# Semi / Budget Trek 220 Build



## ToSloTrk (Mar 25, 2009)

Started my build with this Trek MT 220. Picked it up on ebay along with a Diamondback Octane 24 for $27.

Bike started out at 27.1 lbs hoping to get it down to 23 lbs for around $400.





I'm calling this a semi/budget build as there are a few areas I'm spending a few $$.


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## ToSloTrk (Mar 25, 2009)

Here goes nothing............................



Thanks GrayJay for the link and to TigWorld for the excellent writeup on 16 spoke lacing



Re-lacing went well. I'm waiting on blue spoke nipples for some bling then will have the bike shop true up.


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## GrayJay (May 16, 2011)

Nice start, the MT220 frame is a good choice for an upgrade project bike, the frame itself is really much better quality that rest of the components that it comes with. Bare frame weight on my daughters MT220 was 1420gr. One thing to watch for is that the effective top tube length is fairly long at around 51cm so for fitting to a small rider, swapping to a really short stem is necessary. More details of the 20 pound MT220 I built are at; 
http://forums.mtbr.com/families-riding-kids/trek-mt220-24-mod-build-894279.html


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## ToSloTrk (Mar 25, 2009)

Using stock hub up front and using a generic rear free hub I had laying around.
Anyone have any advice on running a 2x7 drivetrain?
I'll be running a 12-32 cassette and want to use 22/32 rings up front. Will I need to run a bash guard to keep from dropping chains?

Got wheels,tires and fork mocked up and am at 23.3 lbs


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## GrayJay (May 16, 2011)

Nice example of creating a bike that is nearly the weight/performance of a trailcraft or hotrock XC pro for about 1/4 the cost. 

Adding a bashguard in place of the outer chainring is a good idea. Not strictly needed if you keep the front derailleur but if nothing else, it keeps the largest exposed chainring from ever cutting their legs. If you do use a bashguard, one option is to just delete the front derailleur, shifter and cable. You can stop and manually move the chain from the small and middle chainring for them depending on what sort of riding and terrain they are doing. 

Check the stock crankset with a magnet, some of the trek dialed cranks are solid steel, super heavy. Also look for extra weight that can easily be upgraded in the stock bottom bracket, stem, bars, seatpost, saddle. 

Even with re-using your stock hub, it is pretty easy to swap out the solid axle and nuts for a hollow axle and QR skewer from another used hub. Most likely, the cones from your current hub will thread onto the hollow axle, really makes front wheel removal for repairs/maintenance/transport much easier than searching for a cumbersome wrench every time you need to remove the wheel.


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## ToSloTrk (Mar 25, 2009)

GrayJay said:


> Adding a bashguard in place of the outer chainring is a good idea. Not strictly needed if you keep the front derailleur but if nothing else, it keeps the largest exposed chainring from ever cutting their legs. If you do use a bashguard, one option is to just delete the front derailleur, shifter and cable. You can stop and manually move the chain from the small and middle chainring for them depending on what sort of riding and terrain they are doing.


I can't lose the front derailleur as we have climbs and some open trail on our local singletrack. Wish i could go 1x10 or even 1x9 but that would blow the budget.



GrayJay said:


> Check the stock crankset with a magnet, some of the trek dialed cranks are solid steel, super heavy. Also look for extra weight that can easily be upgraded in the stock bottom bracket, stem, bars, seatpost, saddle.


Surprisingly the bike is spec'd pretty nicely with alu cranks and X-3 components.



GrayJay said:


> Even with re-using your stock hub, it is pretty easy to swap out the solid axle and nuts for a hollow axle and QR skewer from another used hub. Most likely, the cones from your current hub will thread onto the hollow axle, really makes front wheel removal for repairs/maintenance/transport much easier than searching for a cumbersome wrench every time you need to remove the wheel.


QR will be happening sometime in the future but the weight savings vs cost wasn't very good.



As it sits now its dead on 23lbs.Still have about $100 remaining of my $400 budget that will be put toward pedals,bar, and seatpost. Should easily be able to shave another 1/2lb off the bike when those are replaced.


