Current Projects chat and miscellany

I expect it will only be a bother to those behind me in the rain, but since I never see another bike on my commute along the Lake Ontario shoreline, it shouldn't matter. I was going for looks and occasional rain riding rather than extreme weather functionality.

whoop(s)

29er?

whoop

Liking it Ed!

29er?

A mint condition 2OO2 Supercaliber twenty niner in team colours. :]
Mix of XTR,XT,Bontrager...Marzocchi bomber fork.
Not sure how long it'll last before i convert it to 5 or 6spd though.
Already have new bars on the way which i'm really looking forward to getting.

Can't wait to go back to my roots and feel dirt under my wheels again!

Looks exactly like this one at the moment...

Nice

wowser.
i'm jealous as fuck.

needs an aero seat post.
What do you find better about it than the visp? just curious.

I agree on the aero seatpost, But its hard to find one thats that short for a reasonable price, I can't justify 70 quid on one just atm. I'm currently investigating getting some kind of fairing that'll fit over a 27.2 post. if anyone has one please let me know as they're not easy things to find.

And its better than my visp in a lot of ways, its stiffer, lighter, better made, nice welds, drop outs are the right size and the seatpost is 27.2 not 27.6. Dont get me wrong I like (i was going to sell it but I'm thinking about keeping as my beater/pub bike) my visp but the little faults niggled at me a bit.

For fuck sake!

The bolt has fucking snapped on the fork's eyelit, the part where I need to mount the rack and the mudguard.

argh!

Oddly enough, the back one was fine, so it wasn't a case of using the wrong size bolt.

Thinking of drilling it to get it out, any tips?

you could grab that with a pair of mole-grips, get it down tight 1st time in the rounded part of the grips.

two ways I know of (having done the same as you):

dremel/saw a slot for a flat bladed screwdriver and unscrew

drill a small hole and use a screw extractor (basically a left hand threaded tap designed for this job)

drilling the whole bolt out would leave you with a bigger hole with no threads

you could grab that with a pair of mole-grips, get it down tight 1st time in the rounded part of the grips.

Use these but pinch the bolt head on, really tight, and unscrew. (so you turn it like a screwdriver) these grips have save me many a time.

I do indeed have some mole grip, just worried about how stuck it is, as it took quite a bit of force with a small allen key just to snap it off.

hopefully you'll be lucky with the mole grips, but the M5 bolt is so tiny you may have trouble gripping. the shop i work in has the screw extractors for just this reason

the grips will work, just get them noice and toight.

Ed, if you select the right size (as big as you can go without hitting the threads of the eyelet) and sharp drill bit, you should be able to drill it out no problem. Keep the drill level, and go slow...and stay off the beers until it's done. I like the idea of dremmeling a slot, and screwdriver technique, might require a bit more finesse as i reckon theres' more chance of damaging the frame. I'd drill it out myself.

if all else fails, take it to holdsworth...
they'll know what to do.

This is really nice. Blend of modern and classic sone really well.

Thinking of drilling it to get it out, any tips?

First try mole grips. I bet it'll work.
Then try the slot/screwdriver technique. You dont need a dremel to do this, just a junior hacksaw
Third try the drilling, this will be the hardest for sure, especially with that non-level broken surface on the bolt to start from.

Also invest in a tap to clear out the threads in the frame before running the bolts through (it'll be built up paint that's caused it to snap). It's the same size on all frames for every braze on so chances are you'll use it quite often (I think they're M5)

ed, the bike is looking awesome.

Finished the Bilenky.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/38604036@N02/4868430886/

This was an impulse buy on the 'bay last night, it should make a nice little run around/beater.


Finished the Bilenky.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/38604036@N02/4868430886/

That thing is full of win