Technical & Reference Section > Tech and Restoration

40 yr Old Newbie's Firebird Project - FINISHED!

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pickle:
just get a decent NS bike to ride!  i bet mine weighs less than your DP and rides miles better  ;)  ;D

BMX20:
Well, thank you one and all for your kind comments,  Let's see if I can answer/address them without missing anyone out.

The Tuff IIs are new coasters bought from the States (colouredtuffs.com sometimes known as Planet BMX). With the current exchange rate they came in at £123 including postage, which I thought was pretty fair considering. A word of warning though, I then had to pay £18 VAT and handling this side of the pond before I could get them.

Bikes are definitely for riding, though I can see why people like to build up showroom examples.  I've sort of done both: got it looking as pristine as I could, photographed it at every stage (what do you mean you noticed?) and now have a record of how it did look before I go scratch it to bollocks.  I also had the great enjoyment of the refurb process too - there's a huge satisfaction to be had in the restoration of anything (I particularly enjoyed painting the F&F and fitting the Gyro2).  Now I get the satisfaction of riding it again, if that's what you call the blistered hands and aching back I awoke to this morning.  Anyway.  You can never cover all the bases at once (i.e. you can't keep it showroom and ride it too, at least I can't ...), but at least I've done them both, albeit one at a time.

Bike weight is something I'm a bit of a geek for.  My road bike is 6.8kg, and my 4 yr old daughter's is 9kg! (you gotta love carbon!).  I'm going to weigh the DP in a bit and post its actual weight as I've built it.  I'd be really interested to see how modern frames and wire wheels compare.

I'm well happy with the FAF tyres - sadly though it turns out they're from Evans!  My bro agreed to get me them as a little pressie and, rather than go to the link I gave him from WIKMTA, he obviously just followed the path of least resistance and went to where he has an account.  I did try ...

No plinths going on those cupboard - tiled to the walls!

See you Corby!

Gordy

ED209:
Gordy,

If weight is an issue for you, you need to get some 48 spoke alloys ... less flex as well :-)

Bring on the DP Riders Club  :D

( Tyres from Evans eh... are you listening Stodgy  :knuppel2: )

Manticore:
That looks really good. How much time/money would you say you spent on it in total? Got a weight on it yet? ;D

BMX20:
Edna,

Weight isn't really something I'm too bothered about, it's more something I'm interested in to be honest - it's more of a fascination with the technology and engineering than any desire to have a light bike.  I'd be really interested to see how the old and modern compare though.  I have an ongoing argument with my roadie mates when they buy £1500 carbon wheels in order, they say, to save 250 grams: to my mind, why not just eat fewer pies and take your watch off?  Whereas, if they said they wanted them because they were just technologically amazing and a fabulous piece of composite engineering, I'd shake their hand.  Money well spent.

Anyway, I haven't weighed it yet as it's pissing down and I'm not going out there in that.  Plus, I'll have to weigh myself first, then me holding the bike and subtract the former from the latter, and I'd rather not know the former ...  I'll get my wife to do it (and they say romance is dead).

Manticore, I reckon I spent £400 all up, but put in a lot of hours (probably two complete weeks full time, albeit spread over a month).  I also have pretty much every tool in the world and was a fairly highly trained technician BITD, so that helped me cut the cost as I could do all of it myself.  Let us know if you fancy giving it a go.

Gordy

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