Bobble's Bristol Bikelife

Ah sorry they go around the top tube! For running a brake cable along the top of the top tube going towards the rear brake.

@furious_tiles ah nightmare! That is not a bad stopgap mind

@AlexD cheers man appreciate that. I think Wiper and True is on my way there ;)

Ha, yeah I believe so. I know Michael (Wiper) actually. Went on a camping stag do with him once and he turned up in a van filled with beer. Handy guy to have around :-D

Stuck stem bolt being a right pain. Frame upside down getting sprayed with some penetrating fluid, then I'll stick the wheels back on and have another go. May need a shop to help out but do not want anything happening to the paint

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Have you tried using hot/cold to unsieze it? (Ice, kettle of water in succession). That’s been the thing that’s given me the best results for me with stuck stuff

@AlexD will try that at the weekend cheers. Nipped the bolt back up so the penetrating fluid stays inside and will see if that has done anything in the morning

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Stem bolt out so +1 for the hot and cold tip above. Stem rotates which is good. So just some more elbow grease needed tomorrow I think

Also gearing wise on the CDF, and no ideal if this will work but went for a cheap/used 34 cassette to see if it'll shift smoothly. If it does, and maybe with a 32 at the front, this will do my commuting/touring/road riding nicely

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Home for Christmas. Not much to report on the CDF other than that I scored a set of Ortlieb panniers cheap from a work buy/sell group and tried unsuccessfully to switch out to the bigger cassette. The CDF wheels are 2 months old and even with borrowing the biggest spanner in the village I couldn’t get it off.

Rack is off for some road rides.

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Mercian – is currently in the Mercian shop! Swung by for some touch up paint, headset/BB bearings, removing a dodgy bolt and to get them to remove the stuck stem. Will hopefully get it back when they reopen on the 4th.

The chap who served me was so helpful giving me tips on the rebuild (27.2 post, bearing sizes, why I can’t just go from 5 to 7 speed (ignorance is bliss), headset sizing, how to measure a BB etc, always replace ball bearings).

I have cleaned the parts at home with a questionable bath of hot water, fairy liquid, white vinegar and degreaser. Lightly wet sanded a few of the parts with some fine paper and used a little bit of autosol polish on everything. Turned out okay – few pictures attached.

I have compiled a list of things I think I need to be able to rebuild this when it is back from Mercian and touched up. Will just try local bike shops/ebay for this stuff I imagine? Some of it might be tough to get like the MKS end caps. If anyone has anything suitable for sale, please let me know! I’ve also realised that a fair few of the parts definitely aren’t original/period correct (groupset mainly looks 90s but the bike is from ‘58) so will slowly address that once built.

1. Nice vintage 27.2 post that isn’t all pitted.
   
2. 1x MKS pedal end cap
   
3. 1x chainring bolt (had to drill one out)
   
4. 1x BB lockring (could use this but it is a bit mashed)
   
5. 2x Shimano tourney centrepull cable
   
6. Nice vintage 5 speed rear mech
   
7. 1x crank end cap
   
8. Hammered 27 inch metal mudguards
   

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Road riding weekly on my genesis at the moment with the rack on. It is fine and when I am not feeling lazy I remove the rear rack. Having said that, I am getting more into road riding and would like something specifically for that. The genesis can then go full touring/commuter mode with a front rack. Been eyeing this up for a few weeks for a possible road bike build. Not sure. Questions I am asking myself are:

1. Could it be a good deal if I could snag it for 400 ish? 725 rather than 853/853 oversized (not techy so probably wouldn't notice this...or would I?)
   
2. Build cost with mostly lightly used/ebay/forum parts... unsure. More economical to buy another complete bike, swap bits over and then sell the spare f+f?
   
3. I'm 6ft4, never had a bike fit, usually just buy an XL and hope for the best. So not sure on size. Looks about right?
   
   
   
   
   

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Few from rides last weekend. Got a 34t cassette on the CDF which I am buzzing about without having to do anything. Tried to tighten the b screw in a bit but it is a bit stuck/rounded so left that for another day. I didn't need to do that and now I don't need to do anything with the drivechain. Do still want some nice shifters with routing under the bars, as well as a bike fit and maybe some wider bars.

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Looking back at some pictures actually not sure how legit that is without the b screw in a bit but it worked fine.

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Mercian project wise, I am back up in Derbyshire looking after my dad who is ill this week and maybe next (not covid thankfully) so reunited with it. All my tools are in Bristol though but I think I have everything to build it up now.
Mercian got the stem out, supplied some new bearings for the headset/BB and supplied some touch up paint. The guy there was so helpful.
Cleaned the wheels up this week and I the guy there advised to wipe it down with rubbing alcohol, touch it up and then heat the paint with a hairdryer to make it set.
Hoping to have it all built up in 2 weeks and then in time I'll get more period appropriate bits (new rear mech mainly)

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If you want a long b-screw I’ve got one in my box of bits. That white Mercian looks super nice

@AlexD yes please that would be super helpful! Will drop you a PM and ride round when I am back cheers :)

Not sure if you've sorted this all out now, but I can recommend Bike Workshop on Colston Street for all sorts of hard-to-find bits and pieces, especially if you only need 1 and not a multipack. It's a proper cave of wonders.

congrats on moving to bristol. great city which I would love to move back to one day if work permitted. definitely get involved with the bristol bike project when you get a chance. i volunteered there for ~2 years before leaving the city. Adam Dolling is a great guy (alongside all the others!)

Bike Workshop on Colston Street

can also wholeheartedly recommend :-)

I’ll take a look in a sec and make sure it’s still where I think it is - will let you know.

@AlexD Cheers :) I am actually self-isolating now for min 10 days from Monday 11th so won't be soon :(

Ah balls! Hope situation isn’t too bad :-/

@nejib thanks :) I have heard good things on here and did pop in to chat to them about wheels briefly, ended up going for some from Ryan @ Ryan Builds Wheels. They also did sort my flatmate out a new wheel on his mtb for like £70 + £10 fitting which is fair enough. Having said that, one of my mates got charged £4 for 2 limit screws there and £20 for a shit old rear mech which he ended up getting from Bike Project for a fiver. That is extremely anecdotal though, small beer and I imagine bike shops get a bit gruntled with low value requests/favours like that.

Do still need a few of those bits so will try there, Ben's and Bike Project.

@swedeee cheers :) Have been in for cables/stuff and they did me a new BB, new rear axle and hub service, new (used) chainset for like £70 all in on the raleigh on page 1. Adam served me and was super helpful with advice. I also sent my non-cyclist mate a road bike they posted for sale on Monday, she had a really positive experience buying it and they will adjust seat/put a shorter stem on if she needs it when she's ridden it for a couple of months.

Planning to start volunteering when its back open for new volunteers and get bikes to donate from people I work with.

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Mercian all ready to be built up once I get a few bits and bobs from some local shops tomorrow (seat collar bolt, new stem cable guide and bits like that which were too far gone). My touching up wasn't great but it'll do. Not done a full build so quite hard excited to see how it goes - next update should be it done hopefully
If anyone has an appropriate set of flat pedals, a nice 5 speed mech or some metal mudguards for sale please lmk :)

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