Sharing parts between frames - how much is too much?

mcj78
mcj78 Posts: 634
edited June 2013 in MTB workshop & tech
Hi all,

Recently picked up a bargain Santa Cruz Heckler frame onto which i've transplanted all the kit from my old Santa Cruz Chameleon, surprisingly without many issues - took about an hour with the exception of the gear cabling, as the housing routing was different so required different lengths, and a new chain was needed as the Heckler requires more length - so far so good - almost too easy...

I was thinking about rebuilding the old frame with some, ahem, "ebay bargains" however that would apparently take my bike total to an unacceptable number in the eyes of the other half & tbh i've run out of space in the big hall cupboard where I keep them, so I got to thinking about still keeping the old frame & simply swapping the parts over as & when the need ever arises - does anyone do this?

Obviously the mechs & shifters would be staying put, as would the cranks & BB - but i've discovered the headsets on both frames (Hope & Cane Creek S3) use the same lower bearings & the crown race is interchangeable between the two, so the whole front end (except the shifters) could be swapped over with couple of allen keys in 10 minutes. When I originally switched the rear brake over, it lined up perfectly without any extra faffing so that would swap over easily too, requiring only a couple of fresh zip-ties to hold the cable in place each time.

Soooo, my thoughts are I could even go with 1 x 9 on the Chameleon & just require a single ring crank/BB (still got the old chain - it's fine) and a new rear mech/shifter & everything would (should) work?

The bars, stem, forks, front wheel & brakes would swap over without any serious dismantling, then it's just the rear wheel & cassette really, as the headset, mechs, shifters, cranks/BB & chain would be staying put on each frame.

Have I missed anything obvious out here - seems a bit too straightforward :? I don't want to get rid of the old frame but I don't have space to build it into another bike. This would only happen a handful of times per year max, so I can't see it becoming a chore... plus the headsets would get a regreasing more often than at present & I quite like spannering... thoughts?

Cheers!
J
Moda Issimo
Genesis Volare 853
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Comments

  • The Rookie
    The Rookie Posts: 27,812
    No , all makes sense, if you can keep wheels and forks off the frame it will shrink a lot for storage, personally I'd have mechs, brakes, crank, chain and a set of bars with the frame and swap wheel and forks (and maybe stem, but they are cheap enough!).
    Currently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.
  • mcj78
    mcj78 Posts: 634
    Yeah, the only front end issue is the shifters not having split clamps, so I'll have to remove the grips to swap them over - grips are lock ons though so only adds an extra minute, could even invest in a pair of matchmaker clamps then I would only need to unbolt the shifter pods.

    I thought about keeping an eye out for a cheap pair of 130mm Rebas with a 20mm axle to stick on the old frame to simplify things & make it a bit lighter too (Pikes were on it originally, now swapped over to the new frame), but once that's done and the shifters, mechs & cranks are on it's getting too far towards another complete bike, one which I might be beaten to death with... :wink:

    j
    Moda Issimo
    Genesis Volare 853
    Charge Filter Apex
  • Maro
    Maro Posts: 226
    Nice idea, not sure the fixings would like it so much, threads eventually get worn and we all know how easy it can be to round out the head with an allen key. Go careful and you should be alright.
    Bird Aeris. DMR Trailstar. Spesh Rockhopper pub bike.
  • mcj78
    mcj78 Posts: 634
    Maro wrote:
    Nice idea, not sure the fixings would like it so much, threads eventually get worn and we all know how easy it can be to round out the head with an allen key. Go careful and you should be alright.

    That's actually one of the things that I had at the back of my mind, along with lower headset bearings - although tbh the amount of times this switching of parts is likely to happen it probably won't be too critical, was just hoping no-one would come along & point out why it's a terrible idea... so far so good!
    J
    Moda Issimo
    Genesis Volare 853
    Charge Filter Apex
  • markhewitt1978
    markhewitt1978 Posts: 7,614
    It's not something I'd want to be doing every day, or even every weekend. But as you say it's 10 minutes to swap, if it's for a change of season, or a sportive or something like that I don't see any reason why not.

    I've been thinking of something similar myself, just not on the same scale, because I enjoy riding gravel roads I was thinking of getting another set of wheels (+cassette), with gravel tyres and swapping them around depending on what sort of surface I was intending to ride on.