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Raijin Build Thread

74K views 266 replies 76 participants last post by  goodoljake 
#1 · (Edited)
It begins...
all smiles!
:D
 
#70 ·
no-nonsense trail build [20" Raijin]

After an initial street ride last night, I think the fork at 120mm may work out nicely. Steering seemed sufficiently responsive, front-end felt adequately weighted, and the 12.7" BB is hardly too tall for my uber-rocky trails. 110F heat predicted tomorrow but will ride anyway.

2011 Reba XX 120mm, 20mm axle, xloc
King headset
King hubs + Flows + DT
XT M785 brakes + Ice Tech 180/160
E13 SS crank + 32t ring + PF30 BB
1X9 X9 shifter/DR/cassette
Paul ST chainkeeper
XTR Race M980 pedals
ESI chunky grips
Eriksen ti layback post
Fizik Gobi ti 1st gen.
Chromag post/skewer QRs
Tires/bar/stem are temporary but functionally similar
 

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#72 ·
112F today and its not even summer...



Thanks. My shop installed the crank/BB. The mechanic's only mention of it was to tell me how much he liked the crank and had decided to buy one for himself. Did you hear the install is tricky, or that reliability issues insued afterwards?

The xloc remote needs a longer hose especially now that I've moved a second spacer below the stem and plan to get a wider bar (711mm somehow felt narrow today). Great bike and fits great. Just what I wanted.
 

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#77 ·
How are getting on with your Raijin?

I'm hoping to get one and will build very similar to yours :thumbsup:
I wasn't digging it and then I destroyed the rear deraileur and hanger. The gears weren't helping me anyhow so I changed it to a single speed and dropped the fork from 120mm to 100mm. Still not sold so I've gone back to riding my rigid Kona Unit full time. The Raijin's a great frame - I just like riding rigid. I'm thinking of ordering a custom Waltworks steel fork to match it. Or selling it.
 
#76 ·
I ride a 2012 Lynskey pro 29 SL and love it. I saw the raigin frame at a local bike shop in Durango, and have to say that I would have bought it in a heartbeat had it been released. Really a nice frame. I keep thinking I need it every time I see it, and I saw it again today.
 
#78 ·
Ugh, sorry to hear things haven't worked out. The build looked spot on (and for what I would build too)

You know I ride my rigid Wolfhound more and more, the custom steel By:Stickle sits at home more, and the FS never sees light from the shed :D

However, the ti itch has nagging for too long now, and now a frame at this price point has come around, I'll give it a go

Hope everything works out for you
 
#80 ·
I'm not one for detailed impressions. I like it... a lot. The Raijin + Niner is the best riding bike I've been on. I loved my Juice but the Raijin blows it away.
Geo with the Niner feels great to me. Steering is as fast as I want it to to be but it feels very stable downhill. It's light in the front and easy to lift/loft in tech/air.
I was going to get a moondust tapered fork just because I think the moondust looks killer with the Ti and I could "upgrade" to tapered at the same time. No dice... they don't make that combo... I guess because there are no moondust tapered-compatible Niner frames. Oh well.
 
#83 ·
So I have had a Raijin since the debut last spring.....sold my carbon SS and bought another to build up single speed!

19.5 lbs with a 20" frame, I9 wheels and a Whisky carbon fork.
Feels a bit more XC then my other "all mountain" Raijin that is built up 1x10, 120mm fork, dropper post and I9 wheels.

This rides like my carbon SS without the creaking lol!
 

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#89 ·
Yes, I run all my rides this way this 30T up front. Seems to work just perfectly for me - climb anything and doesn't spin out on the way to and from the trail.

Used to run Middleburns, but with the PF30 thought I would give the AKA's ago - didn't realise they are std crank dia so I'll need a Sram Press Fit 30 To BSA Adapter. Fitted a PF30 before finding out, and delaying the build another day or so :madman:



Very meaty looking DT



I was worried about the drop out clamp bolts - siezing and rounding etc, but these look as if they stand up better to most I've seen, like the smaller dome headed steel bolts



 
#95 ·
LOL! It keeps the end of the bar tape in place :)



God this bike's FAST. Well impressed so far. On a couple of occasions I felt the bike running away from me. It builds speed very easily and very quickly. Makes my other bikes seem like plodders by comparison

Other thing, very confidence inspiring. I thought it felt a little 'steep' angle wise first off, but no worries at all, steep up or steep down, just likes being ragged about etc. I know it all sounds like the regular stuff you hear, but this bike really is VERY fast compared to everything else I've owned/ridden

It has flex too which is what I was after. Standing side on on a pedal you can see a good deal of movement in the CS/BB which all translates to good compliancy and comfort.

I guess you could summerise as flattering, fast & fun
 
#108 ·
If you caN take the time to post about it, you can post a picture. C'mon bro. I ride the hell out of mine AND take a sh!t ton of pics. You act like the bike is not in your basement or garage while you post that. No excuse (or soup) for you! Lulz.

How is the xfusion fork?
Sounds like it spends quite a bit of time in the stand as well. :D
 
#110 ·
Been riding my Raijin for a couple of weeks now, a really fun and snappy ride. Like it a lot. As a noob, I still have to post more messages before I can post images...

Been a interesting journey from a 26 FS to a 29 FS to a an alluminuim Hard Tail to a Steel Hard Tail and finally the Raijin. Set up as 2*10 with a Talas 125 fork.

Now hardly ride the FS...

Most of my riding in Vancouver North Shore, Squamish and Pemberton. I really don't feel the need for the FS...

Cheers

David
 
#111 ·
^^i gotta graduate from noob before pics according to this dude? I havent tried yet.

The fork has impressed me for the price. Not my number one choice if i had unlimited funds, but after this frame i was a little limited. Very smooth through the travel but stiffens up quickly thru it, so it feels more like an 80 than a 100 even with the minimum pressure in it. Cheapest tapered 29r fork available and one of the lightest too. Pretty happy.

My creaks are mostly head tube/headset. Tried grease and more grease i might ti prep it next. Also running pf30 bb an gettin a little noise from that. Anybody tried
Green loctite on theirs?

Ill work on pics soon homies
 
#114 ·
anyone riding one of these in a 22"? I am looking to pick one up and all my other bikes are 21". I think the 20" will be too small and i fear the 22" will be a little like an ocean cruise liner and not snappy. BTW i am 250 and 6' 3-1/2".

also, anyone running a XX 156Q crank? need to know if it will have any clearance issues.

thanks.

killer pics too!
 
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