Author Topic: Today I bought, or it got delivered, or I fitted... (Read 654978 times)

Midschoolfool · « **Reply #3925 on:** December 04, 2024, 02:03 PM »

Hmm. What could I possibly buy.......

220 grams. The only other thing I did not hugely upgrade was the fork. So....

Chilli Rinse · « **Reply #3926 on:** January 05, 2025, 05:50 PM »

44 T SR chainring for my Blue Max, this will sit nicely on the SR spider and cranks.

Midschoolfool · « **Reply #3927 on:** January 08, 2025, 12:37 PM »

Nice dude.

Not been doing much. Got flu after the covid.

I got my pedals though. Holding them is strange
They literally weigh nothing.

Not brought the fork over yet. Upgrading my PC so I had tons to lug home. It's also very very cold right now so hardly motivating lol

Chilli Rinse · « **Reply #3928 on:** January 08, 2025, 08:58 PM »

Everyone at work was ill leading up to Christmas, colds, flu, Covid, Norovirus the lot. It’s not much better now 🤣 all of this crap takes it right out of you, leaving you with no get up and go to do stuff. Hope you’re on the mend now, rest up as much as you can dude. Bikes can wait, prioritise your health 👍🏼

I’ve been playing with a few road bikes and actually riding too, it feels really good getting some miles in. Illness and the weather has slowed that down though.

Catch up soon mate!

Midschoolfool · « **Reply #3929 on:** January 27, 2025, 05:54 PM »

PB 2 fitted and dialled. Horrid as always

To do.. Fit SNAFU tyres.
repaint bars (scratched bad, shit clear)
fit NOS tentacle 2
paint and fit Shadow seat post.

Clean it, because it is absolutely hanging.

Midschoolfool · « **Reply #3930 on:** January 28, 2025, 03:51 PM »

Well something I never thought I would ever entertain would be chrome wheels. I saw this though and fell in love

I do have a plan. I know a guy who has built me wheels in the past, and he happens to have chrome Sun Big city Lite rims. So I have pinged him about building me a front one to go with it.

I won't lie, they will very likely end up on my STA. It deserves it the most, given how long I have had it. 8 years at this point. It was the first proper mid school bike I built after getting into it in 2014.

Midschoolfool · « **Reply #3931 on:** January 28, 2025, 03:55 PM »

To explain it better. The Pork wheels are like bananas. I built them, and truing has never worked for me. I just don't get it, and they are quite complex wheels. As such it needs wheels on so I can remove the ones on there and send them off to be done properly.

So it is likely the STA black wheel set will go on that until they come back. I have loads of bikes crying out for killer wheels tbh. They have always been very hard to find and or pair together. Probably the hardest bit to locate in mint or NOS condition, especially chrome ones. Chrome rims from the 90s are beyond rocking horse poop at this point without bubbling and corrosion.

Midschoolfool · « **Reply #3932 on:** January 28, 2025, 06:45 PM »

Yup sorted. Paid 70 for the front wheel. One of these rims (NOS)

On this hub and spokes. Hub is a Prolite I think, all sealed too.

Midschoolfool · « **Reply #3933 on:** January 28, 2025, 06:59 PM »

Oh and this is on its way too.

I need to repaint the bars on the STA and give them some real clear coat. Which I bought yesterday. Only a 250ml can because it is only bars.

I started work on something else for the STA too. One of these.

Just needs a blow over in satin black. I can't believe after over 8 years the STA might actually get finished

Midschoolfool · « **Reply #3934 on:** January 29, 2025, 05:16 PM »

Bars off.

It's hard to see how bad they are but they have numerous chips down to the metal and a strange texture to the clear.

The rest of the bike is perfect. Like, filthy AF, but nothing a clean won't sort.

So whilst I was up there Profile BB met Pork, as did the new pedals with Ti axles.

Midschoolfool · « **Reply #3935 on:** January 31, 2025, 05:33 PM »

Front wheel arrived. Spokes were dull (they are stainless not chrome) hub was filthy. So I gave the spokes a good going over with a brillo and then cleaned everything else before applying some ceramic coating.

Rear is coming tomorrow. It will get the same treatment.

Midschoolfool · « **Reply #3936 on:** February 03, 2025, 04:14 PM »

Just couldn't get over the unsealed hub

And.

Measure. I wasn't sure about the difference but my mate reckons the taper is impossible to machine being so tiny, so it doesn't need it. Any way, I fired this over to him.

So wossit four? well this.

Two birds one stone. Ordered tubes and strips, then ceramic coated the rear after a lot of polishing.

I bought a freewheel also. It is one of the new 30 point of engagement ones, so it is nice and loud.

Hub needs the same polish, though it will no doubt hurt my fingers so I left it for now.

When I get back I will strip the red anno off the shoulders. However, a mate donated a NOS front blowfish with no axle, so I may get it relaced we will see.

