Carrera Kraken - reinvented - latest pics and spec added

The Rookie

Introducing my first proper MTB, built up from a Carrera Kraken that looked like it had been stored in a ditch -for 3 years - in fact the only thing Carrera is the frame!





Brief spec
Frame Carrera Kraken - stripped and resprayed in Ford Metallic purple
Crank arms Shimano Deore LX
Pedals Shimano M520 SPD (not in photo)
Chain wheels Trushift (large and middle ally, small is steel)
Front mech Deore LX
Front shifter SRAM X7
Rear shifter Deore
Rear mech Deore XT
Chain SRAM
Rear cassette 11-32 Suntour
Rear wheel Shimano M475 hub and Alex rim from a Rockhopper
Front wheel CHEAP (promax hub, no name rim!)
Tyres Michelin mountain dry
Brakes levers Cannondale
Brake callipers Shimano brm595
Front disc Hayes 203mm
Rear disc Avid 160mm
Saddle Charge spoon cro-mo
Seatpost Promax carbon
Forks RST Gila Air assist forks with adjustable compression
Stem DDG
ABR bars
Bikehut Grips

Cost me all in just £150, OK slight cheat as the pedals, saddle and seatpost I also use on my commuter, so aren't counted!

Simon

Flat-eric

nice looking bike there buddy, like the look with the new color.

Salsa

Looks like you don't have any bar end plugs, if that's correct you should seriously put some in.
Nice bike for so little money though.

chedabob

What are the RST forks like? They look like the forks you'd find on a £75 Reebok special

The Rookie

They are better forks than that, they are air sprung and oil damped (adjustable compression), seem OK, but haven't tried them out properly yet, will compare them to my Daughters Mazza's when I can.

Bar end plugs on way from ebay right now.

Simon

ilovedirt

Looks like a very decent bike for the money!!

Northwind

Very nice! People assume that because it's a cheap bike the frame will be rubbish but I had mine built back up as a rigid a while back and it was lovely...

The Rookie

I don't have money to throw at it and I certainly couldn't justify a lot of money until I see how well I get on with it, as its stands it owes me little and due to some judicious purchases I could probably sell (whole or split) for what it cost me, its easily better than a brand new Vulcan that would have cost me twice as much.

First upgrades will be forks and front wheel, brakes are heavy mechanicals but so far feel like they would stop a runaway house.

The Forks don't look sexy, but the crown is alloy (doesn't look it in the photo's I know) although the stantions are chromed steel, I have serviced them (while ago now) and all seems good, so I'll see how they behave when used in anger, the daughter has Mazzocchi's that retail new at circa £300 on her Scott so wil compare them and see how far 'off the pace' the RST's are, they only cost me £15 so were better than an RS Judy1 or a dirt1 which is about what I could have got from a 'recognised brand' for the same price.

Simon

Dubzy

Hey, you don't have to defend yourself regarding your budget and purchases - you buy what you can afford. Your bike looks great - I especially like the colour - inspired choice.

The Rookie

Thanks Dubzy, I really liked the colour, and maybe you get a bit touchy when you've effectively slected (for whatever reason) every single component on it!

Simon

2staffkids

hi guys, new on here today, bike looks worth a lot more, i`m all for the cheapy rebuild on a stupidly tight budget, i`m in the same boat mate, had my bike given me from a mate for doing a barra job, stripped it n gradually upgraded bits on it as i did other car barra jobs, may put some pics on soon if i can work out how to,,anyway,, mine has the same RST forks on aswell but cant get any adjustment on them, how do they come apart, dont wanna mangle the plastic adjustment caps trying to get them off

The Rookie

On both RST's I've stripped (these to service and the rusty ones that were on the frame) you undo the two bolts into the bottom of the forks about 5 tiurns, tap them with a hammer (lightly) to free the bottoms of the stantions from the legs then undo the bolts and the legs slide off easily, removing the slider bushes from the legs takes GREAT care or you'll ruin the location pegs.

Simon

2staffkids

brilliant mate, i`ll give it a go

woodnut

Great looking bike that.

Bill-87

Just shows what you can do on a budget, great looking bike. :P

The Rookie

Thanks....its always nice when others appreciate your efforts!

Simon

The Rookie

Well first outing today to the Leamington 4x track, didn't swap on my SPD pedals, big mistake as my SPD shoes kept slipping off (my trainers would have been a better bet), had an off eventually when my feet came right off the pedals and then as I landed on the saddle on a bump I got thrown over the bars and donated some skin and blood to the track!

Still bike all OK, didn't even scratch the paint, some M545's going on order now! (Merlin - £40)

Simon

butcher of bakersfield

For the money I think that looks a very nice machine.

The Rookie

Thanks very much, its taken a while on a tight budget, but really happy with the way its turned out, and just 24lb, so fairly light.

Simon

butcher of bakersfield

24lbs is nothing short of a miracle, if that's right. I do much prefer to see a budget build than a stock list of off the shelf parts. There's always much more inventiveness going on and interesting outcomes...

And maybe the fact that I spent my childhood fixing knackered old bikes with whatever I had lying around.

The Rookie

Yes not sure how it came out at 24lbs, but it has! (Bathroom scales so probably could be upto 25lbs I guess), still very happy with that.

Simon

Northwind

The frame is pretty light for 120mm, so that'll help. (when i replaced mine I was a bit surprised to find the frame weight, I'd always assumed it'd be fairly heavy for what it is. If I'd weighed it first I might not have bought that Scandal after all )

JoeyC84

I have a avalanche 3.0 2008 frame and I'm thinking about doing it up. It's amazing how you managed to put ure bike together for that price! Any chance you have the links of where you got most of your parts?

The Rookie

Well the bike has had a substantial update

new forks (Manitou Skareb Elite with SPV (which I'm still trying to optimise for XC versus the odd trail centre and also decending steps!), new stem (superstar) and bars (Ritchey WCS) also the right hand shifter has been changed to a SRAM rocket to be a visual match with the X7 LH shifter, saddle and seatpost now stay on it permanently as the commuter has new items and the wheels are now a matching pair of crossrides, finally it now sports a double and bash Truvative powerspline chainset - it also get muddy! I have now fitted some NOS Ritchey SPD's which I have to say I much prefer to the M520's on my commuter, they were cheaper as well!

Total cost of the project is now £525, although the bits actually on the bike only cost just over £400.

Simon