• Has anyone built up a decent spec bike to look like a unicrack? Pointless but nevertheless....

    that'll be el'squirre. his charge plug got a pow coat and now unipaks in white look a lot like his ;)

    i got mine as new but second hand and really cheap as the previous owner got it as a present, got loughed at by his friends and wanted it gone. so my bike runs smooth now after:

    • new pedals and chain right away, don't even ask why or i'll kick you! wellgo bmx pedals, kmc coloured chain in strong (parker, a 12er)
    • BB came loose after 2! mi and even locktite was to weak to keep it together, on standard shimano since 20mi
    • brakes bent under emergency load, both! don't believe it? i'll show u! get proper new calipers asap! (beefy shimano 450)
    • spokes changed and wheel rebuild. spokes are too long in them, you cant put tension on them running out of thread due to their softness and length. sapim double butted 1 mil shorter and 4pint of ale rebuild session and i got reasonably round-ish but quite straight wheels for 24 spokes, 1650 mi on them, never trued since
    • stem - get a new one right away, the alu is soft and the threads for the clamp bolts are most likely fucked before or during install
    • brake levers are a joke, plastic clamp, burn'em!
    • tires are not puncture or pothole proof, buckeled mine, rode it through the rubber at the hump and blowout, got sorted changing them both right away
    • head set ran noisy after a rain runs, regrease checkup revealed loose balls in the grease and buckled bearing cage + visible wear on the races after just 500mi -> cheap FSA from halfords, sorted that one
    • finally the crank set, alwas been super unraound, slackchain->tootight->superslack->tootight, chainringbolts came of on a descent, takoed my chainwheel, replaced it with "BLB suginos" whot a difference man, now power comes out at the end actually not just noisy wobble noodle bents .

    ... i forgot, when i got the BB from magic bikes, they noticed slack on my rear wheel axle and gave it a tad with axle spanners (front and rear) for free to be save, thanx for that, super service there.

    the list of parts actually left on it is shorter than the replacement list! and just of lately it runs smooth and i make my miles ... its is not of überstrength at all and far from light but comfy/agile and with my new gearing well fast.

    excuse me if i made you feel uncomfortable reading all this but they really are dangerous. but i quite like my bike NOW, i learned so much by fixing every possible thing one could have a problem with on a bike by mostly myself and the knowledge accumulated in this forum and of course sheldon. i'm looking forward to put a nice bike together the way i want it right from the start.

    ps. if you see me, you'll notice the helmet with the rising sun homage, say hi and/or try race me :P

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