Bill_B

Tried searching but I didn't have much luck. I'm building a cheap mod and I have a pair of Truvative hussefelts with 22tooth front chainwheel (fixed) I was planning on using this, but now looking arround realise most mod riders use a gear ratio of about 18:12, here in lies the problem, 12 tooth rear freewheels don't seem to exist. I'd rather not have to buy a new pair of cranks for a front freewheel. So what are my options? I think If I wnt for a 24tooth front sprocket and 16tooth rear freewheel then I would be in roughly the same ratio, or a leave my 22tooth on for starters, I cannot find a rear freewheel smaller than 16t!!! So any advice? I'd prefer not to have to buy new cranks, this is a distinctly low budget build (not got my rear wheel yet, its not arrived, so no idea what is on that). Are mods pretty much exclusively front freewheels or do people use rear freewheels on them? thanks for any advice EDIT: wheel is a tryall rim with monty fixed hub, so unless I fancy learning to ride trials on a fixed wheel single speed (which I don't ) I need to replace either the rear freewheel or new cranks. IMHO a rear freewheel (providing the hub is threaded) sounds a much cheaper option if possible, or should I just get new cranks and do it properly.

Are you a student (or know of any )? if so check out the education section on Apple's site, good discounts to be had, IIRC you used to get a better deal logging on from my old uni network that from just saying you were a student, but it was about 14% off new machines!

My first car was a '86 Mk4 Escort, the 1.4 which after a snapped cambelt had a few mild engine tweeks and was great fun. That was followed by a pug306 DTurbo, Hybrid turbo, cams and a modified fuel pump made that fly too Got a very Dull Honda Accord Coupe now (with a silly expensive ICE setup) which shall shortly be changed for something cheap and less practical (probably a CRX as the Mrs wants one).

Well, I've decided to powder coat it, in black (boring old git I know). Just need to decide between: Matt Satin Super mirror shiny and if I'm going to do the forks too or just the frame (I'm thinking I should!)

I can think of ways to do this without having to Glue the PTFE (lots of mechanical options to fix it in place). Might have a play when I get my bike built in a couple of weeks. If I come up with a stroke of genius I'll post it here

If your going to use a piece of plastic for the chain to run over and not a wheel, try and get some PTFE from a plastics supplier, its very low friction and should work well. you may even find you can use it for the springy bit too. Usually available in black and white.

Don't suppose you have a setting in the windows sounds that allows you to select the input device there. I know windows can sometimes over-ride the driver setting in the program. I'm more of a Mac guy really for audio stuff (microsoft smells funny ).

15 years ago I maybe would, but I guess I'm getting too old for silly neon colours, hell 20 years ago I would have loved a BMX like that I guess I've grown old and boring, I want something a little more understated

Meh its lame, if the govenrment had any balls about the health risks they would ban smoking and the sale of tobacco, but I guess the drop in duty would be a bit hard to swallow (there is always the motorist to make up for it ). Now you will be able to go to a club and come home smelling of sweat, beer and vomit instead of smoke.... Yum!

Hmm a style I hadn't even considered

I had noticed the seat thing yes and the general use of a single low gear :$ I hadn't noticed the BB height so that is something new learnt any more clarification on the other geometry differences and why they have evolved that way? I am interested. Hopefully by next weekend I should have enough bits to make a free wheeling monty uni-cycle (not sorted a rear wheel yet )

Meh, I obviously havn't got a clue, that is why I asked the question EDUCATE ME

I have a 20" old monty here which is basically an evolution of a BMX if you look at the frame. I've seen a few pics of 26" stock trials frames and I'm trying to see where they have evolved from? I'm looking at the current crop of dirt jump bikes out there and they look quite similar. Can some one do me a basic run down of the differenty types of bike and their basic differences and geometries, my Monty has a wheel base of about 1m, I assume that makes it a short mod? Thanks for any info.

Its a trials bike for the Flintstones here are some more pics of the frame, http://www.trials-forum.co.uk/forum/index....showtopic=94406 It looks more like a BMX than a modern trials mod. I'm confused about which way to go, I could: 1) try and find pair of 1 1/8" bars, keep the original stem which is kind of cool in an old-skool retro way, like the rest of the frame. 2) Replace the stem and fit the Viz bars which is a nice easy (cheap) option and the stem may have seen better days, but I would want something with an oldish look to it. Can anyone confirm if this is more likely to be a Brista Stem than a monty and advise where I may find some suitable bars for sale (someone is measuring one up for me that may be suitable)? I'll use the Viz bars on my MTB, they won't be wasted

I have this monty frame I'm building up. Its currently Chrome and pitted quite badly in places, I'm thinking of re-finishing it. What colour to people think would work. Re-chroming would be costly but I can have powder coat done for the cost of the powder (i.e. not much) cos it will just fit in my mates oven I was thinking black, either matt black with bits of polished hardware, or a real high gloss shiny black. Any other suggestions, I can get a shiny shiny silver that is almost like chrome too. There are loads of other colours out their too, so what finish/colour do you think would suit this old-skool style frame (Its Chro-mo steel otherwise I would probably just strip and polish it to a mirror shine).

This is a piccy of the stem in question!

Some advice please on what size and type of BB I want for this old thing (reccommend a decent value one for me one basically) I have a pair of Truvativ Husserfelt ISIS cranks with 20tooth iirc chainwheel. any advice (and comments) gratefully received.

