450DS singlespeed build-up

[groovy9]

Hi, guys

I thought some might be interested in what I've done, so I figured I'd write it up. Back story: Been riding recreationally for probably 10 years on and off. Built myself a single-speed a couple years ago from a $50 craigslist cro-mo full-rigid beater and have ridden it quite a bit since then. I ride mostly slow windy technical singletrack and got tired of getting beat up, so decided I wanted to go full-suspension, but still singlespeed, which I love.

You can't really buy those complete, it seems, and I struggled to find frames to buy under $400, so I figured I'd just buy a cheapish complete bike to convert and just keep the spare parts. But I want it light. I'm 150lbs (heading for 140). Light complete bikes are *expensive*, in part because you're paying for higher-end drive trains that I'm just going to pull off anyway.

I suppose I could have gone with a decent dept store bike, but ran across these cheap motobecanes listing all the components AND bike weight. And there's this forum dedicated to them. Sold.

I don't do any big drops and don't weigh much, so the cheaper x00DS line should get it done, frames appear to weigh about what the fantom DS frames do, and cost a bunch less.

SO... the $450 450DS seemed like a winner. I received it last week and promptly took it apart.

I scoured the interwebs and came up with the best price/performance/weight balance on parts I could find and here's what I came up with. Parts are all new and prices include shipping and tax.

Easton XC One singlespeed wheelset $182. 1560 grams.
Rockshox Monarch RT3 rear air shock $240. 215 grams
Monarch mounting kit $24 (good god, that's robbery for a snippet of aluminum)
Suntour Epicon X2 100mm air fork $205. 1650 grams
Wellgo MG-1 flat pedals $42. 378 grams
Stan's notubes kit $52.
Kenda Karma 26x1.95 UST tires $58. 670 grams
Surly cog and chainring $51.
BBG Bash guard $18. 58 grams.
KMC K710SL superlite singlespeed chain for $22.
Ebay china carbon stem $14. 120 grams
Ebay china cargon seat post $33. 180 grams
Ebay china carbon saddle $64. 100 grams

Some of those bits are an experiment (the whole thing is, really) and may well not work out (the tires and carbon bits, for example). I'll follow up after I've ridden it a few times.

Total cost $1455.

If you subtract the singlespeed conversion bits, the total is $1364, which would have not quite bought me a 29-pound Fanton Elite DS.

Granted, it has higher-end suspension and brakes (which my weight and riding style just don't need), but it's pounds heavier than mine will be and I'd still have to replace a part or two due to preferences (pedals).

Anyway, there you go. This was the best way I could come up with to build the bike I wanted for my budget. I'll follow up with the final weight when I get it all together.

Comment. Bash. Ignore. Get parts ideas. Whatever suits you. :-)

[groovy9]

I actually rethought the carbon fiber stem. I'll stick with aluminum for that part, and the weight and cost both turn out to be about the same.

Still going with the seat post and seat, though. I spend so much time out of the saddle, I don't think saddle selection will matter much beyond weight.

[groovy9]

Ok, I finally got it all together and weighed it. 26 lbs. This puzzles me somewhat, as I really expected it to wind up lighter. I shaved several pounds with just the wheel and fork upgrade, plus removing the derailleurs, cassette, and 2 chainrings.

Hmm...

[mass-hole]

They say its 30.3 lbs for the small without the pedals. What size frame did you get and did you weigh it with the pedals on? Your pedals are almost 7/8 pound. It looks like you trimmed at least 4 lbs off if not more depending on your frame size and pedal situation.