Varun's Bikes, Stayer, Cotic, that singlespeed Rockhopper....

Love it. Regretting that I got r559 instead of r359 for mine. Didn't know if they'd have enough drop. Put your pads on the right way though please

Aye yeah, the pads are comfortably a few mm above bottoming out so there’s plenty of space. Knew I’d get caught out eventually - I can’t remember why I have them on backwards though. I think I may have initially salvaged the pads from various places and then forgot to do them right after I got a matching pair on.

Ok that's good to know. Maybe I'll transfer mine to my partners bike eventually and replace with 357s

I also mainly stare at mine and don't ride it. So don't feel bad.

Fwiw, it’s a very easy bike to stare loads at.

Probably going to let the Raleigh dynamo wheel project slide a little in favour of this - I found an Exposure Diablo for repairs on eBay and a cheeky offer won it for £27.50. I did this with my aged Race Mk4 last year and after buying it for pennies, Exposure replaced the electrics and sent it back to me for….£20. c. £60 all in for an Exposure front light doesn’t seem half bad especially as I probably won’t ride the Raleigh as much as my Stayer, which is my actual dynamo bike.

TBC on how it goes but hopefully this will prove a far more streamlined, lightweight lighting solution for an already streamlined and lightweight bike.

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:)

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Only real ones know 🙃🙃

looks smashing this, good job

Thanks bud, the bike is doing a lot of lifting so a light touch was needed.

Oh look, this is what two weeks of rainy weather, HS2 works causing watery sludge to flow everywhere and not having time to clean my bike look like.
Everything above the axle line, and the rider, were totally clean though because full-length mudguards with flaps, baby. I’m also warming up to Smoove drip chain wax which only got a bit squeaky after 700km+ of steady rainy rides. TBC.

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Love this bike :)

Couple more things: I’m finally on the Accu spacers train after years of bodging plastic SKS spacers. They look neat, if not quite as swish as @Pish and @spinnnout . Blame two years of muck and one rear guard held together with duct tape.

I had to replace my front mudflap after a year of abuse from sticks and kerbs, so I cut an extra one for the BB area as per the mudguard chat. Probably needs a little trim to fit correctly and perhaps a lower bolt hole, but I’m optimistic that it’ll keep my crank a little cleaner.

Oh, and my friend bought me two 750ml Camelbaks for my birthday that handily match my other, smaller @Hulsroy ones. It does mean I can’t justify buying Huls’ new bottles, but hey, more pink.

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In a busy week for Casa Varun, I also managed to cut some flaps for the Raleigh fixed and fitted them today. You can see the engraved Raleigh badge in piccy 3. Two 4mm holes, Torx T20 head bolts and nuts and they’re on. Quite like how the bolts match up with the existing mudguard stay rivets, and now I can justify riding this bike when the weather’s not perfect too.

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The powdercoat colour is pre-dirtied, muck only adds to it!!

Lovely bikes as always! The Raleigh deservses some full metal guards tho!

Danke schön! Argh, you’re very right but I can’t justify it. Maybe if someone is parting with a full set of VOs/Berthouds for not too much….

Got out on the Raleigh today. Despite the insane headwind and general wet conditions I’m glad I persisted, as I had a rollicking tailwind home, set some PBs and also got to test the effectiveness of my new flappage. While I was kept clean and dry, I’m still getting re-used to how rim brakes sound after road grime and dirt has ended up on the wheels. The grating is agonising!

Yay: a silver bike and silver components stands out in most conditions.
Nay: Still couldn’t get the saddlebag to stay shut.

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Fantastic bike!

Danke, danke!

I agree bike looks so well put together.
Dynamo lights and metal guards would really complete it imo

Yay, it’s very fun!!
And I think I agree on the dynamo (anyone want to sell me a silver SP hub and silver IQ-XS light? 😅) but the guards have quite grown on me. Will I be saying that after two years of abuse is another question…..

Aaaargh. The temptation to Just Get One™️ of these and build a wheel up during the half term is unbearable!!
I think finances won’t allow it yet, but maybe I can get one and add it to the stock while I’m looking for suitable dynamo lights.

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B&M IQ-Xs is a great little light, and not too expensive, and the μ is nice and matchy - but I do like integrated reflector of the Secula or Secuzed

It'll probably be a secula as I wanted it mounted flush on the rear guard, not unlike a red reflector! I thought that would be both period-correct-looking and the cable routing would be a tad neater too.