RADBMX.CO.UK
Technical & Reference Section => Tech and Restoration => Topic started by: Midschoolfool on March 31, 2022, 01:32 PM
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Woo ! finally a pig after all this time searching. Frame came in today.
(https://i.imgur.com/xZKQHDA.jpg)
Absolutely mint. Parts ordered, starting with arrived.
Fly Bikes Media FL stem.
(https://i.imgur.com/eUQCeV0.jpg)
Vocal bolts. I have two sets.
(https://i.imgur.com/7oT6jv0.jpg)
16t cassette driver, red crank bolts (for the bash guard) and spacers for the bash guard. 22mm BB too for the Primos.
(https://i.imgur.com/pta9Kt4.jpg?1)
I was going to use my Tektro magnesium levers. Thing is they are V brake levers, so click and pop a bit on U brakes and don't pull great. Then I forgot I had these left over from my Morales, as I switched it to 1" levers.
(https://i.imgur.com/jYPgrU1.jpg?1)
Still waiting on this to arrive.
(https://i.imgur.com/9Cwte4H.jpg)
Cranks.
(https://i.imgur.com/gI1xpcM.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/nXcCYMo.jpg)
Spindle.
(https://i.imgur.com/n2yffMi.jpg)
Fork. I am going to use the 14mm Super Fork I bought for the STA. I will get something else for that. I painted these satin, and was going to clear them. However, with the Pork being satin bronze I think it would be too shiny and look tacky. So I will fit the decals to them later.
(https://i.imgur.com/LkXKgFV.jpg?1)
Headset came from my Quad Angle, is a FSA Pig (piggies in blankets lol)
Bars are ODY 4/4 with long necks. In fact, this is parts bike #2.
(https://i.imgur.com/O7jBAO7.jpg)
I will be taking - seat, gyro cables, bars, grips,chain, tyres and tubes and the Antix CTs. Oh and the sprocket, bash guard and gyro pad. Oh and the crank umbrella bolts.
I have a set of red tenderisers on my Kink I will be using.
These wheels.
(https://i.imgur.com/2r6iH8G.jpg)
Now the seat post and clamp were a bit of a sod. They are really odd balll sizes. Given this I had to order this post.
(https://i.imgur.com/DIctUVm.png)
And for now this clamp.
(https://i.imgur.com/D6g3wTo.png)
More than good enough for now. For brakes? I have a Tektro U brake from the 90s and a new Promax U brake. Cables are SNAFU Astroglide and the gyro is a red SNAFU Mobeus.
Right, up to the loft to sort out more parts !
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OK. Headset pressed, crown race fitted to fork, gyro fitted, stem fitted, top cap used to tension it up, bolted up etc. BB also fitted with bearings and sleeve.
(https://i.imgur.com/uMVSi9F.jpg?1)
Oh yeah, the bash and sprocket are built properly and should now clear the chain properly. I assembled the wheels, but the sprocket lock ring hasn't arrived yet, so only the front can be mounted at some point.
(https://i.imgur.com/p7cvZNz.jpg?1)
Only thing I want to do later is take off the grips, put the levers on and refit said grips.
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Looking good, started to admire those frames in the mid school tent at MK, well sexy.
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Yeah always wanted one. It is really lovely, welding is amazing.
For some reason I don't like the grips. So I bought red S&M ones. The chain too was total rubbish so I got a better one.
Oh and the brakes. Yeah that was strange. Back one went on OK. Fitted the front one (Tektro) and for some reason one arm was binding up. I tried in vain to figure it out, but no dice. So I grabbed one of my silver Springfields and that works fine *scratches head*.
Then my mother says "I don't like that it doesn't look right". Yeah, fookin cheers ma. So I bought a black Springfield too, as I have one on the back of the Quadangle. She is right though. Silver brakes tend to stick out a bit.
Problem is I hate paying for shipping, so I did what every one would do and spent ?100 to get free shipping :idiot2:
That said I have had my Vans 10 years and they are battered. Even have blood stains on. So I got some Etnies.
(https://i.imgur.com/cZgv2VR.png)
Some shorts.
(https://i.imgur.com/CDnppzD.jpg)
Chain
(https://i.imgur.com/yFN1KTw.jpg)
Bar ends
(https://i.imgur.com/NtQz28R.jpg)
And the grips
(https://i.imgur.com/PYPG7DL.jpg)
All because my mum says the silver Springfield looks shite. Yeah, cheers Ma.
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Bikes are such a pain in the dick.
So the cranks came, noice. Went up in the loft to get some stuff. Got the black Springer, sweet. Grabbed a crap old stem and robbed the bolts for the crank arms. Found a sprocket bolt. It was all going too well.
Closed up the loft and put the ladder back in the spare room. Came down, got out the BB set.... No top hat :angrysoapbox:
Went back up in the loft (drag the ladder out etc) and found one. Phew. Came down and started fitting cranks. Why are Primo spindles so fackin tight? so that was a pain in the ass, but after about an hour I got there.
(https://i.imgur.com/OyAaxwC.jpg?1)
Sweet ! the lock ring came for the wheel. Went to fit it.... Too small :angrysoapbox:
Ugh. I did fit the tyres though.
(https://i.imgur.com/m1aOEIZ.jpg?1)
More measuring, ordering, waiting :angrysoapbox:
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Just something missing... Well, two things actually.
(https://i.imgur.com/WIR2kDm.jpg?1)
This still needs some text. Will sort that out later.
(https://i.imgur.com/EfMmDW4.jpg?1)
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OK so I wasted more time and got more pissed off. I did some studying about sizes, and this size is so rare that you can't get a lock nut for it.
