Revolver Posted August 26, 2011 Report Share Posted August 26, 2011 Just wanted to have a place where I could make a sort of diary of this project. Comment if you want. So, initial update: So on wednesday I got an early phone call from a friend, who found this knocking around in the skip at his work. I'd mentioned I was after a dirt cheap bike I could use to get to work on - what could be cheaper than free? So I rolled down in my car and picked it up. It wasn't in rideable condition, as the pictures show. You can see that the tyres have seriously corroded, they were stuck to the rim in places. The wheels are tarnished and untrue, the seat is shite. I stripped it down and found that pretty much all the things you'd hope weren't seized, weren't seized, which is a relief. I'm yet to check the pedals but new cranks won't be hard to source. I rolled down to halfords to pick up some essentials - new tyres, tubes, cables, and a chain. I'd've fitted them yesterday had I not lost one of the headset bearings. I went to a couple of LBS and neither of them had one, 1" threaded steerer. I reckon in the future if I get a 1 1/8" headtube made or scavenged from another bike that will be the best solution. Update #2 - Fitting the tyres, bars, seat: Pissing it down with rain, isn't it? Luckily the headset I bought on wednesday came today, from JE James cycles, who even sent a text saying roughly when it would turn up! I decided to go and fit some of the new bits, despite that. I managed to fit myself in the shed, where I first tackled the headset. The race wouldn't go on the forks, so I split it, to find it didn't sit in the headset properly. The old race, however, fits both perfectly. I found out my BMX seatpost fits, which is cool, so I'm borrowing that for the time being. Tempted to get a pivotal setup for it, lol. We'll see. I fit my spare handlebars. A select few members on this forum know them as the deadest feeling bars they've ever used, but they'll probably be alright on this. I'll fit the chain when I get some gear cables. I'm going to fish in my spare pars box for spare brake levers. I have a shifter but it's 8 speed compared to this bike's 5 speed, so I may well lock it out until I sort a new rear wheel. Just a little side note, it's not staying those colours. I'll get round to it later but I've already got the paint... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Clark Posted August 26, 2011 Report Share Posted August 26, 2011 Just to be a downer, with all the money you're spending making it work, wouldn't it make more sense to buy a second hand bike that isn't a heap of shit? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Revolver Posted August 26, 2011 Author Report Share Posted August 26, 2011 Kinda, I was looking at a raleigh on ebay that would've done, might've cost me £60, something like that, but I reckon to get that how I want would cost about the same and be less fun. For example, if I'd've bought the tyres on this for that raleigh, ones that I hope will make it quicker for getting around, it would've cost more than what I've spent on this so far. It's not gonna cost much more anyway, I've got a 26" front wheel knocking around, a hope XC hub that's going unused, and those bars. Funnily enough I woke up really early to win that raleigh, it was due to end at like 9:30 in the morning, and at 9:15 I got the phonecall about this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Revolver Posted August 29, 2011 Author Report Share Posted August 29, 2011 Update #3 - Get rideable So today I've got the front brake working, fitted a spare deore LX lever I had in the shed, put my spare front wheel on, Atomlab GI wheel, and locked out the derallieur on the back so it's singlespeed. It's a true rat-look bike at the moment. It'll look a lot better when I paint it, which shouldn't be too long. The brake works surprisingly well. Gonna roll down to the wier to chuck it in the canal take some pictures. Left to do: Paint it, swap the rear wheel, swap the brakes for vee brakes, fit new levers. New pedals, possibly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wozz Posted August 29, 2011 Report Share Posted August 29, 2011 Well it sure looks a lot better! Good work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke Rainbird Posted August 29, 2011 Report Share Posted August 29, 2011 Left to do: Sort out the retarded bar angle, paint it, swap the rear wheel, swap the brakes for vee brakes, fit new levers. New pedals, possibly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Revolver Posted August 29, 2011 Author Report Share Posted August 29, 2011 Well it sure looks a lot better! Good work! Cheers, it's only gonna get better And luke, that's on the cards, ha, I'll try and get another stem that's lower too, the quill on this one is rusted to shit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wozz Posted August 29, 2011 Report Share Posted August 29, 2011 and almost tempted to say keep the colour i like it =p very cheerful/summery Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Revolver Posted August 29, 2011 Author Report Share Posted August 29, 2011 If the paint was in perfect nick, I might keep it that colour for longer, but it's faded and it's chipped to hell, so I'm getting rid this week or next. