Current Projects chat and miscellany

why that shifter choice?

The donor bike for the groupset was a time trial bike with bar-end shifters. It's been 2 years or more now and I got used to it

Thanks. It's growing on me, I think mainly because of the way it rides. Probably won't last, gotta go back to classic.

Took me GT touring to Holland last year and really enjoyed riding it, we were just taking it steady and although in many ways inferior to my croix de Fer it was a lot of fun. There were a few issues, wheels weren't up to it and I broke several spokes in the rear wheel and gears were 1x8 mishmash and although worked fine, cassette had some jumps (especially between 1-2) and chain dropped a few times. Also the forks were for 27" and affected the geo significantly.

I'm off to Belgium in a couple of weeks and wanted to take the GT so have given it a bit of an overhaul. Managed to get hold of an SLX 10 speed clutch mech and shifter for beers, bought some more appropriate wheels and some forks kindly donated by @Miitch - and IT LIVES.

Couple of other things sorted - the rear rack was a bit crap and while trying to improve it 2 bits cracked so replaces with a cheap tortec. Treated myself to some ergons with little bar end bits for another hand position.

Couple of issues to work out (needs long drop front brake and a stem with less rise) and saddle to be swapped for either a B or C17 from another bike, but definitely better prepared this time round. Could also do with a 40 or 42 tooth 130bcd narrow wide but funds running low.

If anyone has a suitable brake of chainring pls let me know.

Before

Now

^11/10

That's just awesome!

What's up with the seatpost though? No seatpost collar?

how do the bar ends feel with swept back bars?

Think it's a wedge fit one, like a quill stem. I think so anyway maybe wrong.

Finally cabled up the brakes and took for ride to work today.
From this:

To this:

These don't have a huge amount of sweep, bar ends feel fine. On my Argos found I was hanging onto the end of the grips (where the bar ends would be) as an extra position so these will be great. I don't think them being angled out slightly is a bad thing at all - probably a more natural wrist position for me at least.

cool, thanks

After an "eventful" hour working on the cockpit I had to pinch the bar and stem off the Argos (that's a worry for another day). Hope to get a few miles in on it before I go and also still looking for front brake and NW but otherwise pretty done.

that looks great to me.

Let's call it functional looking.

Let's call it ugly.

Will make more sense once loaded.

Oh nice colour :)

I didn't want to go straight for 'TM diplomacy', but you'd do the same for me so yeah, it's pretty ugly. What kind of Belgium are you doing? The flat kind or the cobbled climb kind?

Flat kind! (Mrs TM likes flat)

A bike only a mother could love.

Awesome isn't it.

@amey did you say you had a NW 130bcd chainring?

Pourquoi? as you might say. I am intrigued.

Thanks dude.

muddy fox ?? rien mon rats thats all

A bike only a mother could love +1

That's a mother of a bike, so it gets complicated.