Nomad build, anything i should be worried about?

aaron_saph

Hi guys just ordered my new bike finally, just wanted to see if anyone had anything simular to give me there thoughts on them. spec is below

cheers

Santa Cruz Nomad Carbon frame with DHX 5 Air (large)

Fox Talas 36 RC2 180mm Kashima 2011
Headset Chris King taper
Sram XX Chainset 2x10
Sram XX Shifters 2x10
Sram XX Rear Mech
Sram XX Front Mech
Sram XX Cassette
Sram Chain 1071
Rock shock reverb seat post
Hope m4 brakes braided red floating Front
hope m4 brakes braided red floating Rear
Thomson Elite X4 Stubby MTB Stem
Hope PRO 2 evo hubs red Front
Hope PRO 2 evo hubs red Rear
Rims Stans Flow rims x2
Race Face Six C 3/4 Riser Bar
Lizard Skin Peaty grips
Maxxis Highroller 2.35" X2
Stans Tubless solution
MRP XCG triple chain device

jay12

peaty grips: very comfy and last for ages, mine still look pretty much new after nearly a year of riding!

high roller tyres: very grippy and roll pretty well too

Hope pro2s: last ages, very smooth, easy to take apart and to convert, sound lovely too

sram chain: i haven;t got the same one but from my experiance with them, very durable and lasting

getonyourbike

KMC chain, that's all I'd change. KMCs are stronger and wear slower as well as being pimpy if you choose the right one.

aaron_saph

cheers, i hope it last a long time with the price of a replacemen cassette and chain lol. not find many reviews from people who have bought one. thanks for the info

an_original_name

the only things i would be changing on there are the brakes to formula the ones, the chain to a kmc, and the cassette to a good ol' XT. sure its heavier than an xx, but you wont have to sell one of the kids every time it needs replaced!

other than that it looks like it will be an awesome build! any idea of how much it will weigh?

getonyourbike

an_original_name wrote:

the only things i would be changing on there are the brakes to formula the ones, the chain to a kmc, and the cassette to a good ol' XT. sure its heavier than an xx, but you wont have to sell one of the kids every time it needs replaced!

other than that it looks like it will be an awesome build! any idea of how much it will weigh?

+1 for all of that

aaron_saph

think i will go with the xx at first and when i need to change it, a xt one will b going on. dont fancy folking out 400 notes each time for a new one and chain.

we was thinking around the 12-14 kg weight.

ilovedirt

anything i should be worried about?

Yeah, your wallet!!

aaron_saph

yeah thats the part i dont like to think about as i prob will crack up thinking about it. will be worth it thou

jay12

tbh i wouldn't have gone for xx on this sort of bike, but whatever works for you

aaron_saph

any reasons why?

yoohoo999

Isn't the biggest selling point for XX, over say XTR and XO, the weight saving?

I think the saving is something around £1 per gram.

That's a fair bit of wonga to save 400g over XTR etc, especially given that it's going on a fairly big hitting rig, rather than an XC whippet.

I would probably have saved the money, gone for XT/XTR/X0 and spent it on another part.

aaron_saph

well i have gone for as light as you can bike within reason for money and something that will hit the trails hard. like everything you pay for what you get i suppose. or should i say i hope hahaha

jay12

beasically xx is very xc orientated so don't be suprised if your break something, and it's very expensive when it's not even that much better than x0 or xtr, all it is, is a bit lighter as it's for xc race bikes.

aaron_saph

well trust me if it starts going wrong i wont be paying for that stuff again i will be using shimano slx haha. i was so close as well going for xo but for an extra couple of hundred quid went with xx.

yoohoo999

aaron_saph wrote:

well trust me if it starts going wrong i wont be paying for that stuff again i will be using shimano slx haha. i was so close as well going for xo but for an extra couple of hundred quid went with xx.

http://dirt.mpora.com/news/dirt-100-2011-sram-xo.html

might change your mind

aaron_saph

why you doin this to me????? hahaha its two late now anyway its all been ordered.

ichabod crane

It seems a bit pointless since you have already hit the order button, but really what everyone has said about the XX components they are not worth the extra cost over x.0 or xtr and are less orientated to the sort of bike you are building.

One thing I would recommend you do it get rid of the DHX Air it is an awful shock and for the quality of build you are putting together here you really need to do it justice with a Cane creek double barrel or Elka Stage 5.

yoohoo999

aaron_saph wrote:

why you doin this to me????? hahaha its two late now anyway its all been ordered.

Just curious, but why spend thousands on a build then come on asking for advice if there is anything "you should be worried about"? The horse has already bolted and all that jazz.

If you had said - "here is my new build, still to be delivered", we would all have said "that's awesome mate", which it is.

But you seemed to be asking for potential issues, so we gave them to you, and then you said it was too late anyway.

Whole exercise just seems a bit pointless.

Wouldn't it have been a bit better to do the research before dumping @£5k on your debit card?


Also, the point made above about the DHX Air 5.0 rings sort of true in my mind. It's definitely one of the worst shocks i've ever used (used on for 2010 on my Santa Cruz Bullit), but it is considerably lighter than the coil version.

