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Looks good fun! The callipers have finally arrived so I can finish mine off, also Glitter Dreams I'm afraid.
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Yep it's great fun. I know I've bucked the trend somewhat with the riser bars but I've never got on with drops. As much as I feel like they'd maybe look more in keeping with the build, the risers are here to stay.
I look forward to seeing your build. It's clear that Glitter Dreams is obviously the best colour!
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The reasons for the Nano's are threefold:
- I like the look of them and my friends already had a set and raved about them.
- I'm hoping to do some trail and fire road stuff on it and thought they'd work well.
- The potholes on my commute are so big I thought I'd go for them in the hope it would make the bike feel more MTB to cope!
They do drag a little more than a slick but I love how they look on the bike and hopefully they'll come in handy when I start to use the cross-capabilities that the bike has.
- I like the look of them and my friends already had a set and raved about them.
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It is super fun and I'm looking forward to doing more with it as the weather gets more hospitable here.
At present, the next thing I really need for it is a decent saddle. I've ridden Turbo's before but I don't remember them being this uncomfortable. If anyone has any mid-range saddle recommendations, I'm all ears.
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yeah man this winter is dragging, its still bloody -10 odd here in Ottawa today, gross.
get yerself to Urbane to check out some seats.
Im a big fan of the charge spoon, but have to buy it from wiggle, not sure of a Toronto stockist, but it is cheap(ish).
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Yep, isn't it just. Another couple of days of -10 (real feel) but I'm hoping next week will be back into single digits (+ rather than -)!
I've only been into Urbane once since moving here. I made friends with a few guys that run another store so I now get everything through them. I've been looking into either a WTB Rocket or one of the mid-range crank brothers saddles. Just waiting to hear on availability.
I would buy off wiggle but it seems like a faff and I'm not to trusting of Canada Post after having things undelivered and getting sent back! Are you a Canadian or another Brit abroad?
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Getting plenty of use out of this at the minute with commuting to work. Just bought a mountain bike so this hasn't got the 'light-off-road' use that I thought it would but theres still time. Since it was built I swapped out the Soma for a proper Turbo which is wayyyy more comfortable. Switched the pedals to some black Fitbikeco plastic pedals and added a little flair with a Mash donut top cap.
The rack was recently added so that I didn't have to use a backpack transporting a change of clothes to work. I was unsure at first but I actually really like it. Not sure if I'll stay with this one or maybe invest in the AWOL pizza rack once it's released.
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Didn't realise it had been so long since I'd updated this. Not much has changed but I still love it. It doesn't get the use it was getting as my office moved and is no longer commutable by bike.
I removed the front rack soon after the last pictures were taken but I'm due to fit a new rack soon. I also got sick of dropping the chain despite having the chain guide on there so I ditched that for a narrow-wide which gives the added benefit of improving the tall gearing. The only other change was the saddle which went to a WTB Speed but I'm thinking about upgrading that to a Cambium.
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New rack incoming...
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Changed the title to include my other bikes rather than setting up other threads.
Fitted the rack to my Surly ready for some spring rides.
Took my pub/lockup bike out yesterday. Since adding the wald, I've modified the mounts so that it sits lower over the front wheel. Looks better and seems to make the bike a little less unwieldy. Needs a shorter stem and some wider bars.
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New project incoming. Went to a vintage bike fair/swap at the weekend and saw a potential new project which in a convoluted way made it's way home with me. Ever since the days of the Low-Pro/Clown bike rides on the forum, I've lusted after a silly road bike and this should fit the bill perfectly - an Aquila 650C tri bike. This was the in-house brand of a bike shop in Toronto and looks to be from the mid 90's. I was so excited once I got it back that I immediately started taking it to bits before getting a photo of how it stood. All I have is a crappy photo from the previous owner (It's the black one). I hope to have an update on progress this week.
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Current progress: Took off all vestiges of it's previous life as a Tri-bike. Added a cruiser bar, some Tektro levers, vintage Miche pedals, some XT SL-M732 thumbies and some Ourys.