For right now the axle is just in there to stop any of it getting lost. So it's flopping around lol. I fitted the Gsport strips and they are now in black bags to keep the dust off

You can also see the seat post has been restored. It arrived to me with gouges all down the back (you know? always happens if you put one into a dirty seat tube with no grease). So I sanded it all back and gave it some satin black. It too will be fitted. I also got a new bar decal to go with the S one, and the clear coat has now arrived with mum.

At this point I was going to end up fitting the SNAFU tyres I scrubbed up. But when looking for the rim strips and tubes I found these. At 50 quid it was a lot of money but I mean FFS look at those wheels. They deserve nothing less than NOS 2.0 MS4s.

So those are ordered also.

Midschoolfool · « **Reply #3937 on:** February 05, 2025, 01:43 PM »

OK so I think this is the last thing. Obviously the chain will need to be longer to use the larger freewheel. Not great gearing, but who cares when you won't ride it because it is a tank?

So sticking with that theme. Wanted one for ages but usually go with Shadow Supreme. Finally got one.

Midschoolfool · « **Reply #3938 on:** February 06, 2025, 02:00 PM »

OK so another big push to the finish line. First though a friend of mine saw my new wheels and then told me he had a NOS front Fishbone blowfish. He bought it to rob the parts from, which I have. So it's going to be that "one day" thing. IE, one day I will send off the front wheel to be rebuilt onto it.

The icing on the cake, if you will. Another thing that has been driving me insane is finding a BOA for the front. These were everywhere for about 40 quid for ages and ages and then they dropped off the face of the earth and are now LOLprice. Like 80-100 quid.

Put the feelers out and not only found one but it is 6mm, not the daft 10mm. Needs stripping and anno gone but was very reasonable.

It's minto, one of the NOS ones that were going around no doubt.

So yeah, caustic bath and a polish and sorted.

Midschoolfool · « **Reply #3939 on:** February 08, 2025, 05:26 PM »

Tyres on.

I had to drill out the valve hole which was scary AF. It was .3mm too small and yeah, screwed my fingers trying to push it through. The hub also arrived, and sure enough the guts fit it beautifully.

Stripped the red off the shoulders, it looked shite.

Midschoolfool · « **Reply #3940 on:** February 09, 2025, 03:46 PM »

Well I can't believe it.

So the first guy who does my machining. Close friend. Like, real close. His mum is dying and she just went into a care home. So cool I asked my second friend. Forgetting his wife had fallen down the stairs and broke her foot.

Got talking to the guy who sent me the hub and decided I was going to fookin go for it. At first I laced it 3x, before realising after about three hours the spokes were not long enough. Soul destroying. So I spent the next three hours pulling it back apart and doing it again. I could barely walk this morning having spent several hours on the floor. Got out my truing stand and started tightening the spokes. There is literally a 1mm buckle in it I can't seem to get out but I am fine with that. I have NOS wheels much worse.

Dear god, what a set of wheels.

Into black bags. I am tired of wiping off finger prints

Midschoolfool · « **Reply #3941 on:** February 09, 2025, 04:47 PM »

I meant the spokes were too long for 3x. They were creaking, and still poking out a few mm.

Midschoolfool · « **Reply #3942 on:** February 10, 2025, 01:56 PM »

OK so a problem. Old wheel and pegs 14mm. The problem is that I can get a axle adapter for the peg. Problem is it would not reach into the frame. I can get an axle adapter for the frame, problem is it wouldn't go into the peg. So something would end up on the piste. Either the wheel in the dropout or the peg.

This is a big problem. Which meant either use an axle adapter and change the pegs to 10mm, or get those thread on axle adapters that turn the whole poking out part into 14. Problem is there are none of those for sale, and the one set I found he was asking imo too much given they were missing vital parts. Ugh.

Now if you know my STA you will know it has numerous NOS SNAFU parts on. All era correct, too. So when these come up I had to have a long think.

Now you will note the prices on them. However, that is the OG price tag. From 24 years ago. Usually this is tripled or quadrupled, but in this case it was the same. However, the keen eyed among you will note the price is in dollars, meaning bend over and spread this is gonna hurt.

So I put it on the back burner for a few days. I then looked again, and realised that there is one specific part that can save me here.

And that is the axle adapter for 10mm itself. It is hard to explain, and I think they will need minor modifications but yeah. That thing could save me having to use two adapters or actual drilled 10mm pegs. Something that in NOS condition? you ain't finding unless they were made yesterday.

Most notably of course, the date.

2001. The same year as the STA. So I added them to the basket (two sets) and did the calculations. In the end it was going to cost 79 quid. Which sounds like so much. Like, madness. Thing is when you actually think about it that is 20 quid per peg. New high end pegs? 25 quid each. So yeah it was a no brainer in the end. That is what they would cost you now with inflation so it's actually very reasonable IMO.

