The Great Frankenbike DIY Competition

marchant

I stripped & regreased the front wheel yesterday, couldn't do the rear as nothing seemed to fit the lockring. Glad to see that a 20 year-old Raleigh has enough clearance for 2.1 inch tyres

sketchley

I need to sort N+1 for winter ASAP. I need to do it on the cheap. I still have a box of bits from the Hybrid so I'm now looking for a MTB frame, fork and pair of wheels, or even a whole bike. That can be restored with some TLC. Anyone got anything they would be happy to part with?

clarkey cat

I need a frame that will take 32c tyres. XL or up.
Preferably with a headset, BB and crank set if poss.

Going to do a SS conversion with my touring wheels and pop on my swept back handlebars.

Grow a 'tache. Wear a checked shirt.

Anyone got anything going like a budgie?

veronese68

Nearly finished. Just waiting for a seat post shim. Total cost less than £60.
Sorry about the picture quality. Light was fading. Haven't cut the fork steerer yet in case it's awful and they go back on my Marin.

Greg T

Right . . .

A work trip and a holiday delayed my get go but I now have my donor frame . .

In fact a donor bike . . . .

I'm going to be hard pressed to get it all done in under 200 quid . . . ahem . .

anyway . . .

The Seed Bike . . .



Kona 1994 Steel Frame Lava Dome £113 of Ebay . .

The only other bits I have are a bitchin set of wheels . . .



50 quid, again off ebay . . .

Sooooooo

Should I actually build a mountain bike or dump the front mech - stick on a big ring and mahoosive pair of cruiser bars . . . ?

veronese68

Oooo, I like that. Old steel Konas are nice. I'd stay mountain bike. But my knees are more than a bit rubbish.
I'm hoping to give mine a test ride / pub crawl tomorrow night. Along the river from Kingston, via Teddington Lock to Richmond. Then back through the park. 5 pints and 11 miles is about right.

sketchley

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Job-lot-mount ... 43aa5f0877

Only 42 mins to go....

sketchley

It would be wrong to use this on the commute wouldn't it?

http://www.onceridden.com/index.cfm/fus ... Page/Id/69

Wheelspinner

Sketchley wrote:

It would be wrong to use this on the commute wouldn't it?

http://www.onceridden.com/index.cfm/fus ... Page/Id/69

Depends. Why not email and ask them if (a) you can fit Schwalbe Marathons in the frame, (b) is there a way of mounting lights front and rear and of course (c) any rack/guard eyelets?

If yes, it would make a great commuter! But how do you fit a D-lock?

veronese68

Sketchley wrote:

It would be wrong to use this on the commute wouldn't it?

http://www.onceridden.com/index.cfm/fus ... Page/Id/69

Great for sunny days, will melt if it sees water.

AidanR

Sketchley wrote:

It would be wrong to use this on the commute wouldn't it?

http://www.onceridden.com/index.cfm/fus ... Page/Id/69

Wrong, yes, but not unprecedented - a few years ago I bumped into a guy riding the road version of this bike, complete with trispoke front and disc rear. It turned out he was a fireman and used it to commute to work. The only downside, apparently, was that everyone wanted to race him. Think of the SCR points...

veronese68

It lives:
It rides really well. I'll post a full spec tomorrow. Got to sort the kids out, then go to the pub.

sketchley

Veronese68 wrote:

It lives:
It rides really well. I'll post a full spec tomorrow. Got to sort the kids out, then go to the pub.

I want frame, forks and a pair of wheels / tyres just like that..... What make and model is the frame and forks?

veronese68

Frame is a 2005 Kinesis Maxlight £9.99 off Ebay. I was the only bidder because it looked awful and finished at an odd time.
Forks are 2001 RockShox Judy SL bought new for my Marin mountain bike. Top cap broke on one leg so I have repaired them, but they now don't adjust.
Wheels and cranks were also off my Marin. Standard mountain bike fare.
Pedals, stem and seatpost were fitted to my Kona from new but have been upgraded so were going begging.
Brakes, levers and shifters from Ebay. Total of about £20 for them. 8 speed shifters with Deore V brakes. Brakes and levers had never been fitted, bargain. Plenty good enough.
Rear mech is an XT that was on my Marin. Downgraded the Marin as it's now pub and very bad weather bike.
Front mech free Acera unit donated by a colleague. Needs upgrading.
Saddle also donated by said colleague.
Handlebars came off another friends mountain bike.
Headset off a scrap bike a neighbour was throwing out. It's a semi-integrated job that I fitted new ball to. Needs adjusting.
New grips and cables. About £30.
It feels really light and rides really well. Much better than it looks. I'm really pleased. So is my son as it's mostly his.
Now to start collecting bits for the next one.
Ah, new chain that was sitting in my toolbox, about another £10.
That makes £70 total.

