How time flies

On 19/10/04 9:11 am, in article
[email hidden], "MSeries"

Quoted message said:

After my dinner and chores last night I retired to the garage to tinker
with the new machine. Nothing wrong with it Tony, I just wanted to give
it a good overhaul so I know whats what and to see what I might need to
replace soon. It wasn't half mucky but not now ! I removed the
cassette, bust it apart to clean each sprocket properly, removed and
cleaned the chain. Regreased the rear hub bearings. Dissassembled and
cleaned the rear mech. There was a lot of caked on mud/dirt that could
only be removed by stripping the thing down. Rebuilt everything and
adjusted the gears, still need a road test. Swapped the brakes over, I
like the left lever to operate the front brake, continental style. I
noticed the time at about 22:00, Mrs MSeries was beginning to wnder if
I'd fallen asleep out there. Just need to set the brakes up properly
and we're ready to roll.

By the time I've done the chores, stripping down, cleaning and reassembling
a bike by 10 pm would be miraculous ;-(

As it was, I was wielding a hacksaw, a pair of 18" stilsons and some serious
attitude. I now have two slightly smaller frames that, with a bit of
attention from an angle grinder, will be ready for splicing into the
frankentandem.

The fremaes are made of cheese (2mm thick hi-ten steel) so I don't expect it
will last long or be particularly light but it'll be enough fun to determine
whether we get a decent tandem.

...d

MSeries said:

After my dinner and chores last night I retired to the garage to
tinker with the new machine.

Wish I had a garage, or a workshop... or a shed, for that matter. Working on
a bike in the dining room is a PITA and things always take longer as a
result. Summer time is OK (when it's not raining) as I can work on the bike
on the picnic table.

Simonb said:

MSeries said:

After my dinner and chores last night I retired to the garage to
tinker with the new machine.

Wish I had a garage, or a workshop... or a shed, for that matter. Working on
a bike in the dining room is a PITA and things always take longer as a
result. Summer time is OK (when it's not raining) as I can work on the bike
on the picnic table.

I can really identify with this, living in a Victorian terrace
with no garage, driveway or shed!

But think of it this way - you have saved lots and lots of money.
The usual reaction to having large storage spaces for the folks
on this newsgroup seems to be: buy more bikes!

--
jc

Remove the -not from email

On 19/10/04 11:38 am, in article [email hidden],

Jeremy Collins said:

But think of it this way - you have saved lots and lots of money.
The usual reaction to having large storage spaces for the folks
on this newsgroup seems to be: buy more bikes!

In my case it seems to be build more bikes!

Rachel is quite excited about the tandem project. The 'what to do with the
leftovers' question is answered as 'fixie'.

I have a frame with oversized tubing that I thought at first was aluminium
as the tubings are large, the metal soft and the tube walls thick.

It is a 'Universal megadeath' ore some such branding and it isn't Alu, it's
cheese. That fine quality of steel that ensures the trendy looks of the
frame weigh more than my entire road bike (well, it feels like it). COupled
with the rigida deep drop rim on the rear wheel, which also weighs as much
as a slightly obese bull elephant, and the bike will appear as the worlds
first ten ton fixie.

It will have brakes, either that or anchors, and suspension forks (because
that is what it has.) I have recycled a single speed chainwheel and now have
to work out how best to do a single fixed gear.

A tandem to put together first though.

...d

David Martin vaguely muttered something like ...

Quoted message said:

It will have brakes, either that or anchors, and suspension forks (because
that is what it has.) I have recycled a single speed chainwheel and now
have to work out how best to do a single fixed gear.

It might be simplest, but not necessarily most elegant, to (at least
temporarily) use the original five/six/seven speed cluster already on the
rear wheel, but without a derailleur .. admittedly this is only gonna make a
single speed, not a fixie, but a blob or four of weld in the right place ...
😉

Mate did this and although he thought he mostly used third gear when the
bike was geared, he found that fourth gear was best overall when no other
gears were available. Might be worth experimenting a little before choosing
/ buying the final front / rear ratios for the fixie.

--
Paul ...
(8(|) Homer Rules !!!
"A [censored] is a [censored], no matter what mode of transport they're using."

Paul - censored said:

David Martin vaguely muttered something like ...

Quoted message said:

It will have brakes, either that or anchors, and suspension forks (because
that is what it has.) I have recycled a single speed chainwheel and now
have to work out how best to do a single fixed gear.

