Retro (Dawes) MTB goodness + bits

Looks bang on. One of these would finish the look of nicely I think.

Got a better seatpost to fit when I get round to it, the clamp on that one is extremely dodgey! New cassette today too

Got a better seatpost installed and fitted a new cassette so the entire drivechain is new.
Headset is giving me headaches though. Is the best thing to do to get a new 1inch threaded headset or do something similar to @t0-ster and go for BMX style cockpit - not sure how to go about that though

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What's the trouble?

Just keeps coming loose and rattly. All bearings seemed fine when I reassembled it

Without appearing to be rude, are you tightening it correctly? I've come across a lot of self assembled threaded headsets where the locknut hasn't been tightened against the threaded top race. Just both tightened up.

Yeah I think so lol but will double check

Tootling the 1-2 miles to Uni every day on this and it is so fun. Not really changed in a few months, but:
New headset ready to go in, which was a bargain.
Got the stem from this coming from @TvH.
Made a chain stay protector which is useful.
Wider bars on the cards.
The £12 V brakes will get upgraded in the summer (they're rubbish).
Want to obtain some metal mudguards and I have two potential racks I can fit.
It is still too small really but it works for short trips.

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Rear wheel spacing needs sorting too ..

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Semi/sketchily put a rack on backwards, got some guards for a fiver at a jumble too. 2 weeks ish til I get some time off and then the mudguards, 2x racks, headset, v brake upgrades then wider bars will be installed

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My flat from July is 0.5 miles from where I am most days and so it's probably not worth carting it downstairs everyday. It'll still do the weekly shop and stuff though. 1 mile away, however, is Bolehills BMX track (Sheffield) so I can't not really get a DJ bike for at least the year and give that a shot...

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Also working over the summer 10ish miles away from where my dad lives - so I need to get my Kaffenback into commuter mode. Hoping to do some light-touring at the weekends too! Had this Madigan frame lying round for a couple of months now and that needs finishing. May start another thread

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Nice, I have a '92ish Spesh Hardrock db chromo steel frame which I perversely built up with 3 speed Sturmey Archer gearing, made easy by the horizontal dropouts on that model.

If you are looking for "full" mudguards I have a set of 26" x plenty wide black SKS chromoplastics which you can have for £8 posted, tidy but not perfect.

EDIT: duh you have the guards already, much nicer as well...

I might have those mudguards off you! Wide enough for 2" tyres?

Definitely wide enough, they are quite a bit wider than 2" knobblies, but I will PM photos tomorrow as looking at them again the condition is perhaps slightly less than 'tidy'...

For this bike the cheaper the better! Let me know :)

If @frankenbike doesn't have them I will please as the ones in the photo that I have are too narrow. No worries if not :)

How wide are yours? They might do for my bike.

By the way your bike is excellent! City Jets are they?

@frankenbike Not sure but they're not as wide as my tyres (which are city jets indeed) and thanks. Probably going to keep them for another bike even if they don't fit this one sorry - were only a fiver and I'm sure they'll come in useful one day

Re the mudguards, sorry been a bit busy. They are a tad scratched, particularly on the back end of the rear one, but no cracks or such like. They are black SKS chromoplastic 65mm wide like these: https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/mudguards/26-x-55-sks-chromoplastic-mudguard-set-26-black/ only with missing reflector but a bigger, better mudflap attached to the front. They give tons of clearance over 2" knobbly tyres. The rear stay bridges have been re-riveted back on (looks fine) and the secuclips don't match each other style wise. I will send a pair of spare longer stainless stays to give you a better chance of fitting if the originals are too short. £8 posted by Myhermes or similar slow-but-cheap post. I do have a new small style square SKS reflector to fit the mounting holes but would want another £2 for that, seeing as it cost me more than that.

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Front

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Side

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I'll let @bobble have first refusal as you did originally offer them to him and I'm not in any particular rush

Cheers @frankenbike that is really kind. if you drop me a PM @niggle I will take the mudguards please - no rush on the post - do it as cheap as poss and not bothered about the extra reflector. Cheers.

Small update: I need to take this to my LBS to get the headset installed and to get some cables. V brakes and grips upgraded.

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