Current Projects chat and miscellany

picking up this frame next week. Hillsborough is a few miles up the road from my gf's house (about 10 miles outside Belfast) The frame dates from the 50's, the gordons were prob the most famous of NI frame builders for road racing.

It's going to need resprayed sadly, lukily some original decals come with the frame. The plan for this bike is to build a nice commuter/road bike for me to keep very long term, it wont be a garage queen by any means.

argos, mercian, dave yates and bob jackson all seem to be around the £160 (bob jackson marginally cheaper) mark for one colour, decals applied and delivery. Durability is a big factor in who I go to as well. If im spending that kind of money I want something a bit special that will last. I'm after that kind of deep red enameled look, bit metallic but no flakes if you know the finish I mean. can powdercoaters do that?

something a bit like this, maybe a shade more red.

Up to 11, it's like, one faster.

whoop(e-whoo)

is it not incredibly heavy ed?

Not really actually, felt pretty much on par with a derailleur set-up, the bike was heavy in the first place so I can't really feel any difference in term of weight.

Why don't you just make 10 higher, and make that the top gear?

can powdercoaters do that?

Don't get it powder coated. The finish is very thick, and although durable, it will blend the lugs in with the tubes and look cack. You should stick with getting it enameled. If you're sending it to Jackson's, or wherever, tell them you want a good match to the original. It looks like flamboyant red. Lovely headbadge.

fair enough, but i don't really understand the advantages?
-More expensive than a derailleur setup
-Heavier
-In the past have been very reliable, but if something goes wrong then you have no chance of fixing it yourself
-Chain can skip under pressure

fair enough, but i don't really understand the advantages?
-More expensive than a derailleur setup
-Heavier
-In the past have been very reliable, but if something goes wrong then you have no chance of fixing it yourself
-Chain can skip under pressure

I think that Shimano has more parts for internal gears available than for shifter pods or brifters.
Chain skip? I think that will happen quicker with a derailleur system, freewheel body, etc.

I would say that a fully enclosed shifting system works better under severe conditions, easier to operate, almost maintenance free, can shift when standing still, has less protruding parts that can be damaged and is more durable. That is a good alternative for a derailleur system that is a bit cheaper in purchase, lighter and has more gear options.

edit - pretty much what dutch cheese said ^

I also tend to carry heavy load on the trailer - the internal hubs is less likely to skip it's chain when changing gear unlike my previous dérailleur set-up when says, going up a moderately steep hill.

fair enough, it does look nice.

@thebonk.

I'm drifting towards Bj's I think. Luckily the guy has some original decals to replace those so wont lose them.

Why don't you just make 10 higher, and make that the top gear?

But that one goes to 11...

Coming together, picking up a 48t Gebhardt tonight. Shouts to Coventry Eagle for the frame.

stealthy, nice.

@thebonk.

I'm drifting towards Bj's I think. Luckily the guy has some original decals to replace those so wont lose them.

That's a real bonus. I'd go all original, except get those lugs lined in gold. What year is it, and what parts are you going for.

@ the bonk.

thats pretty much the paintscheme ive in mind.

kind of neo-retro look, cinelli giro d'italia bars + honey brooks tape.

silver mavic open pros and chrous crank/mechs, vintage modolo silver brakes.

I want it as a bike to ride long term not a garage queen.

not sure of exact year 50's i'm told, which sounds about right too. The guys collection of bikes is ridic.

Luckily the guy has some original decals to replace those so wont lose them.

Love the decals. The "Gordon" lettering is really nice.

If you really believe that, you need to go back to tricycle school. How do you think Morgan drivers get the back end swinging around if there is no side load on the rear wheel? I'd go for a Nimbus, on the grounds of being cheap and wide enough to support a 50mm Big Apple properly on something which doesn't lean.

Edit: Just seen a Christiana style trike with a Big Apple on the back, took a good look at the rim (as good as you can in traffic, anyway) and it looked to be 35-40mm wide.

ah yes get you now, my engineer sense is ashamed. Though the rear end does lean a little on turning - the pivot with the front is angled forward. Will get these rims, cheers!

Not sure if this is the most appropriate thread (or even forum) - this doesn't quite fall into the category of a project, more a fixing-things jobbie.

I need a new front rim for my SS conversion. The current one's pretty worn on the braking surface and after hitting a pothole today it has a nice kink in it which makes braking feel like I'm going over a cattle grid.

At the moment it's one of these:

The bike is this

Although at the moment it has a silver Mavic A319 with an SS kit on the rear, so it's already a bit of a mish-mash.

I also have the Alfine hub which is looking for a rim and spokes after someone destroyed the wheel it was in, so I thought it might be an idea to get both built up at the same time.

I'm looking for something that'll take tires around 700x23C and 700x25C, be pretty sturdy and neither expensive nor excessively heavy. Does anyone have any advice? I don't really have anything against those Shimano wheels, but I get the impression there might be better for cheaper if I look for alternatives.

cheap and cheerful wheel would be mavic open sport, or the better open pro.

although some people says quality of mavic has gone down, but I hasn't notice it from my wheelset.

strength is down to how well the wheel is build, you don't necessary need touring rims to have a solid wheelset (although it's useful if you were to run 32c or bigger on it).

You know with those types of "faux derailieur" alfine tensioners, you can run double rings up front.

That'd be a good upgrade (and has happened), and Alfine can be ridden with 3/32.

Open pro's are nice. Mine have lasted 5yrs of cyclocross, crit racing and all year training.

Hmm, the open pros only go as low as 28 holes if I'm reading the Internet correctly. The hubs only have 24 holes.

Then again, I just saw http://www.lfgss.com/thread35771.html which mentions a mythical 24 hole open pro, so maybe they do/did exist?

I see references to Kinlin XR-300, which would appear to fit the bill as well as the DT Swiss RR 585 (£40 to £45 at CRC)