This week really flew by and for today’s Readers’ Rides, we look at Sam’s Moné La Roca hardtail… Check out a full build list, with words by Sam below!

Build Goal – a rowdy hardtail that is comfortable enough for all day rides in the desert, scaring myself in the slopestyle park, and chasing my S-Works pals down the steep stuff. Gotta look good, too. Always look good.

Frame: Monē La Roca (2018) in Turbo Midnight, S/M (from the “Cjell rides to Taiwan to learn how to braze” batch)
Fork: Fox Rhythm 34, 29″, Boost, 130mm travel
Drivetrain: SRAM XX1 1×11, with Garbaruk 10-48T cassette
Cranks: Raceface Turbines with Wolf Tooth CAMO 32T eccentric chainring, and the Wheels MFG threaded BB for 30mm spindles (not a lot of options here)
Front Wheel: Bontrager LinePro 40 carbon, 27.5+, 40mm width
Rear Wheel: Home-laced Light Bicycle 46mm rim, with Onyx XD sprag clutch hub
Brakes: SRAM Guides on 180mm rotors (because why not)
Tires: Vee Crown Gem Synthesis Sidewall, 27.5 x 3.0
Dropper: KS Lev Integra dropper (internal routing, 27.2mm), 100mm drop
Bars: Niner Low Top RDO (17 degree sweep)
Saddle: Selle Anatomica NSX leather, nose up like you do
Bits: King headset (bling), Salsa seatpost (does good), Lezyne Power Alloy bottle cage (never dropped on me yet!), ESI Xtra Chunky grips (squishy), Renthal slammed stem, Race Face Chester pedals (plastic, bounces off rocks good), Apidura frame bag (small fits nice! Holds a Lezyne pump and a beer), frame spacers galore
Bell: Crane Bell, in hand-painted “Spring” colors

I do love this bike – it is super fun to ride, it makes me push myself on the pump track, and I’ve whipped ass down some steep descents with folks riding new full-suspension bikes struggling to keep up, after saying “Oh a hardtail? I got started on one of those”, though that probably says more about their riding than it does about mine.

The setup with the leather saddle and swept bars is very comfortable. The high bottom bracket takes a bit of getting used to, but I certainly don’t pedal strike often anymore. The Onyx hub is worth every gram, and the silent roll and infinite positioning feels great. I’d take 50mm more dropper, but I’ll live.

I don’t do a lot of true bikepacking, but I do like just aiming it out into the desert and riding whatever I find all day. I’ve never tolerated a bike that wasn’t comfortable enough for a full day of riding.

Quarantine project is to add a pair of Schwalbe G-One 2.8″ tires for long gravely days, and a Works angled headset to slack it out 2 degrees to match the current generation La Rocas (if Cjell says it is a good idea, and I’ve had a few beers, then I’m definitely doing it).

The setup is a bit “peak 27.5+ tukt hardtail” but I hope you enjoy it, and I’m always happy to see the interesting bikes you find, ride, and post about.

Thanks,
Sam

We’d like to thank all of you who have submitted Readers Rides builds to be shared over here. The response has been incredible and we have so many to share over the next few months. Feel free to submit your bike, listing details, components, and other information. You can also include a portrait of yourself with your bike and your Instagram account! Please, shoot landscape-orientation photos, not portrait. Thanks!