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• #2
That's a great paint job and I like the detail with the decals too. Are you sure she's happy with you disclosing her age though?
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• #3
Nah, she'll be fine. In general she is aware of her age as are others, it's no secret. let's just hope she can cope without a sloping top tube though.......
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• #4
Its a really pretty bike and a really nice present.
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• #5
That's going to be one nice bike. You really are raising the bar for us younger husbands.
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• #6
I was going back through my posts back to when i bought a frame for a project with my g/f, and saw the post after you had just bought the youngs frame and wanted to respray it.
It looks incredible! And the decals are brilliant, really nice to see it develop :) -
• #7
Very nice indeed! Probably a terribly vulgar question, but how much did the paint job set you back?
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• #8
Nothing vulgar in bike chat. £88 which was made up of single colour, metallic lacquer, head badge transfer, gear boss removal and seat tube sleeve. I think basic one colour at Marios starts at under 70 and these other bits and bobs just nudge it up a little.
Drive train selection this weekend then bars/brakes all ready for Jan 22nd then plonk her on and realise your sizing/reach estimates were all out. Nah, I should be ok........
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• #9
Nice work Northern Rob... Looks lovely and the decals are brilliant. How tall is your good lady if you don't mind me asking?
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• #10
A centimetre taller than me, the bitch. So she just shades 5 7" but with a natural concern of standover height and frankly quite short arms compared to a bloke I went for a compact frame. My Olmo is 53.5 seat tube and 54.5 top with a 100mm stem and the reach is a real struggle for her, so shorter top tube and a town bar/90mm stem combo and I reckon we'll be on the money. Can always tweak a bit.
Oddly the geo is so different to my bike with a high bottom bracket so the standover difference is only about half a centimetre lower in spite of the 52cm seat tube, but her inseam is greater than mine so all should be ok.
I like measurements, the world works just fine if you measure stuff.
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• #11
I'm terrible at measuring. I once pre-cut a section of carpet from a massive roll at work for my spare room. Took it home and ended up having to cut a 4 inch wide strip to finish the job
Hope she likes it!
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• #12
Beautifull paint job!
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• #13
Thank you ! And on Friday she goes for her drive train. You know I really think supporting your LBS is a great idea, I got nothing against TFG/BLB/Condor etc but I like spending my time and money locally for loads of obvious reasons. But my two shops came up with this......
"Err, yeah. Have you tried ebay?"
"Sorry, I want you to see what cranks you can get and finish my build, you're sending me to Ebay?"
"Yes."And this from another when I chased them up.
"You were supposed to source cranks for me on monday and call me."
"Yeah, I tried to get some but can't then Tuesday is my day off""Bye bye"
So BLB listened, matched my needs and offered same day turnaround and so did TFG. So off to London Town Centre I go more than happy to give one of them my business because both of them seemed more than happy to take it. The local shops were no cheaper and couldn't string a coherent thought together to actually get a sale. Disapointing.
But but but the bike will be nearly ready and hopefully after Saturday night just need the bars taping. Anyone got any Brooks in honey ?
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• #14
What cranks are you getting?
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• #15
Andel classic track hopefully. Just need something simple and 'girly'.
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• #16
sounds reasonable, fluted cranks will fit the style of the bike well
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• #17
It is finished !!!!!!!! Big thanks to Tokyo Fixed for completing the build with the drive train and brake set up on time and on budget, 48/18 gearing might be a bit harsh for her but I'm happy to make adjustments after the event should she find it too stiff. Will now be presented on Sunday 22nd with pics to follow.
But I'm well happy, she's a beaut!
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• #18
Here it is then. 48/18 is a bit much at first but she's getting used to it! Would rather have got matching honey grips and weirdly she gets toe overlap. Presume it's bad habbits of foot placement plus a small frame.
Anyway, who cares when it rides beautifully and looks like this:
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• #19
Very nice!
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• #20
Well done!
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• #21
Excellent! A really lovely build.
Not to make you prang, but, are the grips cork?
If so are they sealed? If they're not then you should get hold of some shellac or similar to protect them, otherwise they may go grubby and be impossible to clean... I'm sure I read something about that on the Rivendale site, but can't find it now.
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• #22
Not sealed but figured progressive grubiness would darken them to complement the seat. But I did read up om shellacing including how to match Brooks honey. Having said that they're were 8 quid. I'll double check and see where it takes me......
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• #23
Nice :)
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• #24
Supersweet! Excellent inspiration.
My mrs needs one. -
• #25
i like it alot ;)
After giving Mrs Northern Rob a couple of daughters it became clear I really needed to make an effort with the next creation and as she needs a bike I thought, I know, I'll build her a bike. And she turns 40 in Jan, so I thought, I know, I'll build her a bike for when she turns 40 in Jan. I'm smart like that. Starting out as a Young's Of Lewisham 531 touring style ( I think) geared bike from the 70's, frame and forks came from the Bay and good nick it was in too.
So off to Mario Vaz to ruin a perfectly nice paint job only to find out is was his handywork in the first place. Decided that as I live a couple of hundred yards from
Ernie Youngs first shop I'd mention it's origins and re-build in the design. Ergo the
vintage headbadge and modern graphic on the seat tube.
Oh the seat tube, great when something is advertised as 27.2 but is really 27.0 isn't it. PIssing around with grease and blisters before I worked that one out.
Designed the seat tube logo myself and managd to blag a free print at a local industrial poster place by basically appearing a bit 'special' and not leaving till they capitulated. Plus I lied and said my made up business would 'soon be looking for a major graphics partner'.
Anyway, so far we got:
52 ctc seat tube with 53 top nice lightweight 531frame and forks, possibly built by Holdsworth for Young's. Gear bosses only removed, Stove enamelled in RAL 6019 then metallic flake lacquer then logos then clear lacquer.
Campagnolo headset.
Kalloy seat post.
Brooks B17s in Honey
Tektro 556 long drop nutted brakes.
Velo Orange PBP 700c rims.
System Ex Hubs.
Panaracer 700x28 white and cream tyres.
Andel classic track cranks 48t.
18t freewheel.
Cheaps a chip bottom bracket.
KMC chain.
Toky Fixed Gear 100mm quil stem
Action tourist bars (?)
Dia compe 135 straight levers.
Cheaper than chips wjit brake cable.
Cork grips.
MKS Touring pedals.
Velo Orange brass bell.
And a Reynolds 531 sticker to hide the big chip I made with a greasy spanner.
Bars and drivetrain in the new year.......
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