Today's Fettling...

El Capitano
El Capitano Posts: 6,401
edited June 2011 in The Crudcatcher
So, I have spent most of today fettling the Focus. This involved:

Taking it completely apart and rebuilding it. Easy? Well, not really. Firstly, I'd used a Shimano BB with a FSA crankset. It fitted, but was very tight. It didn't want to come off. I ended up stripping some of the threads from the non-drive side of the BB shell taking it off. I used an old MTB cup, which I could get a better purchase with the spanner on, to re-cut the threads.

Changing the gear cables, I got one of the cables stuck in the shifter, not where it was supposed to be. Needed to take the whole shifter apart to get the dammed thing out.

Then whilst cleaning the brakes, I managed to unscrew on the brake bosses with the brake attached rather than removing the brake from the boss. Stupidly fiddly to get back into the frame without threading the boss. Lots of Grrr face...

I then proceeded to get my thumb trapped in the front wheel and removed a section of my nail. Doesn't look to bad but hurts like a bitch. I then got stung on the foot by something. Not sure what, but my food swelled up and again, hurt like a bitch.

Finally got it all assembled, complete with triple crankset, new tyres and the original saddle installed, and the rain came down!

Managed to take it for a short test ride. Feels a bit strange, but that's probably due to the 35mm large volume tyres rather than the skinny 23mm ones. The tyres don't seem to be as grippy as the Conti's, but hopefully they'll last a bit longer. Also, finding the drop from the 50t chainring down to the 39t middle one, much easier on the legs than dropping down to a 34t. The 30X25 bottom gear seems pretty good. Can't wait to try it up Paget road on the commute home.

It now looks a bit like this:

313816386.jpg

Going to leave the mudguards off till the winter.

Comments

  • D-Cyph3r
    D-Cyph3r Posts: 847
    You had rain today?!
  • whyamihere
    whyamihere Posts: 7,714
    That's bloody nice Stu.

    Would you do me a favour? I want to see what size tyres I can fit on my hardtail with 700c wheels, could you see if the 35c front wheel fits into the XTC or NRS? I reckon they have similar clearances to the bike I'm intending to run it on.
  • cooldad
    cooldad Posts: 32,599
    This is the MTB forum, and Crudcatcher to boot and you stick up pics of something with drops?
    I think you deserve some abuse.
    All your hassles today are probably Karma.
    I don't do smileys.

    There is no secret ingredient - Kung Fu Panda

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    Parktools
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    For the sake of all that is good, man, you're getting all those signs from the gods to tell you that road bikes should be steered clear of, yet you STILL persist?
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    I love the sleek lines, colour and tube forming. All in all a very nice bench.
  • *AL*
    *AL* Posts: 1,185
    supersonic wrote:
    I love the sleek lines, colour and tube forming. All in all a very nice bench.

    POTD.
  • getonyourbike
    getonyourbike Posts: 2,648
    supersonic wrote:
    I love the sleek lines, colour and tube forming. All in all a very nice bench.
    :lol:
  • El Capitano
    El Capitano Posts: 6,401
    whyamihere wrote:
    That's bloody nice Stu.

    Would you do me a favour? I want to see what size tyres I can fit on my hardtail with 700c wheels, could you see if the 35c front wheel fits into the XTC or NRS? I reckon they have similar clearances to the bike I'm intending to run it on.

    I'll give it a go tomorrow.
  • El Capitano
    El Capitano Posts: 6,401
    cooldad wrote:
    This is the MTB forum, and Crudcatcher to boot and you stick up pics of something with drops?

    That's been both ridden and raced off road, which is more than can be said for some of the MTB's on here... :lol:
  • El Capitano
    El Capitano Posts: 6,401
    whyamihere wrote:
    Would you do me a favour? I want to see what size tyres I can fit on my hardtail with 700c wheels, could you see if the 35c front wheel fits into the XTC or NRS? I reckon they have similar clearances to the bike I'm intending to run it on.

    You may need a bit of a rethink...

    This is the wheel in the 100mm Rebas I've got on the NRS:

    DSC02011.jpg

    Axle was probably 5mm out of the bottom of the dropouts.

    This is the wheel in the 80mm SIDS on the XTC:

    DSC02012.jpg

    Axle was almost in position, however another issue that may or may not be relevent, was that the caliper was seriously fouling on the spokes:

    DSC02013.jpg
  • thekickingmule
    thekickingmule Posts: 7,957
    whyamihere Glad you asked this, I've been curious whether they'd fit.

    Can you actually get mtb rims that are as thin as Road bikes?
    It takes as much courage to have tried and failed as it does to have tried and succeeded.
    Join us on UK-MTB we won't bite, but bring cake!
    Blender Cube AMS Pro
  • The Big Cheese
    The Big Cheese Posts: 8,651
    TKM

    Just purchase a set of DT Swiss XC717 and run a 1.3-1.5 slick tyre.

    Granted, they are not 700cc wheels, but at least you know they will fit.
  • Fully-sprung
    Fully-sprung Posts: 670
    And what dustcaps have you got on it?
    "Youth's a mask, but it don't last
    live it long and live it fast."
    My dustcap topic:
    http://www.bikeradar.com/mtb/forum/view ... &highlight
  • Raymondavalon
    Raymondavalon Posts: 5,346

    It now looks a bit like this:

    313816386.jpg

    Going to leave the mudguards off till the winter.

    Result El Cap! Remember, no pain = no gain
    I do like the look of the wider 700c tyres, they have the Mongoose Maurice 2011 model at the bike shop in Addlestone and that's god fat slicks on it too. In fact, the wider slicks are most appealing thing about the SS
  • El Capitano
    El Capitano Posts: 6,401
    And what dustcaps have you got on it?

    KCNC Black ones...
  • Fully-sprung
    Fully-sprung Posts: 670
    And what dustcaps have you got on it?

    KCNC Black ones...
    Nice.
    "Youth's a mask, but it don't last
    live it long and live it fast."
    My dustcap topic:
    http://www.bikeradar.com/mtb/forum/view ... &highlight
  • whyamihere
    whyamihere Posts: 7,714
    Cheers Stu. The caliper fouling or rim width won't be an issue, as I'll be building a set of road rims onto MTB hubs and using discs. Looks like I should stick to around 28c to be safe and have a little bit of clearance.
  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    edited June 2011
    Chris just had a play with mine (35C Kojacs)and as El C says the axle is almost seated but not quite. I would say lose 3mm in diameter and it would be fine on a RS reba just.

    Just tried my 23c tyres and there is ( get vernier on my little finger)about 12mm of clearance.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • Pudseyp
    Pudseyp Posts: 3,514
    Sorry disapointed.....I got excited with the first line of "fettling the focus"....I expected something along the lines of:


    fordfocus.jpg
    Tomac Synper 140 Giant XTC Alliance 1
    If the world was flat, I wouldn't be riding !