2012 Santa Cruz Chameleon - kids bike

[raidan73]

After starting to build a little Merlin XLM for my son, who's just grown out of his 24" wheeled Vitus, I saw sense and decided to look for something a bit less valuable and a bit more bomb proof. This 2012 Chameleon came up locally and I decided to take a punt. I possibly paid a little over the odds but it's in really good condition and came with a nice Hope headset and an XT MT800 bottom bracket, both to be sold to recoup some of the outlay. In my eyes it's not the prettiest of frames but I reckon it'll make a great bike for a pretty careless and relatively fearless 12 year old!

 

[raidan73]

So far the build plan is as follows. I have gathered quite a few parts already but, if anyone has anything suitable, I am still on the lookout for the parts in bold text (edit: parts list updated)

Fork: Rock Shox Revelation u-turn
Headseat: Hope black
Stem: Race Face Chester 50mm
Bar: Race Face Evolve flat bar
Brakes: XT M785 discs
Grips: TBC (something from the spares bin)
Shifter: XT M770 9 speed
Rear mech: XT M772 9 speed
Chainset: Hope 165mm with 30T ring
Bottom bracket: Hope
Pedals: TBC (hopefully something from the spares bin)
Seatpost clamp: Hope QR black
Seatpost: Thomson black
Saddle: Cotic
Wheels: Hope hubs on DT Swiss XR4.2D rims
Cassette: SRAM PG990 9 speed 11-34
Skewers: Hope QR black
Tyres: Panaracer Rampage 2.1

 

[Roasted]

That will be sweet. When I was 12 I was riding a hand me down Apollo.

 

[coomber]

I'd just buy something like a nukeproof bar and stem for an under 16. Likely need to cut it down anyway

 

[albash82]

That'll be awesome. PM incoming re parts

 

[raidan73]

I'd just buy something like a nukeproof bar and stem for an under 16. Likely need to cut it down anyway

I probably have a couple of cheap 31.8 bars so probably makes sense to use one of those as they’re either already short or I won’t mind cutting them down

 

[iveto1983]

Lucky kid!
I think I’ve got skewers and cassette. I’ll have a look and message you if I find them.

 

[raidan73]

Lucky kid!
I think I’ve got skewers and cassette. I’ll have a look and message you if I find them.

Thanks Pat

 

[raidan73]

Old headset out and black Hope fitted. Didn’t realise Shimano had changed the outer diameter of their bb cups so that’s still in place, for now

 

[KermitGKona88]

Don't know if it's just my eyes but that downtube looks bent to me......