It might be simplest, but not necessarily most elegant, to (at least
temporarily) use the original five/six/seven speed cluster already on the
rear wheel, but without a derailleur .. admittedly this is only gonna make a
single speed, not a fixie, but a blob or four of weld in the right place ...
😉

The thought had crossed my mind. The frame came with a wheel and has
horizontal dropouts at the rear. Then all I need to do is to stick some
brakes on. I'm not sure I'm brave enough to try it with clipless yet.. Some
resin cheapo pedals to start with.

I think the front chainring is a 48 so I was figuring that a 17 or 19 should
be OK.

Quoted message said:

Mate did this and although he thought he mostly used third gear when the
bike was geared, he found that fourth gear was best overall when no other
gears were available. Might be worth experimenting a little before choosing
/ buying the final front / rear ratios for the fixie.

I'd probably go the whole hog and replace it entirely. The thing weighs a
ton. I'll take the scales to the garage and get an accurate weight on just
the frame and chainset. (answer, lots).

...d

"David Martin" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

The thought had crossed my mind. The frame came with a wheel and has
horizontal dropouts at the rear. Then all I need to do is to stick some
brakes on. I'm not sure I'm brave enough to try it with clipless yet..

Some

Quoted message said:

resin cheapo pedals to start with.

I tried toeclips on my fixed, before I had spds. Mostly ok, but sprinting
away from things was awful if you failed to get in. Clipless are _much_
better than that.

Riding fixed isn't actually that hard. I think I'd suggest starting with
clipless if you've got some pedals hanging around - it might actually be
safer than plain pedals, because you get the reminder all the time.

cheers,
clive

On 19/10/04 1:36 pm, in article [email hidden], "Clive

George said:

"David Martin" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

The thought had crossed my mind. The frame came with a wheel and has
horizontal dropouts at the rear. Then all I need to do is to stick some
brakes on. I'm not sure I'm brave enough to try it with clipless yet..

Some

Quoted message said:

resin cheapo pedals to start with.

I tried toeclips on my fixed, before I had spds. Mostly ok, but sprinting
away from things was awful if you failed to get in. Clipless are _much_
better than that.

Riding fixed isn't actually that hard. I think I'd suggest starting with
clipless if you've got some pedals hanging around - it might actually be
safer than plain pedals, because you get the reminder all the time.

I have an old pair with a slightly bent axle. And could of course always
upgrade the ones on the road bike or the MTB ;-)

It's going to be interesting giving it a go. The only tyres I have spare are
knobblies and I will need to source some suitable brakes.

...d

David Martin vaguely muttered something like ...

Quoted message said:

On 19/10/04 1:36 pm, in article [email hidden], "Clive

George said:

"David Martin" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

The thought had crossed my mind. The frame came with a wheel and has
horizontal dropouts at the rear. Then all I need to do is to stick some
brakes on. I'm not sure I'm brave enough to try it with clipless yet..
Some resin cheapo pedals to start with.

I tried toeclips on my fixed, before I had spds. Mostly ok, but sprinting
away from things was awful if you failed to get in. Clipless are _much_
better than that.

Riding fixed isn't actually that hard. I think I'd suggest starting with
clipless if you've got some pedals hanging around - it might actually be
safer than plain pedals, because you get the reminder all the time.

I have an old pair with a slightly bent axle. And could of course always
upgrade the ones on the road bike or the MTB ;-)

It's going to be interesting giving it a go. The only tyres I have spare
are knobblies and I will need to source some suitable brakes.

I've got some Shimano STX cantilevers (reasonable quality) somewhere,
possibly with blocks as well .. left in the shed when I upgraded to
Vee-brakes. You can have them for a fiver and posting/packaging, if I can
find them, I haven't seen them for a year or four though .. 😉

My newsgroup reply email adress is real and mine, just post to group if you
send me a mail and I'll check it.

--
Paul ...
(8(|) Homer Rules !!!
"A [censored] is a [censored], no matter what mode of transport they're using."

Paul - censored said:

David Martin vaguely muttered something like ...

Quoted message said:

On 19/10/04 1:36 pm, in article [email hidden], "Clive

George said:

"David Martin" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

> The thought had crossed my mind. The frame came with a wheel and has
> horizontal dropouts at the rear. Then all I need to do is to stick some
> brakes on. I'm not sure I'm brave enough to try it with clipless yet..
> Some resin cheapo pedals to start with.

I tried toeclips on my fixed, before I had spds. Mostly ok, but sprinting
away from things was awful if you failed to get in. Clipless are _much_
better than that.

Riding fixed isn't actually that hard. I think I'd suggest starting with
clipless if you've got some pedals hanging around - it might actually be
safer than plain pedals, because you get the reminder all the time.

