Another WIP - Cove Handjob (Update 24/09)

davidnrwd

So the Cove Handjob won the day for me.

After tests and thinking about it for 2/3 months I have took the plunge.

Cove Handjob 19.5 inch frame, 2008 from the Bay (bargain price)



Cane Creek S3 Headset...



Coming tomorrow..

FSA K-Force 2009 Seat-post, 27.2mm / 350mm / 25mm setback (CRC Bargain 60% off)

FSA K-Force XC 2009 Riser Bars, 31.8mm (Another CRC bargain 50% off)

Coming either tomorrow or Wednesday

SRAM X-9 Trigger Shifters 2009

Spec so far :

Frame : Cove Handjob
Rear Der: SRAM X-9
Front Der: Shimano XT M770
Shifters: SRAM X-9 Trigger
Crankset: Shimano SLX M660 Triple
Chain: KMC X-9 SL
Bars: FSA K-Force
Stem: Thomson Elite X4
Headset: Cane Creek S3
Brakes: Avid Elixir CR (185mm front / 160mm rear)
Cassette: Shimano XT M770
Pedals: Wellgo MG1
Saddle: WTB Speed V Comp
Post: FSA K-Force
Clamp: Spank Tweet Tweet (How hard is it to find a decent 29.8mm clamp :shock: )
Grips: Sunline Logo Lock On
Rims / Hubs: DT Swiss EX 5.1d / Hope Pro II hubs
Forks: Struggling with this one will need to think more about them...

Obviously, like everyone else, it will be as budget dictates..

(Will update tomorrow when more things SHOULD arrive)

ujack67

that's gonna be one sweet ride Dave!

ilovedirt

sweet, are you going for a sort of hardcore hardtail or more XC oriented?

And 185mm rear and 160mm front rotors???? bit odd...

davidnrwd

ilovedirt wrote:

sweet, are you going for a sort of hardcore hardtail or more XC oriented?

And 185mm rear and 160mm front rotors???? bit odd...

Sorry should be the other way about... :oops:

Sorted now... :roll:

ilovedirt

haha, that confused me a little :P

Steve_b77

Looks like a nice build.

Personally I'd go for a Reba on the front at about 115/120mm of travel, suits the bike down to the ground, plenty of hit absorbtion with the bonus of being nice and light

SuperCove

Great choice of frame there... I bought one and have never looked back!!!

I run mine with a 100mm fork on it though, I prefer it that way....

davidnrwd

Cheers for the comments guys, I just think the cove suited me better and where else will you get a bottle opener on a bike

Rockshox was/is probably my number one choice for the build as they suit it so well, plus they are crackin forks, which is even more handier than the looks...

Couple more things arrived today...

FSA K-Force Carbon seat-post..



FSA K-Force XC Riser Carbon handlebars...

lawman

not sure fsa k force is good after a mate snapped his seatpost in half at the weekend, could have been nasty, still will look great on the cove

ride_whenever

if i were you i'd go for 160mm rotors front and rear with the avid elixirs, just trust me when i say 160mm is ample. I weigh 95kg and I struggle not to endo with one finger on 160mm rotors!

davidnrwd

ride_whenever wrote:

if i were you i'd go for 160mm rotors front and rear with the avid elixirs, just trust me when i say 160mm is ample. I weigh 95kg and I struggle not to endo with one finger on 160mm rotors!

OK will think that one through again, although Merlin do have a great deal on their site with the 185mm front rotors..

As for the seat-post, only time will tell I suppose..

Just ordered tonight, (The missus is going to go apesh*t)

Shimano XT M770 front derailleur

SRAM X-9 rear derailleur

Wellgo MG1 Black pedals

Shimano XT M770 Cassette / 11-34

All from Merlin Cycles.

Also bidding on a Thomson X4 stem, so will see how that goes...

Just a few more things to go, although they will have to wait for the pennies to come through the door first, hurry up payday :twisted:

OH and the spank tweet tweet clamp in red...

davidnrwd

HOHOHO

Make that a Thomson Elite X4 100mm / 10 degree rise added to the pile now....

APESH*T I SAY, SHE WILL GO APESH*T

ilovedirt

I hope you like the tough love!

davidnrwd

ilovedirt wrote:

I hope you like the tough love!

It will be more than tough love, I will be singing soprano from now on when all this gear get's delivered

She was shocked when the frame turned up to say the least, thought it was a whole bike :shock: ........

