Unfinished projects

itboffin

So who other than me has an unfinished bike build project?

I took my heavy steel slightly too big raleigh fixed wheel and stuck it on the turbo, re attached the downtube shifters, 5 speed cassette and found a spare dérailleur, that's where this project stalled, there's no place to attach a newish rear mech it needs a 'thingy' adapter.

Foiled :?

PS. I once commuted on this bike

itboffin

Exhibit A. said thingy



Exhibit B. paper thin rear dropout which Ex. A came from but no longer seem to want to go back in any way logical.

robmanic1

I'd just like to get to a point where I have all 3 of my bikes working at the same time. 2 up 1 down at the mo'.

nation

I have a Specialized Rockhopper bought as a project. I got it as a frame and forks with a 105 headset in good nick, an old square taper bottom bracket (not worth saving and seized in the shell, LBS got it out) and a seatpost which is seized in place.

I'm currently engaged in the laborious process of cutting and chiselling out the seat post. Don't ever buy a bike with a seized post, no matter how much of a bargain it is.

the_hundredth_idiot

I'm looking at getting a bike as a summer project. An old classic lightweight. The main thing which has stopped me so far is the suspicion that, come Autumn, it will be untouched and unloved at the back of my shed.

I quite fancy an old Elswick as I grew up near their factory (and the Falcon factory) in North Lincolnshire. An old Elswick was advertised on gumtree recently and I went to see it - it looked a bit of a wreck and, when I asked the guy to raise the seat a little*, the seatpost was stuck fast. I walked away at that point - I agree with nation, stuck seat posts are a pain to sort out and, given the state of the bike, I'd probably have had to resort to sawing it out. The bike wasn't even a bargain at £65! :shock:

* he claimed his 6' tall son rode it - not unless he'd got bruises from his knees hitting his chin :?

nation

The thing about stuck seatposts is that they might come free with a bit of penetrating oil, or they might be effectively welded in place.

Mine is the latter, but I got the frame for bugger all, so I'm not bothered taking the time over it. Plus it's a nice frame and should ride really well with modern components. I'm not going to bother trying to build it up with retro parts when a full Deore groupset can be obtained for around £150.

I quite fancy finding an old roadie to build up as a bullhorn barred single speed for a pub bike, but I think I'd have to finish the bike I have in pieces first before I could convince my other half that's a good idea (I've currently taken over the conservatory, tools everywhere and it's probably going to smell like plusgas for months).

marchant

My projects stalled due to a lack of ££££ and lack of a LBS Might post a picture or two tomorrow; they're still free, right?

girv73

I've a 1995 GT Zaskar that I need to retrieve from my friends' garage. Hopefully that will be in a couple of weeks, then we shall see what needs done on it.

nation

Progress on my project.

I got fed up sawing and chiselling, and I wasn't making any more progress without terminally damaging the frame.

Solution: Plug all the holes and fill the frame with caustic soda from the plumbers merchant. Leave for about a week, pull paper thin remains of mostly dissolved seatpost from the frame with a pair of pliers. If I ever do this again I'm trying this option first.

Need to give it a thorough clean, and figure out the seatpost and front derailleur clamp diameters, then I can start bolting bits to it.

iain_j

Just the thread. I have an announcement to make:

I've finished re-building the Giant!

It was an unfinished project for 10 months. After the crash last July I took the opportunity to take it to bits - anything that could be unbolted was unbolted for cleaning, inspection, replacing if necessary, and putting back.

After three full days of tinkering the bike was in many, many clean pieces (except for the rear wheel, rear mech hanger, cables and headset bearings, they were in the wheelie bin).

Ten months later, it's back together!

Not quite rideable though. In the final checks before taking it for a test ride, I noticed the saddle wasn't quite straight so I loosened the clamp, nudged it into line and tightened up the clamp. CRACK - the clamp bolt snapped.

I promise it won't take ten months to replace it

Beeblebrox

itboffin wrote:

Exhibit A. said thingy



Exhibit B. paper thin rear dropout which Ex. A came from but no longer seem to want to go back in any way logical.

Aha, yes. This problem. Something I've recently dealt with.

