Getting started again with biking

Goomless

Hi, I'm looking to get back into mountain bikes after a near 10 year break (I have ridden occasionally in that time but nothing serious). I'm wondering whether to build onto my old kit or just sell everything and start over. Currently I have a steel framed rock lobster hardtail (http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/ ... -853-10644 this frame, custom build) with a worn out set of Marzocchi air forks and a mix of xt/xtr and easton carbon parts but it's too small for me. I also have an unused (ridden once, on a borrowed set of forks) Marin Attack Trail frame (http://www.marin.co.uk/2007/bikedetail.php?ModNo=3735) which was a warranty replacement and has a Hope M4 (I think, it's a 'lightweight' Hope with 2 pistons...) disc brake on the back, XT drivetrain and no frontend.

So my questions:
Should I replace the forks on the Rock Lobster and keep it as a spare bike or is it worth anything to sell it as is (vintage bike cred!)? Should I just reuse what I can on a new bike and should I be scared of reusing 10 year old carbon bars?
Should I just rebuild the Marin? I'd need to buy forks, bars, stem, front brake, both wheels and tyres. Also it's a much heavier frame than I want ideally, I really only want to do XC stuff now.
Is the Marin frame/hope brake worth anything? Would I be better selling it off and getting something midrange to replace it?
I noticed a huge amount of 29" bikes for sale everywhere now, am I going to regret rebuilding a 7 year old frame on 26" wheels within 6 months of getting back into this sport?
I haven't given a budget as I haven't thought seriously enough about it yet, but let's say £2000 on a new bike. If my old stuff is still worth anything then add on to that.
If it makes any difference I'm in the Leeds area - I'm assuming Chevin and All Terrain are still good bike shops?

poah

I was in the same situation recently - I built up my new ghost asx using old and new parts

Frame Ghost ASX £300
Shock push tuned van RC£339
SLX Crank £100
Rear SLX brake £75
160mm ice tech disc £26
9sp sram X7 shifter, chain, cassette £27+10+15
New rear wheel XT custom build £95
DaBomb depthcharge reducer headset £40
jagwire mountain pro cables £24
Saibaocnc CNC Seatpost seat post £15
Da bomb seat clamp £15
PWB metal grips £10


the rest from my old bike so for just under £1100 I got a not badly spec'd bike. For 2K you could build a very good bike hardtail or FS with the parts you have

The Rookie

Mix and match the 2, use the Marin frame if it fits, service the forks, get it up and running and go from there, sell the Hope(less) brakes and get a matching pair, flog anything you don't need to fund it, simples.

See link in sig to my homebuilt lightweight Kraken.

poah

nothing wrong with hope M4 mono brakes - over priced yes hopeless no

The Rookie

OK, was joking, the point is that selling them he could get some used XT or similar for both ends....