Athlete Series: Building a mountain bike from the frame up by Lucien Weisman

This summer, I finally tackled something I’ve been wanting to do for years: building a mountain bike from the frame up. I started from just a frame.

The frame was a Kona Process 153, a bike I’ve liked since it’s perfect for jumping. From there, it was time to gather every part and piece it together myself. Cranks, brakes, fork, bars, wheels — the whole deal. I was definitely a bit nervous since I could mess up a whole lot.

The best part about the build was that I bought all the perfect parts. Everything fit absolutely perfectly and I didn’t need to buy any new parts to make it work. The few roadblocks I ran into were the installation of the headset, which I don’t have a bearing press for. I also struggled with the tires since the Continental Tires have very stiff beads. 

Now that it’s finished, I’ve been riding it on hard jumps, tech, and everything in between. The process feels exactly how I hoped it would, playful, stable, and built for the terrain I love. I’m stoked to keep dialing it in and making it my own.

What made the build possible was Hoback Sports, since they helped with the installation of the brakes and the headset and every other part I don’t have the tools for.