mo bikes

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This is my balcony.
I moved in with my Girlfriend a while ago now and had to downsize a fair amount. It didn't happen overnight.
I used to have a whole front room, kitchen and laminate flooring as far as the eye could see before I came to my sense and settled down.

I'm restless.

I've always built my own bikes.
I'm still fairly useless at it though tbh.

There's an old 501 Gazelle Formula race at the back that was my first destructive build. It was a snazzy sparkly pink before I ruined it.

Then there's a Ribble TT frame I can never find info on and never built up cos I couldn't measure the headtube for a headset 7 years ago, or something.

The Specialized P? at the front has been built up a few times a number of ways.

Owned these bikes since I was young and dumb and inexperienced and broke. I'm slightly less those things now. They all have stories and will all get serious builds they deserve in due time.

Had a bit of a crisis last summer and bought the full sus.
Rode it a few times, realised I was really outta shape and MTB is a whole different ball game. Rode it a few more times and realised I'm a pansy too, I tell my friends the front wheel is too wobbly but really its just my dumpt not-a-teenager-anymore nerves.

I also had a really nice ally Giant Defy I built up with Ksyriums and SRAM Red/Force and it was awesome, never missed a beat, really proud of it, got nicked like nice things do.
Then I bought that Godforsaken knee sucking 3" tyre cardiac arrest and lost the spark.
A few Scott frames in various places too.

I'm gonna build up the Ribble

My parts bin is full but lacking, I have some useable components though and I'm not sure how responsible getting stuff in the post is right now. I love a budget as it is just this time theres a cance of being close to it. It's not intended to be a flashy bike, something to get out on a quiet morning or evening for the time being.
Hopefully find the spark again.

That being said I will at least need weels, handlebars and probably most of the drivetrain too.

I've bought a headset, it's 41mm.

This is a start.

I have a fork, a stem, LH shifter, rear derailleur, cassette, 1 brake, cranks and rings, pedals, seatpost, saddle, headset, bar ends, skewers and a Ksyrium rear wheel that isn't pictured.

I'll need bars, cables, BB, RH shifter, another brake, tape, a chain, front derailleur, front wheel, tyres and tubes.

Got a bit distracted during this pandemic.
It can be hard balancing all your time between your kids, your partner and yourself.
A day or two after my last post, just before I turned full time professional Teacher and Cook, I bought a spares or repair built up Scott S30 that was stumbled over on the 'Bay, it was local and a good price. Landed on my feet really. It was way cheaper than what I'd been allocated, needed nothing but a new chain and air when I got it home .

I'm still waiting for the chain, we've had a go on the turbo with a chain that doesn't fit properly which inspired the youngling.
So she got a new (£20) little 20" wheel bike. Thats gonna get some attention.
First thing was stabilisers, still waiting for them. The ones we have are too small.

In trying to keep the momentum going today me and my daughter destickered and cleaned up the little bike and I got some scattered help on the Ribble frame and sorted through more spare bits.

This was a good find

Its not new but I wiped it with a bit of oil and the threads are OK.
Probably not got the best bearings

These un55's are pretty indestructible. I'm looking forward to see the Ribble build up again

These went on too, a Sakae crankset and some(?) metal pedals.
The rings are 52/39, I think 175mm cranks.

I have this FSA crankset

which would probably do me better but I cant get the bastard cup off one of my other frames.
Because I have it I'm not gonna buy it, thats the ethos behind this now even more pointless build...
Something else to wrestle with.

That pic with mole grip on your BB tool... if you’re using that to undo a BB cup you haven’t got enough leverage. You need way more long bar than that! If the tool is slipping out the splines, another trick is to put a bolt through it into the BB, just to hold it securely in place while you lean on it to break the tightness.

This some solid advice^ and double check if you're turning it the right way.

I just don’t have a spanner that fits.
I also have a two/3 foot metal tube that fits over most of my tools for an extension bar.
It’s on pretty tight.

The cup that’s stuck uses one of these glorious tools.
Just need some penetration and patience with that I think.

That being said, googling that img I learnt that not only did I pay way too much when I got one (20 something pound I’m sure it was) and there are better options available now.
Might just try a different tool.

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Managed to find all the bits for these, even the springs.

They’ll get a little clean up.

The wheel I wanted to use is dangerously worn. The brake tracks are like gutters. One side even has half the rim after the track eaten up too. Scary.
I might salvage the hub but the free hub is stuck and I can’t figure out what to hold to top the axle moving to give it a look. It’s a completely round ‘nut’.
Not important however.
These were in the shed, actually in pretty good nick. Guess I only swapped them for the ‘look’
I dropped chainreaction a sneaky £20 for some lifeline rubbers straight away.

Also I added the mech, seatpost, headset, fork and stem.

Won a shifter (at last) for £52

Still well under hundred bar all in. Aiming for £150

It seems really small.
52 top tube.
Thought it was a 54.

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Found a nice modolo rear brake.

Unfortunately the stays are a weird shape and they won’t work.
Shame really.

I also have a pair of sora brakes. So one of them went on.

Before it went on the spring had popped out. It’s back on no worries but when squeezing with your hand (before mounting) the spring could pop out again. It seems OK no the pads and wheel are in the way.
Is that sketchy?
It won’t pop out now will it?
It’s only the rear at least.

These are cheap and fit my stem.

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The bike has been built up for a week or two now but it’s far from finished.
It’s not been essential to finish it, the Scott and MTB are all I really need and I’ve slowly started the ball rolling on getting my Gazelle frame back in use.

For this I need to drill out the star nut and replace, properly.
Fit a top cap.
True the wheels.
Cones are shot, I have some donors and it’s been put off long enough so hope to get this finished in the next few days.

Here’s a hasty photo.

Edit; the carpet succumbed to the wrath of pets. We have a new floor coming this weekend.
Wife will kill me if she ever sees this...

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