Genesis cycletruck/Tricross/Solaris MAX - KingTwin tandem

I'm so furiously jealous of people who can build up disc brake rigid 26ers with "all the mounts". It never seems to quite coalesce for me at a price point I can stomach.

It does take time to hunt out all the bits at a reasonable price, this has taken about 6 months of slowly collecting so far, plus recycling various older projects back into the parts bin. I'll have to admit to volunteering at the local bike charity, which has been a great source of 90's tat at good prices.

This project in particular has been an exercise in spending as little as I can, particularly on new stuff.

What bars are you sporting on this thing if I may ask?

They're motorbike bars from eBay, with a 22.2mm clamp area. Going to reuse them on the Merida with a BMX stem.

Not sure if this is the exact one, but very similar: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Motorcycle-Motorbike-Alloy-Superbike-Bars-Handlebars-In-Black-/263920788154?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l6249&mkrid=710-127635-2958-0

I've been trying to work out what seatpost size the Merida is after realising it's not a 27.2. Managed to find an poor quality photocopy of the catalog online which confirms the Dakar 790 was the top model of the 'Adventure' range and would have come with Deore LX bits. Also confirmed the frame is a 1995, so the same age as me, and crucially found the seat posted needed is a 26.2. Think I'm going to go with a more widely available 26.4 (probably just a cheap Brand X) and ream the seat tube out a little bit if needed.

Cheap Brand X Seatposts are sooooo good though. The best.

Oh for sure, nothing but good things to say about the various Brand X headsets, thru axles, and Ascend dropper post I've had. Solid stuff for a very reasonable price.

A little bit more progress, ordered a Brand-X post which arrived very speedily, along with a Sunrace M96 thumb shifter which hasn't been so speedy. Put a few bits on the frame at lunchtime to get an idea of how it's shaping up. The seat tube needed barely a tickle with the reamer to fit the post.

Bits left to get it running are only a BB and strip/braze/paint now. I was going to braze in routing for a dropper but that's now pointless as <27.2 droppers don't exist, so it'll just be a couple more bottle bosses and dyno routing before paint.

Then the last bits on the shopping list are some metal guards and the dyno lights. Decided against a Bmx stem as I found a 25.4 x 80mm black stem in the parts bin that looks about the right length and will work with a shim, saving a few more pennies.

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Looks rad af! Much envy!

Looks sick. Would ride! I think this stem actually looks better than a BMX stem would. A BMX stem would be too stubby I believe.

^this

Thanks all, looking forward to being able to ride it!

Good feedback, the stem is going to stay. A 50mm bmx one would probably be too short anyway, particular with the inline post.

This looks amazing already!

What everyone else said. Looks great

☺️ really enjoying building this! Thanks both.

Went to the LBS clear out sale this morning and couldn't leave behind these very nice 26" disc wheels, that were tucked away under a table, even though I've not got a use for them currently. The Maxxis tubeless tyres and valves will go on the Merida wheels to replace the cheap, wire bead Contis though. I think I should be able to get the Mavic rims to work tubeless too. I've been using Tesa 4289 to tape up the last couple of tubeless set ups I've done and it seems to work well, and is much cheaper than Stans tape or similar.

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<3

Omg what are those wheels, they look like a DeLorean!

Watch the freehub on those, they are notorious. Nice tyre combo though.

The wheels are pretty wild, circa 2010 Crank Brothers Iodine. Proprietary hubs, spokes and rims, and because the spokes don't go through the rim they are very easy to set up tubeless. The nipples actually come out from the hub and are ~150mm long. I'll see if I can source some QR end caps for the front (currently 15x100).

They really feel like great quality wheels with some lovely machining and they're in fantastic condition too, they would have set someone back a pretty eye watering amount in 2010. It'd be nice to use them for the Merida but I really want the dyno hub on the Xtr/Mavic wheels. Might braze a disc tab to the frame for future proofing though..

Sunrace shifter arrived this morning too which sits nicely with the Deore levers.

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Good to know, I'll keep an eye on it if I use them. Pretty much unused at the moment.

They were crazy expensive when new and a lot of people got very mad at the fact the freehub had a relatively short life. Look ace though.

Half a bad idea forming involving a carbon legged disc fork that came from the lbs sale at the weekend, a tapered or 44mm head tube, and the Dolan. It can wait until after the Merida is done though.

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Getting close with the Merida. Frame has been sanded back ready for paint and the BB chased. The only addition to the frame is a pair of reinforcing washers and holes to hide the rear dynamo cable. It'll go in the top of the DT, through the BB shell, into the ST, out the new hole there, then taped/siliconed up the inside of the rear guard to a B&M Secula on the back. Primer has gone on at lunch, this will get smoothed with some high grit paper, before Montana Citrus base coat and clear lacquer.

Only bits left to buy are guards (Curana C-lite) and lights (B&M MYC and Secula Plus).

Struggled to get the wheels set up tubeless, so the Maxxis tyres have tubes in for now. Some Schrader tubeless valves would probably help for round two.

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Sneak peak! Hoping to get the frame/fork fully painted and clear coated this week then build it up at the weekend. Last few bits are in the post now, including grey Jagwire Pro brake outer that I hope will be an okay colour match, Curana 26" x 60mm metal guards, and a B&M IQ-XS as it was only a few more pounds than the MYC.

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All going exactly as planned 👍

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