There are three types. One is like, 1.29" 24 TPI. If you think of a flip flop hub? that's the small side. It's also the same thread as a Euro BB, so the lock nuts are interchangeable (the ring with the squares cut into it). However, that is why the one I bought doesn't fit. Having done some studying I found out that the one I have? is the same size as the larger freewheel. IE, 1.375" 24 TPI. I wasn't best pleased about gentlemans relishing another 6 quid, nor could I even find one. Like I said, they simply don't exist any more. The reason this wheel is missing one? is because the high end hub I bought for the Morales was missing the same lock nut. That hub deserved it more, as that was a fully sealed Gusset Tape Cassette. And is flipable LR etc and fully sealed.
Now at some point I must have been really bored, and discovered that 1.375 is the same as the larger side on a FF hub. IE, regular freewheel size.
Sick of waiting and getting skinned on shipping* I decided to just yam a fooking freewheel on it. It will never come off, but I don't GAF. The hub itself is unbranded and unsealed. Meaning it's not high end, and thus not worth anything. I just wanted it to work.
(https://i.imgur.com/4nntT2o.jpg?1)
And so it now does.
Just waiting on the seat, clamp and front black springer.
*4 quid to ship what equates to a washer. IE, you are paying the Ebay seller fees on the item.
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Looks really nice. Bet it will be great to ride👊🏻
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It's really light. I was quite surprised. I was always told it was as heavy as a cro mo frame, but nah. Apparently it's 5.9lbs. My Morales is about 10 IIRC. The recent Hoffman Wade was about 8.
Hopefully I won't get any more crap delays. I want to ride it.
Deffo got lucky with the parts though. There is no way the rear end would have taken a bigger tyre. I don't even remember what I bought them for now.
I also don't think the gyro is going to work. The frame is much wider, and I suspect this is what the Gyro XL was for. Only, I can't find one for sale at all and I CBA spending even more money on that. Knarps may help it a little, but I have a feeling I will be riding it home on just a front brake.
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(https://i.imgur.com/e1090Ad.jpg?1)
Seat clamp and post came. Didn't realise how long the post was. 450mm IIRC. Still it's done and any lower and I would not be able to get up so there's that.
HT decal is finished.
(https://i.imgur.com/FuRmupu.jpg)
I was going to get my mate with the professional rig to print them for me, but he is in Paris with his wife. I ran out of ink last year (poxy carts that come with it are half bloody empty) and they are not cheap. They are ?40 each for HP XL carts and it uses four. I found some compatibles for ?40 for the set, so hopefully they will be good. I had to send a few parcels off over winter and man it sucks not having a printer. I ordered some 3M laminate tape.
(https://i.imgur.com/3zwIbSf.jpg)
So I can do them myself. Got one sheet of A3 gloss sticker stuff left, so that will have to do. Will be fine if no F ups :LolLolLolLol:
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(https://i.imgur.com/e1090Ad.jpg?1)
Seat clamp and post came. Didn't realise how long the post was. 450mm IIRC. Still it's done and any lower and I would not be able to get up so there's that.
HT decal is finished.
(https://i.imgur.com/FuRmupu.jpg)
I was going to get my mate with the professional rig to print them for me, but he is in Paris with his wife. I ran out of ink last year (poxy carts that come with it are half bloody empty) and they are not cheap. They are ?40 each for HP XL carts and it uses four. I found some compatibles for ?40 for the set, so hopefully they will be good. I had to send a few parcels off over winter and man it sucks not having a printer. I ordered some 3M laminate tape.
(https://i.imgur.com/3zwIbSf.jpg)
So I can do them myself. Got one sheet of A3 gloss sticker stuff left, so that will have to do. Will be fine if no F ups :LolLolLolLol:
Looks really nice. The Hoffman forks look great. Top job👊🏻👊🏻👊🏻👊🏻
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Had a day off yesterday. Well, I say day off, turned out to be knackering any way :LolLolLolLol:
My friend came down from Watford. He's the guy with the machines who makes shit for me. He picked up the Morales crank parts, and I gave him the FBM for his boy. His boy was elated when he got home (total surprise, but had he told him he would have driven him crazy lmao).
Any way, took the Morales back to my place. So that meant lugging it up the bloody stairs. God that bugger is heavy. I should be able to finish that up soon thank god.
I took the top nut out to paint it after I had sanded it all smooth etc. Put down the etch primer OK and left it there to dry. Then it started to rain, and when I got down it had blown off the carboard and flipped over ffs. Thankfully it is fine. It must have dried enough, and the rain didn't bother it. Still though it's not painted black yet and more wind and rain today.
Good news is Custom Riders just shipped out all of the stuff I ordered, Fedex for tomorrow. So I should be able to complete this.
The laminating clear stuff for the decals arrived today and the ink shipped this morning. So hopefully by mid week this will be completely done.
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Hmm. Well after brain storming over the gyro I think I may have found something that might work.
(https://i.imgur.com/SRR1W5B.jpg)
The problem I am having is the bottom tangs are not wide enough.
(https://i.imgur.com/z7tg87q.jpg)
On the Fishbone the tangs are equal distances apart, IE much wider. They also both lock in the ball ends, as opposed to just floating there like normal detanglers.
Hopefully that will work, as it was only 15 quid, right colour and everything. I just painted the top nut too, so that's finished.
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Hmm. Well after brain storming over the gyro I think I may have found something that might work.
(https://i.imgur.com/SRR1W5B.jpg)
The problem I am having is the bottom tangs are not wide enough.
(https://i.imgur.com/z7tg87q.jpg)
On the Fishbone the tangs are equal distances apart, IE much wider. They also both lock in the ball ends, as opposed to just floating there like normal detanglers.
