Current Projects chat and miscellany

Now waiting for the paint to harden fully, so popped the frame in front of the radiator...

In 2 minds as to whether to clear coat or not, I find rattle can clear coat very difficult to get a good finish with.

Will be polishing up the BB area and the seat tube to clean up the overspray.

Love the paint job on this TM!

and mine..
PHOTO OF GITANE
(floor, notice the actual toolboxes are empty)

As I say, this screams for stronglight or spidel. And silver rims. And a brooks (just kidding) more vintage saddle
Only saying that because I've seen that bike in the flesh and I think it's awesome...

And a splined seat post.

Nuknow recommended that one for my Mercier at the time (same era as your gitane, maybe a bit older). It looked good, he was right, only a bit too narrow for my bones though...

Im not sure I'm going fr the vintage french look

Dammit are you referring to these:

I'm sure I saw them in the background of a scales pic...

I do have a pair of those -blue and yellow though- but in this case I genuinely was wearing fleece lined slippers.

I have Ugg-esque slippers, which I am too ashamed to answer the door in

Have either of you used a brooks for rides of any distance? Would be interesting to hear if you found it fine when the saddle is parallel to the ground.

After using mine for a couple of hundred km i found that by tilting it back a bit, I stopped slipping forward on the saddle the whole time (which obviously puts stress on your hands when you have to push yoursef back on the saddle) I've yet to find the perfect balance myself but tilted back is definitely better than parallel with a brook IMO

the nose tilted up is certainly not as bad on the balls as you think, never had any pain, but you do feel the difference in position sure.

I haven't used a Brooks full stop, and I wasn't really trying to wade into the debate, just tell a story about my balls. I've been fine with Flite saddles so far, and Rolls seem to suit me as well, and Brooks wouldn't really suit any of my builds.

I am slightly amused by all the flak Ed brings on himself, but if his ugly-as-fuck saddle and bar positions are the most comfortable then that's definitely the most important thing.

Riser time, and much nicer ride now!

Could do with some tips on how to go about getting a 1" fork cut to size and re-threaded.

take it to a shop you respect, simple

I did, they don't have the tool :/ ill try some others, see how that goes

you'll probably have to take it to a framebuilder to get it re-threaded, you're midlands based arent you?
lee cooper is the closest but when i asked him about it he wanted quite a lot of money and couldn't guarantee that he wouldn't ruin the threads when taking the die back up the steerer.

going in the bin at the close of play today.

Has play closed?

I'll grab the saddle.

you'll probably have to take it to a framebuilder to get it re-threaded, you're midlands based arent you?
lee cooper is the closest but when i asked him about it he wanted quite a lot of money and couldn't guarantee that he wouldn't ruin the threads when taking the die back up the steerer.

ill look into that, thanks.

the guys in my lbs also suggested going to a motor garage, not sure if id trust them with a bike part though...

a&p have you received my money mate?

Good bike shops should have the tooling and training to cut fork thread. It's not something a frame builder has to do. If a shop can't do it, I'd be concerned as to why.

there tool is worn out apparently, its not worth buying a new one as i'm the first person to ask them in the last year

used to be a good shop but the new guys are kinda useless

Well it's kind of true, those tools are really expensive. I mean, we have one of those Campagnolo tools boxes, of which a lot of tools have never been used..

In 2 minds as to whether to clear coat or not, I find rattle can clear coat very difficult to get a good finish with.

I had no problems when i last did it. But my way took a week because I did a lot of thin coats leaving 24 hours between each one and each time i sanded back any marks.

there tool is worn out apparently, its not worth buying a new one as i'm the first person to ask them in the last year

used to be a good shop but the new guys are kinda useless

I've a similar issue, none of my LBS' offer this service either, not only does it need to be a serious bike shop, but it also needs to have been a serious bike shop in the days when forks had threads....
One of the ideas I've been toying with is a DIY approach - you can get the die from Tracy Tools for £18

^^^Ah fair enough, it can be hard to warrant replacing a tool that is used yearly. I could recommend places to do it in London, the shop I work at being one, but I see your not in London. I would avoid car garages at all costs for bike related repairs. A car mechanic is not a bike mechanic just as a butcher is not a baker and a good mechanics skill, knowledge and passion is worth every penny. Saying that, I would expect it to be anywhere from £15- £25 labour but any more and I'd probably recommend replacing the forks unless they are particularly special.

where are you bmxer? its good to know who off the forum is in a lbs and where

I work at Bon Velo in herne hill although not in this week as on a training course.

Well the forks would probably be from tokyo fixed, maybe they could help me out?