Giant XTC - Singlespeed

chrisga

Quite happy, it cost me £103 all in - needs some grips to finish and some cable tidy thingies but other than that its done. I scoured ebay/bike radar and singletrack world for new bits (chainset, chain, tensioner and disc brakes). Everything else except the frame was sourced from my garage hence the wacky colour scheme. The frame cost me a few beers as it has been repaired - gasp i hear you say, but it has been done by someone who knows a bit about carbon fibre so it should be ok. It will be used for local rides, and as a hack/pub bike mainly, nothing too stupid because of the repair. Should be a laugh for the summer though. Eventually might get round to looking for some carbon riser bars and a new stem.

It is a bit of an experiment too as I know a lot of cycling people wont go near a carbon frame on a MTB saying they are too weak, and i guess you could argue that this one broke but I think an ally one would have under similar circumstances. I would like to show people the other side to carbon, and that is that it can be repaired (you can just see the drive side seat stay is the offending article) if you know what you are doing. I am quite hard on my bikes so I'll let you know if it breaks (really really hope it doesnt).

Chris

The Northern Monkey

looks good, lots of people have carbon MTB's these days!

any pics of the break/repair?

nicklouse

your chain is way too long and the chain line if off or the frame is truly bent.

cog should be in the 5th cog position for a middle ring position inless you have a over length axle on the bb.

chrisga

Hi ben, sorry no pics of before the repair, didnt think to do that, perhaps should have, but you can see the repair on the rear right hand seat stay.

chrisga

Thanks for your kind words nick. Maybe the bb is too long but the chain line is definitely straight. Does it matter if its not in the 5th cog position? The frame is not bent. I couldnt get the chain any shorter as the tensioner wont go any nearer horizontal. There is a little pin thingy in the back of it that seems to rest against the notch in the back of the mech hanger. I would like it to go further round. Im tired now so will try to get it sorted in the morning. Just wanted to get it done and post some pics cos i like it. Isnt that whats important?

Andy B

The chain tensioner should push the chain upwards IIRC

nicklouse

chrisga
you should be able to lose a lot of links.

basically without the tensioner fit the chain as short as you can. then add the tensioner to take up the slack.

Or have alook at fitting a half link in then you "may" not need a tensioner.

If the chain line is straight you are fine if it is not you will hear it.
hear is a pic for ref.



but with a standard chain line at the front the 5th is the right place.

But the main thing is enjoy.

The Northern Monkey

you can tension down, done it on my Surge and its fine. not always possible to tension up properly as i found!

batch78

I don't think he gives a shit!

Fair play if it works well as a hack, do be careful though of a repaired carbon frame.

Slightly crazy colour scheme as you say, but if I'd not been so fussy I'd have got my old GT running as a hack for less than double what you've paid! :oops:

AndyB is that the same device? Guides are opposite sides from photos, this of course proves nothing, singlespeed is not my thing.

PLEASE CHANGE THE RED STEM it hurts me. And change the red xc pro for a blue one, if your in Surrey you can pop round to do that!

chrisga

Hi thanks everyone, and Nick I have shortened the chain now. Have had to bodge the chain tensioner a bit as it wouldnt move round far enough (because of a little prong thingy on the back of it). Mine cant be the same as the one in the pic, though I like how that works better than mine. The spring would be the wrong way round for mine to pull up instead of down.
Sorry about the dodgy colours but like I say I was trying to do it as cheaply as possible. Eventually perhaps the red will vanish altogether (can you tell my other bike is red). Who knows.
Anyway need to get out and ride it now.

tlw1

As mentioned on pistonheads - your bike looks great! Let us know how it rides

chrisga

Hi to a fellow ph'er. Thanks Matt, will do.