New bike (2017 SC Chameleon?)

Shinigami

Likes Dirt
Looking at replacing my current HT for something a little more agressive. I currently have a cannondale trail SL2 (2015) and much as i want a dropper post feel a new bike would be less work than a 27.2mm droppper.

I was looking at building up a 29er SC Chameleon with either 1x11 or 2x 11 XT and a yari, any other thoughts or suggestions? Also happy with trail/aggressive HT suggestiosn around $3-4k
 
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clockworked

Like an orange
are you set on a material? Steel, aluminium or carbon; might narrow things down a bit.

or just go full trend: titanium honzo set up 29er front, 27 plus rear!
 

JTmofo

XC Enthusiast
Heaps of options in this market at the moment.... and even more if you're not 100% set on a 29er or +

To name a few.....

Kona Honzo or Explosif
Canfield Nimble 9
Ragley Bigwig/Blue Pig/Piglet
DMR Trialstar
Production Privee OKA/Shan
Commencal Meta HT
Orange P7 or Crush
NS Eccentric

Some killer bargains out there on frames too..... Ragley and NS are uber cheap. Put the extra cash into a (Boost) Pike, Fox 34 Factory or something a little more tuneable than a Yari (Charger damper w/ LSC over the Motion control).
Do yourself a favour a go down the 1x route, keep it simple and clean.

Without going absolutely ape shit on bling, you will build a very nice hardtail for $4k. (unless you buy a Honzo Ti.....)
 

Shinigami

Likes Dirt
are you set on a material? Steel, aluminium or carbon; might narrow things down a bit.

or just go full trend: titanium honzo set up 29er front, 27 plus rear!
fuck those Ti frames look good, i've not seen an Au price around but from what they are overseas i'm not sure my budget goes that far.

i'm not set on materials (not sure i want a carbon though) and the only riding i've done on a 27 was on the missus bike for a little, so i'm willing to be convinced if it would be a better bike. the only thing i'm set on is stealth routing for a dropper and a seatpost bigger than 27.2

@JT i should have had a ride on your honzo when i had a chance
 

JTmofo

XC Enthusiast
fuck those Ti frames look good, i've not seen an Au price around but from what they are overseas i'm not sure my budget goes that far.

i'm not set on materials (not sure i want a carbon though) and the only riding i've done on a 27 was on the missus bike for a little, so i'm willing to be convinced if it would be a better bike. the only thing i'm set on is stealth routing for a dropper and a seatpost bigger than 27.2

@JT i should have had a ride on your honzo when i had a chance
It was there for the taking mate...... :doh:

If you're going for a frame up build, I'd suggest a nice steel, slack (<67Deg HA), 120-140mm forked 29er or 650+.
Honzo's are now hard to get, and were a $1000+ frame only ($3k for the Ti).

Ragley Big wig or Blue pig frame can be bought for sub $600(less for a run out 2016), allow $900 for a decent fork, $400 for a dropper, $600 for some decent wide wheels, $100 for tyres, $150 for a bar and stem, $60 for a saddle, $600 for some SLX grouppo and brakes, and you're well inside a $4k budget.
Odds and ends, $150.... you're still golden.
 

Shinigami

Likes Dirt
CRC has some xt for $600 (just reread, they have it for this sans breaks, faster on the downhill...).

yeah just got off the phone with the local kona dealer, they can do the 2016 Ti for $2,500 but have no other stock listed.

may just have to ask around for someone closer by who has one to pedal on, or i'll just go try a Al prebuilt for size
 

Shinigami

Likes Dirt
Looks like the old model (which wasn't available either)

Why can't you just order one in? Surely they could add it to their next delivery?
i rang the lbs that deals in SC and was told they could probably get in the old model, but if i was going to get something with 27" wheels i'd probably get something else. at the moment i've just been looking around what O/S stores will ship here, with any luck one of the uk ones will as it should put it under the 1k import threshold
 

Shinigami

Likes Dirt
Lusty do list it
https://www.lustyindustries.com/bic...sc-17-chameleon-7-a-29-27-5-frame-olive-green
But whether they will bring it in is another thing entirely.
Some nice Orange frames that can be had for that sort of money - Clockwork, Clockwork Evo, Crush - if you can get them into Aus again (Damn you MoFo)

Al..
cheers for that, i dont think it was on their site last time i checked though i did email them over the weekend about it. I'll look into the other frames you mentioned, but as said i'm liking the idea of something between an xc bike and a hardcore hardtail.

edit: anyone know a good place to get a boost pike for under 1k?
 