Hopefully that will work, as it was only 15 quid, right colour and everything. I just painted the top nut too, so that's finished.
The Rotor will look nice. 👊🏻
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Yeah. The SNAFU on there is red, but totally doesn't work. I have compared it to all of my other left over steel ones but the tangs are all inset like that. So none of those will work either. There is a Gyro XL on Ebay, but its like 45 quid.
Now I just hope I have a lower cable, as I cut up the bottom cable to fit the knarps and they sure as hell won't fit the XUFO.
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Yup I needed a cable. Have ordered a red one.
I also spotted another issue. With a 10mm spacer the fork is not long enough. Everything fits but the steel top plate. I can't remember how thick XUFO are, but I am only going to be able to have 8mm in there. I had to order more spacers to get a 3mm one. I only have two 5MM or one 10MM atm.
Now whether that will leave enough room to pull the XUFO? I really don't know. It's annoying because with a 10mm spacer in there the stem covers the threads but gets full grip on the fork. So, another possible solution would be to fit a potts bolt through the top cap and a star nut in the fork. That way you can use the massive bolt as a top cap to pre load the stem, whilst still being able to use a 10mm spacer. All of those are options, but a pain.
The stuff came. Front brake is fitted but I can't hook that up until the gyro comes and I solve that issue. Another idea would be to tap the stem and fit gyro mounts to it. There is literally 2mm of thread left on the fork, and the gyro top plate is 2MM. So when you add it you get nada threads. I do have mounts and bolts as well as taps, so I won't rule that out.
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(https://i.imgur.com/Fen0oxT.jpg)
OK very busy day today with other projects. I got those, as well as -
(https://i.imgur.com/4gJOWbk.jpg)
Oh and that isn't my crappy carpet. :LolLolLolLol:
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JFC.
I have been working two projects. One you ride (this one) and one that can crack walls (this one)
(https://i.imgur.com/1xTjKlY.jpg?1)
Because I decided to veneer it with ebony it has been a real load of work. I can only do one face at once. I am now on the last one.
(https://i.imgur.com/PPkbKtw.jpg?1)
Each time you get to sand for an hour. That was pre sand (IE making the edges good). Any way, I have had to do that at night. Like after 10. The glue is absolutely minging (80s skinhead grade) and so I have to open up the double back doors and do it when mum is in bed. It really does stink, so I have to wear a mask.
As such I've been pissing with the bike all day, then doing that all night = knackered. I figured today I could have an easy day. "All" I had to do was print the decals.
What a ball ache. Firstly I bought compatible carts for 40 quid as the real ones are that each X5. Then it started this BS.
(https://i.imgur.com/VLOx1E7.jpg)
The solution is to go and order them from HP for 40 quid each. Yeah right fook off.
So after taking it out and putting it back in three times it finally detected. Then the other problems began. Firstly it was saying out of paper even though it was full. Two hours later I figure out that it simply isn't seeing the printer. Oddly enough when I installed those carts it updated the firmware. HP really are bastards. Eventually after another hour I figure out that it's not out of paper at all. It's simply not sending the work to the printer. I figured this out because at the printer itself I can print test pages, yet nothing I sent from Windows was getting there.
Eventually I got there. This is what I sent it.
(https://i.imgur.com/SlNqQ2M.png?1)
I wasnt going to double down as it's the last sheet I have. However, good thing I did because this is what I actually got after over three hours.
(https://i.imgur.com/GBokvCy.jpg?1)
Will let it dry then put on the laminate later.
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Poxy IBS flare up. I knew I was over doing it, but getting old sucks :LolLolLolLol:
If your brain forgets how old you are the arse soon reminds you !
I got the decals cut out and laminated. Sadly I am still waiting on pretty much everything ffs. The white backing, the XUFO and anything else that would allow me to actually do something. That said my guts have had me in bed for two days, so it's probably a good thing.
The XUFO has tracking now, and I reckon it may arrive tomorrow. I did get the headset spacers but there's no point even unpacking them until the XUFO is here. It would only need to all be pulled apart again.
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Ugh. It's like pulling teeth. The lower gyro cable came. Everything but what I bloody need.
Sigh. I checked the UFO tracking and it was only received yesterday, so I reckon it should arrive tomorrow. No sign of the white vinyl wrap either ffs.
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Well it is as finished as it will get. The gyro still wasn't wide enough, so I had to bend the cables in. That seemed to sort it.
(https://i.imgur.com/lkZV56i.jpg?1)
(https://i.imgur.com/P3p3aIO.jpg?1)
(https://i.imgur.com/AM5Kt2J.jpg?1)
(https://i.imgur.com/3G4FeNi.jpg?1)
(https://i.imgur.com/8GgvGdO.jpg?1)
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Well it is as finished as it will get. The gyro still wasn't wide enough, so I had to bend the cables in. That seemed to sort it.
(https://i.imgur.com/lkZV56i.jpg?1)
(https://i.imgur.com/P3p3aIO.jpg?1)
(https://i.imgur.com/AM5Kt2J.jpg?1)
(https://i.imgur.com/3G4FeNi.jpg?1)
(https://i.imgur.com/8GgvGdO.jpg?1)
That's a cracking build👊🏻 Great attention to detail .
I enjoyed following this build post 👍.
Steve.
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It was for sure a "meet your heroes" bike.
I actually dropped it taking the pics, and now the pedal is scuffed to fudge and the seat also. *sigh*.
The less I touch this one the better tbh.
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Given I have built two of the heaviest mid school bikes ever made (and this is one of the lightest) I am now going on a mission to lighten it as much as I can. I just grabbed this. 2004 NOS Magnalite Ti hub.
