Dream Build: Santa Cruz Nomad C 650b

BloggingFit

I ordered the frame a few months ago with a view to collect and bring back with me when visiting NY in November. Being a little impatient and working out the shipping costs would be offset against not having to pay the sales tax I decided to have it shipped across instead and arrived Tuesday.



Only had time to have a good look at it yesterday and Managed to get a decent photo of it outside with a bit of sun. You can really see the quality of the construction and finish in the flesh with the photos not doing it justice.



As I'm treating this as a Dream Build I won't be rushing to get this up and running by throwing on components from my other bikes, as incredibly tempting it may be. Also with Winter approaching there is a little less of an incentive for me compare to say if we were in Spring time right now so I'm happy to wait and accumulate the parts I want over time.

Initial spec is looking like this with a few things still up in the air...

Frame: Santa Cruz Nomad C 650b Medium
Fork: Fox 36 Float Fit 170mm
Shock: Rockshox Monarch Debonair Plus RC3
Rims: Light Bicycle Carbon AM 35mm Hookless (on order)
Hubs: DTSwiss 240S, 20mm Front, 12/142mm Rear
Tyres: Bontrager XR4 2.35 Team Issue Tubeless
Headset: Chris King Inset (already purchased)
Stem: Yet to decide
Handlebar: RaceFace SIXC
Grips: ODI Handsolo
Crankset: RaceFace SIXC Cinch 36T
Rear Mech: Shimano XTR 11 Speed
Cassette: Shimano XTR 11 Speed
Chain: Shimano 11 Speed
Shifter: Shimano XTR 11 Speed
Brakes: Shimano XTR Trail, 180mm Rotors (possible Saint option)
Seatpost: Rockshox Reverb 125mm Drop
Saddle: Bontrager Evoke Carbon

That's pretty much it for now with the hold up being on availability of the XTR items. SRAM is an option but I prefer the feel of Shimano and the wait isn't an issue.

Stem is one item I literally have no idea on what to go for. I did have my Spank Spike from the Bird allocated but the blue graphic clashes so will try it out again on the Bird through Winter.

Brake wise I'm settled on XTR Trail although toying perhaps with Saint calipers like Rick has done but really the XTR's should be ample for me.

njee20

Great looking build, that'll be lovely!

I believe Slik Graphics will do pink DT 240 decals if you want to accentuate that a bit!

BloggingFit

njee20 wrote:

Great looking build, that'll be lovely!

I believe Slik Graphics will do pink DT 240 decals if you want to accentuate that a bit!

Thanks, I do hope so. Might catch it around Swinley next year if you're riding that way.

Will have to ask Silk about that. Was planning Cyan ones when thinking of going with the White 180 Hubs.

Dawesy92

As for your stem choice, get an enve carbon on it or a hope AM depends how weight weenie your being :P

njee20

Neither are weight weenie! The 100mm Enve has a claimed weight of 120g.

I'd probably go RF Turbine, match the cranks/bars.

You going Di2, or mechanical?

road_donut

That's going to look cracking pal

BloggingFit

njee20 wrote:

Neither are weight weenie! The 100mm Enve has a claimed weight of 120g.

I'd probably go RF Turbine, match the cranks/bars.

You going Di2, or mechanical?

I do keep looking at the Turbine. Not rally into the likes of Thompson, Renthal, Easton, etc.

Will be mechanical. I don't think a 1 x setup really warrants Di2 in the same way 2 x does. And the extra cost.

BloggingFit

road_donut wrote:

That's going to look cracking pal

Your Blur looks cracking.

road_donut

BloggingFit wrote:

road_donut wrote:

That's going to look cracking pal

Your Blur looks cracking.

Cheers dude

styxd

Did a child choose the colours?

BloggingFit

styxd wrote:

Did a child choose the colours?

I've been called worse.

Santa Cruz decided to save $$$ by getting pre schoolers to design their latest bikes.

lappymatt

I love the colour!

Gonna be a lovely bike.

styxd

BloggingFit wrote:

styxd wrote:

Did a child choose the colours?

I've been called worse.

Santa Cruz decided to save $$$ by getting pre schoolers to design their latest bikes.

BloggingFit

Not a great deal to update on at the moment as the last few weeks have been hectic but a few decisions have been made and shall be looking to get things rolling in.