The BOA arrived today. So once I have done my computery things I will take a shower and then sit down and get comfy before pulling it, and its 70 odd bearings, to bits.

Midschoolfool · « **Reply #3943 on:** February 10, 2025, 05:18 PM »

Dude sod that. I think that was worse than building a wheel. How the eff did they make loads of these a day?

Ah well, done now.

Midschoolfool · « **Reply #3944 on:** February 11, 2025, 01:54 PM »

OK a little trick I learned from my road bikes.

First up slot your rear brake into the fork with its hardware on. IE the flat/curved nut thing. Then measure the ID of the fork tube. Then order one of these in the correct size, with it being 2mm less than the ID of the fork tube.

Then drill the REAR hole on the fork to 8mm. And then.

And done. The key thing being it makes the shaft 8mm thick in total, so plenty strong. It also gives you back the two clamping surfaces, whereas running a nut inside the fork only gives you a thinner one. It's also bang tidy of course. Same trick I used on my 990 plate so there was nothing sharp sticking up.

Also.

The chain I bought? ugh. Looks like the seller abandoned Ebay about a year ago looking at feedback and I have been ghosted. Messaged him twice no answer. This could take weeks. So, I went on Source and paid 64 quid for the same chain. I will duke it out with pp and ebay now for a refund of my 60. I can't let it stop me though, I want this done and dusted.

Sadly with temps being just above freezing I can not paint the bars. I need at least 10c for that. So I am hoping next week warms up a tad.

Midschoolfool · « **Reply #3945 on:** February 12, 2025, 07:53 PM »

OK, on we plod.

So yesterday I spent most of the day fixing an issue I did not know I had. IE, the rear brake was binding. I then realised it was not the brake at all but the lower cable.

Basically you have one of these.

OK so what is the problem? well firstly it's a friction design. IE, that lump that holds the cables is designed to slide along the black part. Which is a bad idea at best. I mean, friction = brake's worst enemy. What they should have done is design it so that block floats and doesn't touch anything. IE, make it 2mm deeper so it floats in mid air. No friction. Problem is they did not. Not only did they did not

but they put four casting marks in the black part. See them? the little dimples? well it was catching those in both fookin directions ffs.

So, first I filed away at the bottom of the silver part. I then filed out the entire inner part of that black piece until those casting marks were nothing but a memory. I then repainted it black.

So that is now done. What is also done is round 1 of prep on the bars. And remember kids "If you can feel it new paint shall reveal it !".

I reckon another round should see it right.

Mikku · « **Reply #3946 on:** February 18, 2025, 06:06 AM »

I often use them to check the spec and price of things but have never bought anything from J&R Bicycles in the US. Until today.

Have just ordered some Fly Racing gear, Box fork adapters and Rennen Infinity bolts.

Midschoolfool · « **Reply #3947 on:** February 20, 2025, 02:51 PM »

Having a bit of a mare here. That's putting it mildly. It was supposed to be 11c yesterday. So I primed and base coated the bars. Yeah, nah. All patchy and shit.

Tried again this morning with different black (acrylic) and they looked great. Brought them in, where they turned light grey. FFS.

So for round 3 (they are perfectly smooth etc) I blasted them with a large hair dryer for about 30 mins whilst leaving the paint in the sink full of hot water. I think it worked. Had to bring them in wet and then blast for another 30 mins. Praying they don't turn green ffs.

As I mentioned elsewhere I am now going to build the Sunday this spring. Will be the last of them for now so I may as well. The pink Gsports are coming off the Schwinn. That is getting my wheels from the STA (black Alex Supra). I then need to get the rear hub laced back to a small driver. So I got this for 29 shipped on the bay.

I think the crap pic didn't help him. Basically it is a NOS Premium rear cassette, sealed and 10mm female. I intend to break it apart, strip the anno then paint 2k gloss black. The front G has a Profile Madera on in black.

I then put out a SOS. I want to build it to look like the pro model, only better (Gs etc)

Obviously mine will be custom. I will explain that in a bit. So I needed Wombolt, Twombolt or earlier Thunderbolt cranks. I got these for 50 delivered.

Usually they would be pink. However, that pink paint doesn't dry properly and is a tosser. I also have pink pedals, so I am going to paint them slime green to match the frame.

I then got these, NOS, in white.

I did put out a SOS for the bars and fork but nothing is available and the cheapest set of Sundays I can find are 90 quid. In the wrong colour. Those were 30 quid delivered NOS in white. Which means I don't have to paint them white before the green meaning theoretically it is just remove the stickers, scuff them down and then green and clear. Saving me more money on paint.

TBH the most important part is said paint and stickers. I will just put ants going up and down the legs. As for the bars? I want 9.5" or 10". Again, I want it so that if I ever want to take it for a rip I can without killing myself in the process. I will get some tomorrow, got a few lined up (all 2pc). I also know what tyres I want and they are currently 70% off so I will order those tomorrow.