(https://i.imgur.com/WZ3vUZY.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/SjMDVc3.jpg)
It's LHD. So I got a LHD 11t driver.
(https://i.imgur.com/Pou082T.jpg)
And will be using this. Probably painted red? IDK.
(https://i.imgur.com/36D2mbo.jpg)
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Have just sat down and caught up with this over breakfast! :daumenhoch:
Not my era or style of bike but as always, a great read and a cracking build. :bow:
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I would imagine by the time I am done a lot of it will come off tbh. I tend to get them built, then as time goes on and parts show up I upgrade them.
The first thing will be the wheel set. I will find a front hub at some point, then lace these rims up.
(https://i.imgur.com/l9u7ZJo.jpg)
The cranks will not get changed. Nor will the pedals I would imagine. Other stuff though will be upgraded.
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OK so I bought a dual pull lever that I wasn't too happy with on account of it being enormous. It didn't matter one bit, because the parts off it were worth what I paid. As such.
(https://i.imgur.com/Fa81c1e.jpg)
I converted that mid school lever to dual pull. And apply.
(https://i.imgur.com/RgsrWOo.jpg)
Really happy with that. Bars are OG slam bars, so of course are new but 100% made to original spec, the lever is mid school and some T1 grips.
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In the 1990's Slam bars were the only bars that never bent in me. Still got them fitted to my Pk Ripper now,great bars.👍
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The Standard bars were what I rode at that time. No breaking those either :LolLolLolLol:
But yeah, I must say I am a 4pc hater. Nearly every bike I have has 2pc on. Just glad S&M remade those. Otherwise I would have had to track down an uncut set (nearly impossible) and then restore them. That's the problem when you have a mint frame tbh, it looks kinda cack with rider condition parts on. Rod+back.
Talking of parts. I am going to restore the Kink Empire fork I have. 1999, U.S made. The Superfork on there is Taiwanese, and besides the Kink are rocking horse poo so I have to use them on something. They were going on the STA, but then the ditch fork turned up.
Now the original decal on those looked like this.
(https://i.imgur.com/TmhDFkm.jpg)
But, there is one thing rarer than an original Rochester made frame and that is the fork. So obviously I ain't gonna find those. What I did find is these.
(https://i.imgur.com/6B7WzO2.jpg)
I also need to now make a upper cable for the lever. And this comes with problems. I can't use knarps on the XUFO as it is made to take ball ends only (that was how in the end I got them to stay in, due to the frame being too wide) so I was either going to have to spend 15 quid on SLIC cables and cut them up for the longer ball ended part, or, find these :LolLolLolLol:
(https://i.imgur.com/kfxtPLr.jpg)
The knarps will go behind the cable barrel at the lever. I would have cut up a gyro cable, but none are long enough on the dual part. Mostly because they join into one and use that for the rest of the length. I have the left over of the S&M red linear cable I bought to make the outers, so I just need to order a set of knarps.
I also got this for it.
(https://i.imgur.com/1nbv9aC.jpg)
Oh yeah and this.
(https://i.imgur.com/zfmzauh.jpg)
Figured it was about time I used a real one lol.
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OK more done. Not building the wheels, as SJS seem to be a bit tardy on shipping things out. Mercifully they are coming tomorrow. I don't want a marathon sesh, so I will just do the rear wheel first. The front needs to wait just a bit longer, as I shall now explain.
OK. So the game here is to make the tanky parts as light as humanly (and safely) possible. Now my initial idea was to have a female Ti axle made, then get Ti axle bolts. The thing is, from hours upon hours of research NO ONE has ever done that. And, there could well be a very valid reason for it. Titanium as a material is extremely strong, until it isn't. It gives no warning, no notice, and when it fails it does so in spectacular fashion. Now yeah, I want this thing as light as I can make it, but I don't want it dangerous. My pal is also a bit stand offish about working with it too.
So I was brain storming a little trying to think of ways to make the front hub lighter. I mean, obviously if an axle snaps or fails you want it to be the rear one. Because at worst you would fall on your padded arse. If a front one snaps? yeah oucho. Sooo, recently when doing the STA I realised that modern female front hubs have the same bearing OD as a 14mm front axle does. Mostly because they are not much more than a hollowed out, cut down 14mm axle. They look like this.
(https://i.imgur.com/BudfmsK.jpg)
And as such take a 10mm (or 3/8 fine usually) bolt. Now recently when messing around in the loft I smacked apart a brand new female front wheel, and, this happened.
(https://i.imgur.com/p46o3ft.jpg)
The bugger literally went straight in. Now I did have to keep the bearings from the mid school hub (it's a Diamondback btw in case you can't place that D) but the axle and its sleeves were a direct fit. Meaning I did not have to cut my Ditch fork, nor file down the axle.
Which is perfect, eh. The female axle is a F load lighter due to being hollow cro mo, and the sleeves on it are nothing more than alu spacers. So I looked into doing the same again. I managed to find an axle on Alan's (eww gob spit) for twenty quid. Plus 4 quid shipping.
(https://i.imgur.com/BudfmsK.jpg)
But. It does not include the spacers. Now some of these are screw on, and some just literally push on. The ones I did recently from that RANT wheel were push on, but whatever the fact is you need them as they come out the full width of the 100mm. So that meant that axle was out, as it needs specific spacers. I think it is a Colony, so I would have to have found those screw on ones and then pay ?10 or more for more axle bolts. So by the time I did that? I would have been out about 45 quid.
Common sense then denoted that it was better to hunt down a used front hub, and rob it for parts. And so I did. Got this Eclat for 15 quid plus a fiver posted, and so 20 all in.
(https://i.imgur.com/31ISgG3.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/P69jLXS.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/HVvm6kG.jpg)
At which point I then stripped down my 13 pound China hub.
