To all you 29er's out there!

would suggest a set of hope hoops with stans rims as the wheelset, you can't buy the parts cheaper on their own and they are a great set of wheels

^ They would probably be my choice if I didn't already have all the bits waiting around. I built some Mavic TN719 rims onto an old pair of Hope XC ti hubs that I took from my old 26" wheels. I slightly prefer the design of the old XC's to the Pro 2's & as you probably know, Stan's rims are quite pricey on their own.
Most of the rest of the build will decent quality stuff from the parts bin. It was all originally intented to go on a Singular Swift, which is a great frame, but I thought the ogre suited my requirements perfectly.

the stans are just amazing rims, great strength to weight ratio, the mechanic at my lbs is a seasoned downhill racer, and he reckons the flow rim is overkill for downhill applications given the strength to weight of the crests

of course carbon rims will flex less but tend to be of a very similar weight

They do seem to have overtaken Mavic in popularity in the last few years. If I was going tubeless, I would definitely go with Stan's. This was also my first attempt at building wheels from scratch, so that may have influenced my decision to go Mavic, as I'm more familiar with truing them.

That and being a miserable old git who dislikes anything new or different ;-)

i doubt you are as miserable or old as me

but if you don't like new things, why are you not on a velocipede?

i doubt you are as miserable or old as me

but if you don't like new things, why are you not on a velocipede?

Not too sure about that head angle off road?

Although this one could be fun...

No more worrying about gear ratios!

Seriously though, I do tend to stick with certain bike parts that have proven their reliability to me in the past. I do like shiny new stuff, but for this build I'd like to be totally familiar with all the parts when out in the wilds ( of Norfolk )

could somebody recommend me a good cheap fork that is not corrected for suspension?
maybe a corrected 26er?
must have front rack eyelets.

^ First thing that springs to mind is a surly troll fork. 453mm length, as opposed to 470mm average of a 29er rigid fork. Comes with pretty much every mount you could ever want. Also disc & canti brake option.

Not really cheap though at about £70

There's also the salsa fargo v1 fork at 442mm ( The newer sus corrected v2 fork is 468mm ) Still got rack & mudguard mounts. Disc only, but a bit lighter.

Might be a special order item though & could be a bit too short, depending on what frame you plan to put it on. Don't want to end up with a twitchy front end. Especially if you're carrying a load!

I think the kona project 2 used to come with rack mounts for a while. You could probably find one of the 440mm ones second hand.

Thanks.
It's for my kona unit monsteur project. it has a new kona p2 fork right now.
I was thinking a shorter fork wouldn't be a problem. I like steepish angles and some people even carry load on track bikes.
I'd like disc only to keep it simple and lightish.

Bear in mind that you'll be lowering your bottom bracket, as well the front end. This could lead to pedal strikes, especially off road!

A 450mm fork I've used before is the orange F8 disc.

It's quite light for a steel mtb fork. I also found it quite comfortable. It doesn't have lowrider mounts, but it has got mudguard eyes. It would limit your choice of rack but something out there should fit.

now that looks nice, the thing is I already have the rack. I was stupid enough to buy it before I got the bike. Ithought I could fab up something, but my first effort is literally a deathtrap and I will not ride it like that. too flexy and too close to brake disc...

photos of my rack holder brackets here: https://picasaweb.google.com/118041478797620040685/Monsteur?authkey=Gv1sRgCJGswZG3vJ_8pQE

I have been thinking about the lower bb problem, but figured it would drop max 20mm with a 415mm fork. it's rather high to start with so i'll be fine.

I can see why you'd want to get that rack a bit lower. It looks miles above the front wheel in that photo :-s

From what I can see, the rack is attached behind the dropouts & at the crown. Those points of attachment also exist on the F8, so it could be a viable option.

Allterrain cycles appear to have them in stock at the moment.

http://www.allterraincycles.co.uk/product/125995.html

Or, if you're not in a rush, I have a barely used pair ( they were too long for my explosif! ) back at home somewhere. I won't be there for a couple of weeks though. I could put up some photos when I get back if you're interested..?

The rack stays can't reach around the fork legs to the mounts behind the dropouts. thats why I made those extender thingies.
I will need eyelets in front of the dropouts.
Thanks for your offer though.

No worries. That salsa fork does look nice though!

it does. now to source it somewhere. thank you.

Ison are the UK distributor. They should be able to help you out.

http://www.ison-distribution.com/english/searchresults.php?filter=&brand=SALS

Isn't it the same as this?

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/salsa-cromoto-29-inch-forks/

What do people think/know about these?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/120940712491?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649

I know nothing about them

they're best to be avoided to be honest, I have a Sun wheelset (quanto hubs) whose quality isn't the best, and they're pretty heavy.

It only when I used modern dual pivot brakes is when I'm aware of the poor construction (welding the joint), obviously the ebay one is for disc brakes but even so.

That's a shame, when I started cycling in the 90's Ringle kit was top end.

get the hope hoops, for a good 29er wheelset

£$!

That's a shame, when I started cycling in the 90's Ringle kit was top end.

I would likewise rate the Sun Ringle kit, not light but pretty solid. I wouldn't take Ed as the sole authority on mountain bike kit. Depends on how much they sell for as a set 29" Hope hoops can be had for £150ish on places like STW and BR