Budget MTB build -- he'p me!!!

Yes. now is a great time to buy a used mountain bike. Spring is a bad time to buy.

In reply to orphancars:

No kidding, I haven't even heard of that shop before.

The construction is so bad up there I avoid going north of the loop at all costs.

Have you heard anything about colonels? Jerks or good guys? They are by far the closest shop to my house and I hate traffic.

FWIW, I just got done updating my 2003 Cannondale Gemini.

I don't do the crazy/stupid downhill thing anymore but I'm a big guy so I made a few changes to update the bike and make it more all-around useful.

Suspension has improved greatly in even the last ten years.

I changed the Marzocchi 66VF out for a new Manitou Minute pro and shaved almost three pounds.

Changed the Manitou Swinger 4-way coil for and X-fusion O2 air shock and saved another pound.

Changed the heavy Kenda Nevegal DH tires for some Panaracer Fire XC Pro tires and shaved off another pound or so.

I kept the single front chainring and 7-speed drivetrain since I really don't seem to need any more than that. The cassette is somewhere around 12-34 and works just fine.

The fork and shock both have a lockout so it climbs much better than it used to

It all made a huge difference and I've got a decent all-mountain bike that can take the pounding a creaky fat guy will give it and it doesn't weigh a ton.

I'll run 26" wheels until they stop making tires, I've got 5 26" bikes hanging in the rafters and I'm not buying another.

edit: I second the tubeless advice. I switched over to a ghetto tubeless setup with the new tires and I'll probably never go back to tubes. It doesn't really save weight but I've had a few hits recently that would have pinched a tube and I just keep on rolling.

I think that getting wheels/tires/gruppo/stem post etc for anywhere close to $750 is VERY optimistic (unrealistic :) ), unless parts are that much cheaper there.
Good wheels are anything but cheap, but it's not an area to skimp on. Same with tires: as in cars, good rubber can make a MASSIVE difference. Absolutely go tubeless - it's pretty amazing, make sure they are high volume tires with reasonable rolling resistance. Run low pressure and be amazed at the difference compared to the old Panaracer Smoke & Dart tires from the 90's! Don't go with more aggressive (slower rolling) tires than you need for the riding you do.

Ojala wrote: In reply to orphancars: No kidding, I haven't even heard of that shop before. The construction is so bad up there I avoid going north of the loop at all costs. Have you heard anything about colonels? Jerks or good guys? They are by far the closest shop to my house and I hate traffic.

Colonels is a good LBS! Though I think they add on the So-7 tax because of the neighborhood they are in. Nice shop, clean, very helpful staff the couple of times I've been in there.