Velobuild 27.5x3.0 build (Trek Stache lookalike)

[autumnarch]

My frame from Velobuild arrived today. It’s the Stache lookalike for 27.5x3.0.
I’m kinda winging the build, so I will be posting updates as I go. Right now I have a bunch of parts, but the devil is in the details...aparently the first thing I missed was an adapter for PF30 to my SRAM GXP bottom bracket. Bike shop doesn’t have it, so I have to wait on amazon.

Attached is a pic of the frame. The box had a small tear in it, but it looked ok.  The frame was very well packaged. I apparently ordered it when it was out of stock, but Chris was easy with communication and gave me a heads up. Ordered 9/23, delivered 11/8. Headset bearing was free due to delay.

I bought almost everything on eBay. Here’s a list of what I have planned on the bike:
Frame weight was 1370 grams
Manitou Magnum Pro 130mm fork
WTB Scraper i40 rims
Maxxis chronicle wheels 3.0
Shimano mt200 brakes (these were dirt cheap, I’m expecting to replace very soon)
Front rotor is 180
Back rotor is 160
Carbon handle bar, saddle and post, stem
SRAM NX 1x11

I got the generic headset bearing from Chris at Velobuild; it seems compatible with the cane creek race already on the fork, so I left it on for now, but I also need some spacers, so I have a few days before I continue the build.

Stay tuned!

I cant figure out how to attach pictures...so heres an imgur link:
https://imgur.com/a/Gb60c7h

[Bent70]

Im interested to see your rear tire clearance when you get there. I went with 29", but rub with the 3" chronicle and just order a smaller nimble b tire. Otherwise ill be switching to 27.5 wheels
Also interested in you opinion on that manitou fork best bang for the buck i can find on ebay.

[autumnarch]

Here are some pictures to show clearances, let me know if you have specific frame questions.  Im a newbie, but will try my best to send feedback on the frame:

https://imgur.com/a/Gb60c7h

The read tire clearance seems pretty good.  It has just over 1/2 inch on the sides, and more than an inch on the top. 

I am super unprepared to build a bike, but it should be up and running after my next amazon delivery.

Since I bought all my parts randomly, I knew some parts were not going to work.  The frame's bottom bracket was a press fit (diameter was like 46mm).  The spindle on my Sram groupset was 24mm.  My LBS talked me out of an adapter; they helped me install a Wheels Mfg bottom bracket that fit my 46mm frame and 24mm spindle. 

I also bought some cheap pre-assembled hydraulic brakes on ebay...but I have internal routing for the cables!  So I had to cut my rear brake cable to thread it through the frame.  Im waiting on the kit to re-assemble my brakes.  The cable routing on the brakes were nice though; there is a tube installed inside the frame, so you can easily push the cable through.

My Sram groupset had the shifter and wire cable...but no cable housing!  wtf.  I didnt even notice that one until a couple days ago when I tried to put my derailleur on.   Amazon to the rescue...but for the first time in my Prime experience, they mixed up my order and I ended with 2 fancy measuring tapes instead of cable housing. 

I have a Manitou fork, from what I can tell, its nice.  plenty of clearance.  I like that the connecting arch thing is on the rear side of the fork...I think it looks nicer. 

So far, my bike is all black...except the seat post clamp and unavoidable logos on components.  My wife makes vinyl decals, so I will be putting black on black lettering on my down tube. 

Aside from the bottom bracket, pre-assembled brakes, and shifting cable housing, everything went together pretty easy.  So far so good.  Hopefully next week I will add the finished bike to the folder.

Edit:  I just realized the frame also has a routing for a dropper seat.  Just to get rolling, I have a solid carbon seat tube so Im not using this one.  The dropper cable route does not have a helpful tube through the frame...It most likely requires the removal of the bottom bracket to route the cable up the seat post.   The Derailleur cable route came pre-loaded with placeholders, so it should be easier to fish the cables through. 

