Tokin on the Dreampipe

[PJO]

Decided I needed to scratch an itch, been riding a 2009 Trance for the last 6 years and was hankering for a hardtail. Wanted to change it up as much as possible so gone 29" (Trance is 26").
This is a fairly budget orientated build, but I decided I couldn't pass up the $730 Pike from Pushys and wanted an ultra short stem so a splurge on the Chromag HiFi.

Frame - 2018 Pipedream Moxie long
Rear shock - legs
Front shock/fork - 2017 Rockshox Pike RCT3
Handlebars - Funn Full On 785mm/15mm rise
Stem - Chromag HiFi V2 31mm length
Headset - FSA Orbit ITA
Grips - Will find some old ones to chuck on
Saddle - Trusty old WTB number
Seatpost - KS Lev 150mm
Front brake - Deore M615
Rear brake - Deore M615
Cranks - XT boost 170mm
Chain - KMC
Pedals - Throw on some old SPDs
Rear derailleur - SLX 11-speed
Rear shifter - XT 11-speed
Cassette - SLX 11-42
Front hub - DTSwiss 350 CL
Rear hub - Shimano XT Boost CL
Front rim - Nukeproof Neutron 29mm ID
Rear rim - Nukeproof Neutron 29mm ID
Spokes - DT comps black
Nipples - DT brass silver
Tyres - Got some old On-One Chunky Monkey 29x2.4 to chuck on in the first instance and an Ardent
Total weight -Frame weights 2.8kg...

Progress so far: Have got all parts pretty much covered except the spokes which are still on their way...

Pressing the headset on the home made press (what you can't see are the wooden internal discs keeping the threaded rod centered):

Highly technical block of wood for the crown race, press down with fingers no hammer required:

Fitting frame, forks, stem and bars so I could stand over it in the lounge... and dream

 

[Jpez]

Ooohhh. I’ve been admiring the Moxie since it came out. Bit disappointed you didn’t go with the hot pink color!
Only consideration I had with the frame is the headtube and seattube both seem super short.
So for a tall fella lots of spacers under the stem and a dropper half hanging out.
It will quite a departure from a almost decade old trance!

 

[PJO]

Yeah I did seriously consider the hot pink, but I don't think I'm extroverted enough to pull it off.
I was hoping for a major departure from the trance, even though it is a bike I know inside out.
I'm 181cm, it was a toss up between a long or longer frame, but the reach on the longer frame was huge (510mm). I'm running the fork at 150mm (may end up 160mm) which gets the ride height up enough that I won't need too many spacers, and will likely get a 170+mm dropper in the near future...
The waiting is agony, frame has been sitting in my cupboard for almost two weeks...

 

[creaky]

Looks sweet but how the F can they only offer a 420mm seat tube length ? If it's "a bike that really does climb like a hardtail" and you run a saddle height of, say, 810mm at 6'1" to 6'2" then you'd need a half metre long seatpost ....

 

[Calvin27]

Nice looking bike. I actually like it in nakeds silver form!

Highly technical block of wood for the crown race, press down with fingers no hammer required:

I remember one day I had the bright idea of going to bunning and buying a pvc pipe to whack it in. Anyway I bring my fork and crown along to see if it will fit. Then pick up some pvc piping to put over to see if it fits. I put it over the fork steerer and push it in gently to see how it sits, next minute *click* it's in. Walked out and bought some sausages for good measure.

 

[PJO]

I remember one day I had the bright idea of going to bunning and buying a pvc pipe to whack it in. Anyway I bring my fork and crown along to see if it will fit. Then pick up some pvc piping to put over to see if it fits. I put it over the fork steerer and push it in gently to see how it sits, next minute *click* it's in. Walked out and bought some sausages for good measure.

Love it, must've been the cheapest trip to Bunnings yet.
The hole saw I used to cut the discs to hold the headset press centered had made a hole the perfect size for the crown race, one cut two useful parts!

Looks sweet but how the F can they only offer a 420mm seat tube length ? If it's "a bike that really does climb like a hardtail" and you run a saddle height of, say, 810mm at 6'1" to 6'2" then you'd need a half metre long seatpost ....

Yeah it does seem a bit odd, especially in the Longer size version.
Won't be a problem for me, current seat tube on the Trance is 440mm, I run my saddle at 740mm.

 

[beeb]

Very excited to see this completed and read a ride review. Would love an aggro hardtail, and the low seat tube certainly ups the fun factor with a long dropper post.

 

[pink poodle]

How much do your bespoke artisan sustainable and repurposed wooden tools retail for?

 

[nzhumpy]

so I could stand over it in the lounge... and make BRRAAAAPPPP sounds

FTFY

 

[PJO]

FTFY

When no one was looking!

 

[PJO]

How much do your bespoke artisan sustainable and repurposed wooden tools retail for?

Depends how much of a hipster you are. Price quadruples if you don't wear socks.

 

[pink poodle]

Depends how much of a hipster you are. Price quadruples if you don't wear socks.

Nah man my sock game is strong, I even purchased some new ones today. I love socks. Not elaborate ones either...mostly black. I don't have a beard or a moustache either. But I do make coffee for a job. Am I in?

 

[Ultra Lord]

You sellout


#hammer4lyf


Keen to see it built up! 1st rides gonna be so weird after the trance

 

[pink poodle]

You sellout


#hammer4lyf


Keen to see it built up! 1st rides gonna be so weird after the trance

I just want the wood cut outs...they'll look so nifty in my workshop.

 

[PJO]

Sorry about the crap phone pics, the lens is scratched so looks like I've gone the old vaseline trick.
First ride yesterday, it does indeed climb like a goat that steep seat tube gets you in the right spot.
Descending was great, doesn't give up anything to my old Giant Trance.
Can't get the sliding dropouts all the way forward and still squeeze the 29*2.25 Maxxis tyre in so dropouts are about half way back (makes the chain stay length around 425mm).
Cables still need a bit of a tidy up.

 

[PJO]

Tidier cables

 

[mooboyj]

How do you rate the Chunky Monkey?

 

[PJO]

How do you rate the Chunky Monkey?

I like it, has great grip on loose trails, not too bad in the mud, blows up big, good side knobs so corners well, hasn't dropped me yet. Sidewalls seem pretty good.
It rolls pretty slowly, but also means it grips well, I have both the dual compound and single compound versions, bought them a couple of years ago when they were really cheap maybe £10 each plus postage (not sure of the current price).
I have previously run them on 19mm internal rims and they squirm badly, much better on the 29mm rims that I'm running currently. Not tubeless ready and I haven't tried to see if they will hold with sealant but the bead looks like it would seat ok.

 

[Zaf]

Removed by user

 

[PJO]

Being of the male persuasion I hadn't encountered those. Two two slogans are interesting:
"stay high and dry" - what are they putting in these that will keep you high??
"in two purse worthy tins" - since when can you get a tin into a purse, must be a cavernous purse. I've glimpsed inside my partners handbag and mostly I prefer to stay out of it, worried that I will loose my hand if it goes in there!