First SUS - XC FSR Project

Hacker60

Hello Forum,

This is my first Full Sus and was given to me to pay off some work I'd done for someone,
which I thought was a fair trade, I already have a Scott Scale 60 Hardtail, mainly stock bike.

The Spesh XC FSR was a 2006 I think, got it standard and it seemed pretty good, but I was
already looking at Sussers anyway, but something like a Spicy, Yeti or Stumpjumper, but as they
were all around £2-3k mark I thought I'd see what this XC was like.

Long story short I started changing a few bit, and now I love my Spesh It's pretty light about 13.5
and it's just a howl to ride, does pretty much everything I've asked of it, from Road, Cross Country
and even some pretty hairy Jumpy Stuff. So spec and pic below, more pic to follow,

Frame: Standard,
Fork: Fox Talas RCL - 80-130mm
Shock: RP32 - 100m
Wheels: DT Swiss EX 5.10
Hubs: XT
Rubber: Maxxis Minnion Dual DH 2.35
Brakes: Juicy 7's - Carbon Levers
Shifters: XT
All XT Gearset
Pedals: Answer
Bars: Richy Carbon Rizer
Post: Reverb with remote
Saddle: Charge Spoon (the best)
Grips: ODI Troy Lee Lizzards

That's all I can think of, almost all bought from Bike Radar/E-Bay probably spent about £500 in upgrades
and for a bike that does everything I can't see why I need to spen £2-3k on a new one.

paulneenan76

I quite like what you've done, the spec is real nice, and I quite like the XC's, I ride with a guy who has a modded 2006 one and he really enjoys it. The black theme I'd carry through to grips, pedals, crank arms etc. Or a splash of bold red or blue - anything but white as those grips look nice for 5 minutes. And is 130mm travel ok on this frame? Probably fine but worth checking.

BTW, the spoon is a great saddle, great vale, but unless you've sat on lots, you can't say it's the best

And go for a ride on one of those £2-3k bikes and you might notice a slight difference in performance That's not to say you haven't created a cracking bike for a 3rd of the price, it's just some £2-3k bikes can be great value when you realise there capabilities.

Nice bike, bet she rides great.

Hacker60

Could be right about the "Spoon" but borrowed
A bike with one and now I've put one on my hardtail.
Lots of good stuff out there most people not using
Spoons, might try something else when it get tatty.

Those Talas 130mm are a bit long the standard XC came
With 100mm but from what I've read as I'm no pro by a long
way it gives me a 'slacker head' and slightly longer wheelbase
Which I think are both good things. All I know is the ride is better
and the front is so easy to lift, when needed. Some of the mods where
Just bargains, got two pairs of ODI grips for free, through a Cycle Surgery
Cock-up with my order, and got the Bars and Brakes in a silly e-bay bid.

Not what I'd call a fully planned build, more trail and error only started
MTB 16 months ago but addicted now. Dreaming of long summer days on the
trail

True a nice expensive bike would be a lot better as my 6-7 year old bike
Is a running some old kit now, but when I start looking at what I want
It's hard to not look at the next model up, and find the spare £2.5k
which I think is my top budget.