Newbie Oldie Hello for a fresh Team Marin owner

[Parkey72]

Hello to everyone!

New to this forum and not someone who frequents fora (?) much at all.

I got into Mountain biking back in the late 80s and have had quite a few bikes I regret selling onward. Having owned everything from an Alpinestars estay, canondale beast of the east, intense uzi sl amount a few.

Current owner of a mid 90's Team Marin and getting the build right for me.

So far I've added some nice Sugino Mighty 900 cranks, a shorter uno stem to off set the roser bars a little and swapped the tired wheelset out for a pair of LX hubs with D521 rims for play and a pair of m900 xtr hubs laced to x517 rims for speedier long range flying. A pair of fat nobby nics on the 521s and vittoria 2.25s on the 517s, both sets are tubeless.

I'm going to swap out the xt m739 rear mech for a m900 I have and I've a pair of avid arch rivals arriving soon.

Big question is whether to go up to 9 speed? Seems a cheaper option longer term being able to find new cassettes (decent such as the sram pg990) more easily. Or do I put up with a lower spec 8 speed cassette? 9 speed m750 shifters are pretty reasonably priced too.

Anyhow. Looking forward to putting a few miles under this one.

 

[Spudalumps]

Welcome to the forum! Shame to hear about the m739 RD removal always found they punch well above their weight! Personally I love 3x8 but im sure you will know what works best for your riding style!

 

[Parkey72]

Welcome to the forum! Shame to hear about the m739 RD removal always found they punch well above their weight! Personally I love 3x8 but im sure you will know what works best for your riding style!

Yes, the xt mech is a goody, it's just I happen to have an xtr here so it makes sense to swap it out.

The thoughts on 9 speed are more due to struggling to find decent new cassettes. XT are pot luck to find one in good condition and the best new I can find is sram's pg850. I found a similar problem trying to find non disc rims settling for a pair of x517s laced to deore disc hubs that I've stripped down to put on my m900s. It's £100 to go for a new sram pg990 with a kmc x9-sl which seems like a no-brained to me?

 

[Lhatch4]

3x9 is my preference.

 

[Hotwheels.]

Welcome…cracking bike that!

 

[Parkey72]

Welcome…cracking bike that!

Cheers! Yes, it is a really nice ride and has taken a little while to get close to where I want it.

 

[Tootyred]

Welcome to the forum....nice project.

If you have an xtr m900 rear hub, you may need an additional spacer ( along with the original spacer) as this hub was designed for 12 tooth small cogs.....not 11.....( the 12s go right on....11s don't if you look).

As such they are in essence slightly overlength. Some cassettes brands I've found just won't fit well as the locking ring just won't engage far enough....ird, miche......but swapping the locking ring for a longer threaded one or changing the 11t bottom cog has always got it working.

They were designed to take type q cassettes, a spec then dropped.......hence a good m900 cassette is big money!

Spacers of all sizes are available from st john street cycles.

Keep up the good work.

 

[Parkey72]

Welcome to the forum....nice project.

If you have an xtr m900 rear hub, you may need an additional spacer ( along with the original spacer) as this hub was designed for 12 tooth small cogs.....not 11.....( the 12s go right on....11s don't if you look).

As such they are in essence slightly overlength. Some cassettes brands I've found just won't fit well as the locking ring just won't engage far enough....ird, miche......but swapping the locking ring for a longer threaded one or changing the 11t bottom cog has always got it working.

They were designed to take type q cassettes, a spec then dropped.......hence a good m900 cassette is big money!

Spacers of all sizes are available from st john street cycles.

Keep up the good work.

Hey, thank you! Great advice.
I'm likely to run 3x8 for now but upgrade once this setup wears out.
But, I reckon 3x9 is ultimately the best way to keep riding...

 

[kingoffootball]

Welcome to the forum....nice project.

If you have an xtr m900 rear hub, you may need an additional spacer ( along with the original spacer) as this hub was designed for 12 tooth small cogs.....not 11.....( the 12s go right on....11s don't if you look).

As such they are in essence slightly overlength. Some cassettes brands I've found just won't fit well as the locking ring just won't engage far enough....ird, miche......but swapping the locking ring for a longer threaded one or changing the 11t bottom cog has always got it working.

They were designed to take type q cassettes, a spec then dropped.......hence a good m900 cassette is big money!

Spacers of all sizes are available from st john street cycles.

Keep up the good work.

I just encountered both these issues with my Sbike. Fortunately I had a correct size (3mm) spacer and I swapped the Miche lockring for a shallower SRAM one that was kicking about and it's all good now.

 

[Parkey72]

Avid arch rivals are pretty good things.