(https://i.imgur.com/kkngFVo.jpg)
And am now ready when the Eclat arrives to rebuild it. What amazed me was how light the hub shell was. Like, really really light. The bulk of that nearly half a kilo weight (I shit you not) is the solid 14mm axle and the steel hardware.
(https://i.imgur.com/ylXrjkD.jpg)
However, I am not content with simply changing it to a hollow female one with alu hardware. Nope ! I am going to get Ti bolts for it.
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Love your ingenuity!! :bow:
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Love your ingenuity!! :bow:
It's amazing what you can do when you don't want to cut up one of the rarest mid school forks ever :LolLolLolLol:
Oh yes, I also did some digging last night. I found the axle (Eclat) for sale. For 5 euros.... Problem is it was on Source EU, and I don't even know if they ship to the UK. That said what was more important was finding out which type it was. It is the push together type, cool.
(https://i.imgur.com/hOy7GJI.png)
Which is the same as the RANT one I did. Confidence +1.
The spokes and cable arrived today. Will start the rear wheel later.
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Wheel building 101. Drink a big coffee. Sort spokes. Build :LolLolLolLol:
(https://i.imgur.com/fgaO9ae.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/NuIyf9g.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/JzmNRPl.jpg)
Round two later. Just tightening tbh.
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OK one down... They will need truing at the end. Will take them to the LBS. Right now though that isn't important. What is is my tyres actually fit *dances around*
(https://i.imgur.com/qkSALxo.jpg)
Put the seat on for now too. It will need to come off as it needs some gluing.
(https://i.imgur.com/1YMuU23.jpg)
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From earlier.
(https://i.imgur.com/MCe3KjD.jpg)
It's now done. Tiny, and I mean tiny wobble, not enough for me to want to pay any money to get it sorted. The rear will need doing, but I can live with that.
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Good Friday. If you say so :LolLolLolLol: Me? I've started out by grinding the chain channels smooth. The sprocket is in great condition but whoever ran it last did so with a pissed chain line. So I deburred it and sorted that out first.
(https://i.imgur.com/4IGhUlt.jpg)
I then removed the anno from the outer ring (the middle will be painted satin black). I started off with a dremel wire brush thing. God those things suck. They just fly out and pepper you. I then realised it was bead blasted before anno, and so I need to sand that out. Oh what fun.
(https://i.imgur.com/lGFIqIg.jpg)
Round two will be enough. I can then mask it up and paint it.
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It was at this time I realised I didn't have any black spray paint left :LolLolLolLol:
Given it is now quite warm I decided to jump back up in the loft and get to work. I needed to remove the chain (to stop it just dragging there, the drive side needs completely flipping) and then I fitted the brake. At which point I had a two hour fight with the cranks. Ironically the left side pulled off by hand, the right fought me. I managed to bend the umbrella bolt and ruin it, but I have a lot of spares of those. The nice thing is now that all the fighting is over the left side is a piece of piss to remove, so there is that.
(https://i.imgur.com/GlP27ip.jpg)
The bars are on also. I didn't bother doing all of the cable work because the whole front end is coming off once the Kink fork is restored any way.
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Look, TITTIES ! (titty tanium)
(https://i.imgur.com/RU5rfjj.png)
Those are for the front axle. I got the hub yesterday but had to leave 2 minutes after it got there. I also got stem bolts.
(https://i.imgur.com/Xvqr8i8.png)
I want another set of those for the cranks. The pinch bolts are basically stem bolts.
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Can't go wrong with some titty action! :D
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Nope !
I've found another place on the bay who sells them in packs of 4 (M6). Which I am 99% sure is what goes in the crank arms. If it is I will get those when I am back with the bike. They are 11.99 shipped, which is fine with me. The 6 pack cost me 15 quid, but there is no point buying more than I need. Especially at those prices. IIRC the M10 sprocket arm bolt is about 8 quid, so I will get one of those too.
I'm currently having a spring clearout. Jesus help me :LolLolLolLol:
I moved in over 4 years ago, and just loaded all of my junk into the cupboards here and forgot about it. You know? stuff you can't leave behind but at the same time you think you might be able to use? well I have spent three days getting rid of that shit all down the stairs lol. I have literally filled up two of the four of our private dumpsters. Oops. Thing is for over four years all I have thrown in there is a black sack or two a week, if that. I am about to dissect two 5" foam mattresses with an electric carving knife and pack it into black sacks, so there is much more to come as I am getting a new bed :LolLolLolLol:
What I also did today was dig these tank rollers out of the bedroom cupboard.
(https://i.imgur.com/YGpqdnM.jpg)
OH MY GOD they are heavy. I put them up on Facebook at an almost giveaway price, but the problem is people on there just want everything for free any way. So, to be a c**t I removed both of the axles and all of the bearings and alu cones :LolLolLolLol: I also removed the tyres and tubes, so they are pretty much useless. NIHHHHHHHHH
(https://i.imgur.com/4cqVERE.jpg)
That said in fairness I can 100% use the front axle no doubt. And the cones (well, collars) which are also anno red. I couldn't remove the Shimano freewheel, but amazingly it was a bit knackered. I do go hard on them tbh, especially with it being a single speed.
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Result.
So I got over earlier. My black paint has arrived, cool. I forgot to order etch primer /doh. Now obviously I will need this for the fork, but I am not doing that until it is warm properly.
What I did do, however, was totally save myself the aggro of having to finish the sprocket and paint it. Simply by buying this.
(https://i.imgur.com/rFxiW9I.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/tc3DCAr.jpg)
I mean come on man I had to.