Only the big things to order now, rims, forks, brakes and crankset oh and new decals for it, the ones on the frame are a tad tatty...

I also must say Merlin have got some crackin deals goin on at the moment too...

ilovedirt

yeah chain reaction have some really good deals on stuff right now too, particularly the juicy 3's

ride_whenever

rims: stans flow
forks: revelations or fox 32 talas
brakes: you know my opinion
cranks: slx, xt or deus cranks in white...

davidnrwd

Just in from work, well alright been in an hour and half and received these today...







SRAM X-9 Trigger shifters...

You gotta love it, well my missus doesn't...

davidnrwd

Spank Tweet Tweet seatpost clamp 29.8mm arrived today.

davidnrwd

Does anyone know how long it takes for stuff to get delivered from Merlin??

Do they use 2nd class recorded delivery or 1st, still not here yet and they sent it last Wednesday...

BlackSpur

davidnrwd wrote:

Does anyone know how long it takes for stuff to get delivered from Merlin??

Do they use 2nd class recorded delivery or 1st, still not here yet and they sent it last Wednesday...

What have you ordered? Normally they are next day

davidnrwd

BlackSpur wrote:

What have you ordered? Normally they are next day

Well that doesn't sound too good, I ordered the stuff in posts above, came to £150+, so was expecting it before this.. OH well sounds like they will be getting contacted tomorrow then... :roll:

Thanks

BlackSpur

Well if you ordered the wheels from them, they take a few days to get built. They might be holding the rest of the order to send out with the wheels.

davidnrwd

BlackSpur wrote:

Well if you ordered the wheels from them, they take a few days to get built. They might be holding the rest of the order to send out with the wheels.

Nope, just front, rear derailleurs, pedals and cassette..

As I say, looks like a phone call is in order, it has been shipped I just want to make sure who sorts it with Royal Fail, me or them...

Cheers.

yandam

merlin are good but not as quick as say CRC, Ive got used to things turning up next day, I reckon merlin just spend more time down the pub. However if its last Wednesday definitely give them a call, my mate just had a minor skirmish with them over a shifter, it got worked out in the end. I'm not merlin bashing, just give them a call.

davidnrwd

yandam wrote:

merlin are good but not as quick as say CRC, Ive got used to things turning up next day, I reckon merlin just spend more time down the pub. However if its last Wednesday definitely give them a call, my mate just had a minor skirmish with them over a shifter, it got worked out in the end. I'm not merlin bashing, just give them a call.

Contacted them today and they told me to get in contact with my local delivery office and if they don't have the parcel they will send the stuff out again and claim Royal Mail.

Having done so, they, the local delivery office, told me that they have been on strike for the last 3 to 4 days (West of Scotland) and just started back today.. :shock:

So hopefully over the next few days when they clear the backlog they should be delivering the shiny new bits. (Said with some trepidation)

rottitera02

Cool choice bud, by the time it's built up you will have a grin so big it won't go away for ages. (like i did when i built my stiffee)

Build it yourself = Satisfaction Guaranteed.

Keep up the pics as you build it, am sure everyone who's posted here will want to see as well as me the build up, it's always more interesting watching a build that produces a unique bike with many combinations of kit used to find that special ride. 8)

davidnrwd

So after nearly a week, they send a card saying they tried to deliver last Thursday, when they were on strike :shock: :roll: , so it is sitting at my local delivery office.

Get it tomorrow.

davidnrwd

Got the gear today.

Merlin were superfast sending it out, so wasn't their fault.

Next up will probably be the brakes - Merlin again doing a crackin deal on Avid Elixir CR Carbon, roll on pay day.



Black Mag MG1's



Shimano XT M770 Cassette



SRAM X-9 Rear Derailleur





Shimano XT M770 Front Derailleur

jay12

nice. those brakes your looking at are very nice as well.
so far so good with the build.
are you going for a stealth look?

davidnrwd

jay12 wrote:

nice. those brakes your looking at are very nice as well.
so far so good with the build.
are you going for a stealth look?

Yeah, with slight hints of red around.

The Avid brakes will have it, the spank tweet tweet clamp and the hubs will do to.

Hopefully as well as performing well it looks the dogs too, even when it's dduuurrttyyy.. :twisted:

jay12

cool. loving it so far. what forks are you thinking of getting?