Bobble's Bristol Bikelife

Scored a new lockdown project and it just happens to be a clichéd GT 26er for like £50 on marketplace locally. My old Raleigh pub bike on P1 is too small really so will find a new home for that. GT has allegedly done 100 miles and is 10 years old. Don't really care about that - main thing is it's my size!

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GT fits like a glove and rode beautifully today. Undecided on the seat..

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Saw your post on the FB group - will definitely have to make it out for a 26er mud fest soon!

@AlexD yeah was really good and do it! Excited for group rides soon hopefully

Started putting the Mercian together. Thought I did a decent job on the BB and headset but both have play. Not sure in my £4 ebay adjustable cup spanner or me is the real tool and with the headset, suspect I didn't tighten the first top bit down enough by hand before sliding everything else on and nipping down the lockring. Other annoying thing was the stem. I had to pay a shop to get out in the end and it is now deciding not to slot in easily.

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Do the wheels say "built by Mercian in Derby" on that little sticker? (Used to have a Mercian with wheels like these that had that sticker)

Lovely bike!

@veLLo cheers :) hoping to have it finished by the weekend and take some better pictures. Yeah they do indeed

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Tjd cycles was so sound the other and I have slightly given up adjusting the gears and brakes - so going to get them to just finish the last bit tomorrow. Many to lose the little ferrule that sits on the lever hood since this photo...
Better photos at weekend!

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New framebag courtesy of @fabric and @spotter fits my MTB like a glove. Cheers both

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Oh good I've always wanted a Sherpa, what size is yours?

@spotter 21"

Excellent, same size as me, good to know my bag will fit if i ever get one.

Mercian is finished...

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...

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Having said that, the crankset is bent and saddle snapped/unbolted itself at the front on the test ride so now the leather is ripped.
To be 100% probably needs a crankset, 2x crank end caps, new saddle (an old black brooks?) and the hen's tooth that is an end cap for this old set of mks pedals

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Lovely!
Is the mks cap threaded? Could you use a standard mks cap?

https://www.tredz.co.uk/.MKS-Sylvan-Type-Dust-Caps_63925.htm?sku=188124&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=google_shopping&gclid=Cj0KCQiA3smABhCjARIsAKtrg6L1uEONqfBunufnOOhLLMK6AmGcfHYAi7UOYlQDLzSP6B41l5Mi6JcaAp7hEALw_wcB

And this

https://www.hubjub.co.uk/mks-sylvan-dust-cap-spanner-4499-p.asp

Sad about the Brooks, it looked perfect for the bike.

Aren't you tempted to go cotton tape and shellac for the bars?

The Mercian looks fantastic, too bad about the cranks and the saddle but at least they’re replaceable!

@veLLo cheers :) Was chatting to someone about the pedals and he said something along the lines of all recent mks pedals use the same architecture and end caps, but this one is unique and older. At 1.99 will just try it next time I need to order something. If you look at that last photo, it is smaller and it just pushes in.
Gutted about the Brooks. Will see what it looks like bolted back together but probably need a new one. Cotton tape and shellac is a good shout. I just had this £5 tape lying about

@russmeyer thanks :)
Yeah - hopefully not too much for a second hand brooks and can get some nicer/maybe more period correct cranks

Before and after

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Saddle will likely do pub bike

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You might have scope to fit 3 rivets on the main leather part?

@veLLo wdym sorry? To fasten it down and make it like a stubbier saddle?

Sorry for the approximative diagram... Now the front part of the leather is cut from the rest, the nose of the saddle is no longer connected to the rest. To recreate the hammock effect you could re attach as shown in red (which involves drilling into the steel nose... Not sure if it makes sense!

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