Well, after being relegated to the bits heap for quite some time (couldn't find forks with a long
enough steerer at the right price (free, heheheh), I finally managed to resurrect my old (first MTB)
Reynolds 501 tubed steely this w/e!
I'd been working on it over the past few months once I'd found forks for it on an old bike Kath had
kicking around. The forks are a lovely metallic pinky/purpley colour, which goes just fine with the
yellow frame and blue bars and cranks.
I threw an old megarange 7 speed freewheel combo onto the back wheel, and set it up with just the 32
middle ring up front (using old mech to keep the chain on), front and rear v's, a 1.9 (I think)
front tyre with centre ridge and a WTB 2.00 (or something like that) thingy on the rear. Old V split
saddle, big wide DH bars, adjustable rise stem set at max height - rides like a dream! Gonna put a
42 or 44 big ring on and lose the middle I think - I need taller gears, but the lower ones aren't
much needed for my commutes (and 44 to 34 isn't a very tall gear anyway ',;~}~ ), and I span out
real early on the way here this morning.
I had a few hassles sorting this out, not least of which was replacing the old BB. I put a good but
used one in there, but the flanged cup got stuck half way in. I managed to get it out and clean the
BB shell threads, but it still wouldn't go further than half way using the BB tool, 'cause the
cup's splines were shot (they're always [censored] to start with IMO). I ended up getting heavy with a
set of pump pliers/'footprints' on the flange itself to get it in, but I did get it in in the
end........only to find I'd put a really long spindle BB in there and the chain line was never
going to work
going to come out again in one piece.
So, I dug the right length BB outa the Big Red Box, unscrewed the non-flange BB cup, knocked the BB
out from the other side, knocked both cups off the shorter one, and banged it all back together in
the frame - problem solved!
The rear mech cable housing is made from about 4 different pieces, which is cool, and the whole bike
is most obviously a true FrankenBeater.
It felt good to be riding the old rigid steel yellow (and now pink and blue) peril again - can't
wait to get the taller gearing set up and really give it some speed!
Cheers!
Shaun aRe - My Nokian Gazz's are safe from road abuse once again ',;~}~