Fireblade96

My pub bike is in sore need of a new set of wheels, the hubs have pretty much disintegrated. So this seems like a good place to ask - has anyone got any MTB wheels they want rid of ? We're talking old-school, rim brake, 7-speed (though I can use 8- or 9- speed) ?

Yes, I did ask in the MTB wanted section of the classifieds, but no-one ever goes in there !

ta
FB

mudcow007

Fireblade96 wrote:

My pub bike is in sore need of a new set of wheels, the hubs have pretty much disintegrated. So this seems like a good place to ask - has anyone got any MTB wheels they want rid of ? We're talking old-school, rim brake, 7-speed (though I can use 8- or 9- speed) ?

Yes, I did ask in the MTB wanted section of the classifieds, but no-one ever goes in there !

ta
FB

ive got a pair of wheels on my mtb that im going to sling to be honest, the wear on the rims is pretty shocking but you can have em if you want

Mavic D521 rim on Deore LX hub F

Sun Mammoth on Deore hub R

lemmy know before the scrap man gets em

sketchley

On similar note anyone want an old ladies raliegh MTB ideally swap it for similar gents bike in my size (all I need is frame, fork and wheels). It's the wife's old bike under a cover at the end of the garden, serviceable but getting the front suspension free again maybe a challenge. Only occurred to me the other day there's a perfectly serviceable pair of MTB wheels on it. So really I just need an MTB frame and fork got everything else. But as I said if you want to swap a ladies MTB for gents in my size let me know.

Fireblade96

mudcow007 wrote:

Fireblade96 wrote:

My pub bike is in sore need of a new set of wheels, the hubs have pretty much disintegrated. So this seems like a good place to ask - has anyone got any MTB wheels they want rid of ? We're talking old-school, rim brake, 7-speed (though I can use 8- or 9- speed) ?

Yes, I did ask in the MTB wanted section of the classifieds, but no-one ever goes in there !

ta
FB

ive got a pair of wheels on my mtb that im going to sling to be honest, the wear on the rims is pretty shocking but you can have em if you want

Mavic D521 rim on Deore LX hub F

Sun Mammoth on Deore hub R

lemmy know before the scrap man gets em

When you say "wear is shocking" are we talking "might explode first time you brake hard" ?

veronese68

Having finished my frankenbike I used my spare MTB wheels. I do however have a set of 700c wheels available. Rim brake, barely used but rather cheap and nasty and bolt on not quick release. Mind you I think bolt on is an advantage on a hack bike. Suitable for 7,8,9 speed. They have an 8 speed cassette on them with hardly any wear, but I might keep that.
Free if anyone wants to come and get them, but a bottle of white for the Mrs might be nice.

Greg T

Veronese68 wrote:

but a bottle of white for the Mrs might be nice.

that's a good deal!

Is she a goer?

veronese68

Hmmm, probably best if I don't answer that one. You're close enough for that to be dangerous.

EKE_38BPM

I've just been given an aluminium roadbike frame.

It would appear that I'm in the competion.

veronese68

Excellent, welcome to scouring the web for cheap tut. I want to start again but EPO already moaning about too many bikes. 8.5 isn't too many for a family of four is it?
Should we have judging at the Chrostmas do? I only say that because I've finished and it gives me added incentive to drag my sorry rear over there.

sketchley

correct number of bikes is n+1 so in your case 8.5 is not enough.

veronese68

Try telling the trouble. My Marin MTB might have to go. Was considering putting it on the Bay at such a high price nobody will bid. Failing that, do you want to make an offer on the bits you need? It is complete and running, although some bits were swapped onto the frankenbike.

wakou

Nothing to add here just posting so I can subscribe to thread....

EKE_38BPM

Veronese68 wrote:

Excellent, welcome to scouring the web for cheap tut...

So far, I'm in the market for a double chainset, band-on FD, BB and chain.
Anyone got any ideas of where I should go to get them and what price I should be expected to pay?

I'll need to have a look at the headset, stem and bars to see if what I already have will fit on with the reducer headset already on the fork, if not, I'll be in the market for a couple of other bits too.

veronese68

I've got a used square taper BB in the spares box. Not sure how long, I'll take a look but not before the forum is offline. Got an MTB front mech, bottom pull, 31.8mm clamp and maybe another one.
Chain is definitely a buy new job. KMC are good and shiny.
Browse the Bay for crankset.

veronese68

What happened to all the other frankenbikes? Anybody been fettling away through the winter?

mudcow007

mines built i will take a piccy later