"Ned" Flanders has a makeover

Sort of a current project. I'm converting my current "winter" all rounder into a TT steed for some light hearted racing action.

Here it is in the current guise:

Top tube sticker for inspiration:

Some of the bits for the conversion:

Old skool 7 speed screw on block and down tube shifters. Wheels weigh a tonne but looking forward to putting some of the full carbon boys to the sword 8-)

Has required a bit of thought regards compatibility: 7 speed block, 8 speed rear mech, 10 speed ring will all work with an 8 speed chain I'm told.

Ned has been such a great buy for me. Since I picked him up a couple of years ago he's been a training TT bike, then a singlespeed TT bike, then the winter road bike and now this latest creation. It's ridden brilliantly in every set up. Just hope this works out ok. Updates to follow as it progresses. Thanks for looking.

Looks quite exciting! I am absolutely loving those bars, whered you find them?
Also, heavy wheels arent a disadvantage, for accelerating and climbing they will be, but on a flat time trial they may save time due to the almost 'flywheel' effect!
And you are right, there shouldnt be any compatibility issues with the drive, especially with friction shifting.

Looks quite exciting! I am absolutely loving those bars, whered you find them?
.

Thanks, yes, I'm excited. eBay was my friend with the bars. Wanted some bullhorns with a big drop to the brakes and these are perfect. The "vibrant" colour that will clash with everything is a massive bonus.

Not worried about the wheel weight, as you say flywheel effect with be good. Only planning local club events though which tend to be "undulating" but what goes up must come down 8-)

it will be best as a TT bike I think, if you can sit that low on the bars... it will make a nice set up with those parts

your other road bike is hopefully a 58 instead of a 50cm frame??

it will be best as a TT bike I think, if you can sit that low on the bars... it will make a nice set up with those parts

your other road bike is hopefully a 58 instead of a 50cm frame??

I'm 5'9" but have a short torso and long legs (like a laydee) ;-)

Ned actually has 51cm top tube and quite a steep seat tube. With the Thomson layback post switched round the other way I can set this frame up to be a mm perfect replication of my "best" tt race bike. This is why I bought Ned in the first place, so I could train in position without wearing out my proper tt bike.

However a serious illness last year made me think that my racing days were numbered so I sold all my race gear and converted Ned to road use. A winter of pootling around and I feel much better again and fancy some "sport". I won't be taking it as seriously and will be strictly for fun. I'll really enjoy racing on Ned particularly in this "Frankenbike" guise and part of the fun for me will be picking off some of the people on Superbikes (hopefully).

My road bike has a 54.0cm effective top tube btw and fits a treat.

OK, got it! I meant 58 seat tube length. Good luck training, and of course with the build of this wolf in sheep's clothes

It shouldn't take too much fucking about to change the 'HED' to 'NED'
Also, Rod and Todd on the cranks and 'RIP Maud' back of seat tube

It shouldn't take too much fucking about to change the 'HED' to 'NED'

Classic. Can't believe I didn't spot that myself.

Stripped the road gear off today and lashed together the bits I have to date. Waiting on a few remaining bits and bobs until I can actually build it properly, but I can tell already I'm going to like it!! Only problem is that it looks a bit TOO good for my stealth TT plans. Oh well.

It looks sweet! all you need to do now is flip that stem!

(maybe chain, brakes, levers, pedals and cables might help too!)

It looks sweet! all you need to do now is flip that stem!

Actually this is more than 2cm lower than I used to run it. It's all about my odd proportions. Short torso, long legs means I need it higher at the front than most TT riders. It already gives me a very tight hip angle at the top of the pedal stroke and if I go any lower it practically gets unrideable. I reckon where it is at the moment is about optimum in the power output/aero trade off.

Below is me at race effort with the bars in the old (higher) position. Probably not as high at the front as you thought, right? I've also sold the pointy hat as I tend to wriggle around at look down like this occasionally, so have bought a Casco Warp Competition as I think it will suit me better. Can't wait to get stuck in now.

cover the - part of the H with black electric tape, then carefully apply white electric tape to make a \ to forum an N.

cheap and cheerful way of doing it without making a permanent change I reckon.

There really is nothing you won't give unsolicited advice on is there?

Well, if you run a slightly bigger tyres, you'll be faster.

The final bits and bobs required to finish "him" off arrived today. Hope to have it built and racing by next week. Will definitely try the electrical tape trick!

Crude but effective (well from a distance at least):

Haha nice! Fast looking machine.

Well it's finished. Needs some positional tweaking, but it's more or less ready.

A reminder of how it was:

And now...

Worryingly the rear mech touches the wheel in the 21 tooth sprocket, so it's been limited to 6 gears. Lowest gear therefore is 54/19. Don't think I'll be troubling anyone on the rolling courses we have in Kent, but this bike was always more about having a bit of fun than being ultra competitive. And it certainly makes me smile :-)

Could you not put a spacer behind the 21t sprocket?

Loving the Ned.

Hmmm. Dunno about that. Never had a screw on block before. Anyone know if it'll take a spacer?

I'm pleased with the wheel decals too. Genius. It's a bit rough and ready but somehow in keeping with the rest of the bike.

Oh it's a screw on freewheel? thought it was a freehub, my mistake.

What part of the rear derailleur that come in contact with the wheel? the arm? a different derailleur might be a solution, any 6 to 10spd one will do.

Ok thanks. I might try another.

Wow, I am surprised at that position, I imagine its pretty perfect with the extra couple cm drop!

Ned is looking pretty tasty! The best bikes are always the ones with a good compromise between fun factor and practicality; this is a great example of that, it has personality!

Does the dérailleur have AA/BB position options like the early Campagnolo mechs that were designed for friction? The rubbing problem might be to do with that, as I THINK that switches the dérailleur between high/low ratio gearing, with more teeth on the biggest cog the derailleur would be further away from the wider point of the wheel, so rubbing on spokes or disc would not be an issue, but as you are running higher ratio's (less teeth) the dérailleur would be closer to the bulge of the disc and may need to be adjusted accordingly so the arm is at a different angle, I am not 100% sure if this is the problem or if this is the legit solution, so it may be a case for Mr. Tester!

Following on from that a longer screw for where you adjust the drailier closeness to the wheel?

Or would a long screw move it closer??

Thanks for the tips regards the rear mech. I'm not the most mechanically minded, but I know a man who is and if it's possible to remedy then he will. I'll point him in the direction of your tips if/when he comes to look at it.

All that said, it's with much sadness that I'm going to have to sell "Ned". I'll post a proper ad in the classifieds, but I did my first ride on him this week (a club 10) and it's clear to me that my TTing days are over. As previously mentioned I was pretty unwell last year and have been on the mend since. I'm now riding at moderate pace and intensity for leisure rides, but the intensity of a TT (even a club event) was too much and it just felt wrong to be putting myself through that intensity after my illness.

Shame as I thought it might be a bit of light hearted fun to do some racing on Ned, but in reality I think I need to be honest with myself and give it a swerve. No point making myself ill again. So it's up for grabs. I've really enjoyed the project, but much as I'd like to have him hanging on the wall, I can't really afford to have a bike that I'm not going to use.

Happy to sell whole or split if there's enough interest in the bits. PM me if interested. Thanks.

Link to classified ad: http://www.lfgss.com/thread85137.html