SC Superlight DIY Build

"Tommy Taylor" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

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Date: 2002-12-24 02:55:40 PST I plan to purchase a SC Superlight or maybe a Heckler and

build it myself

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taking most parts from my old bike. I rented and rode a

medium frame and am

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sure that I've got the right size. Does the frame come

out of the box ready

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to go? Does the crown race come with the headset, frame

or fork? Since

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there isn't a LBS within an hours' drive, what frame

parts should I keep on

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hand. I read the setup information from the SC website

This is a follow-up to a thread that began on Dec. 24...I

am answering my

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own questions now that the bike is finished.

I found a SC Superlight frame at Phat Tire on the

internet...The dealer in

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Charlotte didn't have one and had no hope of getting one

for months. Phat

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Tire was the only vendor that I could find with a frame

ready to ship.

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I started swapping some new parts and mostly old parts

from my 99

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Specialized Rockhopper to the Superlight.

I had a new headset, a Cane Creek, S-2. I didn't realize

that I was going

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to have to work so hard to get the headset cups and crown

race on. I rigged

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a device with a threaded rod, washers, and bolts to press

in the headset

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cups. I used a socket from a plumbing socket set to tap

down the crown

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race. When I got it all together the headset was loose.

I tried everything

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to adjust it right but it wouldn't work. I broke down and

read the

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directions...(RTFM)...and found that a piece was missing,

a split-plastic

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compression ring. I called JensonUSA and they promptly

shipped one to me.

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When I installed it, bingo, the headset was OK. If I was

going to do it

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over, I would ask Phat Tire to press in the headset cups,

but it is done and

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it works. My Manitou SX fork worked fine along with my

old stem and

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handlebars. The fit seems perfect after 4 rides.

I had also ordered an XT front derailler...top pull to

install, but it

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wouldn't fit. I called JensonUSA and he said that I

ordered the wrong one.

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We arranged for a swap, and he shipped me the right

one...top swing, top

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pull. When it arrived, it worked with no problem. This

was another thing

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that I should have gotten from Phat Tire.

I was concerned about threading the UN72 bottom bracket

without having it

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first "chased." I was very careful and all went well.

I had some problems figuring the cable routing. I screwed

it up several

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times, but now it's right. I'm glad I had extra cables

and other small

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parts. I couldn't get the rear derailler adjusted

properly no matter what.

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I noticed that a cable jacket was too short and therefore

to tight. It

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seemed to be pulling the cable whenever the suspension arm

moved. I

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replaced it with a longer jacket and that fixed it.

After 4 rides, I've noticed a couple of differences

between my Rockhopper

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with a Thudbuster seatpost and the Superlight: When riding if I jump up and down on the pedals,
the whole

bike front and

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rear flexes. I didn't realize that even the weight on the

pedals would be

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suspended...I thought just weight put on the seat would

have shock

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absorption. The Thudbuster was good, but the full

suspension is a

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worthwhile upgrade. The Superlight is noticeably lighter.

I didn't think

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that I could feel the difference. It seems like the

Superlight has better

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traction going up hill but I'm not sure. I like the

Superlight, but the 99

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Rockhopper was a good ride. I may have enough old parts

to get it rolling

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again.

In summary, the SC Superlight frame did come out of the

box ready to go.

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The crown race and cups come with the headset. If I was

going to do it

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over, I would buy the frame with headset cups and possibly

the bottom

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bracket installed by a real bike mechanic.

Well, you've found that these projects can often be more hassle than you bargained for. Actually,
you may have been lucky.

It's not uncommon to find a front derailer or BB that isn't exactly the right size, or that don't
match each other -- and "professional" salespeople and mechanics who don't understand why. You can
go back and forth with this several times, and through the mail this is a real PITA. Buyers of
oversized seat tubes beware.

IMO, the $20 or so that most shops charge to press a BB is well spent, unless you *know* you already
have the necessary stuff on hand.

The purpose of chasing the BB threads is usually to remove paint. Since the Superlight is not
painted (either bare aluminum or anodized), there's no reason to have to do this.

The Superlight is indeed a great bike. It's almost identical to a lot of other bikes, but Santa Cruz
got it right and they didn't.

Matt O.