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OK. So against all common sense I decided today was time to smack my bitch up. I mean, smack the axle out of that cheapo female hub I bought and harvest the parts. It was utterly filthy, so I gave it a good clean and then polished the alloy parts gently.
(https://i.imgur.com/SDJTKye.jpg)
Sprinkle in some Ti bolts and we are good to go.
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Just ordered four of these for the pinch on the cranks.
(https://i.imgur.com/Onkk44X.jpg)
Will probably get a Ti sprocket bolt too, but that can wait for now.
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It fits !
(https://i.imgur.com/Y3ybTFS.jpg)
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Wow. I really was beginning to think that this just wouldn't happen !
So last night after looking for months and months I found a Ti Primo axle. These are beyond rocking horse shit. They've not been available for years, and the last ones were sold by FSA. Problem is no one sells them, let alone just the axle. I found a beat up set with an axle in a couple of weeks ago but 150 quid. And I don't need the arms :(
I looked into many other options, but hadn't decided on any. I can get a 19mm 48 spline axle for 70 quid from Source, with no bolts. Time you add those? 100 quid. I do have a very light set of arms (KHE Erlkonig or something) and they are extremely light. Problem is I jammed a Profile axle in one arm and it's in there. I need to get it pressed out and pray they are still OK but I could not depend on that and spending 100 before finding out if it's stuffed was risky.
Then at about 11:30 last night whilst about to fall asleep it happened.... Ran it through Ebay one more time, and you won't believe how this shit went down. :LolLolLolLol:
(https://i.imgur.com/OoZpvCh.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/UDeg4Ed.jpg)
So I don't know what possessed me, but I sent an offer. Now you would think my dumb ass would not take that chance, but it was late. Any way, incredibly he got back and sent a counter offer, BOUGHT. 55 quid.
I then realised that in my smashed benzo state (sleeping meds) I had done F-ed up. Not only did I use my mother's credit card (not a problem I have paid it off) but I also sent it to my flat. FUUUUUUG. Got up this morning and messaged the seller, asking if he could send it recorded RM. That way I could take the card and go pick it up when I get home. Pain in the balls though, because yeah I want it here. Any way, to my amazement (I totally didn't realise) it was the same guy I bought the Standard sprocket from :LolLolLolLol: :LolLolLolLol:
He messaged me back asking if I wanted it sent to the same addy as before. Hell yeah :LolLolLolLol:
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This came. Gave it a good clean and brushed its teeth. Mint !
(https://i.imgur.com/4QozRP4.jpg)
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Wow. I really was beginning to think that this just wouldn't happen !
So last night after looking for months and months I found a Ti Primo axle. These are beyond rocking horse shit. They've not been available for years, and the last ones were sold by FSA. Problem is no one sells them, let alone just the axle. I found a beat up set with an axle in a couple of weeks ago but 150 quid. And I don't need the arms :(
I looked into many other options, but hadn't decided on any. I can get a 19mm 48 spline axle for 70 quid from Source, with no bolts. Time you add those? 100 quid. I do have a very light set of arms (KHE Erlkonig or something) and they are extremely light. Problem is I jammed a Profile axle in one arm and it's in there. I need to get it pressed out and pray they are still OK but I could not depend on that and spending 100 before finding out if it's stuffed was risky.
Then at about 11:30 last night whilst about to fall asleep it happened.... Ran it through Ebay one more time, and you won't believe how this shit went down. :LolLolLolLol:
(https://i.imgur.com/OoZpvCh.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/UDeg4Ed.jpg)
So I don't know what possessed me, but I sent an offer. Now you would think my dumb ass would not take that chance, but it was late. Any way, incredibly he got back and sent a counter offer, BOUGHT. 55 quid.
I then realised that in my smashed benzo state (sleeping meds) I had done F-ed up. Not only did I use my mother's credit card (not a problem I have paid it off) but I also sent it to my flat. FUUUUUUG. Got up this morning and messaged the seller, asking if he could send it recorded RM. That way I could take the card and go pick it up when I get home. Pain in the balls though, because yeah I want it here. Any way, to my amazement (I totally didn't realise) it was the same guy I bought the Standard sprocket from :LolLolLolLol: :LolLolLolLol:
He messaged me back asking if I wanted it sent to the same addy as before. Hell yeah :LolLolLolLol:
Some things are just meant to be! Props to the seller too! :daumenhoch:
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I'll shout him out as it goes. God he has some nice gear.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/usr/stevet1_80
And yes, I had a serious argument with myself over that Trail Boss. Not only is is rare, and gorgeous, but its cheap AF too. If I wasn't so busy and so short of space right now (that is being fixed as I type this) he would have been sending me that too !
Just gutted I missed the Standard stem he had a couple of weeks ago.
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OK so I made a cock up. I then made myself look stupid by complaining to the seller :LolLolLolLol:
So I bought M6 bolts. When they arrived though they looked like M5.
(https://i.imgur.com/My7BUKx.jpg)
This, as I said, is because I am stupid. I thought a stem used M6 bolts. It doesn't, it uses M8. So, I grabbed an M6 nut determined to prove the seller wrong and it fitted. Oops, apologies made. So I did not have any bolts for the crank arms. Meh. So, I did what every one should do in this situation. I bought more.
(https://i.imgur.com/3aWT2PG.jpg)
And also bought another BD Tshirt, some socks, tyre levers (as I snap them a lot) and a red brake cable to make up the upper dual pull. I even sneaked a sprocket bolt in there too.
Feeling a bit depressed I then realised that U brakes use M6 bolts. *evil laugh*. With any luck the lever uses one too. One other thing.. It has been hammered into me to put anti seize grease ALL OVER Ti threads. Apparently it likes to stay put. So I got some of that too.
