Drivetrain:
Shimano 10-speed XT clutch derailleur, cassette, and shifter
2005 SRAM XO front shifter moving an XT derailleur
Blackspire stinger dual ring chain tensioner, gamut bashguard, and a 36/24 front ring setup
I bought the stuff as a package, and there’s no reason to stress about a front shifter that works. Ten-speed chains bend a little easier, but it’s worth dealing with to get Shimano’s clutch derailleurs. They work exactly as advertised. Not only do they quiet down chainslap, the slack reduction in the chain itself equates to much better immediate pedal power transfer when your bike is bouncing around on some chop.
Tires: Front: Maxxis 2.4 EXO something. Rear: 2.35 Maxxis Minion DHF DH casing, Maxxpro 60a compound. Both setup tubeless.
I’ve tried mostly burlier tubeless trail tires on the rear. They just fall apart on me running them tubeless. The 2.35 DH casing tires aren’t that much heavier and are in a few cases lighter than some of the bigger volume tubeless trail tires out there. And knowing you’re not going to punch a hole in the thing is awesome. The next best thing is Maxxis’ EXO casing. If you don’t regularly hop into pointy rocks because you see a pump-friendly backside in the mess, you can probably get away with one in the rear. Most people can. I don’t seem to able to for more than a week or two.
Bars (rise, width): Sunline V-one 765mm, 1” rise
Bars….Not much to them. They hold my grips on.
Stem (length): Hope 50mm X4 stem
Short is fun. The Hope is light.
Seatpost: 2011 Specialized command post
Nothing makes a bike uglier than a taint spanker/sack whacker but nothing makes a ride with multiple climbs and descents more enjoyable than a taint spanker/sack whacker. It’s a shamefully welcome piece of equipment. I’ve seat bounced a few backsides of transitions and the seat binder has slipped, but I’ve had that happen with Thompson rigid posts too. Only difference is that the Thompsons strip a bolt barrel. The Specialized just needs to be retightened.
Saddle: WTB Silverado
Grips: ODI Ruffian Lock-ons
I’m not going to pretend that grips matter that much if you ride with gloves. I ride my trail bike with gloves.