Van Nicholas Tuareg Titanium 27.5“
My 1*11 setup – cross country MTB 🙂
Updated : March 2021
Following my last posts concerning the Van Nicholas Tuareg 27.5″ frame build.
This is my latest post with all modifications since it’s original build. It all started in 2013 when I sold my Rocky Mountain Tribal full suspension MTB, there have been quite a few changes since.
For the original build details : https://www.minty95.com/vama
Latest addons
The main modifications were.
Firstly a 1*11 setup.
Secondly changing my Magura fork to a RockShox Sid RL.
Thirdly adding a dropper seatpost ROCKSHOX Reverb AXS wireless control.
The bike rides like a dream and it’s handles just great, it feels perfect to me, I can’t criticise it and even after seven years or so, it still feels like a new bike.
That’s the thing about Ti frames, they don’t age, no worn, scratched or chipped paint. They still look new after many years.
I’d like to go 12 speed
Basically my setup is perfect. But I’d love to go to a Shimano XTR 1*12 setup
(I hate the XT cassette. it looks horrible, but at the time XTR wasn’t an option)
I don’t really need it, although it would have a better / smoother choice in the cassette range but it will be so expensive as I need to change everything, Shifter, drive chain, derailleur and the cassette.
I’m also interested in the Sram Axs drive system, no wires to the derailleur, just like the dropper post, now that’s neat, but again so expensive…
A great MTB and a great ride
Frame : Van Nicholas Tuareg Titanium 27.5″, weight 1.76 kilos
Fork : Rockshox RL SID 100mm, weight 1, 57 kilos
Wheels : Handbuilt NoTubes Crest, Duke King Kong Hubs Front and Hope Pro at the back ( The Duke broke on me while doing the Roc ), with CxRay sapin spokes & DT prolock hexa nipples, weight 1.38 kilos the pair
Tyres : Front : Maxxis Ardent. Back : Maxxis Icon
Brakes : Hope Tech X2, 160cm front, 160cm, sadly no more matchmakers from Hope as they don’t make them for the tech X2 and the XTR shifter version 2018
Gears : Cassette XT M800 11 speed. Shimano XTR M9000 Shadow Plus Rear Derailleur (Shimano don’t do XTR in 11 speed setups) and Shimano XTR SL-M9000-I Rapidfire back shifter
Drive train : SRAM XO with a X-Sync Direct Mount 6mm Offset 11V 32 chainring. Chain XTR
Components : Race Face stem and handlebars., Chris King headset, XTR pedals
Seat post : Dropper ROCKSHOX Reverb AXS wireless control, 650 gms
Saddle : Brooks Ti C3
Total weight with pedals about 11.70 kilos
— If you want the details concerning the older 26″ version
https://www.minty95.com/a4yf
A link to the Van Nicholas web site
https://www.vannicholas.com/mountain-bikes/tuareg-27-5