I think it goes back in with the dérailleur hanger wedged inside the dropout - it does mean that half the drop is taken up by the bolt, but I really cannot see how they go back in otherwise. It is firmly stuck in when the bolt is tightened, though.

nation

Was browsing ebay and happened across a picture of the above assembled:



Hope that helps.

itboffin

Thx peps I just worked that out last night whilst browsing yet more old bikes on fleabay

There's always room for 1 more, right!

brushed

Struggling to finish load carrying project - ultimate uncool machine non nickable anithesus of brakeless fixie - racks front and rear, mudguards, canti brakes , drop bars, furry dice (kidding) - missus calls it load bearing bike - argh!

I need a set of 26.0 silver (or black), non ergo - so it will side thru a quill stem - bars 42 wide and cheapo

You would not believe how hard it is to source something cheaply as its all 'vintage / rare' angle nowadays minimum price £20 plus postage even on ebay

Need to be new as bars take a bit of a pounding - ideas?

Roastie

brushed wrote:

I need a set of 26.0 silver (or black), non ergo - so it will side thru a quill stem - bars 42 wide and cheapo

You'll be after 25.4 rather than 26.0 if you are going to use in an old quill. Trouble is it is a bit tricky finding 25.4 bars...

New, Hubjub would be your best starting point for a 25.4 (Nitto) - but might be pricey for a "hack" project.

I'd say your next best option would be a skip salvage. Could also try to get a machine shop to ream out the quill to take a 26.0, then you'd be able to get a cheap new non-oversize bar to fit.

Another option would be to get a quill adapter to allow you to use a modern 1 1/8" stem, which would then be 26.0 - then all your probs are solved as you can the get a nice bar for around £14 (which is what I last paid for a set of reasonable bars from my LBS) - I can check what brand they were this eve if that helps.

Hope this helps.

jonginge

Roastiecp wrote:

brushed wrote:

I need a set of 26.0 silver (or black), non ergo - so it will side thru a quill stem - bars 42 wide and cheapo

You'll be after 25.4 rather than 26.0 if you are going to use in an old quill. Trouble is it is a bit tricky finding 25.4 bars...

New, Hubjub would be your best starting point for a 25.4 (Nitto) - but might be pricey for a "hack" project.

I'd say your next best option would be a skip salvage. Could also try to get a machine shop to ream out the quill to take a 26.0, then you'd be able to get a cheap new non-oversize bar to fit.

Another option would be to get a quill adapter to allow you to use a modern 1 1/8" stem, which would then be 26.0 - then all your probs are solved as you can the get a nice bar for around £14 (which is what I last paid for a set of reasonable bars from my LBS) - I can check what brand they were this eve if that helps.

Hope this helps.

Unless it's an old Cinelli stem which was 26.4 mm... Gave up trying to replace my old Cinelli 66 bars that got wrecked in a left-hook incident last year. Got some 26mm bars (Cinelli Vai) and added a shim to get it to fit

brushed

JonGinge wrote:

Roastiecp wrote:

brushed wrote:

I need a set of 26.0 silver (or black), non ergo - so it will side thru a quill stem - bars 42 wide and cheapo

You'll be after 25.4 rather than 26.0 if you are going to use in an old quill. Trouble is it is a bit tricky finding 25.4 bars...

New, Hubjub would be your best starting point for a 25.4 (Nitto) - but might be pricey for a "hack" project.

I'd say your next best option would be a skip salvage. Could also try to get a machine shop to ream out the quill to take a 26.0, then you'd be able to get a cheap new non-oversize bar to fit.

Another option would be to get a quill adapter to allow you to use a modern 1 1/8" stem, which would then be 26.0 - then all your probs are solved as you can the get a nice bar for around £14 (which is what I last paid for a set of reasonable bars from my LBS) - I can check what brand they were this eve if that helps.

Hope this helps.

Unless it's an old Cinelli stem which was 26.4 mm... Gave up trying to replace my old Cinelli 66 bars that got wrecked in a left-hook incident last year. Got some 26mm bars (Cinelli Vai) and added a shim to get it to fit

Yes I have also had the Hubjub experience - I have a Nitto quill stem in 26.0 ready to take some bars OR I have a set of Cinelli 26.4 bars ready to take a stem...whatever appears first .

Where are these skips you talk about with drop bars in - I only ever see duff MTBs in skips

brushed

Sorry missed bit about cheap bars at £14
This option looks to be a winner
What brand are they?

jonginge

brushed wrote:

Sorry missed bit about cheap bars at £14
This option looks to be a winner
What brand are they?

Sumfink like these?
http://www.parker-international.co.uk/1 ... ebars.html

brushed

JonGinge wrote:

brushed wrote:

Sorry missed bit about cheap bars at £14
This option looks to be a winner
What brand are they?

