The great polishing a turd experiment.

97th choice
97th choice Posts: 2,222
edited October 2011 in Your mountain bikes
Came very close to buying a new AM bike today, even though I can't afford one, but got lucky and circumstance (it had been sold) saved me.

So, instead I'm going to attempt the impossible by upgrading & polishing my '08 carrera banshee X until she gleams like a new turd.

My total budget has been set at £100, excluding tyres.

This evening's job was a fork removal and conversion from 140mm to 160mm, which actually went pretty damn well, it also told me I really need new headset bearings. As the fork has already been converted to open bath I'm thinking my 7.5wt fork oil might be a bit light..will have to do a few trial runs and see.

Next job is going to be a conversion to either dual or single ring with a chain device. Going to get that sucker down to 16.5kg if it kills me!
Too-ra-loo-ra, too-ra-loo-rye, aye

Giant Trance
Radon ZR 27.5 Race
Btwin Alur700
Merida CX500

Comments

  • The Northern Monkey
    The Northern Monkey Posts: 19,174
    POIDH.
    Santa Cruz Butcher
  • 97th choice
    97th choice Posts: 2,222
    Touche, pics to follow.
    Too-ra-loo-ra, too-ra-loo-rye, aye

    Giant Trance
    Radon ZR 27.5 Race
    Btwin Alur700
    Merida CX500
  • johnsav
    johnsav Posts: 775
    The Northern Monkey wrote:
    POIDH.

    i had to google that :oops:

    ive always wanted a go on a banshee x
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    johnsav wrote:
    The Northern Monkey wrote:
    POIDH.

    i had to google that :oops:

    ive always wanted a go on a banshee x
    shoot for the stars, kid. Shoot for the stars.
  • johnsav
    johnsav Posts: 775
    just an odd curiosity! :lol:
  • The Northern Monkey
    The Northern Monkey Posts: 19,174
    The Banshee was actually not a bad bike for the money... just a bit heavy TBH.
    Santa Cruz Butcher
  • tom_howard
    tom_howard Posts: 789
    The Northern Monkey wrote:
    The Banshee was actually not a bad bike for the money... just a bit heavy TBH.

    IIRC the 2004 (? it was red and silver...) model had a (suspected accidental) Horst link rear end, but when spesh got their A-team of lawyers onto Halfords, they changed the pivot from the chainstay to the seatstay, creating a faux bar setup and frankly ruining the best £400 bike ever, by miles.

    Dont quote me on this but i *think* thats why Spesh wont, or wouldnt at any rate, let Halfords sell their wares.

    Can anyone clarify?
    Santa Cruz 5010C
    Deviate Guide
    Specialized Sequoia Elite
    Pivot Mach 429SL
    Trek Madone 5.2 Di2
    Salsa Mukluk Carbon
    Specialized Turbo Levo Expert 29er
  • 97th choice
    97th choice Posts: 2,222
    johnsav wrote:


    ive always wanted a go on a banshee x

    Great fun going downhill and through rough stuff, nice riding position, stable, in the same way a tank is. I usually take the same approach to negotiating obstacles.

    Not so much fun going uphill, but it helps your fitness, and when I swap it for a 13kg bike I usually fly up 'em!

    Anyhoo, ordered a stinger chain device and a bash ring, undecided on whether to stick with 32 ring or swap it for a 36...
    Too-ra-loo-ra, too-ra-loo-rye, aye

    Giant Trance
    Radon ZR 27.5 Race
    Btwin Alur700
    Merida CX500
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    Tom Howard, I dunno, that story sounds iffy to me. Specialized can, and do in fact, licence the FSR/Horst link design to many manufacturers. Lappierre and Norco, for example.
    I'm not sure how much the licence is, but I don't think it would be so steep as to prohibit a £400 bike.
    I could be wrong though.
  • 97th choice
    97th choice Posts: 2,222
    Massive fail so far. :x

    Rebuilt shock as above, took it to a mate with a garage and asked him to nip up the footnuts with an electric impact gun as they were spinning with the standard socket set, he ended up blowing the thread on the air side, my fault should have done it myself rather than just handing over the fork.

    Plus Chain Reaction's new, ''order in store and we'll get the parts next day'' service, isn't.

    Hopefully the nice guys at windwave can help me out otherwise it's bodge time.
    Too-ra-loo-ra, too-ra-loo-rye, aye

    Giant Trance
    Radon ZR 27.5 Race
    Btwin Alur700
    Merida CX500
  • 97th choice
    97th choice Posts: 2,222
    Finished, will post some pics when I can find the feppin memory card that gets swapped between the camera and videocam.

    Forks now 160mm, changed fork oil to 10wt which seems to help rebound as it's open bath and was a bit keen to bounce back up previously.

    Changed to twin ring, blackspire stinger, straightline bash guard 34t ring plus new cassette, rear derailleur, chain and cables.

    Could do with a new front hub but that will have to wait for funds.

    I even gave it a wee polish. proper test run tomorrow.
    Too-ra-loo-ra, too-ra-loo-rye, aye

    Giant Trance
    Radon ZR 27.5 Race
    Btwin Alur700
    Merida CX500
  • 97th choice
    97th choice Posts: 2,222
    WP_000387.jpg

    WP_000385.jpg

    WP_000381.jpg


    For the cost involved I'm very happy, she's smoother over pretty much everything, and there is a complete absence of chain clatter with everything staying where it should be.
    Too-ra-loo-ra, too-ra-loo-rye, aye

    Giant Trance
    Radon ZR 27.5 Race
    Btwin Alur700
    Merida CX500
  • NorthernRock
    NorthernRock Posts: 19
    You cant polish a turd, but you can roll it in glitter!
    Whyte E120 Team
    Marin Attack Trail 2004
    Marin Mount Vision 1998
    Canondale CAAD4 2002
  • cuthbertsavage
    cuthbertsavage Posts: 98
    You can't polish a turd, but you can autotune a fart,
    On-One Whippet Singlespeed
    Raleigh Airlite 400
    On-One Fatty (for sale)
  • gtd.
    gtd. Posts: 626
    NorthernRock wrote:
    You cant polish a turd, but you can roll it in glitter!

    Like Ross Noble's sparkly poo?
    Mountain: Orange Patriot FR, SubZero & Evo2LE.
    Road: Tifosi Race Custom.
    Do it all bike: Surly Disc Trucker 700c/29er
  • 97th choice
    97th choice Posts: 2,222
    NorthernRock wrote:
    You cant polish a turd, but you can roll it in glitter!

    Can't you just.

    Following on from my spectacular success, I'm thinking of upgrading the rear shock and even buying some non shite tyres.
    Too-ra-loo-ra, too-ra-loo-rye, aye

    Giant Trance
    Radon ZR 27.5 Race
    Btwin Alur700
    Merida CX500
  • tom_howard
    tom_howard Posts: 789
    Ladies and Gentlemen,

    How to polish a turd...

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yiJ9fy1qSFI
    Santa Cruz 5010C
    Deviate Guide
    Specialized Sequoia Elite
    Pivot Mach 429SL
    Trek Madone 5.2 Di2
    Salsa Mukluk Carbon
    Specialized Turbo Levo Expert 29er

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