Building my own disc bike

markyone

As per title i am looking at building my own disc bike,i have a disc frame in mind but i am not sure about things like rotors ,
calipers etc.
I have built plenty of rim brake bikes and know what different parts i need for disc.
What sort of rotors will i need for shimano and what size?also things like wheels and axle lenghts,setting up of brakes etc.
Thanks in advanced

imposter2.0

You haven't offered much info in the way of spec, but rotors will depend on hub choice, so either 6-bolt or centre lock. Disk dia depends on the frame or caliper spec. If the frame uses thru axles, these will (should) come with the frame and will affect which type of hub you need to select.

thistle_

Do all road frames use flat mount now for attaching the calipers or do some still use post mount? (or IS)
Are you going for hydraulic or cable brakes?

There's some info here under "compatibility":
http://www.bikeradar.com/road/gear/arti ... dar-45859/

ugo.santalucia

your frame will be the decider as for which size discs... it's either 140 or 160 mm, it can't be both. Your frame will also dictate whether you need normal calipers (for IS and post mounts) or flat mount ones
I would stick to Shimano centrelock, their Freeza rotors are one notch above the competitors. Full hydraulic is almost a must these days, as the alternative are not better than rim brakes, likely worse.

markyone

thistle (MBNW) wrote:

Do all road frames use flat mount now for attaching the calipers or do some still use post mount? (or IS)
Are you going for hydraulic or cable brakes?

There's some info here under "compatibility":
http://www.bikeradar.com/road/gear/arti ... dar-45859/

Hydraulic brakes

meanredspider

ugo.santalucia wrote:

it's either 140 or 160 mm, it can't be both.

I'm not sure what you mean by this, Ugo. It's very common for road bikes (and the OP doesn't say if he's building a road/CX/gravel/adventure bike) to have 160mm up front and 140mm at the rear (i.e. "Both" on the bike but not "either" in any one position - that said, there are adaptors to go 140->160 ). And that would be a strong recommendation from me: for a tarmac road bike 160/140 F/R and a loose surface bike 160/160. If you match rotors on a tarmac bike, it's much easier to snatch/lock a rear rear unintentionally.

timothyw

ugo.santalucia wrote:

your frame will be the decider as for which size discs... it's either 140 or 160 mm, it can't be both.

That's not entirely true, quite a few bikes have 160mm front 140mm back as stock.

By the sounds of it the OP has already chosen a frame which will greatly influence what he can use with it - I'd be very wary of buying a post mount frame nowadays as you pay a hefty premium to get post mount hydraulics, whereas flat mount are almost becoming reasonable cost-wise, plus you can adapt from flat to post mount, but not the other way round.

Which frame are you looking at Markyone?

ugo.santalucia

What I mean, bunch of moaners, is that if a mount is designed for 140, it will not take 160, unless some kind of adapter is used. Of course one can have a fork for 160 and a frame for 140, as well as 140/140 or 160/160...
These information need to be gathered from the frame manufacturer and double checked, as often manufacturers change their specs year on year, but not the info available online.

Some retailers are not even quite sure what they are actually selling

fenix

I'd have a look at what they build the frame up to as standard - that will guide you.

meanredspider

ugo.santalucia wrote:

What I mean, bunch of moaners, is that if a mount is designed for 140, it will not take 160, unless some kind of adapter is used.

markyone

TimothyW wrote:

ugo.santalucia wrote:

your frame will be the decider as for which size discs... it's either 140 or 160 mm, it can't be both.

That's not entirely true, quite a few bikes have 160mm front 140mm back as stock.

By the sounds of it the OP has already chosen a frame which will greatly influence what he can use with it - I'd be very wary of buying a post mount frame nowadays as you pay a hefty premium to get post mount hydraulics, whereas flat mount are almost becoming reasonable cost-wise, plus you can adapt from flat to post mount, but not the other way round.

Which frame are you looking at Markyone?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Storck-Scener ... Ciid%253A1
Whats this frame?flat or post mount ? just trying to get my head around things :oops:

markyone

just checked that frame out and i think its post mount,i also have my eye on the canyon and that looks like a flat mount
https://www.canyon.com/en-gb/road/ultim ... sc-me.html

markyone

This is another frame which i might consider great bargain i think, so its one of the 3 any input would be great.
https://www.merlincycles.com/eddy-merck ... 02495.html

timothyw

I'd get the Merckx. I mean, I might have already got it if I had that sort of money....

But yeah, it has flat mount which means cheaper hydraulic brakes than the first one, and it's coming from a UK based and established retailer with a strong reputation.