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wozz Posted August 29, 2011 Report Share Posted August 29, 2011 fair enough so what colour you going for? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Revolver Posted August 29, 2011 Author Report Share Posted August 29, 2011 Red! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wozz Posted August 29, 2011 Report Share Posted August 29, 2011 Awesome stuff!=D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Revolver Posted August 29, 2011 Author Report Share Posted August 29, 2011 On the subject of retarded bar angles, I found this: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SYSTEMEX-STEM-RAISER-QUILL-ADAPTOR-1-1-1-8-Shims-/170679750681?pt=UK_sportsleisure_cycling_bikeparts_SR&hash=item27bd4e5019 Which would turn my obsolete 1" threaded steerer system into a 1 1/8" stem diameter jobbie... and I should have a suitable stem in the shed, perfect! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
isitafox Posted August 29, 2011 Report Share Posted August 29, 2011 Didn't know they still made them, I remember breaking the one I had on my bike about 14-15 years ago mid back hop! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomm Posted August 29, 2011 Report Share Posted August 29, 2011 Front brake left hand? GTFO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Revolver Posted August 29, 2011 Author Report Share Posted August 29, 2011 Don't worry, I'm going to get both brakes going, so they'll end up on the right sides. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davey1991 Posted August 30, 2011 Report Share Posted August 30, 2011 If you've kept the old front wheel i wouldn't mind taking it off you for my bike i've fubbared my old one haha. plua i have evil plans for the rim off mine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Revolver Posted September 2, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 2, 2011 Started stripping the paint today, turns out it's immune to Nitro Mors, so I brought out the BIG GUNS. Not finished yet, I'll finish it off tomorrow and maybe even get some paint down! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davey1991 Posted September 2, 2011 Report Share Posted September 2, 2011 If you want some vee brakes i have ALOT of spares, onza ones tektro ones cheap ones leavers pads galore. Just sorted mine out with a front calliper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Revolver Posted September 2, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 2, 2011 I got some from tarty the other day, cheers though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Revolver Posted September 6, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 6, 2011 Seems like I've picked the windiest day to paint. God dammit I hate weather, all of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Revolver Posted September 7, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 7, 2011 Sneaky peek right there. I don't have any pics of it being stripped. I really should've waited til later to build it because the paint's really flimsy at the moment. There's a nice long raw bit on the seatstay I've covered with a tartybikes sticker Proper pics and a proper update will come later, maybe saturday. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wozz Posted September 7, 2011 Report Share Posted September 7, 2011 Looking good! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davey1991 Posted September 8, 2011 Report Share Posted September 8, 2011 Looks a whole lot better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Revolver Posted September 12, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 12, 2011 (edited) So, time for a real update: The paint seemed to be immune to nitro mors, maybe the new recipe is shit. So I got out my drill and a paint stripping attachment for it, took a good damn while. I ended up nitro morsing the bits I couldn't get to with the drill off. Left a couple of spots of the original paint on there in the really hard to reach bits. The next step was to find a way to hang the frame up in the car park where I live. Problem solved with a ladder. Had to tie it twice to stop it blowing about, it was so windy. Each coat nowhere near enough time to dry so the end result is a nice looking frame that sheds paint like it's got leprosy. Built the wheel up too, it's so much lighter than the last. It's a bit wide for the frame though, the hub spacing so it took some levering in. The coke can strip disguises the hub and adds colour co-ordination. haha. The brakes are so light to use it's awesome. The pedals are toss, I need to change them asap. I'm gonna save swapping the bars out until next year, when hopefully I can get a 1 1/8" headtube on there. Phase 1 is nearly complete - change the nipples on the front wheel, change the pedals, maybe swap the seat out, that should be it. Phase 2... is approaching slowly. Edited September 12, 2011 by Revolver Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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