Still to do - Build hubs onto new wheels as these are currently tubs with lumpy old tyres. Replace BB. Get cable routing for the downtube. Cable it up.
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Incoming bike that will replace the Rocky Mountain; Early 90's BRC Sierra XL. When I saw the paint I couldn't resist. Plans are to fit a shorter stem, wider & higher bars, Wald and slicks. I've already fitted the yellow Flite and odyssey pedals from the Rocky Mtn.
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yeah it's pretty ridiculous. It's no wonder manufacturers stopped doing them on mass produced bikes. It must have cost a fortune.
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Progress report on the fleet. Have a baby on the way so had to clear some bikes out to create some space. The Rocky Mountain and the BRC have gone leaving me with the Aquila as my town bike.
Finally got a set of clinchers for it after an unsuccessful search for some clincher Spinergys. Ended up finding a set of Bontrager Selects. Ran those for a week. Then a late night message from a friend who had seen an advert just go up on Kijiji netted me a pair of Spinergy Rev X clinchers like I'd been looking for.
Currently have a Spinergy on the front and Bontrager on the back until I can get to my friends shop to swap stuff over on the back. Then to decide whether I can trust vintage carbon.
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Some changes to the Straggler.
25.4 Thomson stem and Simworks Getaround bars. Also fitted an all-weather Cambium.
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Also forgot to add my Soma in here. From what I can figure out its an early Rush with cage mounts. Fitted with Omniums, Phil hubs to Deep V / DTSwiss R490 rims, Thomson post and stem with Simworks Getarounds. its great fun and I've been using it a decent amount of late. Next jobs with this are to change the awful purple pedals, take the bike apart and try to respray it as the paint is pretty worn. I also would like to rebuild the wheel set with new rims at some point
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Finally got the spinergys on the Aquila. Also fitted a nitto stem, some easton risers (thought it was cool that they matched the frame tubing). I'm pretty happy with the way it looks and rides.
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oops. my usual trawl through local sales listings peaked my interest with a new bike. Went to have a look and it was too good to pass up. Bizarrely, the guy who I bought it off had exactly the same name as my dad. very weird.
2004 Redline Flite Monocog. He had bought it for his daughter who doesn't seem to have used it. Looks to have been upgraded by the guy he bought it off. Sun rims to 90's Profile bmx hubs, Flite Gel Saddle, Syncros post, Ringle headset, XTR v-brake on the front and an Avid on the back. Weird Avid Black Ops stem too which I've never seen before.
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About
Ricky's Builds - Surly Straggler / Retro MTB's etc
Posted by
@ricky2slicky
So after selling my Ward Track bike and leaving, first London and then the UK for Toronto I felt a definite itch to build something new. When I first got to Toronto I bought a Fairdale Coaster which I quickly fitted Gusset Open Prisons and a fixed wheel to, only to realise I'd never make it a track bike. I then sold that and bought a 2014 Fairdale Weekender which I loved but realised it still wasn't getting rid of the itch for a full build. From the End of last summer I started getting the required parts for a do-most-things-well bike so I started off with this...
a 50cm Straggler. I thought i was being original going for the Glitter Dreams colour way but then saw that most builds I could find online/here were in the same colour. No matter, I still think its better than the Black version.
Then I got the rest of the parts...
Avid BB7's, SRAM X7 rear mech, X9 Shifter, Thompson Elite X4 Stem, stupid wide Spank riser bars, WTB Nanos.
Build Pics...
And finished...
The Soma Ta'bo is a place holder saddle. It's possibly the most uncomfortable saddle ever so I'm currently trying to decide what to get. The pedals came off the Fairdale so they are to be replaced. Just trying to decide between flats on venturing into clip less pedals for the first time. The wheels are on loan from a friend. They are the stock Fairdale Weekender wheel set so the idea is to run these this summer and through the odd bits of winter riding before saving up and splashing out on nice hubs and rims.
So far the bike has exceeded expectations. I just can't wait for proper weather in which to use it now!