A magic trick. Turning lemons into watermelons....

[Midschoolfool]

[BMX1973]

Love the work and finish you have done on this. 

[Midschoolfool]

Thanks dude. There is no beating 2k tbh.

Unfortunately everything has ground to a halt. I contracted Covid about 6 weeks ago. I honestly thought I was going to die. It lasted a month. I did not go out, not even one, for a month. Which screwed me in the head a bit. I then went to my mother's for 4 days, and got a cold from her.

FFS.

Oh well. As soon as Christmas is over I will go to BQ and get me some MDF.

[Mikku]

Sorry to hear about that mate. Hopefully all's good now and you can start playing with bikes again.

[Midschoolfool]

Thanks Mick.

I did get up and start cleaning up the loft so I can do bikes in it. It was a bit of a building site. I mostly just sat there though staring into space.

I want to finish my STA now. So a big push needed. Tyres need changing. I have to replace the Pitbull 1 (broken) with the completely sorted Pitbull 2. I took that up. I also bought grips for it too.



Problem is the bars. I painted them with cheap acrylic and it has gone home. It was also a bit of a rush job. The good thing is I have plenty of black base coat left, and, you can order a 250ml 2k clear for around 17 quid. So yeah. Hoping we get some warmer days. I only need like, one.

But yeah mostly I have just been sat around doing very little. Housework mainly so I don't drown in rubbish.

[Midschoolfool]

I'm going to build this this coming summer.

I bought chrome wheels for the STA and now I have a spare set of mid school nos wheels.

So they're going on the schwinn. I've bought a nos premium products 9t rear hub and will replace the hub on the pink gsports.

I've bought some odyssey cranks that came on the pro model and have a fork and bars lined up.

So yeah expect to see this in the summer.

[Midschoolfool]

OK so a bit more on this. I did put out the feelers for stamped Sunday forks. Nothing. The only set I could find were brand new and even on sale  they  were 90 quid. And then of course they need repainting. Bars I can get for 60 quid. And then need painting. TBH I think the colour scheme is way more important to me than who made the parts.

As such I found these NOS from 2013 for 30 quid delivered  with DPD. And they are stunning. However, the main magic trick here is they are white. Meaning I do not need to pay 15 quid for a  can of white base coat to put under the green. As such all I need to do is remove the decals and scuff, then paint slime green.



The bullet legs are stunning.





Also, with the Aaron Ross bikes the bars are 8.25. I mean, I doubt I will ever ride it but yeah... I wanted 9.5. So again, brand new and importantly in white so I have way less paint to pay for and do.



Again, 100% chromoly and white. 30 quid delivered also.

I need to get the rear wheel rebuilt as it's on a freewheel atm. So I bought this for 26 delivered. NOS.



Anno strip, caustic bath, painted gloss  black to match the front Profile.

I bought Wombolts.



Again, slime green (I have pink pedals). Do note all of these parts will have ants on. I have tons left lol.

OK then over to CR for some goodies. First up, tyres. Usually people fit pink tyres but I am not sold tbh. These were 18 quid each new.



I bought a 22mm BB, headset and a tripod seat. More on that later and why I chose that.

[Midschoolfool]

Almost forgot that.

I also bought this.



For a good reason. I am going to try and custom cover the seat. With this.



Problem is with pivotal is that there is a sewn section for the allen key. And I can't do that. I've had one of those Alone saddles before, and because it is tripod and just basic covering I reckon I may be able to do it. If I can then I will get a tripod post (tidier look IMO) but if not I have only invested 13 quid in total.

We'll see. Depends how stretchy the material is.

[Midschoolfool]

Quick update.

So I got the wedge cluster with the cranks. Problem is it has fallen to bits. Meaning you need to use tons of grease and put them on one by one. CBA. Amazingly I managed to find a NOS one for 19 quid delivered.





OK so with that got I bought a backup seat just in case I make a hash of the covering.



I reckon I will use that any way tbh. I bought a used Shadow chain for 8 quid delivered.



I have lots of spare links in all different colours from other builds, but the aim is to boil it in an old kettle with vinegar (got and got) to remove the rust. Then soak in oil, or maybe gun blue. We will see. No point spending 50 quid on a chain for a wall hanger.

The hub came in.



And is now in bits waiting to be stripped. I will paint it black, 2k clear and rebuild. Will put a decal in the centre or something but I am going to have to take it to the LBS in Chi to get it laced. Hence why the savings on other things.

Talking of paint. I bought that and it has arrived. Two slime green base and two 2k clear. The bars are in too, and the stickers have been removed. Same with the fork they are both now just plain white. Scuff and paint etc.

I'm not sure how long this will take. It is obviously weather dependent and shit. However, my arthritis is now causing me other issues. IE, not just crushing pain. I started getting these blister like things on my fingers. Which set in place and then make my nails grow wavy and brittle. And it hurts like a bitch. I had no idea what it was but found out the other day they are these.

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/23456-myxoid-cyst

So yeah. All the fun of getting old eh?

[Mikku]

Man, those myxoid cysts don't look fun!!! Great name for a band though.

[Midschoolfool]

Haha.

I think it's time to make this my last all bike resto tbh.

That said its 14c today and its making s huge difference so we'll see.

[Midschoolfool]

Seat arrived.



Will start work on the cranks tomorrow.

[Mikku]

Looks like a perfect match!

[Midschoolfool]

Yeah it's ideal tbh. Doesn't hold dust or get scratched easy either !

So things done.

Yesterday I degreased and then boiled the chain in vinegar as planned. It went well, chain came out lovely and black. Then like a belmet I left it in a alu foil tray thing and forgot and now it's all fookin rusty again 

Sake. Still, it is much cleaner and free from grease so it will just need some more vinegar, drying, and then putting in oil before it flash rusts again.

I've taken the anno off of the rear hub and all of its hardware. So that was cool. That is ready for a scuff and etc but not until the weather improves. I really don't want to be pissing away paint or taking risks on it. Fact is it just doesn't cure properly in the cold.

Earlier today I decided to finally put the Schwinn in the loft. I have two bike spaces up there after taking a couple home so yeah. Bloody hell I forgot how hard that shit is. Like, getting a fookin tank like that up the ladder. What with my arthritis? yeah sod that dude.

Still. What I did do was free up the wheels. Back needs building onto the WIP hub when it is painted (again waiting for warm. I can get a bus straight from my flat to Chichester and will get Jaime at ESP to do it for me !) but the front is ready to go. I also found some Ti bolts I bought a while back and didn't realise they would work.

"You're twisting my melon man"

[Midschoolfool]

BTW the Schwinn has the black wheels I removed from the STA on it, with the Odyssey Path 1.85. Looks really good !

[Midschoolfool]

OK so I measured up the new hub (the Premium Products one that I stripped) and I needed 186mm spokes.



Cost me like 9 quid on Ebay. Doesn't look like they include the nipples and they were another 9 quid but sod that I will reuse the ones on the wheel now when I take it apart.

Going to take it to the LBS around May time and get it done whilst I wait. Have done that before, they did a lovely job for me.