Bike Mielec

Rad. Go full camo.

Moving house this weekend so left it in the box... will post a pic shortly promise... but it will be a pretty stock LFGSS circle-jerkery build: H+Son Archetypes, cheapo Miche crankset, risers... Paint job I got him to do a pretty standard grey and I am going to get some vinyl stickers made up... need to do some design work on them..

Et voila:

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Thanks.
I rather like the black&green combo at the moment.

I have got some nicks in the paint already form leaning onto various surfaces as well as a nice collection of dirt. Can't wait for this to get properly ratty.

Bike runs well, everything holds up, just the rear wheel keeps moving forward in the dropouts.

Anybody have any experience with chain tensioners on mielecs?

Yup. I had the same issue with mine. Stuck on a pair of basic chain tugs and it was fine.
They work, but if they're a bit too ratty, there are prettier alternatives.

Cool frame Nick. Really like the light grey colour - remember to post a picture when the build is ready.

^ ur's the inspiration... More to come. Will be a slow job though.

Nothing pisses off the trouble more than when we're meant to be tidying and I do bike stuff. Result is this (arty shot result of night time and one outside light, and fluke):

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I received mine yesterday. The parcel was pretty beaten up, sadly not packed well at all. Behind the white taperoll-leftover was the seat tube. Sadly the parcel wasn´t stuffed with anything, the frame was wrapped in 1 layer of thin plastic, but nothing secure at all. This wasn´t the only hole in the parcel. I was thinking of sending it straight back.

I love Roberts work, the frame all in all is a piece of art. The polished tubes, the polished weldings, very beautiful. He has my full respect but sadly there was a tiny hole in the head tube which seemingly has been there before the shipping. It seems to be filled with a tiny piece of alloy and then polished over again, because the filler has the same polishing structure as the surrounding head tube.

Sadly the top tube seems crooked, you see it without even looking hard. I´ve asked five guys without telling them anything about the toptube, every one saw the same offset of the headtube.

On the seat tube it´s the other way round.

I am very sad now...

Tell me if I´m too pedantically - in my opinion a crooked top tube shouln´d make for a good ride, what do you think?

it's not good, but then you do get what you pay for

Mielec - not nice, not pricey

Hard but true. Though, a framebuilder should be able to set the top tube in straight, shouldn´t he?

Has anyone of you had the same issue?

Thanks

He should be but you get what you pay for. The bigger the tolerances, the quicker (and cheaper) the work

What's that, 1-2mm? I would have thought quality in the welds would have more say in how it feels rather than tt being slightly off.
I'd be annoyed if I'd payed £800, but wouldn't think anything of it at this price.

Chances are you'll be riding on imperfect roads, with imperfect wheels and off balanced, imperfect clincher tyres, and wont pay for a bike fit (I'm assuming a lot)
Just build it up and enjoy your cheap ride :)

Check the frame alignment by using this tool;

The frames are still built in a jig. The thing will be fine.

That tool costs more than half the frame!

There is only one thing to do

Ride it like you stole it

Top tube alignment doesn't matter much so long as the headtube and seat tube are on the same plane.

This.

Hence going to a bike shop and ask the mechanic to check frame alignment.

Thanks for your replies.

Hard to find a shop with the right tools at the moment.

You´re right. Will build it up and try it out, then give some feedback.

It will ride the same as one with a centered tt.

Hard to find a shop with the right tools at the moment.

Really? all bike shop should have one, especially for insurance quote.

Should have said it´s hard to find the time.

Stupid of me to whack the drums at this point. Robert of course offered to replace it if the geometry is messed up. After building and riding I will be able to say more, maybe everything is right. At this price I shouldn´t even think of it, you´re right.