Forum

Thanks Eccles, away for 10 days from Monday so I will get in touch with him when I get back. Looking online, £70 + delivery/pick up cost. I have spent plenty already so I have got to finish the bike first then worry about the service.

Getting there, well over my budget so far but the boy will grow with it I hope. The brakes and the headset left.

Help is needed. I am having a nightmare with finding the right headset. The complication comes with the fact that Ragley recommends a headset with 'internal lower cup' since I am using 130mm+ travel (otherwise external bottom cup is OK). The head tube is 44mm straight top & bottom and I have tapered fork (28.6 top & 40 bottom) so the SHIS specification would be ZS44/28.6 ZS44/40 (ZS for Zero Stack)

I have searched the internet endlessly over the weekend. I see plenty Cane Creek 40 & Nukeproof 44IETS ZS44/28.6 EC44/40 (EC for External Cup) which is what Ragley recommends on their website but I worry if I would be voiding the frame warranty if I use one. Other than this, I have no idea if 10mm of external cup will have a notable difference in the geometry. It has got to the point where I have no option but to use the EC44/40.

Anyone experienced with headsets? Never searched this long for anything without results.

Call Radley and see what they say. better yet email them so you get it in writting

I'd say if your son was a seasoned racer or something then yes 10mm difference may afftect geometry BUT he's not (is he?).

Calling Radley as AgentOrange says will do the trick as well but I wouldn't worry about the 10mm - just get the bike done - your son will love it

And on the build for my son (the Kona). He now has some DT wheels & hubs that are lighter than the Halfords specials I put on it (second hand from a mate) and absolutely loves the bike. We've done Bedgebury a few times and he says it's great and that it gives him more confidence.

How did you go with groupset in the end mate? I left the Zee 1x10 set-up as standard and to my surprise he loves the Zee shifter.

Also ended up changing seat and saddle for white & black Crank Bros ones to match the bike - again was a hit with Jamie....

I had no luck from Ragley - email only and their emails divert to Hotlines UK. Their reply last week is 'work out the SHIS and buy the appropriate headset if available'. So, over the weekend i learned a lot about the headsets. If I have no luck today then I will go for the external headset. Was more worried about frame warranty but its unlikely for a 10yr old to damage a steel frame head tube.

I have ordered the XT shifter/cassette/rear mech. Again, more than what I wanted to pay but he wont be getting another bike for some years I hope. Wheels are Cole Aries 920 1/2 price from Evans. Nice and smooth rolling hubs, sealed cartridge and 15mm bolt through. a free wheel bag.

We should get the boys out one day. I hear a lot about Bedgebury but never had the chance. Cyclopark would be our first trip beyond Danbury as he can ride his BMX there too....eh..I need a van!

Cyclopark sounds cool - 20 mins over the bridge from me

And I got myself a Citroen Berlingo at Christmas as I was tired of taking the bikes to bits to get them in my VW CC...

Now I wouldn't be without the bike bus

Nice one. I will let you know when ready. All the XT bits have arrived. I did not go for Zee because the hub takes 9-speed only and Zee is 10sp. The XT cassette is 11-34 so just shy of the 11-36 ratio.

One problem, the Nukeproof headset did not show up, it was out of stock. CRC will have it on 25th. Same everywhere. So annoying, I could have bought it ages ago.

Thank you for all the tips and ideas guys. A long time to get here but finally my son's bike is finished. It took a while as I went twice over the budget so no pocket money for the little on for 2yrs

Took it to CycleUK last week to do the headset & BB @ £20 each but they offered to do the complete bike for £80. Fittings, adjustments, cutting the bars & the steerer tube - I thought it was a fair price. Just need to go back to shorten the brake pipes because I was missing the olive & pin, and shorten the fork travel to 120mm.

I cant upload the pics, not sure why but will try again tomorrow.

Was going to say "Hope pic n mix" for headset but you have sorted it already..I'm a bit late reading your thread..lol

Yep, thats what I got. I had to settle for an external bottom cup 44/40 even so the travel is 140mm - there is no internal bottom cup for a 44mm headtube, these are most common with tapered head tubes (56mm at the bottom) . It took a month to figure that out so I kept buying the wrong headset. It was a good learning curve though.

The Piglet photos - excuse the spaghetti junction around the head tube. These will be shortened as soon as I have the Olive & pin delivered.

The seat tube is in fact a bit high for a 10yr old legs, I may need to reduce the travel on the fork to 100mm to lower the cockpit a bit. With the seat lower it looks like a DMR bike.

Its just the first experiment so I am learning as I go along.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/57452905@ ... 981384505/

Very nice

Lovely looking bike, well jell. Now sort that seat angle out

fund raising for the kaiser challenge again  http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/Sausage

Looking good, I do like the orange..