Recent Posts

91

Tech and Restoration / Re: A magic trick. Turning lemons into watermelons....

« Last post by Midschoolfool on March 06, 2025, 02:17 PM »

Quick update.

So I got the wedge cluster with the cranks. Problem is it has fallen to bits. Meaning you need to use tons of grease and put them on one by one. CBA. Amazingly I managed to find a NOS one for 19 quid delivered.





OK so with that got I bought a backup seat just in case I make a hash of the covering.



I reckon I will use that any way tbh. I bought a used Shadow chain for 8 quid delivered.



I have lots of spare links in all different colours from other builds, but the aim is to boil it in an old kettle with vinegar (got and got) to remove the rust. Then soak in oil, or maybe gun blue. We will see. No point spending 50 quid on a chain for a wall hanger.

The hub came in.



And is now in bits waiting to be stripped. I will paint it black, 2k clear and rebuild. Will put a decal in the centre or something but I am going to have to take it to the LBS in Chi to get it laced. Hence why the savings on other things.

Talking of paint. I bought that and it has arrived. Two slime green base and two 2k clear. The bars are in too, and the stickers have been removed. Same with the fork they are both now just plain white. Scuff and paint etc.

I'm not sure how long this will take. It is obviously weather dependent and shit. However, my arthritis is now causing me other issues. IE, not just crushing pain. I started getting these blister like things on my fingers. Which set in place and then make my nails grow wavy and brittle. And it hurts like a bitch. I had no idea what it was but found out the other day they are these.

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/23456-myxoid-cyst

So yeah. All the fun of getting old eh?

92

Tech and Restoration / Re: Fix a ripped seat.

« Last post by Midschoolfool on March 04, 2025, 12:30 PM »

Ride? Blimey. Even in my prime that bike would have been a challenge lol.

Apparently super glue gel is more flexible.

93

New School Racing / Re: 2025 Race Blog - Year 9 - Still Lunging for the Line!

« Last post by Mikku on March 04, 2025, 08:22 AM »

Got an unexpected break in my schedule today, the last day of my trip, so with a snow front fast approaching, I quickly headed over to my third pump track in a week. This is another of the four Velosolutions tracks in Japan and is definitely more challenging than anything else I’ve ridden thus far. It was also bitterly cold but since I rarely make it down to this part of Japan, I wasn’t going to let that get in the way. Spent just over an hour there in total, which was enough to get a good feel for the place, not to mention freeze my nuts off. Plan to make a return visit when I’m next in Tokyo, hopefully with warmer weather!

94

Tech and Restoration / Re: Fix a ripped seat.

« Last post by Mikku on March 03, 2025, 09:47 PM »

Mate, that came out great!! I guess the acid test will be how it holds up to some riding but it looks fantastic.

95

New School Racing / Re: 2025 Race Blog - Year 9 - Still Lunging for the Line!

« Last post by Mikku on March 03, 2025, 03:49 AM »

Made it down to Tokyo on Friday, with two pump track stops on the way.

Then drove up to “Gorilla Park” race track on Saturday for a bit of practice. Haven’t been there for a few years, and they’ve made a few changes since then but it’s still a tight and slippery course. Fun though. Sunday’s race was nearly kiboshed by the Tokyo Marathon but 4 riders braved the traffic, so they made a 5-rider open class, with four of us the wrong side of 40 and a teenage son completing the line-up. I went 2/2/2 in the motos but finished third in the main, following some handlebar-banging on the first straight. A bit disappointing but still fun, especially as I hadn’t raced there for seven years or so. Plus, with such a small turnout, we were all done and dusted by lunchtime, so I drove an hour on to Shonan Speedway - another track that I hadn’t ridden in a while. No racing to report but I had lots of gate practice, which is always good, and got to check out the track modifications that had also been made there since my last visit. It really is a top-notch track and even better now with asphalt berms, so I’d like race there again this year, if possible.

So overall, not a bad little trip. Two pump tracks and two race tracks with a podium finish for the photo album.

96

BMX Chat / Re: Ebay Seller takes the biscuit!

« Last post by Mikku on March 03, 2025, 03:26 AM »

 

97

BMX Chat / Ebay Seller takes the biscuit!

« Last post by Taipan on March 01, 2025, 05:48 PM »

Seen it all now? Ebay seller Panbikes has split an MX 1000 brake caliper!  he's listed the 2 arms seperately! ffs what an  

98

BMX Chat / Re: Today I bought, or it got delivered, or I fitted...

« Last post by Midschoolfool on February 24, 2025, 04:38 PM »

Pegs in from the US.



Bars almost finished. I fixed a run, then realised the clear  was still quite soft. So I left the final cutting etc as I could cause damage. Hence the cross bar looks a bit flat in places.



And build.



However due to said soft paint I did not want to cause squishing where the levers go on. So I decided to be patient. Levers are the last job now.

