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Greetings all – brand new to the forum.
I just moved to CA and live across the street from some decent trails in SoCal. My thought was to buy and entry level bike ($1100-1500) until I came into a great free frame from a friend (1 year old Kona King Kahuna).
As a newbie to mountain bikes I am just learning about all the options with components. Could someone give me a few general suggestions on where to start researching and point this blind dog in the right direction?
Due to getting the frame for free, I can stretch my budget to $2k.
Thanks for all help and suggestions.
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That’s a great frame congrats. Find a good deal on either Shimano XT Groupset or SRAM X9 that should be in your price range and a good quality for that bike. If you can’t find a those groupsets in your pricerange check out SLX or X7 but it may be cheaper in the long run to spend a little more now because you probably will want to upgrade. Look for used components but be careful and bring someone with you that knows a thing or two about MTB’s as that can be costly mistake in the long run if they have high milage.
Contact DGaddis on Singletracks regarding a wheelset and don’t go cheap on a fork. I have a friend who just put a Rocksox Reba RT on his Big Kahuna and he is happy with it. He found a 2012 Reba for a super deal at $350 they are over $500 for the new models. I personally love Maxxis Ikon tires but I don’t know if that will suit your terrain out there so ask around and good luck. If you really shop around you may be able to do it for $2000.
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^^What he said. Things of importance, because they have a big impact on the ride and will last a looooong time if taken care of:
-Frame
-Wheels
-ForkThe rest is details IMO. SLX or XT, or a mix of both for the drivetrain. Check out the Manitou Tower Pro fork, they’re 95% as good as forks that cost twice as much.
Alloy seatpost and stem, but splurge for a carbon bar (they’re more comfy).
And congrats on the free frame!!!
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Look for used components but be careful and bring someone with you that knows a thing or two about MTB’s as that can be costly mistake in the long run if they have high milage.
You can look for some lightly-used components, but when it comes to drivetrain components, I’d recommend going new. Sure, you can buy last year’s models if they haven’t been used… but drivetrain stuff just wears out over time, so be sure to get something with as much life in it as possible.
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thanks for the fast responses!
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Depending where you are in So Cal, it might be worth your time keeping an eye on the "clearance room" at the Path Bike shop in Tustin. Plus they seem to have a sale every other weekend (well, almost!), where at a minimum, they knock off the sales tax
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lots of sales/bargains on 9 speed drivetrains these days.
slx is well made comparable to xt imho for the most part, unless you’re looking at shaving grams of weight. i like sram, probably because i’m used to it.
get a good rear derailleur. there is less difference in categories (sets) for the front. for example, if you go X7 for everything, try to get X9 for the rear d.
small chainring, unless you’re a racer type, go steel. not much weight penalty, but will last longer and is cheaper.
much of the build has to do with how and what you ride, or how and what you want to ride to balance weight-price-toughness of components, such as wheels for example. the conditions you ride will also determine the tires, to some extent. for socal, you’ll not need to worry about clearing mud.
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The clearance room at the path is a great place to start
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