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First bike build
Well this was my first complete bike build. I was looking for something to replace the VP Free as I didn't find myself riding DH anymore. I wanted something that could handle going downhill reasonably well but also pedal uphill. The Nomad seemed to fit the bill.
Putting it all together was a lot of fun. It wasn't all that hard as I've tinkered and replaced parts on my other bikes before. I just did it slowly over two nights.
On bathroom scales it came in at around 13.4kg which I was surprised at. I thought it would be more. I'll need to get a proper weigh in someday soon 
Frame: Santa Cruz Nomad
Shock: Fox RP23
Fork: Fox 36 Talas RC2
Drivetrain: Shimano XT 3x10
Brakes: Hope Tech M4
Wheels: Hope Pro2 with ZTR Flow rims
Tyres: Kenda Excavator 2.35 converted to tubeless
Seatpost & Stem: Thomson
Pedals: Time ATAC XS
Saddle: TBC
Now time to go get it dirty.....shame I have to do the Fling this weekend......It maybe a big call to do 110km on this thing 
Better pull out the Trance for that.
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Those are wicked-looking stoppers. Hope I presume?
Ooops forgot to add that into the spec list. Yep they are Hope Tech M4s
You've built it with: 3x10
Why not 2x10 or similar?
Weak Legs, plan on +20% hills, package deal or cheaper etc....?
The combination looks almost normal on the Nomad. I know we were taking the pi$$ out of Logan's ASR5C for having a dinner plate cog on the cassette and tiny 'big' dog...
... but your pictures don't make it look like that. What ratios is that? Anyone know what Andy's was?
Santa has come early or you made use of the dollar ?
Would also be keen to hear some details on $$ as I'm in the market for something in the 160mm bracket.
I got the drivetrain bits a fair few months ago before the 2011 SRAM 2x10 came out.
Also I figured with a heavy bike I may need the granny...I'll have to get out and see how it goes now that the Fling is done and dusted. Time for some fun riding!
However with that granny ring on the 3x10 that I am running, I was able to climb some pretty steep sections in the fling and got half way up The Wall as well and would of cleaned it had it not been for someone stopping in front of me.
its a 11-36 at the back and a 42-32-24 Crank.
Someone asked me how my bike rode yesterday and the best way of describing it was like a Mountain Goat on the climbs, drop it in the granny and keep the cadence up and it just sticks to the trail.
I only have the normal 11-34 cassette on it and that is why it looks more "normal".
I went for a short ride last night at Terrey Hills just to make sure everything works. It all worked perfectly. May need a big more air in the shocks but otherwise everything was great.
The Excavator tyres have crazy high rolling resistance but do have big grip too. Going down that steep pinch at the end of Long Trail is usually a bit sketchy on XC bikes. Last night I felt like I could almost let go of the brakes going down that hill. I had to haul up though for all the XC bikes tip toeing their way down there
Talking about brakes. The Hope Tech M4s are bedding in nicely and power was ever increasing. The modulation on the Hope's are amazing too. Much less of an on/off feel than some brakes I have used. The power is there but it comes on much more progressively.
Going uphill wasn't too bad. While it is definitely slower than my Trance it is totally bearable.
Very happy with the bike so far. Now to take it to somewhere a little more challenging than Terrey Hills firetrails
As above really, they have some nice berms and wall rides up there....
from that pic i'm only counting 9 rings? which makes more sense to me...
10 speed.