99

BMX Chat / Re: EBAY NEW SELLING RULES?

« Last post by Midschoolfool on February 22, 2025, 08:11 PM »

From what I read on the Inland Revenue website,it says bicycles are exempt from tax when sold on ebay as they are 'mechanical.
Also if you're just clearing out your old stuff out of the loft or de-cluttering then the Inland Revenue don't regard that as taxable either.
I believe the threshold is £1700 before ebay passes your details on to the tax man.

Yeah. TBH I would imagine they are targeting flippers.

I am a PC gamer. Have been for 30 years. Graphics cards at launch are now hot property, with some of them costing 2k retail. Problem is scalpers set up bots, buy them up and then flip on Ebay for double the price. And some idiot pays it. As such people are making like two grand tax free.

I also noticed recently that crab meat in tins is always sold out at like, Morrisons or Tesco etc. Some ahole then takes said crab meat costing 2 quid a tin and puts it on Amazon for 9 quid a tin.

100

Tech and Restoration / Fix a ripped seat.

« Last post by Midschoolfool on February 22, 2025, 07:37 PM »

So something was really peeing me off. I have a mint SNAFU saddle. Like for its age it is pristine. However, it had what I thought was a scratch in it. Turns out at the end there was a small hole. And it was bothering me because the bike it is on is all NOS and pristine parts. And it was right in your face, at the front of the seat.



I left it for ages but it was lingering in the back of my mind. Especially as I am soon to fit NOS chrome wheels (sick ones) with NOS pegs and god knows what else. I have had this bike the longest (been finding parts since 2017!) and want it perfect. Well, close would be super.

So the other day I decided to look into the extreme. What if I painted it?. Now bear in mind here this was when I thought it was just a scratch, not with a small hole on the left hand end. It looks like someone caught a nail when taking the bike down from the shed or garage. I also don't mean slapping on some Dulux either  I mean as close to proper as possible.

So my investigation led me to this.



Actual leather paint that dries very flexible. At a mere 6 quid delivered. At this point I still was not set on touching the seat, until Weds when I was up there working on the rear brake and cabling and realised there was indeed a hole and the area was starting to feel quite dry. So I removed it and brought it down.

I have seen videos and guides on repairing car seats. However, the filler looks very cumbersome and causes a F ton of work. I have also see Thai people filling the holes with sugru and it looking the extreme end of shat at the end too. However, one thing I have seen is people making filler out of superglue and bicarb or baking soda. So this was the method I chose to use. It would bind all of the edges of the hole and stop it progressing.

As such I decided to do a tutorial on it, as no one ever has. However, the final check was asking on groups if any one had used said paint and a guy blew me away showing me a mid school Hoffman Condor seat he had repainted. It looked incredible. And thus, I was set.

So here goes. If you have any questions please ask. I am hoping this will save a lot of mid school era vinyl seats !

How to fix and paint a seat. Is it perfect? no. Is it better? I will let you decide. Do note pics numbered are part of the repair and paint. Pics without numbers are the finished seat.
Materials needed.

Seat.
Superglue.
Baking soda (bicarbonate).
3m scuff pad or sand paper.
Superglue activator if you have it. Drying times will be increased if you do not.
Masking tape. I used fine line. This part is on you and depends on experience. If you are a ninja you won't need any.
Leather paint. Aye, proper leather paint.
Paint brush. I used an old makeup brush. Needs to be small and fine.
Isopropyl alcohol for cleaning.
Rags.

Step one.

Remove any plastic reinforcing.

If there is a rip, tear or hole in the seat you need to fix it. If not? skip this step. However, do not skip the scuff and sand!
Cut any flaps of seat that are poking outward off with fine scissors. You want the area as flat and shaped to the seat as possible.

Scuff entire area. Apply superglue into the hole, rip or scratch. Take a pinch of bicarbonate and drop it into the glue. Pat with finger.
Either let it air dry or apply activator. This will turn it rock hard in 10 mins.

Once dry sand it into shape. I could have gone further but I couldn't even feel it tbh.

Once done clean again with alcohol to remove any dust and detritus.

Step two.

Mask up the hard line between areas if you are doing two colours. Or don't, if you are said ninja.
I have used orange fine line tape, you will see it in the pics. Again this all depends on skill and experience.

Step three.

Shake paint for a minute or so. Remove lid and stir. I used a cocktail stick thing.

Step four.

Paint. I used two coats. It was more than enough tbh. It coats way better than I thought, and darkens as it dries too.
Let the paint dry between coats. 25-30 mins.

Step five.

Once tacky carefully remove the masking. Let it dry for 24-48 hour

NOTE. The filler turned pink due to me using a scuff pad.













And after two coats.







And then a close up you would never do unless you like sniffing saddles.



So the takeaway? well the seat is now stable, and the rip and crack can not get any worse. It also looks visibly improved IMO.