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Shinigami

Likes Dirt
Chameleon frames will be non-existant in Aus according to LBS, distributor seems to only want to bring in full bikes, and limited ones at that.
spoke to LBS again, got transferred to someone who knew what they were talking about. being shipped from the US sometime in April, put my self down for a large. Now to find a bike with a similar geometry /stack and reach so i can get a feel for the size.
 

JTmofo

XC Enthusiast
spoke to LBS again, got transferred to someone who knew what they were talking about. being shipped from the US sometime in April, put my self down for a large. Now to find a bike with a similar geometry /stack and reach so i can get a feel for the size.
Mate, having met you and seen your "stature", you'll be sweet on a large (on nearly everything unless the brand is on the extreme limits of sizing)
This especially holds true if you're looking at a more XC focused set up, where 20/30mm difference in stem choice isn't as critical to feel as a more AM style rig and where a larger frame is preferable for stability over flickability.

Buy it, build it, ride it.
 

Shinigami

Likes Dirt
Mate, having met you and seen your "stature", you'll be sweet on a large (on nearly everything unless the brand is on the extreme limits of sizing)
This especially holds true if you're looking at a more XC focused set up, where 20/30mm difference in stem choice isn't as critical to feel as a more AM style rig and where a larger frame is preferable for stability over flickability.

Buy it, build it, ride it.
Frame has an ETA for June, going to put a deposit down this weekend and try the dualys they have on the floor for size.

At the moment thinking of getting the CRC xt 1x groupset and subbing out with boost cranks, I looked at the gearing compared to my current 2x10 and I only really loose a gear from the high and low end.

What are people's thoughts on wheel builds? And any feedback on the CRC sets?

by the way i think my current stem is like 80mm or something
 
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JTmofo

XC Enthusiast
Frame has an ETA for June, going to put a deposit down this weekend and try the dualys they have on the floor for size.

At the moment thinking of getting the CRC xt 1x groupset and subbing out with boost cranks, I looked at the gearing compared to my current 2x10 and I only really loose a gear from the high and low end.

What are people's thoughts on wheel builds? And any feedback on the CRC sets?
You cant go wrong with the tried and tested Hope hub, Stans rim combo.

I'd personally go with Flow Mk3 over Arch Mk3 (and don't bother with crests). You should be able to select a mix and match boost/non boost set if you need to (fork and rear dependant of course).
Reckon Hope 35W would also be worth a shot..... but cant speak from experience.
 

Shinigami

Likes Dirt
Hope does come in purple to match the horrific colour of the chameleon frame. Tempted to stick with 29" (helps that the large 27+ had sold out already). Was thinking of flow front arch rear, but might just get both flow to make it more bomb proof
 

The Dude

Wasn't asking to be banned
Maybe. Maybe not.

Frame has an ETA for June, going to put a deposit down this weekend and try the dualys they have on the floor for size.

At the moment thinking of getting the CRC xt 1x groupset and subbing out with boost cranks, I looked at the gearing compared to my current 2x10 and I only really loose a gear from the high and low end.

What are people's thoughts on wheel builds? And any feedback on the CRC sets?

by the way i think my current stem is like 80mm or something
Just check on that with CRC - I recently asked about swapping out the 11-42 cassette for the 11-46 in my order and was told that it is a pre-packaged group and can not be altered. Maybe Boost cranks are an "option", whereas gearing is not
 

Shinigami

Likes Dirt
Just check on that with CRC - I recently asked about swapping out the 11-42 cassette for the 11-46 in my order and was told that it is a pre-packaged group and can not be altered. Maybe Boost cranks are an "option", whereas gearing is not
poor word choice, i was just going to buy the extra and either sell it, put it on the other bike or the missuses. otherwise it looks like bike discount may be a slightly cheaper option (if they have everything in stock at once) and buying it in chunks. i would also get a 11-46 as part of the deal, i'd just have to swap the break lines over
 
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