the front it’s also time to shift in the back and maybe time to be getting on or off the saddle and raising or lowering your dropper. 1x simplifies a lot of that. This button bigger gears, that button smaller gears. I also know that this a retrogrouch board and I am prepared to get shouted down by all the guys with triples on their original YoEddys.

2x gives a longer life for gearing. It´s about not wasting rings and cassettes. Just select the ring and keep firing the rear derr for each trail section.

[bigbill]

Keep the dropper. If it's a cheap model that you don't want to keep, PNW components makes nice stuff at a decent price. I rode my hardtail with a standard post for two months and didn't descend well at all, my center of gravity was too high. After the dropper, the seat is out of the way and I'm using my legs as suspension to move the bike around under me. It's akin to downhill skiing. So much fun.

[Jaybee]

2x gives a longer life for gearing. It´s about not wasting rings and cassettes. Just select the ring and keep firing the rear derr for each trail section.

I've ridden doubles (and triples before that) for a long time. I'm not sure the math works out here.

Functionally, I can remember a lot of cases where I was in a front ring I didn't want to be in and asked the drivetrain to do a pretty dramatic shift under pressure.

My 1x11 and 1x12 systems are functionally perfect. Right shift, every time, no praying that I don't dump the chain off the front or worrying about chain slap on a g-out with a rocky entry or anything. Just focusing on the trail and the ride.

People can ride whatever they want, doesn't offend me. I'm just noting my anecdotal experience with modern MTB mechanical drivetrains. Fwiw, SRAM is the way to go here. Find some used X01 or XX1 11 speed if you're on a budget and enjoy the ride.

[KonaSS]

+1 on all of this.

I've ridden doubles (and triples before that) for a long time. I'm not sure the math works out here.

Functionally, I can remember a lot of cases where I was in a front ring I didn't want to be in and asked the drivetrain to do a pretty dramatic shift under pressure.

My 1x11 and 1x12 systems are functionally perfect. Right shift, every time, no praying that I don't dump the chain off the front or worrying about chain slap on a g-out with a rocky entry or anything. Just focusing on the trail and the ride.

People can ride whatever they want, doesn't offend me. I'm just noting my anecdotal experience with modern MTB mechanical drivetrains. Fwiw, SRAM is the way to go here. Find some used X01 or XX1 11 speed if you're on a budget and enjoy the ride.

[JAGI410]

Carbon handlebar at 760-800mm

Keep dropper, add a nicer lever (wolftooth or Paul)

1x12 Sram Eagle with NX everything except GX rear D.

Wolftooth Oval 32t chainring.