My "Ralph" build thread

2

Comments

  • oodboo
    oodboo Posts: 2,171
    Just out of interest are you pronouncing it Ralf (common) or Rafe (posh)?
    I love horses, best of all the animals. I love horses, they're my friends.

    Strava
  • steelie600
    steelie600 Posts: 519
    The common way dude! I am from Crewe after all!! Its a bit like Seaham Harbour is up your end of the world tbf! IE SHYTE!
    Idiot ^^^^^^^^^

    Ralph
  • oodboo
    oodboo Posts: 2,171
    :lol:
    I love horses, best of all the animals. I love horses, they're my friends.

    Strava
  • Twelly
    Twelly Posts: 1,437
    How much were the brakes? and where from? I am in need of some cheap ones and you seem to have an eye for budget bits.
  • steelie600
    steelie600 Posts: 519
    £60 brand sparkling new off here!
    Idiot ^^^^^^^^^

    Ralph
  • steelie600
    steelie600 Posts: 519
    The postman brought me today.................................

    My bars, and feck all else :cry:

    However It does mean Monday will be like Christmas! And I have fitted the bars and hung the levers. Cost of Bars....... 99p plus £2 p+p
    100_1506.jpg
    Idiot ^^^^^^^^^

    Ralph
  • steelie600
    steelie600 Posts: 519
    I also decided to get off my arris and get a rear caliper bracket procured from a lbs. There are many around Crewe, cant be that hard surely???

    Yes it was! Eventually tracking down the correct Shimano one at a shop in Congleton. SO off I wobbles on my shonker. When I eventually get there the quite obviously trained by Halfords cretin behind the counter looked at me like I was a mong, then scurried away to get said part. Came back with a Hope one in the wrong size. SO I sent him off for another go, 20 minutes later we ascertain that they dont stock Shimano ones even though I rang before hand! And the cretin is now enlightened that a 160mm front adaptor is different to a 160mm rear adaptor!

    SO I arrive home, quick test fit and woo hoo it fits! Result!
    100_1509.jpg

    BUT theres a snag, the bar steward front bottom caliper mounts are on the piss
    100_1511.jpg

    A bit or brute force and ignorance later
    100_1513.jpg

    Straight as a die
    100_1514.jpg

    Bracket colour correction
    100_1510.jpg

    PHEW all done and fitted, with only a very very slight touch of disc rub due to a slight weave in the rotor. Will address this if needed but the wheel span for 4 minutes after a gentle spin! SO not causing much friction, just a slight noise
    100_1515.jpg
    Idiot ^^^^^^^^^

    Ralph
  • leaflite
    leaflite Posts: 1,651
    Just so you know, any 160mm rear is to post mount should fit-not just ones that are the same brand as your brakes.

    Anyway, its looking good so far...
  • steelie600
    steelie600 Posts: 519
    Aye, I know about the rear bracket being universal et al. But he was adamant a front 160mm will fit which is wrong. The one ive got on there now is a Hope one
    Idiot ^^^^^^^^^

    Ralph
  • leaflite
    leaflite Posts: 1,651
    steelie600 wrote:
    Aye, I know about the rear bracket being universal et al. But he was adamant a front 160mm will fit which is wrong. The one ive got on there now is a Hope one

    IIRC, a front 160 is a rear 180.
  • steelie600
    steelie600 Posts: 519
    Other way round mate, front 180 = rear 160
    Idiot ^^^^^^^^^

    Ralph
  • Hi great job so far (made me smile because i updated my girlfriends BSO a Boss Silver Streak with RST forks, 27 gears aheadset/stem and Tektro cable disks Alex rims etc all from spares.... Then a friend borrowed it and left it in someones front garden "for five mins" :roll: and it got pinched!!). Nice to see you can sniff out a good bargain to i'm rebuilding an old Carrera at the moment and have had great luck (for me anyway) getting some parts for much less than retail.

    Good luck with the build and keep the pics coming.

    Thanks.
  • appy
    appy Posts: 408
    nice to see something different, how much did the powdercoat cost and what did it entail, prep?
  • DodgeT
    DodgeT Posts: 2,255
    How much did the hope bracket cost? Hoping (get it) that it didn't cost more than most of the other bits - which mainly hope does...
  • Twelly
    Twelly Posts: 1,437
    Any updates?

    Groupset arrived yet?
  • steelie600
    steelie600 Posts: 519
    Nope not yet!! I keep growling at the postman tho, he thinks ive got rabies or summat!! SOOOOOOO desperate to get on her and have a bash!! Might just take the shonker to Llandegla or Delamere or similar, to destroy it! just for cracks, So I never have to see it again LOL

    TBF tho this is torture waiting for my bits. OH Suntour have sent me an email today saying the heavier weight springs will be available in the next month or so! WOOP WOOP! For now I have another elastomer and the pre-load removal tool on the way from Greyville, which will do for now. Atleast I got the better Suntour forks and didnt go for the cheapo xct's!! LOL So ill have damping as well as bouncing! Which was nice!
    Idiot ^^^^^^^^^

    Ralph
  • appy
    appy Posts: 408
    appy wrote:
    nice to see something different, how much did the powdercoat cost and what did it entail, prep?
    ;-)
  • steelie600
    steelie600 Posts: 519
    appy wrote:
    appy wrote:
    nice to see something different, how much did the powdercoat cost and what did it entail, prep?
    ;-)
    Already answered you on another thread appy

    BUT no prep involved £50 take bare frame in tell em the colour (they have many) and come back week after!

