Pink Vivalo Special - what to do with it?

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  • I just picked up this complete Vivalo keirin complete bike for crazy cheap, although the previous owner left on his balcony for quite some time and at one point was stolen, recovered by the cops, but returned with crap wheels (originally had dura ace 7600 hubs laced to Araya rims, now a Gran Compe front wheel and formula rear laced to an unknown rim) and the paint half removed from one seat stay. The rest of the parts are all magical NJS stamped, Sugino 75 crankset and chainring, Nitto Jaguar 90mm stem, Nitto B123AA drops, a Sugino Mighty seatpost seemingly welded in place (I tried freeze and release and a lot of torque, but it won't budge and I am thinking cutting is the only way to release it). Pink MKS chain.

    I put a clamp on front brake on it for now (Japanese police have been cracking down on brake less riding dishing out big fines). The saddle was a San Marco Regal that was falling apart and I picked up this pink thing on a whim/it was on sale and so cheap, but immediately regret it because now it has a LOT of pink! I am split about what to do with it. Besides the seat stay, the paint is in pretty nice condition. Should I just use it as a beater? Or try to restore it to its former glory?

    If restore, I would get some 7600 hubs laced to Araya gold sew ups and either an old Concors saddle or a Kashimax Aero saddle. (I would also cut off the seatpost and put a new Sugino in there).

  • Better chain, nicer wheels, job done.
    Have fun with it

  • White saddle, white grips, proper chain. Ride the shit out of it.

  • I thought there was no bike theft in Japan?

  • How cheap is a cheap njs bike in Japan

  • It does happen, he was lucky that it got stolen, and then presumably sold to someone who lived in the same area. He had told the police and I guess a pink vivalo is quite distinctive, so the cops actually stopped the guy and returned the bike! Yeah! Police!

    I paid ¥20,000 for it, it was filthy when I got it, also had a rear clamp on brake with Sellotape holding the cable along the top tube, it was looking very sorry for itself. All I have done so far is wash and polish it. Also tried to remove the seat post with no luck. I also put on the spd pedals as it didn't have any when I got it.

    I would like to change the seat post, this saddle is tall, so it is about the right height, but if I get a lower profile saddle, it will be way to low. I put my Specialised Toupe on from my road bike and it wasn't good.

    I love Thomson Masterpieces. But if it's gonna be a beater, I don't want to pour money into it.

  • Bargain! The pink chain is the main thing holding this back form pure radness.

  • Well, I decided to attack the stuck seatpost and bought a Nitto 83 in preparation for the stuck Sugino Mighty to be finally removed. Spent about 4 hours this afternoon sawing away at it.

    I am following the Sheldon Brown method of cutting the seatpost about 1 inch from the frame and make cuts down into the tube.

    So far I have made 6 cuts down into it and none of it will budge. I tried clamping a few sections with a locking wrench and twisting, but it seems to be really bonded to the frame past about an inch down.

    Anyone have any advice?

    Here is a bad photo of all the cuts, some parts of the tube are now just slithers of metal. I think I have cut all the aluminium. Maybe I am going to just have to keep sawing until there is no more aluminium post left? :(


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  • caustic soda is the answer. It will "melt" (or something) alu without touching steel frame.

  • Unfortunately, I live in Japan, I have a balcony and that sounds like it'll make a lot of fumes. I can't even have a BBQ on my balcony. I doubt I can be dissolving aluminium with caustic acid.

    Thanks for the idea though.

  • so try coke first. caustic soda is on the extreme end of solvents. if that dosent fork keep down the curent path of seperating the post in to seprate sections its pretty mangled at this point put it fill the seat tube with coke before trying anything else

  • In that case it sounds like you might need to seek help, maybe a local frame builder can help you out?

  • shag it

  • Gonna give it another go tomorrow, and if that fails will take it to Kalavinka.

  • i would seriously look at trying some less caustic chemical options first.

  • Good news, I got a very long and thin flat head driver and hammered it between some of the shards of post and was able to wedge a bit out, which allowed me to then yank the rest of the post out.

    I cleaned the inside of the tube out, filed a sharp spot down where the seat clamp is and applied a lot of grease before inserting my new post.

    My new parts are all used from cycly.co.jp. They have tons of NJS parts and wheelsets (7600 hubs laced to Araya Gold rims, with tubulars glued on) that look like they came straight off the race circuit.

    As well as the Nitto 83 (I know, not NJS, but I think it looks nicer than the jaguar 72) I picked up a set of Nitto RB-019 bars and a dirt cheap ratty Kashimax Aero Saddle (with NJS markings for extra points).

    Next Sunday I'm going to go to a Keirin open track day event with some pro Keirin riders there. So it'll get to see the track again!

    [imG]http://static.lfgss.com/attachments/83880d1399191260-dsc05851.jpg[/url]

    [imG]http://static.lfgss.com/attachments/83877d1399185715-image.jpg[/url]

    http://static.lfgss.com/attachments/83879d1399191260-img_7945.jpg


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  • Bin the pink tyre, new chain, and you're basically done

  • Looks good!! Well done with the seat post.

  • Bin the pink tyre, new chain, and you're basically done

    That's my turbo trainer tyre. It's just for the trainer. Next on the shopping list will be a wheelset of 7600 hubs and Araya Gold rims.

  • Back to the track drops ready for the Keirin track tomorrow.

    Got some Strong V grips in anticipation.

  • Black saddle, black grips, better wheels ;)

  • Black saddle, black grips, better wheels ;)

    proper chain

  • better wheels ;)

    = small flange dura ace hubs on 50mm rims of your choice but in grey colour and silver spokes without fancy coloured nipples.

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Pink Vivalo Special - what to do with it?

Posted by Avatar for Vivalo @Vivalo

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