I've decided to go with the 35mm Bar and Stem format and will match up the SIXC bar with an Atlas 50mm Lomb stem.

For brakes I'm settling on XTR Race having tried out a set of Saints and not liking the servo wave levers that would also come on the Trail. I'll pop a 203mm Rotor up front and keep 180mm on the rear.

Cranks I'm still debating arm length. My longer legs prefer 175mm while I'm sure the Nomad BB will prefer 170mm. My Remedy runs the same BB height but with more travel I imagine the Nomad to sit lower more often. I have 170mm on the Bird so as I'll be riding this more through Winter I will take a view on how my legs get on with these.

Rims were slightly delayed due to me finalising a few things and the Chinese have a week long public holiday so should see something in next month.

Tyres are also up for debate with Maxxis High Roller 2 or Minions as options.

I make a couple of small purchases in the meantime; grips while I needed to order up some chains and some decals from Slik for forks and hubs.

CitizenLee

This is shaping up to be something special! You and Rick will have to battle it out for the title of BikeRadar's nicest Nomad! Surprised no Pikes though, what made you go for the 36?

BloggingFit

The wheels will make or break the build which will become obvious once they arrive. They will be pretty close apart from rims and a few other component parts but equally as good as each other.

I wanted a 170mm travel for for this bike as really 160mm feels a bit wasted so that would automatically rule out the Pike making the 36 the obvious choice (for me). Also as good a trail fork the Pike is I don't feel it is entirely suited to the characteristics of the Nomad. It's more of a race bike feel to it needing a bit more to get it going and as such the 36 falls more into this category. The hope is this will force me a little of out the comfort zone and improve me as a rider - or I may run out of talent and stack it a bunch of times.

Got parts on the go now settling on 170mm cranks and Minion DHR and DHF tyre combo.

CitizenLee

That makes sense, and I guess the only other real 170mm option would be Lyrik RC2DH Solo Air.

BloggingFit

Or BOS which would be brilliant but be a nightmare if it broke.

CitizenLee

BloggingFit wrote:

Or BOS which would be brilliant but be a nightmare if it broke.

Aye! When buying the Mega I could have got a set of Devlilles with it, and I also had the option of another Mega frame with a Vip'R fitted, but passed on both due to lack of decent servicing options for BOS.

BloggingFit

I gave the YT Capra a serious look when considering options for this type of build as the value for money aspect is hard to ignore as were the positive reviews coming out. However I didn't like the colour of the Comp 1 and the BOS spec on the Pro put me off from a having to live with it perspective as I could just see it being a nightmare to warranty having to go via YT direct in Germany to chase BOS.

I considered ordering a Pro and selling the BOS parts and potentially the wheels but then by the time I swapped out a few other parts for personal preference it seems like a very expensive and long winded way to buy a frame, sell virtually all the parts and start over. The Nomad just made more sense.

Dawesy92

Looking forward to seeing this built!!

BloggingFit

Bontrager order arrived including the Evoke Carbon saddle which is super light but also comfortable.



Other bits and pieces should start to trickle in now over the next few weeks.

tatankainlondon

BloggingFit wrote:

How much are those? I could not find it on the website.

BloggingFit

They are £13 per set. Email them direct or add a custom credit amount of £13 to the shopping cart and in the comments section say you want DTSwiss 240S hub graphics but replace background with the custom colour.

Angus Young

BloggingFit wrote:

Bontrager order arrived including the Evoke Carbon saddle which is super light but also comfortable.



Other bits and pieces should start to trickle in now over the next few weeks.

That's a quality looking saddle.

BloggingFit

Top notch. Weighs in at 140g at the most and is comfortable. Running one for nearly a year on my Remedy and have been very durable. Best thing is I get them at a silly price.

It's now on the Bird so I need to get another one.

Angus Young

BloggingFit wrote:

Best thing is I get them at a silly price.

How much? How so?

BloggingFit

£40 from a friend at Trek

Angus Young

That's a handsome price. Looking forward to seeing this build.

BloggingFit

Collecting Rims from the depot this morning before I go to NY for a few days. I have a proper Fox rotor adapter to 203mm to collect while I'm out there from Sid's and maybe a bit of cheap clothing.

Dick Scruttock

Looking forward to seeing it built up :-D

I've just picked up my rotor adapter from my hotel out here in New York.

I'll miss you by a few days in New York, me and my girlfriend come out on the 1st.