Almost Back to Hardcore - DMR Ex[alt]

Proutster

At last it's finished!!

At the beginning of the build I tried to buy as many second-hand parts as I could, but that kind of died away when I was buying the finishing kit!!

It all started with an Ebay special in February - £73.25 including postage:

I stripped the frame (unnecessarily as I found out):

And then had it and the cranks, that were originally on my Giant Trance X4, powder-coated by Triple S in Bingley:

Decals were, very kindly, supplied in exchange for a couple of big bags of Haribo by Joel Payne at Upgrade Bikes – I have to admit I was very nervous about putting these on, I didn't want to get it wrong:

Then the build started and was finished tonight:






I'm really pleased with the result and can't wait to get it dirty this weekend, hopefully on the Macclesfield Forest Downhill.

Frame: DMR Ex[alt] 16”
Forks: Marzocchi Drop Off Triples (170mm travel)
Bars: Kore Torsion (800mm)
Stem: Marzocchi Integrated 4-Bolt Stem
Headset: FSA DH Pig Pro
Grips: Superstar

Front Brakes: Avid Juicy 3
Front disc: 203mm
Rear Brakes: Avid Juicy 3
Rear Disc: 203mm

Shifters: Shimano Deore
Front Mech: Shimano
Rear Mech: Shimano Deore
Chain Device: Dartmoor Bikes Simple Chain Device fitted with Blackspire Stinger Dual Roller

Seat: DDG Super Strad DH Sofa Saddle
Seat Post: DMR Kalloy
Seat Post Clamp: Hope

Drive-train – transferred from my Giant Trance X4
Cranks: Shimano Alivio – powder-coated white
Chainring(s): Shimano Alivio 22/38
Cassette: Shimano Alivio 11/34
Pedals: Wellgo V8 Copies
Bashguard: Shimano Saint
Bottom Bracket: Shimano BB-ES 25

Wheels: Alex Rims with unknown hubs
Front Tyre: Maxxis Highroller DPC Supertacky 42a 2.5”
Back Tyre: Maxxis Highroller DPC Maxxpro 60a 2.35”

Weight: 39.6lbs (17.7Kgs)

Other info: Total Cost to build = £869.22 (and that's with a “free” drivetrain after swapping the bits from my Trance X4 – the SLX kit for the Trance cost me £210!!)

bluechair84

your bike is actually glowing... as if it just descended from heaven. But we know it can't have done cos it's a HT

Looks mint

CraigXXL

Nice transformation, very nicely done. Didn't expect it to weigh so much until I'd seen that saddle.

Proutster

CraigXXL wrote:

Didn't expect it to weigh so much until I'd seen that saddle.

Agreed!!

It does weigh 0.5Kg, so it may have to go - but I shouldn't really be sat down too much anyway. Perhaps that an even better reason for getting a lighter one!!

Proutster

So it didn't get enough use as a Downhill Bike (after the NW Champs I'm too scared!!) and now it's converted to the winter bike!!




Changes are to swap the Marzocchi Drop Offs Triple Clamps for the Rockshox Tora XC's from my Trance, take off the DH wheels & Tyres and then the (crap) saddle. It's now in mud tyre mode, with a Maxxis Swampthing 2.35" Supertacky on the front & a Bontrager Mud X 2.0" on the back (converted to ghetto tubeless, running at 25psi, so that I can get a bit more comfort).

The front wheel is a Superstars AM-490 (to replace the original Trance front wheel that I trashed on the descent down to the Ladybower Inn and the rear is the WTB Speed Disc (again from the Trance). I think it needs a white rear wheel to match?

Am really impressed with the Charge Spoon, I thought it'd be really tough to keep it clean but washed it today after Thursday night's (very muddy) ride and it came up spotless.

I need to get a longer seatpost as the current 350mm one isn't long enough for my legs on the uphills.

These few changes have taken 5lbs off the weight & it's now down to 34.8lbs - even though it's still a good few pounds heavier than the Trance it felt pretty good on the night ride on Thursday - OK uphill & still solid on the downs.

ilovedirt

Looks much better like that mate
those dropoffs are awful forks, should make a nice little trail thrasher with those toras

buzz1

looks a lot better, well done.

Proutster

ilovedirt wrote:

Looks much better like that mate
those dropoffs are awful forks, should make a nice little trail thrasher with those toras

buzz1 wrote:

Looks a lot better, well done.

Thanks guys, I agree it looks better + it feels a lot more "chuckable" but still solid enough to plough through the baby's head rocks (that we get up here) if it needs to.

