Updated on May 15th, 2003

Welcome to my Mountain Bike Page!!!!

My bike was completed on May 1st!!  See Pics below!!!!

It has been almost 2 years since I sold my K2 Freeride Mountain Bike.  For the last year I have been wanting to get back into mountainbiking.  I am not as interested in freeriding anymore.  Instead I will be concentrating on Crosscountry or XC.  To do so I will be building up one of the best XC bikes you will ever see.  I began buying a few parts in October.  I just bought the frame on eBay this last week.  It is a 2001 Specialized S-Works FSR.  It is, in my opinion, the best XC frame ever built.  I have also ridden the Giant XTC NRS Air and the brand new Specialized Epic.  I like the XTC as it has a very similar riding feel, but I am not a big fan of Giant.  As for the Epic, it has the same FSR rear linkage, but mounted to the new shock which is located along the chainstay.  Although it is a revolutionary design, I was shocked to find out that the frame was almost a pound heavier than 2001-2 model.  Furthermore, with the new shock design, you are not able to preload the shock.  For my bike I will stick with the FSR, but to compensate for the very small (if any) amount of pedal-induced bob, I will add a handlebar mounted remote lockout lever to the Fox Float RC shock.  For the new bike I will be using mostly SRAM and Race Face parts.  Although I think that Shimano makes good parts, I am not a big fan here either.  Their refusal to make serviceable parts is frustrating.  I use Campy for road and SRAM for dirt.  Both are completely serviceable which means that you can repair and rebuild any of their shifters, derailleurs, etc.  A couple of years ago I had a set of Ultegra shifters which I purchased new.  I used them for a few months, but one day while shifting I heard a loud snap.  It wouldn't shift properly after that.  I took them into a shop and found that a small pin had broken.  Worst yet, Shimano doesn't sell parts for any of their drivetrain components.  The only option was to buy new shifters.  In my Campy Record Shifters the same pin can be bought at any shop for around $10.  Granted, I might have to wait a week.  But that's a whole lot better than buying a new $200 set of shifters.  The only Shimano part on my bike is the XTR E-Type front derailleur.  SRAM doesn't make one and so the Shimano is my only option.

Updated on May 15th, 2003 The bike is now complete.  I received the frame on Nov. 11th, 2002.  I bought it slightly used.  I was able to purchase it for $735 which I am thrilled about since it retails new at $2100.   I was very happy to find that everything was in great condition....except for the paint.  Of which I wasn't too concerned since I would be repainting it.  There was only one large scratch that went down to the metal.  I was able to fill and primer that with ease.  I have now finished the frame and have rebuilt it.  I completely disassembled the frame (including bearings), stripped the old paint, primered, painted, added decals, added clear gloss, and finally reassembled it.  12 coats of paint total.  I am waiting for the fork to complete assembly.  At the bottom of the page are pictures of parts and components.

New pictures are always being added.  Check      back often.

Pictured here my XC Mountain Bike.  It is a 2001 Specialized S-Works FSR. ***Current Projects/Upgrades*** The bike is now finished!!!  No upgrades for a while.  Well, there is nothing to upgrade except for maybe Eggbeater Triple Ti pedals.... $400 ouch!  Maybe....  Bike Specs: Frame- 2001 Specialized S-Works FSR.  This is the Top-of-the-line racing frame from specialized. It also comes with the Fox Float RC shock with lockout.  The frame comes in Red only.  I hate red and so I will strip the frame bare and paint it in the same color scheme as my M4 Festina Roadbike.  I already purchased several decal kits from Specialized.  (retail $2100) Frame Accessories- Fox Float RC/RL Remote Lockout kit.  This allows you to adjust and lockout the rear shock from a handlebar mounted lever. (retail $90) Frame Accessories- Salsa Lip-Lock Seatpost collar. 35mm Black (retail $20) Frame Accessories- Lizard Skins Oversized Chainstay Protector.  Black (retail $8) Fork- 2003 Rock Shox SID World Cup (retail $950)  in Electric Blue with Carbon Fiber Steerer and Crown.  Remote Handlebar mounted Lockout lever. Headset- Chris King  1.125 inch Threadless Dark Blue (retail $150) Stem- Race Face SYStem 120mm 5degree rise Yellow. (retail $80) Handelbars- Easton CT2 Straight bar. (retail $120) Grips- ODI Lock-on Grips.  Yeti design for twistshift.  Dark Blue locks. Seatpost- Easton EC70 Carbon Fiber. 30.9mm 350mm. (retail $120) Seat- Selle Italia Flite SLR.  Carbon Fiber Shell and Tubular Titanium Rails.  The Lightest seat in the world at just 135grams... well there is one lighter (The Evolution) at 125grams, but it has no padding and costs an additional $60. (retail $100) Shifters- SRAM X.0 Shorty Shifters.  Made of Composites and Carbon Fiber.  (retail $100) Front/Rear Brakes- 2002 Hayes XC COMP Hydraulic Disc Brakes with custom HOPE Gothic Rotors.  I have also added Lizard Skins lever grips. (retail $400 for the brakes and $100 for the rotors) Bottom Bracket- Race Face E-Type cups.  (retail $120) Chain- Sachs PC-99. (retail $40) Front Derailleur- Shimano XTR E-Type Top Pull with Carbon Fiber Mounting Plate. M-952(retail $100) Rear Derailleur- SRAM X.0 Long Cage.  Composite and Carbon Fiber. At 204 grams for the long cage, it's the lightest and most crisp shifting derailleur made.  (retail $200) Derailleur Cables- Avid Flak Jacket.  (retail $40) Cassette- SRAM 9.0 powerglide II 11-34. (retail $60) Crankset- Race Face Next Carbon Fiber ISIS Splined with Standard 46-34-24 rings. (retail $400) Pedals- Crank Bros Eggbeaters. (retail $120)  Have you seen the new Ti-version of these pedals. Bearings on the inner shaft instead of bushings, a few grams lighter, and... oh, by the way $400!!! INSANE. Wheelset- Spinergy Xyclone Disc.  Black Rim with Yellow decals and spokes. (retail $800) Wheel Skewers- Salsa Suspension Skewers.  Alloy front, Titanium rear.  Dark Blue  (retail $65) Tires- Hutchinson Moquito Gold (retail $50 each). Saddlebag- Fox Racing Small. Price Breakdown-  Retail price of this entire bike is $6000+.

Here is a picture of the frame out of the box.

Here is a picture of the frame disassembled.

Here is the main frame stripped and ready for primer.

Here are both parts of the rear triangle after 3 coats of primer and 5 coats of gloss yellow paint.

Here is the rear triangle reassembled after adding decals and 3 coats of clear gloss.

Below is the finished paint job.  I am very happy with the results!!

BEFORE

AFTER

New pictures uploaded on May 15th, 2003: