Technical & Reference Section > Tech and Restoration
The last restoration from me. The Pink Schwinn.
Midschoolfool:
Blingtastic. Something every single other one of my bikes is not.
Those bars are facking PERFECT.
Midschoolfool:
Boilocks. Literally. Just got in the loft. Let me tell you - DON'T. It is about 40 degrees up there. Was searching for parts whilst literally poaching in my own juices. I found tons of stuff, some really nice gear. However I could not find the frame press gyro mount. IE the thing in the top of this pic.
I was sure I had one from the Mongoose, but it is gone. It was literally the only piece gone, so bugger only knows where it went. So I have had to spend 12 quid on a cheapo nasty 1" just to get that. I mean, it does save me having to clean the top plate I have but that would have taken seconds.
Got the wheels down and like I say, few nice little surprises here and there to add some more bling. I'm using my Gusset 48s. They are straight clones of old school Araya.
I have found some Gsport rim strips. I didn't realise these were the ones I used 700c inner tubes and duct tape on :LolLolLolLol:
Oh yeah, I degreased the Plytes. They look a lot better. TBH one ride would rid them of the powder, so I may just ride it. We'll see.
Midschoolfool:
And the hype train hit a wall and exploded into flames. :LolLolLolLol:
When I looked at the seat tube I got a feeling of pain. I dunno man, something didn't sit well and I had this bad feeling. Then when I went to put the seat post shim in my fears were realised. The frame is not 25.4, and the clamp is not 28.6. When I measured it the ID of the tube is 26.4 and the clamp is around 29.6. Go looking for either? you won't find them. I then had this really foggy memory of buying a lovely new seat and wanting to get a better post. I then remember buying a BMX seat post mail order and it slopping around in the tube like a sausage down the underground. In sheer panic I went up to the bike shop and must have bought some sort of micro adjust in the correct size.
The fix? more money. Of course. Ain't that always how it goes? now thankfully the clamp I had in mind was in house. And, you can't get a shim that goes from 26.4 down to 22.2. For the obvious reason. Anything in 26.4 is beyond rocking horse crap and more like unicorn vomit. Thankfully what I did find was this shim kit for a fiver.
The inner one has an OD of 26.4. It goes down to 25.4, which is where the shim I already have will go.
Whilst putting my vernier all over the frame I decided to remove the plastic dual cable guide on the seat tube. It was another of the amazing things this bike had that no other had. Not in the same price range, not anywhere. And it really, REALLY helps. I figured I would remove the lower ORYG cable and get it ready for cleaning up tomorrow. Only, the dirt I thought was all over the Y part was not dirt but corrosion and the paint was destroyed. It was also all lumpy and nasty. Ugh, more money. Thankfully I did find one for a fiver.
OK so that wasn't *that* bad. About a tenner to make it all work. I still hadn't bought a seat clamp, but then I got another rebate the local council owed me so I started thinking. I went down and put the rim strips on the 7X 48s earlier and realised they are pretty cack. TBH I only paid about a nifty for them, and I felt a bit dirty putting them on this bike really. I mean this was my fave bike of all time, so having the crappiest wheelset I have on it wasn't what I would want. So I remembered where I got them from, and returned there. Whilst there I decided to get a seat clamp, as the shipping would be free if I spent what I was about to spend :LolLolLolLol: So yeah I got one in 30mm which apparently works fine. It's the inner tube part you don't wanna f**k with.
I then proceeded to buy a way better wheelset.
Gusset Black Dog 48s. Double wall etc. Got a 3/8 front (above) and a 14mm flip flop rear.
Whilst I was down there earlier piddling around with rim tapes etc I tried the front wheel in the fork. IDK if the brake will clear the tyres... However, whilst on the site I bought the above from I spotted these.
Vee Speedster folding tyres. I know, I know, I have a pair of folding tyres :LolLolLolLol: BUT ! these are not only top end race tyres they are also 1.60. Meaning there is a much, much higher chance they will allow the shorter V brake to clear. And yeah, it sounds pretty bloody mental buying more tyres, but they were in the sale for 11 quid each. I also really dig the tread pattern. Much grippier than the Paths.
So, even though I have one I decided to buy a good freewheel, as the one I have is cack.
Which like the wheels and seat clamp ETC are all basically era correct. I am now happy. Even though those Schwinn cranks were cheap AF they look really nice. I am pretty sure the RRP is not, and was not, 20 quid. I am also sure they were not chromed within the last ten years, as the chrome is not total crap.
Now hopefully that is the last of the bloody nasty surprises.
Midschoolfool:
OK. I am still alive lol. I wondered at points last night if I would even make it. DANG it's hot. 6am I got to sleep, up at about 10:45. I feel like I have been hit by a train.
Good news. The pegs all came. Just what I wanted. Knurled clean flatland pegs. In chrome of course. After the big splurge last night I needed one more thing. Headset spacers. They too are quite hard to find in 1". There is a place who sells them but when I go to buy them I get this.
Now I would highly doubt I left them bad feedback. I have about 800 or so feedbacks and I have only ever left about four, and only when the item was a complete rip off and not as pictured. That said as Bankrupt learned very quickly even if I phoned you and called you a C U Next Tuesday (I wouldn't but just sayin) you would still do well to ignore it given how much crap I buy. I mean FFS you boys have seen it first hand.
That said I genuinely have absolutely no bloody idea WTF. Thankfully I managed to track down their website.
I ordered 1 10mm and if that is too long I got a 5mm and a 2mm.
Midschoolfool:
Can't wait for my Cousin's kids to ask me when I am old and f-ed what I did on hottest day ever in the UK.
"Well kids, sit around and I will tell you a tale. I sat out on the back step like a forkin bellend using burning gentlemans relish to get the paint off a bike frame".
Started about 1. Got the stickers off first.
Then gave it a good scrub with Gunk to remove the grease and dirt.
Dry.
Armed myself with the above and foul language and proceeded to strip off the incredibly hard 2k coating.
I was out there so long (FOUR HOURS) it rained twice (that was a touch tbh, LOL) and dropped 7c. All whilst I was out there :LolLolLolLol:
Each tube got four coats of stripper with scrubbing in between. There's still some small spots left, but I will take them off mechanically. Esp when I dress the frame (tidy up the lazer cut dropout edges etc etc, I always do it now).
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[#] Next page
[*] Previous page
Go to full version