Bike for Mrs Tubbsy

Tubbsy

Packin' a small bird
Staff member
So she recently announced she's keen to get a mountain bike. Which is great.

I have spare bikes, but they're XL hard tails which are a tad too big and I think a dually would be a better starting point for her.

What I'm thinking is stripping the parts off the Lynskey and buying her a frame to fit them to.

The Lynskey currently has a bunch of circa 2011-13 parts on it:

Fork: DT Swiss 100mm XMM something or other (fairly certain it's tapered steerer, Lynskey has an oversized head tube)
Brakes: Magura Marta Raceline
Wheels: Mavic Crossmax SLR 29er (currently QR rear, but I think can be adapted - need to check this, maybe with something like this)
Drivetrain: X0 9 Speed, pretty sure a threaded BB


I came upon this GT Zaskar on cycling deal for $579 (no idea about these, but assume they're ok?), and I think this Manitou McLeod at 165x38 might fit, and is meant to be a great unit.

So for under $1000 that would be a nice, basically new lightweight bike for a beginner to ride on some fire trails and basic single track, plus a decent spare bike for vistors.

Alternative is something used to suit the above components. She's tall so would need a Large frame, or probably an XL in a womens frame which I doubt I'll find.

I also have a 26inch hard tail with a similar kind of build spec if something nice and older came up.


What do the brains trust think?
 
Last edited:

T-Rex

Template denier
So she recently announced she's keen to get a mountain bike. Which is great.

I have spare bikes, but they're XL hard tails which are a tad too big and I think a dually would be a better starting point for her.

What I'm thinking is stripping the parts off the Lynskey and buying her a frame to fit them to.

The Lynskey currently has a bunch of circa 2011-13 parts on it:

Fork: DT Swiss 100mm XMM something or other (fairly certain it's tapered steerer, Lynskey has an oversized head tube)
Brakes: Magura Marta Raceline
Wheels: Mavic Crossmax SLR 29er (currently QR rear, but I think can be adapted - need to check this, maybe with something like this)
Drivetrain: X0 9 Speed, pretty sure a threaded BB


I came upon this GT Zaskar on cycling deal for $579 (no idea about these, but assume they're ok?), and I think this Manitou McLeod at 165x38 might fit, and is meant to be a great unit.

So for under $1000 that would be a nice, basically new lightweight bike for a beginner to ride on some fire trails and basic single track, plus a decent spare bike for vistors.

Alternative is something used to suit the above components. She's tall so would need a Large frame, or probably an XL in a womens frame which I doubt I'll find.

I also have a 26inch hard tail with a similar kind of build spec if something nice and older came up.


What do the brains trust think?
Looks like a great way to re-purpose a bike that would otherwise be gathering dust.

I've got some new spare parts from that era still lying around, 9sp chain, BB, cassettes, chain rings, bash guard (might be overkill) a few other bits and pieces, ping me if you need anything.
 

Tubbsy

Packin' a small bird
Staff member
Looks like a great way to re-purpose a bike that would otherwise be gathering dust.

I've got some new spare parts from that era still lying around, 9sp chain, BB, cassettes, chain rings, bash guard (might be overkill) a few other bits and pieces, ping me if you need anything.
Thanks, much appreciated! I've got two hardtails full of 'good at the time' 9-speed gear, so think I'm pretty covered. That GT looks like it'll accommodate every part of the Lynskey, which I've ridden twice in four years.

My other half is unlikely to do anything too ambitious, but it would be good to have a nice build on it for mates coming to town, if that happens again.
 

Tubbsy

Packin' a small bird
Staff member
Spend at least $3000.

She’s absolutely guaranteed to utterly love the sport & wish she’d spent more.
No.

I need a long travel Endurobro bike, so aiming to sell the Lynskey to make this build relatively cost-neutral.

Anyway, it will end up riding like something pretty top end from the era, the Lynskey build is lighter than my road bike (which is steel admittedly)
 

Dales Cannon

lightbrain about 4pm
Staff member
Every bike I have built for the missus was above specified requirements but it only takes a few km for her to realise that it rides soooo much better than the old one. The brakes are great etc. Spend at least $8k.
 

Tubbsy

Packin' a small bird
Staff member
This is her current bike:

362164


So you're right, I may need to up the spec.
 

pink poodle

気が狂っている男
I've built a bike for 2 different women to cruise cafes on. Both times I have installed a dropper. They both loved being able to lower the seat to get on/off the bike or when pulling up. I highly recommend including one.
 

Tubbsy

Packin' a small bird
Staff member
The Skeppshult is permanently in the dropped position, so this will be an expectation. I use my dropper largely to hasten access to the Handlebar at Stromlo, this is what the part is for yes?
 

pink poodle

気が狂っている男
The Skeppshult is permanently in the dropped position, so this will be an expectation. I use my dropper largely to hasten access to the Handlebar at Stromlo, this is what the part is for yes?
I had a bike with a dropper, briefly. One crash on it and I activated the dropper on my way over the bars. Seat pinged me right in the nuts.
 

pink poodle

気が狂っている男
Made me wince just reading that... o_O
It was a spectacular crash. Poorly send small drop, land in bushes, clip tree, fly, projected by ball smashing, land, pillow bike's fall, hit head really hard, fight off unconsciousness, crawl to side of trail, regain vision...see left glove still gripping the bar.

Turns out the dropper remote went through the palm and held the glove, pulling it from my hand as I ate shit. As at Narra. After dinner I had an uncomfortable 2 hour rain ride home to nap and feel sore .
 

Tubbsy

Packin' a small bird
Staff member
As another option, does anyone remember which shop was selling off a load of older Cannondale frames?

Was a while ago, so probably all gone.


EDIT: never mind, found it, nothing appropriate there.
 
Last edited:

Tubbsy

Packin' a small bird
Staff member
Fairly sure I'm going to push ahead with this plan.

Last time I bought a frame without a shock was over ten years ago; am I going to need to buy shock mounting hardware for this?

362262


The image in the listing looks like I probably will, would be good to add it to the CRC order if I can but not certain what I need.

I found this on the GT website:

362263


The document is vague about what these parts are, are they likely to be specific to the GT or something fairly generic?
 

pink poodle

気が狂っている男
I would proceed assuming you will need to (for budget purposes), but not purchasing it until confirmed.
 

Tubbsy

Packin' a small bird
Staff member
I would proceed assuming you will need to (for budget purposes), but not purchasing it until confirmed.
Seems like if I'm ordering the shock from CRC I might as well chuck something in the basket:


But I don't know what I'm doing here. I could just ask cycling deal, but I have a suspicion they won't really know.

Alternative is finding a GT dealer locally.

I
 

pink poodle

気が狂っている男
At that sort of price it won't hurt if you end up with spares. Are you using a manitou shock? Because they won't be much use with a fox
 
Top