It has has a Monty logo painted on the side, very faded but JUST visible, that is what I was going on. Looking around I think my best bet may be to swap the stem for a 31.8mm one and use the bars I now have. I'm not seeing many 28.6mm bars available.

Thanks guys? So I have (working to nearest metric measurement) Monty stem 110mm long for bars 28.5mm dia (1 1/8") and Viz bars which have 32mm dia clamping area (1 1/4") So, new stem or bars????

Bought the Viz flat bars in the classifieds, they have a central dia of about 32mm where they clamp to the stem. My Monty stem has an internal diea of about 27.5mm for the bars. ARSE!!!! so what should I know when buying bars/stems to avoid me being this stupid again. What sizes are available?

So, I collected the Monty frame this evening the chrome is quite pitted and there are a couple of marks on the frame, welding is pretty rough IMHO and the underside of the frame behind the BB is quite heavily scored from use. But it was cheap and I'm happy :) So I need to make it roll and so far I have (with prices): frame with forks fitted and 100mm stem (£10) on the way are: Tektro V-brakes (1 pint of guiness) Avid levers Truvative Husserfelt cranks Flat bars (£35 inc postage for all three). Looking to buy new: BB (Do I need a Howitzer for the Husserfelts?) Chain Grips brake blocks Cables I still need: some wheels and rubber! So what is my best value option, I have seen a couple of pairs in the classifieds here, but I'm looking at £100+ for a pair of wheels delivered, I can get new rims for £45ea + tubes and rubber. Is there a cheaper option? can I fit BMX rims? I know they will be heavier but will they fit and can they be used? Any advice please, I have put prices on stuff to give you an idea of what I'm trying to limit my budget to A pair of second hand BMX wheels of fleabay for £30 looks much more appealing than a set of 'proper' 20" trials rims if it can be done.

Well thanks for all the advice guys (and girls if any of you replied ) I'm taking advantage of the classifieds as I have evidently spammed my way into a respectable position today I'm going to grab some bits to sort the Monty out (if the damn seller responds to my emails) and if it doesn't suit I'll look at another frame, something respectable, probably larger and in need of some TLC (I have access to cheap powdercoating facilities ). thanks for all the help, the questions will continue Bill.

The Monty frame cost me a whole £10 (had £50 but-it-now and £15 postage), I put in minimum bid and it was local, that is all it made so I don't feel too bad about it not being suitable. it was frame, forks, headset and stem. Mike: Considering I'm not really looking at getting into trials proper, just something to 'play' on, is a £500 outlay, even just in bits necessary? where would say £250 get me (waits for the response 'a decent pair of wheels')? Eskimo: 1) you say if it feels good, well it doesn't feel anything, I just have the frame (not even collected that yet) I have never had a trials bike of been on one, closest I have been is my BMX in the 80s and a montessa trials motorbike I had 12-14yrs ago. I'm totally new to all this, a trial virgin I bought the monty frame on a whim, it was local cheap and Monty appeared to be a 'good' make. 2) Is short going to cripple my back though? I'm 6'4" and not of slight build (I know where the pie shop is ) 3) I still need a lot of stuff to complete my setup though, I'm wondering if its worth continuing or there is a beter way to go. 4) I don't want to invest more than I need to for starters, its a hobby I can build on, at the moment I see trials as a small bike to play on and learn balance and manovering skills in the back garden etc. thanks for your input guys, I am listening.

Thanks for the offer Xris. I'm in Guildford, sorry busy tonight but I'll be in touch by email. So my impulse Monty purchase may not have been a good one??? I know cheap is not always good value, I guess I should have asked what is a good value way to go about this, knowing i'm not wanting to competer or buy top class kit etc. I don't want to buy cheap tat that will break with me bouncing on it, I want to spend the least ammount of cash to get me something that is comfy, servicable and will not be broken withing a couple of months. Thanks, So people, please reccommend what I should have bought

Hi I am trying to get back into cycling as a fitness thing mainly. My intention is to build up a lightweight, simple, solid cross country mountain bike to go riding on. I also wanted something a bit more fun (last 'fun' bike I had was my rayleigh super tuff burner in the mid 80's, ok that should give you an indication of my age ) so I won a monty 20" trials frame on fleabay, thinking (or not as it appears) this would be a good base for a 'fun project'. I could mess about on it and develop my balance and low speed skill on this and then take the Mountain Bike out at the weekend for longer rides. so I have (when the seller contacts me to collect it) a Monty Chro-mo frame and forks (20" mod), headset and stem, nothing else. The frame looks to be fairly old but in good nick from the piccies. I know I will be needing cranks, wheels, bars and brakes. I have some Tektro V-brakes on the way from a mate but I need to know what else this is likely to cost me, and where to source the parts cheaply? The other issue is a friend has 'kindly' ponted out my 6'4" 18stone body will look a bit silly on a 20" mod, think silverback gorilla on a monkey bike! Would I be better swapping the monty frame for a 26" stock frame before I start? So my initial questions really are: 1)Being my size, should I continue building a 20" mod or swap the frame for a 26" stock and build that (I have some mountain bike bits, 26" wheels and the like in the shed)? 2)Is the Monty a sensible frame to build, I have no intention of competition etc, its all just for fun? 3)what sort of wheels, cranks, bars etc should I be looking for? 4)And how much should I be looking at paying for this lot, second hand? Thanks, Bill. EDIT: that title should say FEET first. What better way to start, than by looking an idiot