Canyon's main rep is for taking months to deliver what you order, although it might be different with that if they have it in stock.

Plus, y'know, it has Eddy's name on it.

veronese68

The Storck is post mount, the other two flat mount. You can fit post mount calipers to a flat mount frame with adaptors, but I don't think you can fit flat mount calipers to a post mount frame. I think they are all through axle, hard to be sure with the picture of the Merckx. So you need to make sure the hubs are suitable. There seem to be more options of hubs for 6 bolt fixing, discs will need to match the hubs although you can get adaptors to fit 6 bolt to a centre lock hub.

ugo.santalucia

Veronese68 wrote:

There seem to be more options of hubs for 6 bolt fixing, discs will need to match the hubs although you can get adaptors to fit 6 bolt to a centre lock hub.

Yes, but now you can get Hope in Centrelock, why would you want anything else? I was at the National 400 AUK over the weekend... never seen so many Hope hubs in a single day (and dynamo hubs, in fairness). I was gland to blend in nicely

joncomelately

ugo.santalucia wrote:

Yes, but now you can get Hope in Centrelock, why would you want anything else?

Because I already have a mortgage (which is considerably less than the nursery fees).

You are right tho, I don't want anything else. Sadly, the Stones were spot on tho.

ugo.santalucia

Joncomelately wrote:

ugo.santalucia wrote:

Yes, but now you can get Hope in Centrelock, why would you want anything else?

Because I already have a mortgage (which is considerably less than the nursery fees).

You are right tho, I don't want anything else. Sadly, the Stones were spot on tho.

The OP wants to build a bike from components, it's going to cost money no matter what, no point in scrimping

As for you, I suggest you get one of those trained labrador dogs, trained to look after kids. It'll save you a fortune.

Alternatively consider a cage with water and food dispensers

joncomelately

ugo.santalucia wrote:

Alternatively consider a cage with water and food dispensers

Yeah, the wife got a bit angry when she got back and found that. Apparently our children have to be free range. I wasn't aware we were going to sell them for meat, but hey.

ugo.santalucia

Joncomelately wrote:

ugo.santalucia wrote:

Alternatively consider a cage with water and food dispensers

Yeah, the wife got a bit angry when she got back and found that. Apparently our children have to be free range. I wasn't aware we were going to sell them for meat, but hey.

Its fine, they can stay in cages for a few hours a day, as long as they can roam free the rest of the day

Here's the manual you were looking for

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/s ... 020130.pdf

joncomelately

DEFRA wrote:

Lighting should be designed and installed to give an even light distribution and should incorporate some means of adjusting light intensity to control aggressive pecking, should this begin to occur.

Thanks for the tips Ugo, I'm definitely going to try shining a torch on the two of them if they kick off.

markyone

ugo your a wheel specialist what do you think of these?
https://www.merlincycles.com/hope-20fiv ... 95181.html

straight pull or j bend? :?

ugo.santalucia

markyone wrote:

ugo your a wheel specialist what do you think of these?
https://www.merlincycles.com/hope-20fiv ... 95181.html

straight pull or j bend? :?

Hope builds used to be hit and miss. A good and honest builder should be able to build you Hope on the new Open PRO disc rims (when they are out in a month or two) for just over 400 quid... otherwise DT Swiss 460 disc for less

N0bodyOfTheGoat

Apparently, Cube sell their road bike frames as separates, the Attain GTC Pro Disc is ~301 Euros (~£265) at https://www.bike-discount.de/en/buy/cub ... wg_id-5193

http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/WPFURSPOD/ ... r-wheelset for £160 look very similar to the Racing77s that came with my off-the-peg version, but it might be worth waiting to see if there is a wheely wheely good deal when PX's alphabet sale reaches "W" very soon

ugo.santalucia

NitrousOxide wrote:

Apparently, Cube sell their road bike frames as separates, the Attain GTC Pro Disc is ~301 Euros (~£265) at https://www.bike-discount.de/en/buy/cub ... wg_id-5193

http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/WPFURSPOD/ ... r-wheelset for £160 look very similar to the Racing77s that came with my off-the-peg version, but it might be worth waiting to see if there is a wheely wheely good deal when PX's alphabet sale reaches "W" very soon

The price of the Cube is increbibly attractive... a decent disc fork will be another 300 quid or so. Surprised they don't sell them as a combo... you'll never find a fork that matches the paint of the frame

tim_wand

A good and honest builder should be able to build you Hope on the new Open PRO disc rims (when they are out in a month or two) for just over 400 quid...