Sticking a CCDB on would absolutely blow the Air away in terms of performance (you can't even begin to compare them), but it's about double the price with a ti spring compared to the AIr, and even with the ti spring it's not particularly light (mine weighs in at about 800g).

But your key driver behind this build seems to be weight, so why not go for an RP23? It's miles better than the Air 5.0 and lighter.

jay12

yoohoo999 wrote:

aaron_saph wrote:

why you doin this to me????? hahaha its two late now anyway its all been ordered.

Just curious, but why spend thousands on a build then come on asking for advice if there is anything "you should be worried about"? The horse has already bolted and all that jazz.

If you had said - "here is my new build, still to be delivered", we would all have said "that's awesome mate", which it is.

But you seemed to be asking for potential issues, so we gave them to you, and then you said it was too late anyway.

Whole exercise just seems a bit pointless.

Wouldn't it have been a bit better to do the research before dumping @£5k on your debit card?


Also, the point made above about the DHX Air 5.0 rings sort of true in my mind. It's definitely one of the worst shocks i've ever used (used on for 2010 on my Santa Cruz Bullit), but it is considerably lighter than the coil version.

Sticking a CCDB on would absolutely blow the Air away in terms of performance (you can't even begin to compare them), but it's about double the price with a ti spring compared to the AIr, and even with the ti spring it's not particularly light (mine weighs in at about 800g).

But your key driver behind this build seems to be weight, so why not go for an RP23? It's miles better than the Air 5.0 and lighter.

+so many potatos that a farm would struggle with them

yoohoo999

although, when all is said and done........that is a freaking awesome spec mate, there's no denying that.

We're just concerned for your wallet more than anything else!

Just make sure you get some pictures up here as soon as it all comes in so we can have a good perv :P

aaron_saph

to be honest i know its done and dusted but i spent hours and hours reading reviews etc to put a spec together. funny how the dhx shock has come up, this was the one which got excellent reviews everywhere but at least one person always said it was awful.

but to be honest you could read a review on anything and someone will always say its bad or this is wrong with it.

the main thing for me was to see and get some more reviews on parts so thanks alot guys. just want it now.

yoohoo999

yeah, reviews (like forum posts) are only one person's opinion.

it's an awesome spec mate, it really is, you're just going to have a little cry to yourself the first time you stack it

aaron_saph

i might not ride it, just keep in in doors haha.

the main reviews from pro riders etc are all very good. i know the dhx air had a few problems in the past butthe new 2011 version seems to have hit the nail on te head. sounds a great bit of kit. reckon it might take a while to set up as there is setting all over it.

yoohoo999

aaron_saph wrote:

i might not ride it, just keep in in doors haha.

the main reviews from pro riders etc are all very good. i know the dhx air had a few problems in the past butthe new 2011 version seems to have hit the nail on te head. sounds a great bit of kit. reckon it might take a while to set up as there is setting all over it.

yeah to be fair, I have heard (in a couple of reviews) the most recent incarnation is better than the past models.

I loved it at first, but then when I stuck a tuned coil back on I was quite surprised at the difference. There's actually not much weight difference between an DHX 5 Air and coil with ti spring.

The good thing is, rear suspension is an easily interchangeable part. You could do what I tend to do, ride the bike for a couple of months with the stock shock. Pick up a good deal on a different type of shock and then see how that rides for a bit.

If you prefer the stock one, just sell the newer shock on, you won't lose much (or anything) if you bought well. If you prefer the newer shock, then just sell on the stock one.

I've never had a problem selling on rear shocks.

I would recommend you give a CCDB a bash at some point though. It's widely regarded as the best coil shock available at the moment, and from my initial rides it certainly is out performing everything I've had to date (although, I reckon a good tune on a fox coil would be comparable, but lacks the ability to be tuned to suit the weeks riding ahead etc). It's pricey, but when you take the cost of a DHX 4, stick on a ti spring and a custom tune, it's almost the same price.

aaron_saph

thats it, i plan on having this bike for a number of years and will change parts along the way.

my friend has just got that rear shock on his alpine, said he loves it.

aaron_saph

haha the one thing i have forgot to order is a seat :shock:

any ideas??

yoohoo999

what have you used before?

really personal choice to be honest.

My preferences (and popular amongst others too) in ascending price order:

Charge Spoon
SDG Bel Air ti
Fizik Gobi

aaron_saph

to be honest the seat has never really bothered me and just used whatever come with the bike. this is my first custom build.

cheers will take a look at them

yoohoo999

aaron_saph wrote:

to be honest the seat has never really bothered me and just used whatever come with the bike. this is my first custom build.

cheers will take a look at them

If your bum gets on with most saddles, then the Spoon is really popular, it looks good and is really cheap.

If you want something more durable, the Bel Air is tough as old boots. It's got kevlar side patches, so if you crash a lot you won't destroy the saddle as easily.

For sleek and lightweight- the Gobi.

aaron_saph

i am after a funky seat if i am honest, dont suppose you know any good places to get one?