I have an old pair with a slightly bent axle. And could of course always
upgrade the ones on the road bike or the MTB ;-)

It's going to be interesting giving it a go. The only tyres I have spare
are knobblies and I will need to source some suitable brakes.

I've got some Shimano STX cantilevers (reasonable quality) somewhere,
possibly with blocks as well .. left in the shed when I upgraded to
Vee-brakes. You can have them for a fiver and posting/packaging, if I can
find them, I haven't seen them for a year or four though .. 😉

I've got a couple of sets of old canti's to play with. It's a question of
reassembling them from the various bits boxes (or buy myself some V-brakes
for the commuter and swap the canti's off that.

Thanks anyway.

...d

David Martin vaguely muttered something like ...

Quoted message said:

On 19/10/04 2:09 pm, in article [email hidden], "Paul -

censored said:

David Martin vaguely muttered something like ...

Quoted message said:

On 19/10/04 1:36 pm, in article [email hidden], "Clive
George" <[email hidden]> wrote:

> "David Martin" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
> news:[email hidden]...
>
>> The thought had crossed my mind. The frame came with a wheel and has
>> horizontal dropouts at the rear. Then all I need to do is to stick
>> some brakes on. I'm not sure I'm brave enough to try it with clipless
>> yet.. Some resin cheapo pedals to start with.
>
> I tried toeclips on my fixed, before I had spds. Mostly ok, but
> sprinting away from things was awful if you failed to get in. Clipless
> are _much_ better than that.
>
> Riding fixed isn't actually that hard. I think I'd suggest starting
> with clipless if you've got some pedals hanging around - it might
> actually be safer than plain pedals, because you get the reminder all
> the time.

I have an old pair with a slightly bent axle. And could of course always
upgrade the ones on the road bike or the MTB ;-)

It's going to be interesting giving it a go. The only tyres I have spare
are knobblies and I will need to source some suitable brakes.

I've got some Shimano STX cantilevers (reasonable quality) somewhere,
possibly with blocks as well .. left in the shed when I upgraded to
Vee-brakes. You can have them for a fiver and posting/packaging, if I
can find them, I haven't seen them for a year or four though .. 😉

I've got a couple of sets of old canti's to play with. It's a question of
reassembling them from the various bits boxes (or buy myself some V-brakes
for the commuter and swap the canti's off that.

Thanks anyway.

No worries .. 😉

--
Paul ...
(8(|) Homer Rules !!!
"A [censored] is a [censored], no matter what mode of transport they're using."

Quoted message said:

It wasn't half mucky but not now !

Well, it IS an MTB.. :-)

Quoted message said:

Swapped the brakes over, I like the left lever to operate the front

brake, continental style.

Whereas I, with a motorcycle background, prefer the right lever to do
all the arresting...

Quoted message said:

Just need to set the brakes up properly and we're ready to roll.

Great stuff! A decent bike, hope you'll agree. Or I may well pay on the
track in a couple of weeks ;-)

bfn,

Tony B

Paul - censored said:

David Martin vaguely muttered something like ...

Quoted message said:

It will have brakes, either that or anchors, and suspension forks (because
that is what it has.) I have recycled a single speed chainwheel and now
have to work out how best to do a single fixed gear.

It might be simplest, but not necessarily most elegant, to (at least
temporarily) use the original five/six/seven speed cluster already on the
rear wheel, but without a derailleur .. admittedly this is only gonna make a
single speed, not a fixie, but a blob or four of weld in the right place ...
😉

But with a screw on cluster (as opposed to cassette) you can just
screw on a fixed sprocket in its place. Then faff around with the
chainline - I found a combination of old cup n cone BB axles and
flipping the sprocket over (they're "handed"😉 did the trick. You
might need to redish the wheel, I didn't.

Tim

On 19/10/04 7:51 pm, in article [email hidden],

Tim Hall said:

Paul - censored said:

David Martin vaguely muttered something like ...

Quoted message said:

It will have brakes, either that or anchors, and suspension forks (because
that is what it has.) I have recycled a single speed chainwheel and now
have to work out how best to do a single fixed gear.

It might be simplest, but not necessarily most elegant, to (at least
temporarily) use the original five/six/seven speed cluster already on the
rear wheel, but without a derailleur .. admittedly this is only gonna make a
single speed, not a fixie, but a blob or four of weld in the right place ...
😉

But with a screw on cluster (as opposed to cassette) you can just
screw on a fixed sprocket in its place. Then faff around with the
chainline - I found a combination of old cup n cone BB axles and
flipping the sprocket over (they're "handed"😉 did the trick. You
might need to redish the wheel, I didn't.

IIRC bottom bracket lockrings can also be used as spacers..
Something to play with anyway.

...d