I'll be out on it again on night rides a couple of times this week, now to learn how to manual & wheelie the little thing

Ollie85

HI mate, lovely looking bike you have there,do you find the frame size ok for normal xc stuff aswell? im looking for a smallish chuckable frame,that can also crank up a few miles on normal xc terrain without breaking my back, im just over 6ft .
I'd be interested in your views.

Proutster

Ollie85 wrote:

HI mate, lovely looking bike you have there,do you find the frame size ok for normal xc stuff aswell? im looking for a smallish chuckable frame,that can also crank up a few miles on normal xc terrain without breaking my back, im just over 6ft .
I'd be interested in your views.

Thanks mate

I'm just under 6ft and yes, the frame does seem tiny when compared to my Trance X4 but it's fine when riding it.

The only thing I need (ordered yesterday) is a 400mm seatpost as the 350mm currently on there doesn't quite give the right height for my legs on the uphills.

That said, last night's ride in Macc Forest was 1300ft of climbing in 8 miles - the first 2 miles being a solid climb from 950ft to 1750ft - and my legs seem OK today.

With the seat down it is superb on the descents, as I can really move around on the bike to compensate for my lack of skill and ability to steer it where I actually want to go!!

Had a slightly hairy moment last time going down a flight of steps in the forest (cheeky route) but was able to really lean the bike under me and correct the crap steering :oops:

I've also found that running the Mud X back tyre at 25psi really adds some comfort to the hardtail and, even with the rocks that we have up here, there's been no signs of pinches because of the ghetto tubeless set-up (which popped into place and has sealed perfectly first-time by the way).

jay12

looks pretty cool in the non-hardcore version.

btw how is the paintjob holding up? would you reccomend triple s?

Proutster

jay12 wrote:

looks pretty cool in the non-hardcore version.

btw how is the paintjob holding up? would you reccomend triple s?

Cheers mate!!

The paint is holding up brilliantly - no chips what-so-ever - but then I did cover virtually the whole frame in helicopter tape!!

Yes, I'd definitely recommend Triple S - did a great job and were quick - noit cheap though, but you get what you pay for.

Proutster

So the Toras from my Trance didn't really suit the bike - with 120mm on the descents it felt too steep - so got myself a 2nd hand set of Magura Wotans.

What a stiff set of forks, feels superb on the rocky stuff now. Managed to bodge up a remote so that I can adjust them from 120mm for the climbs to the full 160mm for the downs - avoided the £50 that was wanted for the pukka Magura remote kit.

bluechair84

Best build so far me thinks - and still glowing which is nice!

1mancity2

Looks really good,

jay12 wrote:

looks pretty cool in the non-hardcore version.

btw how is the paintjob holding up? would you reccomend triple s?

Triple S are a quality outfit Jay,

in the coating game your good or bad no middle ground............

Proutster

bluechair84 wrote:

Best build so far me thinks - and still glowing which is nice!

1mancity2 wrote:

Looks really good,

Thanks guys, the glowing is due to the brilliant finish from Triple S!!

Just need to get a back wheel to match the front (Superstar here I come) and a 10mm QR for it and it's done.

Can't wait for the summer so that I can get a bigger (non mud) tyre on the back to give me a bit more cushioning. I really notice how bumpy the back end is over the rocks at the moment when compared to my Trance!

Proutster

Here it is in it's finished state, not doing anything else to it!

White brake lines, new SLX rear mech, original white wheels back on with High Roller DH tyres, back to 203mm discs front and rear.

bluechair84

We know you don't ride this bike. You just polish it then put up new pictures with new parts! But it is a cracker.

Proutster

bluechair84 wrote:

We know you don't ride this bike. You just polish it then put up new pictures with new parts! But it is a cracker.

Damn - you've worked me out

If you were out around Hayfield 2 weeks ago you might have noticed the Chinook 'copter air-lifting this in and out, just so I could get a photo ready for any smart-pants out there

Zheka

Great result.

Proutster wrote:

I stripped the frame (unnecessarily as I found out)

Why unnecessarily?

bluechair84

Proutster wrote:

bluechair84 wrote:

We know you don't ride this bike. You just polish it then put up new pictures with new parts! But it is a cracker.

Damn - you've worked me out

If you were out around Hayfield 2 weeks ago you might have noticed the Chinook 'copter air-lifting this in and out, just so I could get a photo ready for any smart-pants out there

Ah see now, if you hadn't have told me the truth I'd have thought it was a 'shopped photo. Being as bright and shiney as it is just makes it look so out of place in that slightly washed out picture

Proutster

bluechair84 wrote:

Ah see now, if you hadn't have told me the truth I'd have thought it was a 'shopped photo. Being as bright and shiney as it is just makes it look so out of place in that slightly washed out picture

Tis grim oop North tha knows!