XC Avanti Singlespeed XC build up

[bodgie]

Just started building up a single speed XC project on the cheap. mainly going to be used for commuting for the quick trip to uni and back, but i'm sure it'll see it's fair share of off road use as well. Picked up the frame for next to nothing on ebay and started from there. Trying to decide whether or not i can be bothered to strip the frame back to raw and polish it or possibly paint it, or just leave it as is for now.

If anyone has any info on the frame that'd be handy, from what i can find online i think 2001 was the last year they had the hurricane model, could be wrong though. Seems fairly light has disc mounts and the vertical dropouts do angle back a bit so i might be able to get away without running a tensioner. If i get the right chain length and just use the small amount of adjustment space in the dropouts, might need a half link chain though, we'll see.

Also any recommendations on drive train ratios? Heard 2:1 is a good place to start so think i might get a 32T ring and try 32:16, i am an unfit lazy bugger though so might need something a bit easier, not real sure.


Spec so far:

Frame - Large Avanti Hurricane Comp ($18 ebay)
Fork - InSync Elixer 523 (from 99coconuts for the price of postage - thanks again!) weigh a ton and not much performance wise but will do for now
Headset- Cane Creek VP-A71 1 1/8" ($15 ebay)
Cranks - Truvativ Husslefelt (no cost, cranks from my Sasquatch before i upgraded to saints)
Chainring - 32T from Husslefelt crankset with red token chainring bolts (chainring no cost, bolts $20)
Chain- KMC Z-72 with a half link (chain no cost from old bike, half link $6 ebay)
Cassette- Generic singlespeed kit, 18t cog with alu spacers ($19 ebay)
Pedals - Basic Wellgo Platforms (no cost, also from my Sasquatch before i upgraded them)
Wheelset- Vuelta Zerolite ($60 from farkin member)
Tyres- Maxxis Monorail 2.1" ($18 from velogear.com.au - highly recommended shop)
Rotors- Hayes Stroker 6" f+r ($11 ebay)
Brakes- Promax D-600 mechanical discs ($18 from farkin member) cheap and heavy but do the job for now
Seatpost- 27.2 Kona post ($8 ebay)
Saddle- Vader black/red ($17 ebay)
Stem - ITM Forged Lite 25.4 ($11 ebay)
Handlebars- Syncros X-country 25.4 635mm wide 35mm rise ($10 ebay)

 

[Lorday]

Unless your feeling lucky (punk), I'd be adding a hanger and tensioner on your 'to buy' list.

Assuming you'll buy cheap cog(s) be careful if your freehub body is an Al alloy. Narrow cogs will notch (possibly ruin) the freehub body.

You'll probably find it easier climbing hills without gears w/ a clipless system.

You don't need a 1/8" chain (IMO)

Single speeding > all

 

[bodgie]

Yeah most likely going to need a tensioner by the looks of it, unfortunately. Looks so much better without one. Going to get a singlespeed specific rear cog with the wider base as you mentioned, are the shimano bmx cogs that fit freehubs ok in this regard? Probably going to keep it all 3/32" gear with possibly a chain ring from cycle underground down the road eventually.

Also got bored today and decided to raw the frame. Quick splash of paint stripper to remove paint/clear coat then bit of wd-40 to get the decals off. Started giving it a bit of a sand with 120 grit (still got the downtube and chain stays to do). Will work my way up to 1200 grit if im not too lazy tomorrow then get to work polishing it. I must say i really underestimated how big a pain in the ass the sanding would be, and trying to get paint out of the cable stops was just torture.

Also bought a cheap bottle cage and seatpost clamp off ebay hopefully they should arrive soon. And got a set of wheels on the way, set of Vuelta zero lites on shimano hubs cutesy of hiredassassin

Heres a pic of the frame now :View attachment 191828

 

[Lorday]

AFAIK the shimano dx cogs are just a cheap thin thing. The most popular of the wide based cogs seem to be surly/ck/on-one(amanda). I run cheap jobbies on my shimano hub (not ss specific), and it has notched the freehub - but nothing which will cause it to fail (I think)
Eccentric hubs are expensive, tensioner kits aren't. I'd recommend the DMR STS kit.

Raw looks good. Assuming its an al alloy frame (looks to be) you migh wanna consider getting it annodised.

 

[bodgie]

Yeah it's 6061 Alu. Anodised would be cool. Gonna see how it turns out after i polish it, might ano it down the line though.

 

[bodgie]

Been a bit lazy lately. Finished sanding the frame, but decided i was too lazy to bother polishing it so just gonna leave it raw as it is for the time being. Got seatpost and seatclamp and also forks (cheers to 99coconuts for hooking us up with them).

Seatclamp is a GUB one from ebay and seatpost is some stock kona one also picked up on ebay. Forks are an old set of InSync Elixer 593's. Nothing special, just basic old set of elastomer damped forks, bit of a clean up, pulled em apart and gave them a service and they're working ok. Not too worried about performance just as long as they hold a wheel on so they suit perfectly.

Decided to strip the fork decals off, gonna try and keep the bike looking clean and simple just black and silver. Considered throwing in a red seatclamp and red rotor bolts/crank bolts other assorted small bits but in the end decided i'd prefer just a clean simple look without any colour. Wheels are sitting ready at a mates place, i'll grab them off him soon and a headset is on the way curtesy of ebay.

 

[bodgie]

Update

Havn't updated in a while but heres the current state. Mostly done just waiting on a couple of things to finish it up. All i need at the moment is a rear brake adapter to mount the back caliper and also my new saddle to come in the mail (current one is just the stock one from my Norco Sasquatch). Also thinking i might change the rear hub from quick release to bolt up just to be safe.

Total cost ended up pretty much spot on $250. Fair bit more than originally planned but it's easy to get carried away could have saved a bit if i just got some old v brakes and cheap wheels instead. Was also surprised how little things like seat clamp, headset, rotors all add up in the end. However the bike rides great, should be perfect for cruisin to uni or the pub without worry. Eventually one day might upgrade a few bits, think it would build up nie and light once i swap the forks out to something a bit better, maybe even a set of rigids, new brakes wouldnt hurt either for some better performane and also a fair chunck of weight to be saved there i think, and also possibly a new set of cranks, we'll see.