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## ToSloTrk (Mar 25, 2009)

Need to get these wheels to the bike shop to be trued. 
Pleased with how they look with the blue nipples.


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## ToSloTrk (Mar 25, 2009)

Got the last few pieces for my build. 
AEST pedals and eBay carbon seatpost. 


Got the pedals, seatpost and Monkeylite SL bar I bought used on eBay installed.



What options are out there for a bash guard? Are there universal bash guards available or will I need to get one specific to the bolt pattern on the 32t ring?
Edit: just measured it and it is a 104 bcd.


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## GrayJay (May 16, 2011)

Cheapskate approach- use a worn out aluminum 42t 
chainring, cut/grind/file the teeth off and turn it into a bashguard.

If the crank is a standard 104mm BCD, should not be difficult to find a pre-made bashguard.


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## asphalt_jesus (Aug 13, 2010)

A pet peeve of mine: What is the reach like on those brake levers? 

Your kid's fingers should wrap very easily around the lever. I used kid-sized bmx brake levers to accomplish this. Otherwise, they have to do weird tricks to hold the bar and brake, which kind of defeats the purpose.


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## ToSloTrk (Mar 25, 2009)

asphalt_jesus said:


> A pet peeve of mine: What is the reach like on those brake levers?
> 
> Your kid's fingers should wrap very easily around the lever. I used kid-sized bmx brake levers to accomplish this. Otherwise, they have to do weird tricks to hold the bar and brake, which kind of defeats the purpose.


You're right the reach does seem long. I only have this Trek and a Haro Flightline 24 to compare.







Trek Mt 220








Haro Flightline 24

They both would have some adjustment available to shorten reach. What else would be available that has shorter reach?


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## stom_m3 (Jun 28, 2011)

The brake levers have a reach adjustment screw you. It's opposite the pivot point of the lever. You can see it on the trek picture above.


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## jblockers (May 16, 2009)

*Spoke selection*



ToSloTrk said:


> Need to get these wheels to the bike shop to be trued.
> Pleased with how they look with the blue nipples.


Very cool. I have one of these bikes and really like the idea of using the stock hubs with 16 spokes. How did you figure the spoke lengths and what did you end up using? Also, how does decide which spokes/nipples to buy?


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## GrayJay (May 16, 2011)

jblockers said:


> Very cool. I have one of these bikes and really like the idea of using the stock hubs with 16 spokes. How did you figure the spoke lengths and what did you end up using? Also, how does decide which spokes/nipples to buy?


Read thread; http://forums.mtbr.com/families-rid...-wheel-build-40lb-rider-need-help-891768.html


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## ToSloTrk (Mar 25, 2009)

jblockers said:


> Very cool. I have one of these bikes and really like the idea of using the stock hubs with 16 spokes. How did you figure the spoke lengths and what did you end up using? Also, how does decide which spokes/nipples to buy?


I was able to reuse the stock spokes. I did use slightly longer nipples but don't think I would have needed to.


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## Red Rock (Sep 12, 2014)

Did you keep the stock crankset?


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## ToSloTrk (Mar 25, 2009)

Red Rock said:


> Did you keep the stock crankset?


Yup, I kept the stock crankset but replaced the large ring for a bashguard.


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## Red Rock (Sep 12, 2014)

Which bashguard did you end up using and how did you mount it? I just got a Trek triple crankset for my sons bike and was considering doing the same, since he doesn't use the big ring anyway. Plus the big ring is steel and the stock bashguard looks clunky.


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## ToSloTrk (Mar 25, 2009)

I just bought a generic resin bashguard on Ebay for a 32t 104bcd chainring


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## Red Rock (Sep 12, 2014)

Thanks ToSloTrk!


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## ToSloTrk (Mar 25, 2009)

All finished, got a resin bash guard and AEST titanium quick releases. Haven't weighed it after putting the bash guard on but it probably close to 22lbs again.


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