Gazelle Champion Mondial AA single speed conversion project

I think your post came across as slightly insulting, but this forum is generally straight and to-the-point.

Lug lining looks worse in close-up photos. A lot of "pro" jobs will also look messy to some extent, but fine at normal distances.

I'd re-spoke the wheels conventionally, and discard any bent spokes. It may be ok to run on the front, but I wouldn't fancy it on th back, personally.

I assume you're going to use a freewheel?

Maybe you should listen to advice more often and your build might not turn out be be such an abortion.

I said straight away in my first post that I will be happy to listen for any advises as long as its constructing criticism. But you even tried to be sarcastic about that. So in the end I don't really care what you say or what you think.
You see, I'm not even insulting you ( actually could've said something about an abortion but will not ), so why do you think I'm angry and need to calm down?
Maybe you need to learn some manners first and then open your mouth.
Good luck

I'd re-spoke the wheels conventionally, and discard any bent spokes. It may be ok to run on the front, but I wouldn't fancy it on th back, personally.

I assume you're going to use a freewheel?

That's what I'm thinking to do. To re-lace the spokes. But man, it will be loads of spokes to discard.. Maybe even all of them.
Yeah, this will be a freewheel.

Also I wanted to apologise to everyone for that off-topic debate. I hope it's all finished now and we can carry-on with a project

Nice project, thanx for posting. Looks like it's coming along nicely. Campagnolo brakes are Chorus indeed. I also have some reservations about the wheel lacing though: looks a bit dodgy up close.

Lug lining looks fine, it's not like the original Gazelle-lining was done that much better. (At least, not on my Gazelle).

these seat posts are an utter bitch to tighten.

As someone has already said, lug lining always looks crap in close up photos. I'm sure it looks good in real life.

these seat posts are an utter bitch to tighten.

Yeah, I've experienced that. But from the other side it will be harder to steal it.
Although, I'm thinking to get one of those seatpost QR skewers. Can't find them anywhere though.

^ I wouldn't

To reiterate what I said on RetroBike; nice build, don't like spoke pattern, try to refrain from powder coating.

Its come along a bit since our conversation over there the question that is on my mind now is what bar set up?

Nitto Jaguar Steel stem

Combo with Nitto B123 steel drops

And fitted on the frame

Looks gorgeous. Not a fan of the wheels, but the frame colour is really REALLY nice. So nice I might copy it.

But man, it will be loads of spokes to discard.. Maybe even all of them.

3-leading/3-trailing would have worked if you'd laced it right. Would still have been as ugly as sin, but that's a aesthetic problem not a mechanical one. All the spokes which are permanently deformed (and that's all of them, as you say) are scrap. In general, the only place where outbound spokes should be interlaced with inbound spokes is at the crossings furthest from the hub, which means just 3 pairs each side on your pattern.

3-leading/3-trailing would have worked if you'd laced it right. Would still have been as ugly as sin, but that's a aesthetic problem not a mechanical one. All the spokes which are permanently deformed (and that's all of them, as you say) are scrap. In general, the only place where outbound spokes should be interlaced with inbound spokes is at the crossings furthest from the hub, which means just 3 pairs each side on your pattern.

I was following this tutorial and did exactly what it says there:
http://www.baldurdash.org/OtherStuff/3leading3trailing.html

Not everything on the internet is right

Oh, and if you need an internet tutorial to build wheels, it would probably be best to start with something which has been tried and tested a billion times, like straightforward 3-cross.

Beautiful components.
Wheel lacing is an abomination and the lug lining looks gash.. proper hack job. Constructive enough?

Harsh but fair.

Grow up

meh.. was just trying to help.
Seems like you have made consistently bad choices since the first picture. I'm sure it will be fun to ride. Good luck with the rest of the build.

Show us some pics of your lug lining then...
I might just pay you to do my lugs

Well, without being rude just wanted to apologise. I'm very deeply and regrettably sorry that my preferences don't match up with yours. Somehow you contradicting yourself though, but it's not the point. The point is, according to what you've said in your first post I can only assume that amount of negativity, rudeness, sarcasm and disrespect only shows high level of testosterone in your body. And I can only advise you: have a wank. It will help. Well, perhaps in your case you will have to do it 4-5 times but you'll get there eventually. Although it's not gonna stop you from being a fucking twat...

Sorry for my French, everyone

Good! Use your aggressive feelings, boy. Let the hate flow through you.

So I read on retrobike that you are going to buy 2 paul e-levers. Can I ask; why? Som regular drop levers would be much nicer.

he have track drop and bar on a roadie, and you're worried about e-levers...

So I read on retrobike that you are going to buy 2 paul e-levers. Can I ask; why? Som regular drop levers would be much nicer.

I wasn't planning to put bar tape, so cross top levers is the answer.

he have track drop and bar on a roadie, and you're worried about e-levers...

Yeah, we've established already that the whole project is just wrong, but I like the way it looks so far, so why not...

think pictures don't give the lug lines enough justice.
as for the preferences - you are going to ride it, not guys from internet.
you can also polish cranks by spraying oven cleaner over them, leaving that for couple of hours, after that fine wire wool, some steel polisher and viola!
this will happen to your stem and my b123's:)

Best way (although not necessarily the easiest way) to polish aluminium is to get some 600, 800 and 1200g paper and some autosol. Using a sanding block (a stiff sponge is great) wetsand (that is, sanding with loads of water (although spit actually works better)) the surface in one direction, then move to the next grade of paper and sand at right angles to this until you can't see the sanding marks from the previous paper. Repeat with the next grade of paper. Finally, polish (first one way, then the other) with something like Autosol or G3 (or toothpaste, even) on a soft cloth (or an old sock).

This will bring it up to a decent chrome-like finish (you could get to an almost mirror-finish if you went up to 1500 and 2000g paper). I did my cranks last week:

They were black anodised before. I filled in the embossed lettering with a xylene marker. You can see some fine sanding marks in the photo but I'm not bothered about them in real life, they're only going on my beater.

Yes, that is a lime green and shock pink duvet in the background.

fine wire wool, some steel polisher and viola!

Not sure how this is going to put a shine on some cranks

fuck this lion, I'm going back to snow leopard.

Lae, that's a brilliant job man. It's literally a mirror polish. How long did it take you to do it?
I was using Autosol on polishing cranks but it didn't give any result...

Thats because they still have the anodising on them which will not shine up no matter how much you rub it with metal polish. I could polish the cranks up to a mirror finish for you if you post them to me. £20 plus postage costs.

Wasn't that seatpost nicked off another members bike then sold on ebay? I'm sure I remember a post about it in the ebay thread

Guy's, regarding the member's personal choice of parts, does it really matter that much?

It's just a bike. He can use cross-tops if he likes. It's not like everyone screams at each other for riding ATAC MTB pedals an off road shoes around town. Just do what works for you and enjoy.

Lae, that's a brilliant job man. It's literally a mirror polish. How long did it take you to do it?
I was using Autosol on polishing cranks but it didn't give any result...

Fucking ages. At least a day in total. Mostly to get the black anodising off, which was made worse by the relatively complicated shape of the spider - once that's off, it's pretty easy. Caustic will remove anodising but it leaves a pretty rough finish that'll need a lot of sanding to get smooth anyway - so I just sanded it off with 400g.