Sumfink like these?
http://www.parker-international.co.uk/1 ... ebars.html

Cheers

marchant

Took a snap or two today, so here's the story so far - money spent £11, man hours about 12 (mostly attacking wheels with steel wool). Impressed that 18 year-old inner tubes still hold air :shock:


By the way, the padding on the bars is to avoid wounding myself...

jinnan_tonnix

Ok, here's one of my crazier projects...

Let's start with some home-made forks...


This is called the cut...


Here's the shut....


After some dodgy welding and some Wickes Crimson Red radiator paint...



What's the turning circle, I hear you ask? Can't turn in round in the street, I've got to either lift it or do a three point turn. No too practical. It's got a Shimano Nexus three speed coaster brake wheel, so it does stop, sort of. It's stuck in 2nd gear as I haven't bothered connected the gear shifter rod.



But on a more serious note, I bought this for £10...



I think it's about 50 years old or so. Sadly there's no original stickers left (it's been repainted) but I have the frame number, so I'll try and see who made it (and when). It's currently completely dismantled at the moment, but it should make a nice cruiser when I restore it.

There's a couple of problems with it though. The Sturmley three-speed is leaking oil and the rear mudguard is rusted more than I thought. I tried to fabricate a section to weld on, but even with a hammer and dolly set I couldn't get anywhere near the right shape. It was just too difficult (it's a fancy pressed pattern). I'll just have to cut off the rusty bit and hope it'll be OK.

marchant

Update on my project; a serious lack of funds has stalled any major purchases, however, a neighbour came to my rescue today with a very nice set of Truvativ cranks and a Selle saddle. This evening I shall mostly be found in the garden with tools/baby wipes/steel wool giving it all a good clean. I was so pleased I fitted a brand new set of bottle cage bolts I had knocking about. Total spend now, about £13.50 and just the brakes and drivetrain to go.

laughingboy

jinnan_tonnix wrote:

But on a more serious note, I bought this for £10...



I think it's about 50 years old or so. Sadly there's no original stickers left (it's been repainted) but I have the frame number, so I'll try and see who made it (and when). It's currently completely dismantled at the moment, but it should make a nice cruiser when I restore it.

There's a couple of problems with it though. The Sturmley three-speed is leaking oil and the rear mudguard is rusted more than I thought.

I might be wrong, but don't all SA three-speed hubs have the year of manufacture stamped on them?
So all you need to find out is who made it (I trust you have consulted Sheldon Brown).

Aidy

I've got a brompton project where I was planning on having v-brakes, and doing some handlebar fiddling (amongst a few other improvements).

Never quite got around to finishing it, though. Not sure I will now, it's unlikely I'm ver going to want to ride it

iain_j

Dragging this one back up from April:

iain_j wrote:

I've finished re-building the Giant!

It was an unfinished project for 10 months. After the crash last July I took the opportunity to take it to bits - anything that could be unbolted was unbolted for cleaning, inspection, replacing if necessary, and putting back.

After three full days of tinkering the bike was in many, many clean pieces (except for the rear wheel, rear mech hanger, cables and headset bearings, they were in the wheelie bin).

Ten months later, it's back together!

Not quite rideable though. In the final checks before taking it for a test ride, I noticed the saddle wasn't quite straight so I loosened the clamp, nudged it into line and tightened up the clamp. CRACK - the clamp bolt snapped.

I promise it won't take ten months to replace it

Ashamed to admit it took another three months to fix the last odds and ends.

My dad, a retired engineer, crafted a new seatpost clamp for free. Sorted. Pumped up the tyres, wiped the dust and cobwebs off, and took it for a test ride round the park. Straight away, the left pedal was oscillating under my foot. Five minutes of scrutiny revealed the crank arm was very slightly bent, from when the bike went under a car. It took a long time for me to find five minutes in my schedule to take the crank back off and give it to my reliable mechanic again.

Got it back yesterday, re-fitted it today, re-fitted the pedal, took it out for a ride again - the Giant is complete, full working order! Nearly 13 months after the bump. I'm impressed I made the job last so long.

I'd forgotten how sprightly it was. I only have to *think* about accelerating and it's away - whoosh. The brakes and pretty savage too compared to the Claud Butler, as I found out tonight, eased the brakes gently for a corner, and came to a dead stop :shock: