MTB questions

ghost41

ghost41

ghost41

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Joined
19 Sep 2008
Posts
66
Hi there does not seem to be a MTB bike forum so need some advice, basically I am debating whether to buy a mountain bike and upgrade or build one from scratch.

Now knowing very little about bikes I have been resarching for a few weeks learning all the parts and jargon and how they go together and I have come to the conclusion that buying one and upgrading would be simpler but where is the challenge in that.

So my thinking is that getting a headset pressed into a frame is possibly the only job I would need to get a bike shop to do and everything else i could do myself and perhaps just need a little help with the brake and gear cable wiring.

The bike would be built from a new frame or seconhand and then all secondhand parts from ebay, what I need to know is what basic tools do I need for a build and what parts of a MTB with disc brakes require a torque wrench ?

I am thinking bottom bracket tool, cone spanners, screwdrivers and hex keys and maybe a BB tool for shimano BB's and a torque wrench so what else apart from cable cutters would I need ? any advice would be helpful.


I am looking at hardtails only with mechanical disc brakes for XC no full supsension.
 
Theres a mountain bike thread in the sports subsection on here.

Also a place called pinkbike (online forum thing) is a good place for second hand parts.

headset presses are over rated really, the last 10-20 headsets i've put in have been done with a block of wood and a hammer. Just take care and don't rush it and it's fine.

Bottom bracket and chain tool are really the only things you'll be after. Go for sealed cartridge bearing wheels, loose bearings and cones are terrible and sealed wheels can be had for so cheap nowadays.

Aside from that, everything else can be done with an allen key multi tool.
 
Thanks for the advice will look into the sealed cartridge bearing wheels, no torque wrench needed then ? also if the mods want to move this thread to the correct forum please do.

Just looked at Pinkbike also looks a good site loads of info on there.
 
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Are the brakes cable or Hydraulic?

Get yourself a chain tool... or 4, I always used to snap the pins on them.
 
If this is your first MTB I really wouldn't advise building one from scratch. Depending on how much you're looking at spending you would probably get a much better deal buying a bike from a decent brand (Specialized, Kona, Trek, Giant, etc) than paying for the parts individually.

Pick a pre-built bike with a decent frame and upgrade it as bits need replacing.
 
That is what I am thinking, I am looking at Specialized Hardrock sports and stumpjumpers on ebay and Cannondale F5/F6 ect and Kona blasts and Treks and such, I could get one of those and then upgrade which would be cheaper and less time consuming.

But if i did build my own it would either be Avid BB5 mechanical discs as they look to be decent brakes from what I have read or pre-bled hydro's which is the easiest to fit though ?
 
I have built multiple bikes and the only bike tools I required was a BB tool, chain splitter and cassette tool ( I used an old crank arm + chain as a chain whip. )

If you need to remove the crank set after you have screwed it in you will require a crank puller but that's not required for the initial build.

You will need the usual hex keys (8mm mostly), screwdriver, pliers and a shifter for the cassette tool. The only tool that needs to be of decent quality is a set cable cutters for your brake and gear cable outers. If its blunt you will simply squash the outers.

I got a bike shop to do the headset for me and the wheels were pre built.

Once you have built the bike you can always put it into a bike shop to ask for the gears to be set up as that's the only tricky part really although there are lots of videos on youtube.
 
@garylouden I thought exactly that, do as much as I can and get the local BS to do any final adjustments.

Am currently watching a few bikes on ebay so we will see how it pans out with a new build or not but thanks for the info guys.
 
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