Ugo? Would you go this route ( Silly Question I know ) Rather than say some Hunt Aero Disc. I m looking to get something a little lighter for my GF Ti disc. ( Currently Kinesis CXD )

Any news if the Mavic Open Pro disc rims will be Tubeless out the Bag. I take it the Hope hubs can be Six bolt or Centre lock and available in lots of Spanky colours?

ugo.santalucia

tim wand wrote:

A good and honest builder should be able to build you Hope on the new Open PRO disc rims (when they are out in a month or two) for just over 400 quid...

Ugo? Would you go this route ( Silly Question I know ) Rather than say some Hunt Aero Disc. I m looking to get something a little lighter for my GF Ti disc. ( Currently Kinesis CXD )

Any news if the Mavic Open Pro disc rims will be Tubeless out the Bag. I take it the Hope hubs can be Six bolt or Centre lock and available in lots of Spanky colours?

HUnt wheels seem well built, but the price is nothing special and you don't know much about the hubs, which we can safely assume being some kind of Taiwanese job. It's a well assembled bunch of essentially cheap components, which you perceive as a premium product in light of some tasteful graphics and a bit of clever advertising. If someone offered you Sun rims on Bitex hubs with Pillar spokes at the same price, you would think they are cheap wheels.... except they are probably the same thing.

90% of wheels woes come from the hubs... if you can afford the best hubs made in England, with complete availability of spares for the years to come, it seems a no brainer to go that route.
Open PRO UST will need tubeless tape, as it's got holes, but once that is fitted, it should be awesome, especially so if paired with the Mavic tyres, but it should be fine with any tubeless tyre.

tim_wand

ugo.santalucia wrote:

tim wand wrote:

A good and honest builder should be able to build you Hope on the new Open PRO disc rims (when they are out in a month or two) for just over 400 quid...

Ugo? Would you go this route ( Silly Question I know ) Rather than say some Hunt Aero Disc. I m looking to get something a little lighter for my GF Ti disc. ( Currently Kinesis CXD )

Any news if the Mavic Open Pro disc rims will be Tubeless out the Bag. I take it the Hope hubs can be Six bolt or Centre lock and available in lots of Spanky colours?

HUnt wheels seem well built, but the price is nothing special and you don't know much about the hubs, which we can safely assume being some kind of Taiwanese job. It's a well assembled bunch of essentially cheap components, which you perceive as a premium product in light of some tasteful graphics and a bit of clever advertising. If someone offered you Sun rims on Bitex hubs with Pillar spokes at the same price, you would think they are cheap wheels.... except they are probably the same thing.

90% of wheels woes come from the hubs... if you can afford the best hubs made in England, with complete availability of spares for the years to come, it seems a no brainer to go that route.
Open PRO UST will need tubeless tape, as it's got holes, but once that is fitted, it should be awesome, especially so if paired with the Mavic tyres, but it should be fine with any tubeless tyre.

Cheers , I ll revisit this with you once the Rims are generally available

pilot_pete

Another vote for Hope hubs here. I have three bikes with them now and they are truly awesome. Last build was a Shimano hydraulic disc bike and at the time Hope didn't do centre lock hubs, so 6 bolt rotors, which work fine. However, as Ugo says, now Hope do a centre lock hub why would you go any other route? Couple them to Freeza rotors and you will have a top combination...

PP

Nick Payne

ugo.santalucia wrote:

What I mean, bunch of moaners, is that if a mount is designed for 140, it will not take 160, unless some kind of adapter is used.

The SRAM Force flat mount disc calipers that I recently fitted to a bike could cope with 20mm different rotor sizes both front and rear. On the front, the caliper bolts to a plate that bolts to the flat mount on the fork, and by flipping the plate 180 degrees the caliper height changes by 20mm. On the rear, the brakes come with a spacer for the caliper if you want to use a 20mm larger rotor than the frame design.

ugo.santalucia

Nick Payne wrote:

ugo.santalucia wrote:

What I mean, bunch of moaners, is that if a mount is designed for 140, it will not take 160, unless some kind of adapter is used.

The SRAM Force flat mount disc calipers that I recently fitted to a bike could cope with 20mm different rotor sizes both front and rear. On the front, the caliper bolts to a plate that bolts to the flat mount on the fork, and by flipping the plate 180 degrees the caliper height changes by 20mm. On the rear, the brakes come with a spacer for the caliper if you want to use a 20mm larger rotor than the frame design.

It's just an adaptor... might be a clever adaptor, but it's an adaptor