(https://i.imgur.com/3d4bddZ.jpg)
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Final problem now solved. The Kink fork has this.
(https://i.imgur.com/8NNHTwd.jpg)
And it isn't a hollow pott size. It's bigger, much bigger, and a hollow potts falls in. I suspect it is the same as the Pitch Fork I had the issues with on the DBNG. As such I am in no mood to try and ID some archaic imperial bolt. The saving grace is I am not using a front brake, so I got this. It's not Standard, but it looks nice and the blood red matches the stem.
(https://i.imgur.com/1eV4Wbm.jpg)
I am going to have to put it in at the bottom and whack away until it butts up against the welded part (under it).
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Round one. As I suspected they are bad. Like, really really bad.
(https://i.imgur.com/eESXSRU.jpg)
Tops of the legs are extremely rusty.
(https://i.imgur.com/JvXSdqJ.jpg)
They had also been spray bombed really really badly. In this pic here if you look at the right leg (which is on the left as it is the back) I am confident the grey/clear over raw was the original finish.
(https://i.imgur.com/5Fm7U3s.jpg)
Either way when I bust out the belt sander tomorrow it is all coming off. What I did do was find a pic of a very clean fork, this one.
(https://i.imgur.com/vQBuLhL.jpg)
Hmm....
(https://i.imgur.com/j6sBkSw.jpg)
This is for the little brown bloke from Thailand who was dumb enough to think that the printouts of my Root Down decals he was trying to sell for 55 quid were custom to my frame and not stock. So he got banned.
(https://i.imgur.com/FZfNrOz.jpg)
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I'll shout him out as it goes. God he has some nice gear.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/usr/stevet1_80
And yes, I had a serious argument with myself over that Trail Boss. Not only is is rare, and gorgeous, but its cheap AF too. If I wasn't so busy and so short of space right now (that is being fixed as I type this) he would have been sending me that too !
Just gutted I missed the Standard stem he had a couple of weeks ago.
Those Odyssey forks are well-priced too! :coolsmiley:
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I got an offer through for the Trail Boss last night. 195. Man that was hard to turn down. Just don't have the space yet :(
Going to do the final touches to the decal today and then send to my mate for printing. Just waiting for my pain meds to kick in then I will get on with the fork.
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Stage two complete.
(https://i.imgur.com/uGZvAV3.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/HFt1wa7.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/N2Aqgnu.jpg)
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Well I don't know why the images are not being downsized all of a sudden. Well, not here at least.
So after another round of paint stripper in the welds, lots of hand sanding and getting the rust off the welds I put down some paint. And it looked awful. I did everything right too, so it was strange how bad the peel was.
(https://i.imgur.com/w9ic65Z.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/OFukX6M.png)
I was pretty pissed off about it tbh. Figured I would have to wet sand it, but then no idea how to get a finish coat down without it doing the same. Came back up here for 30 mins more and a miracle is happening :LolLolLolLol:
(https://i.imgur.com/sIEIyhL.png)
The insides of the legs are a bit dry, but that's fine as I intended to wet sand it all out and give it another coat. I finished the decal graphics too. I had to put in every single one of those letters one at a time by hand as the font wasn't available. I got one that was close (the message to the thai thief) but it wasn't correct. As such they were all in a bit out of space etc. The Quality part was too big too. That is all fixed now, so it's off to my mate to print.
(https://i.imgur.com/cBNsiLK.png)
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This is some voodoo shit. Another two hours, and.
(https://i.imgur.com/h1Oncyl.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/sK63jGI.png)
Wet sand tomorrow. :idiot2:
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OK so this might have happened.....
(https://i.imgur.com/0g6WeGi.jpg)
Long story short I forgot I had bid on them, and won. Not one to mess people around I paid for them. The Primos are cool and all, but the arms are different lengths and I am all OCD about it.
In other news about an hour ago I brillo padded the fork and shot the second and final coat.
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Fork done.
(https://i.imgur.com/8vOVdOY.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/YDyNVJ3.png)
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So for the past three days I have done a total of absolutely nothing.
For a couple of years I have had this whooshing in my head when I sleep. Figured it was me sleeping poorly, or being too fat. Lost 6 stone, it still persisted. Few days ago after a hard couple of weeks I came to my mother's for a rest and there was a blood pressure machine here. Took my blood pressure and yeah. Not good, not good at all.
I am pretty certain it is being brought on by the brain meds I take. Problem is you get a choice. Take those meds and deal with the physical side effects, or, go out of your trolley. I spent 30 odd years doing the former and have no plans to do it again, so blood pressure meds it is. Because of that I really need to rest up as I won't have access to the meds for a week or so. Good old bank holiday.
Any way, the cranks haven't even shipped out yet and besides I needed a couple more things. Firstly my cable cutters are dead. Noticed they were not popping straight through like they used to, and the last cable I cut with them went south. So I bought another set. Not paying 35 quid for Park tool, because I have had mine 8 years and they cost the same as these new ones, a fiver. By the time I buy 7 sets I will very likely be dead, so yeah no point.
(https://i.imgur.com/mLxKBpf.jpg)
I also needed these. Ran out ages ago, been robbing peter to put on paul etc.
(https://i.imgur.com/GoGvEU6.jpg)
The last of the Ti bolts arrived today, so we now have enough to replace every single one on the bike.
(https://i.imgur.com/GJtLP9B.jpg)
And the front wheel is just sitting there too.
(https://i.imgur.com/owEJdpt.jpg)
I can't do anything even if I wanted to right now, and I don't. I need the star nut to be able to mount the fork any way, and I don't have it yet. I also sent the decals off to my mate to print, so I am waiting on those, though tbh I could put them on after putting the fork on the bike but I can't do that without a star nut and top cap.