    Link is on first page and your welcome to come and look at Ralph anytime to look at the quality of the finish. Im only in Crewe, by the hospital. :D
    Idiot ^^^^^^^^^

    Ralph
  • steelie600 wrote:
    Im only in Crewe, by the mental hospital. :D

    This explains all :shock: :lol:
  • steelie600
    steelie600 Posts: 519
    No the Mental hospital is at Arclid, Sandbach!! Dont you know nuffink??
    Idiot ^^^^^^^^^

    Ralph
  • steelie600
    steelie600 Posts: 519
    Evening axe wounds, I bring thee good tidings, merriment and pictures of a bicycle nature! YES thats right I have had a shipment of shiney bits!!

    Whilst buying some milk at that there Aldi, I seen these reduced to clear!! Ive already got one on the shed so thought i'd treat Ralph to a spanker rather than recycle the other one
    100_1696.jpg

    Deore crankset
    100_1697-1.jpg

    FSA team edition chain with snap link
    100_1698.jpg

    Deore XT cassette
    100_1699.jpg

    Deore Bottom bracket
    100_1700.jpg

    SLX front mech, now ideally this frame needs a top swinger and this has turned out to be a bottom swinger. Seeing as i'm gonna be 2x9 anyway I should get away with it UNLESS the MTB gods think otherwise??
    100_1701.jpg

    Common or garden deore shifters
    100_1702.jpg

    Crank bb and front mech in the hole as it were, need a bashguard, better order one LOL
    100_1703.jpg

    Cassette in its new home
    100_1704.jpg

    And finally shifters mounted
    100_1705.jpg

    So nearly there!! Just waiting now on Pedals, gear cables, rear mech, grips, and brake hose clips to arrive. And also need to order a bash guard. Will just get a Shimano Saint one, looks pretty cool anyway.

    I'm getting a touch excited now! I could be going round the trails Sunday!!!
    Idiot ^^^^^^^^^

    Ralph
  • rockmonkeysc
    rockmonkeysc Posts: 14,774
    Interesting but bargain build. £2000 valuation is massively optimistic though. I can't think of many £2k bikes with Suntour XCR forks & a frame which is quite that basic. £700 maybe about right.
    Good work though.
  • Briggo
    Briggo Posts: 3,537
    Er whats going on with that brake cable.
  • steelie600
    steelie600 Posts: 519
    Brake lines need re routing but ive got some white hoses on the way (got em for a quid plus £1.99 for post) so ill do it then.
    Idiot ^^^^^^^^^

    Ralph
  • chez_m356
    chez_m356 Posts: 1,893
    Interesting but bargain build. £2000 valuation is massively optimistic though. I can't think of many £2k bikes with Suntour XCR forks & a frame which is quite that basic. £700 maybe about right.
    Good work though.
    how about a bike with suntour epicons for £2500 http://store.ferrari.com/en/sports-game ... cycle.html :lol:
    Specialized Hardrock Sport Disc 10- CANYON Nerve AM 6 2011
  • steelie600
    steelie600 Posts: 519
    pretty much my spec there!! LOL

    Still its not as individual as Ralph is it!
    Idiot ^^^^^^^^^

    Ralph
  • chez_m356
    chez_m356 Posts: 1,893
    steelie600 wrote:
    pretty much my spec there!! LOL

    Still its not as individual as Ralph is it!
    was just making a point, shame people can't be bothered to read a thread through before they comment :wink: , and whats going on with "Ralph", not finished yet ?
    Specialized Hardrock Sport Disc 10- CANYON Nerve AM 6 2011
  • steelie600
    steelie600 Posts: 519
    just waitin on the very last bits to arrive hopefully later today or tomorrow, cant wait!!

    Even ordered some baggies and a bash hat!!
    Idiot ^^^^^^^^^

    Ralph
  • steelie600
    steelie600 Posts: 519
    Gear cables fitted, proper mechs fitted (xt rear and xtr front) grips fitted, rear brake hose clipped in properly, gears indexed. Shimano DX pedals arrived DAMAGED. OMG I could cry!!! I only need some pedals and I can ride the damn thing!! Oh well gonna get some V8's from the LBS tomorrow while I wait for a replacement set of DX to come. Pictures to come!!
    Idiot ^^^^^^^^^

    Ralph
  • I'm loving the thread steelie, reckon you'll enjoy the bike all the more for the effort you've put in. You must be chomping at the bit to get Ralph out the house. Got any plans for the maiden voyage?