[Bent70]

Yea i had to cut down my slx brake lines. I tried running the derailer cable but didnt care for the routing and seperate housings so i drilled out the aluminum pieces on the frame to run continuous housing from shifter to derailer.
Still dont have a fork, but leaning towards the matiou to keep costs down

[autumnarch]

Build update:  I installed my shifter cable.  I had to cut 3 lengths of cable housing since the internal routes werent designed for the full housing, only the cable.  The inserts would have been easy to drill...but the cable hole going into the chainstay was just in the frame, no insert piece.   And I didnt want to drill out the hole in the frame. 

Unfortunatley, after I got the cable and chain installed, I ran into an issue with the derailleur...I cant engage the smallest cog.  I have the limit screw all the way out, but it still only gets to the second to last one.  I wonder if im missing a washer or something between the hanger and derailleur?  The derailleur physically cant get to the first cog.  I didnt get around to seeing if it shifts into the biggest gear...Im working in my dining room and its not easy to shift through the gears.  Tonight I will be doing more trouble shooting...maybe looking through my pile of parts and see if there is a washer that is perfectly spaced for a cog!  I added a shit picture to the gallery of my cog issue...any suggestions are welcomed. 

https://imgur.com/a/Gb60c7h

[carbonazza]

@autumnarch, something you can check that occurred to me once.
If your chain is too long, the derailleur goes a bit too high and touches the frame preventing it to fully go outward.
Cutting a pair of link of the chain resolved the issue.

[autumnarch]

@carbonazza, thanks for the feedback.  Ill double check this, but I dont think the deraileur lines up even if I remove the chain.  After some googling this morning, I saw that another forum had a similar problem, they accidentally had a extra spacer ring on the hub/cassette.  I havent checked that yet.  Im sure I installed something wrong...I see a visit to the bike shop in my future.

[autumnarch]

Its a bent hanger folks!  or misaligned I guess...cause the hanger by itself is dead flat.  So I guess the little seat it sits in was cut out at the wrong angle.  This is my first bike build, so I dont know if this is normal.  I wasted my whole evening reaching this conclusion...so fixing my cut brake line will have to wait for another night.  Luckily my bike shop has beer, I need one.  Its hard to see, but bent/misaligned hanger added to album:

https://imgur.com/a/Gb60c7h

[carbonazza]

Beware sometimes it look misaligned but it is ok.
But if you are sure, and don't have the tool to check and straighten the hanger, an LBS around you may have one.

A 5mm Hex key can help too, especially on the trails or if you don't have the tool around.
Put it where you tighten the derailleur in the hanger as a lever.
Then bend the hanger with the Hex key in the direction you feel appropriate.
Never try with the derailleur as a lever.

[emu26]

Autumnnarch I don't think just the hanger being misaligned is enough to not allow you to even engage the smallest.  They normally cause phantom shifting and noise.

Looking at your pics I don't think you have installed the derailleur correctly.  I have circled a part in red that I think is incorrectly positioned.  Normally that little tab circled would sit against a tab on the bottom edge of the hanger but on the pedal / bb side of the hanger not the backside as you have it.

I hope this makes sense.

Edit: Ignore that, I have just checked mine and the tab is at the rear where you have it. Just make sure it is sitting down properly.

[autumnarch]

The bike is complete!  The bike shop did the last few tweaks; hooked up the rear brake cable that I had to cut so it could route internally, and fixed my derailleur issue.  The guy who did the work wasnt there when I picked up the bike, so I dont know what the fix was.  But its running like a champ (for now).  Its only been on the driveway so far due to rain, but I hope to have it on the inaugural ride very soon.  I added the completed bike pictures to the album. 

https://imgur.com/a/Gb60c7h

[emu26]

Glad to hear.

[carbonazza]

The guy who did the work wasnt there when I picked up the bike, so I dont know what the fix was.

Too bad for our knowledge! But glad for you it is resolved.