So I'm kind of being forced into resting, which I suppose is for the best.
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And relax.
(https://i.imgur.com/n3rqfBv.jpg)
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Result. These cranks also use M8 stem bolts for the pinch, and they only need two. This means I can bundle up a full set and a ti axle and sell the red Primos.
(https://i.imgur.com/1aPFz9e.jpg)
Glorious.
(https://i.imgur.com/C5HA7Ff.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/JEIfVoG.jpg)
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OK here goes. I am having to resize and edit every pic now, and I am stupid busy. So updates will be less frequent but bigger when I can find a moment.
OK, so I will skip out the several hour fight with the cranks. I knew it would happen, because the axle is long. I could see that in the auction pics, so I knew I would have to fabricate a sprocket spacer for the bolt. And I was right. This meant putting them on and removing them about 20 times. I got them on around 8:30 last night and by then I was exhausted. But on they are. Sadly I did not have the spacers for 22mm I thought I had, so the non drive side needs to come off one more time when these arrive.
(https://i.imgur.com/cHN1F0p.jpg)
That said I was very relieved to get away with just buying that, and not another complete BB. So, after slicing my finger open last night on a star nut and bleeding all over the place I rested up and got back to it today.
It was finally time to bust out the Ti. First up, the stem.
(https://i.imgur.com/ksok0fP.png)
As you can tell (because the fork would not be on the bike now if not) the star nut and top cap I bought arrived also.
(https://i.imgur.com/472W0Nz.png)
Gorgeous. Obviously the Ti pinch bolts are in the crank arms now also. So, seat clamp Ti bolt.
(https://i.imgur.com/7GlLFHI.png)
There was one left over for the brake lever too, which was awesome.
(https://i.imgur.com/W9Ei06s.png)
And of course the 990 got two.
(https://i.imgur.com/iG5J9lp.png)
Then I made the cables for the dual pull. I am waiting for new cable cutters as you get one shot at this, or it's ruined.
(https://i.imgur.com/zXnCUVQ.png)
They are coming Saturday. But we are close. Very close.
(https://i.imgur.com/skMYo5j.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/ftbjj7U.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/zhR4RL5.png)
I have put the Standard away as I have two other bikes to work on.
(https://i.imgur.com/qcGGber.png)
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Finally.
(https://i.imgur.com/8vwssLq.jpg)
It's actually amazing how well it works tbh. Didn't get any more pics yet, as I started digging out stuff to get rid of.
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OK so I ordered a decal for the seat post yesterday. The seat post is a DMR, not a Rod. Even though they are absolutely identical. Thing is? the Pork is a weird size any way, and I couldn't be arsed with shims or paying more than the tenner it cost me new. So this will work lovely.
(https://i.imgur.com/N6IoMBd.jpg)
Then a very strange thing happened. If you cast your mind back to the decal I redrew and sent off for printing?
(https://i.imgur.com/cBNsiLK.png)
The "NY 99" thing was bugging me. Basically the history of the fork is someone I know bought it new in 98. He then rode it til it broke, and put it away. When I say broke the welds gave out on the steerer. Any way, he took it down to Leroy Maidment last year and had it pro welded. At which point I stuffed it in my loft, and forgot about it until recently. I then restored it etc. But something about that decal just did not sit right with me. How could the fork be made before 99 and have that decal on? The fact is? it shouldn't. So it is probably for the best my mate hasn't done them yet.
What made me realise this was finding pics of two Kink Empire rev A from 97 and 98.
(https://i.imgur.com/Id3DwNs.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/cULJLrF.jpg)
At which point not only did it dawn on me that the fork I was trying to copy was a Rev B (there is no physical difference btw) but it was also wrong. They should not look like this.
(https://i.imgur.com/vQBuLhL.jpg)
At this point I looked in my stash. And guess what? sometimes things are just meant to be.
(https://i.imgur.com/aSlrOBZ.jpg)
So with that done all that is now left to do is to put a sticker on the seat tube. And then file the gyro balls down as they are hitting each other (easy) and also take the seat off and reglue the top. As it is loose and saggy.
(https://i.imgur.com/PWRpWmK.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/VSMtsDN.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/r3IvHB9.jpg)
You can see there why the cranks were a ball ache. Worth it, though.
(https://i.imgur.com/siBbG0r.jpg)
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OK so the penultimate post on this. Next time you see this it will be finished.
When I replaced the seat clamp bolt for the Ti one I thought "Let's drop the seat just enough so the new decal fits". Thing is, it was clacking. At the time it had no front end on, and I was holding it up by hand. So I just did the bolt up and left it.
Last night I took it out to glue the seat cover back down (now done) and realised the post was seriously long. It was actually hitting the BB shell :LolLolLolLol:
All I had was a Jr hack saw. 30 minutes later.. It snapped. FFS. By this time I was getting angry, so I snapped it off and finished it up by file. BASTUD.
(https://i.imgur.com/E2tSj0V.jpg)
And sorted.
(https://i.imgur.com/R8zOwMl.jpg)
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OK so it is close to the finish line. I need to put a decal on the seat post, and fit the grips I got for it.
(https://i.imgur.com/4cKiAKJ.jpg)
But that was it. Note I said was :LolLolLolLol:
The Primo pedals are stupendously heavy. I noticed Superstar (who I have used many times before) had a sale on their new pedals but were chucking in gold Ti axles for ?76.
(https://i.imgur.com/E259Klg.jpg)
So yeah I might have bought those too :LolLolLolLol:
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In for the bling! :coolsmiley:
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Dude those Primos are heavy AF. Might put those on the Fat Boy.