Help me build up a bikepacking bike

[Charliecres]

I've just acquire a second-hand Singular Swift frame and rigid steel fork which I'm planning to build up with gears for bikepacking duties. To be honest, the build will probably end up being determined by what I have lying around or can get hold of fairly cheaply but what kit would you recommend for a lightish but strong and reliable build. I'm particularly interested in thoughts on rims, bars and grips but all ideas, comments and recommendations are welcome. Ta

[Ben98]

I can thouroghly recomend on one Mary bars mounted either way up with cheap foam grips over the front bends and ergon gc1 grips, really comfy with lots (well, more than one) of hand positions :D
Also, are you thinking ss or geared??

[Charliecres]

Thanks Ben, Marys are on the list of possible bars, as are Fleegles and Salsa Bends. I've never used swept bars so I don't know what I'll like but Marys seem narrow and very swept to me.

The Swift will be geared but undecided about double/triple at the front.

[Ben98]

The sweep is less noticeable than you would think, it just seems to feel right. And yes, the Marys are narrow but for 15quid theyre worth an experiment :)

[FLV]

Salsa do a lovely bar called the salt flat, 11degrees so less extreme than the bend.
Personally I like these better but like I say, its a personal thing had position.
http://www.ison-distribution.com/englis ... t=HBSAS31N

Rims, whilst I'm a fan of Stans rims, they are pricy. You could look at WTB ST i25 for £33
Tubeless ready with some tape, nice and wide. (they have i23 too to save a sniff of weight)
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/wtb- ... prod107299

Shimano hubs are very cheap. I like hopes better though, so easy to service and convert so will last out any bike swaps etc.
Sapim spokes are cheaper than DT and equal in functon in my opinion

Gears. What about 1x10?
With the emergence of thick / thin chain rings down to 30t and standard cassettes to 36 before you even get into range extenders you can get a set of ratios that suit pretty well.
add clutch mechs at £40 you can say goodbye to chain suck forever
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/shim ... -prod83164
I've been on 1x10 for a while on my geared bike and dont miss the front mech, and very very rarely think I'd like an extra gear.

[Bearbonesnorm]

I run 1 x 10 on the bike I use for guiding and as Dave says, it's really rather good. I've not bought into the extra small ring and extra big cog thing (although I might try a 30t ring sometime). At present it's 32 x 36 with a Pauls chain keeper ... even in the Welsh wastelands, I only miss a granny ring on very rare occasions.

[FLV]

I have a 30t front, 11-36 rear.
The 30T is good too.

I'd like to try one of the range extenders, but its really because I think they're a good idea rather than a need for a spinny gear

*edit
I dont use a chain guide of any kind with a fat thin ring. Have done this with and without a clutch with no problems.
(Superstar do a copy of the pauls keeper thing for little money, if you dont mind superstar stuff)

*edit2
Just a thought, the 30T fat thin rings use threaded bosses so you dont need to buy additional shorter chainring bolts too, some of the existing ones should work (so long as they dont have too much shoulder before the thread starts)

[Mart]

I too use a Singular Swift for backpacking duties - its very flexible in terms of how you can set it up
In no particular order....

When I have gears, I use a Alfine 8 Hub, so make full use of the EBB. The EBB has been solid, no creaking and makes it simples for when I change over to singlespeed
I use a 34t wonky ring up front and 18T (for both geared and SS). Not used a dangly multi ratio gear selector, so cant comment on these

For Rims I go full blown Stans Flow EX. NOT the cheapest option I know but a strong rim thats holding up to abuse pretty well. A couple of times I have hit things super hard when loaded and got away with it. With the big rim width, tyres come up quite large (think Big fluffy pillows and less trail buzz through less pressure when running tubeless)

I got a Exotic Carbon seatpost on it now. I found it more forgiving than the Thompson I had on there before

Handelbars I use Jones Loops - a purely personal choice in terms of hand position and I like to move hand positions around a lot.
Have used both Cork Grips and some Ergons. The Loops also gives me more room for GPS, Light set up etc

Suspension or Rigid forks? Have used both - like and prefer rigid. My suspension fork I got off Stu works well enough (an old Reba 80mm)
If using suspension fork, the Swift would probably sit better a touch higher with 100mm up front

I know my set up isnt the lightest out there, and its not built up to be. Ive set it up more for reliability which its giving me back in spades so far
Its a bike that makes me smile

[Zippy]

I have a 30t front, 11-36 rear.
The 30T is good too.

Is that with a 104BCD? I thought 32T was the smallest you could go with 104BCD... although a super quick google has confirmed otherwise, the bolt holes look a bit close to the teeth and the chain line looks to need altering. Which on ehave you got Dave?

(Sorry for the thread hijack).

[FLV]

I have a 30t front, 11-36 rear.
The 30T is good too.

Is that with a 104BCD? I thought 32T was the smallest you could go with 104BCD... although a super quick google has confirmed otherwise, the bolt holes look a bit close to the teeth and the chain line looks to need altering. Which on ehave you got Dave?

(Sorry for the thread hijack).

yep 104bcd

30T Race Face Narrow Wide. Crank is an XTR that used to be a triple.
Chain line is altered slightly due to mounting on the bosses, its actually slightly more central with reference to the cassette with the 30T than a previously used 32T
It works perfectly

Looks like this (not my pic)


The round part of the boss goes into the hole in the crank arm so the bolt isnt in doing all the work in shear
Difficult to see but theres a squarish raised part that spaces the teeth away from the crank.

[Charliecres]

Thanks all. I'll take a look at those WTB rims. I've had Crests and Flows and they are nice but budget is tight on this build. I'm also considering Superstar Sentinel or Halo Vapours. Anyone got experience of those? The hubs will be old Hope XCs.

I'd love to try some Jones bars but that will have to wait. Think I'll try Marys or Fleegles as a cheap first step. I quite fancy experimenting with drops but that would mean new brakes, stem etc ...

Gears will be 9sp to start with cos that's what's lying around. I've just had a nightmare trying to run 1x9 on another bike and have reverted to a front mech so I think it'll be 2x9 again for this. At least until I've got the cash for 1x10 with a clutch mech and thick/thin ring.

[Kumquat]

So, what about the saddle?
I would go for a charge spoon or, maybe a scoop.
If money were no obstacle, I might try a brooks cambium.

[Charliecres]

Agree about the Spoon? Anyone tried a Scoop? How do they compare?