TomvanHalen's tourer - Raleigh 853 (sick flames ITT)

Hope?

or this? Don't even know what it is, but could be perfect.

http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/MOWA-Headset-NEW-1-1-8-Tune-Bobo-Chris-King-Rasta-/331792125468?nav=SEARCH

Ritchey just makes sense in an old mtb, and it's not expensive

Is that made out of unthreaded bottom bracket cups? It's wonderfully horrible.

I've gone with a black FSA Orbit X, but almost got a gold one.

You disgust me

In other news, my LHT forks arrived and I mocked them up to check the angles and it's basically perfect. 72.5 HT 73 ST. Have some shitty phone pictures.

Also I boxed up the Pompetamine to send off to Italy tomorrow. Super sad :(

On the plus side, I've bought an XTR M952 rear mech, and I've always wanted one of them.

I already regret my decision

I forgive you, because that ^^ looks AWESOME.

So good.

Bits have been arriving in a steady stream of convenient and less-than-convenient parcels. Today the headset came so I can start actually making it bike-shaped! Will take it to get the BB threads chased tomorrow or Friday. Just waiting on the Surly cable hanger and ridiculous erection stem now.

Solved my Brooks dilemma by taking the C17 off my HHSRB and ordering oversized rail "ears" for the knockoff Bontrager post, so that's getting the fancy Romin Evo. Which solved my finishing kit dilemma - all black, bbe

Took the frameset to get prepped today. Possibly the nicest I've ever treated a bike. BB threads chased, headset installed, steerer chopped, seat tube reamed.

Also acquired today: stem, hanger, and some rather tasty black Weinmann levers. Have everything except the shifter and cables now, it's almost time to build it up and try it out with some 26" wheels

This build needs my wheels ;)

Yeah but spaaaaaaacing. Nah, tbh I need to bite the bullet next month and build proper wheels with a dynamo hub.

Sidequest! Still needs mudguards fitting and inline post and shorter stem. Stupidly long frame.

Is there a reason you're using that high rise style stem instead of keeping your steerer tube longer? Is it better to raise the bar height with the stem instead of the fork steerer?

It seems to me a more elegant and civilised solution, like the old-school "limp dick" stems (except I can't afford one of them). Should be lighter and and less flexy too.

Mostly I think a 70-80mm stem on top of a mile of steerer looks a bit shit/Thorn owner's club

@TomvanHalen ahh it's purely an aesthetic thing. good luck with it, it's looking great.

Well not purely, but it's high up on the priority list.

I got a little bit over enthusiastic test-fitting parts. This thing is mega, it's like nothing I've ever ridden. And luckily it seems to fit

That looks great! How's the handling with the tall stem? I imagine that sort of thing to be a bit twitchy, but I suppose it will be of benefit if you're planning to use front lowriders.

@dangeek The stem's still the equivalent of 78mm at zero degrees, so it's not as stubby as it seems, and the bars are pretty wide at 54cm or so. Difficult to compare it directly but the steering feels quite natural and fast. Should handle well loaded, lots of leverage.

The main issue I've come across is that the Race Face SRX ISIS bb spins smoothly out on its own, but installed in the bb shell it suddenly develops a ton of drag. Bit stumped as to why. @mdcc_tester?

The main issue I've come across is that the Race Face SRX ISIS bb spins smoothly out on its own, but installed in the bb shell it suddenly develops a ton of drag. Bit stumped as to why.

The bearings are held by the cups (unlike, say, a UN55 square taper BB where both bearings are held by the cartridge body), so if the left/right BB threads are not perfectly aligned with one another, or the BB shell faces are not perfectly parallel, then the two bearings will be skewed relative to one another, and one or both will bind.

Get your BB shell chased and faced by a competent mechanic, that should solve it.

Ah, that sounds reasonable. I did get the threads chased (proper Park Tool job) but didn't have it faced. Will see if it's still binding with both sides backed off

Looking well this. Still think it's a shame Raleigh went to the wall, I would have thought a Special Products division would be thriving these days.

Intrigued to see the finished build.

Are you going to put mudguards and rack(s) on it?

Yeah I bet the bar width helps. I've been toying with the idea of using something like Salsa Cowbells join my touring bike. I think it would be worth while for the added control on rough ground when loaded up.

@TheShipwright Rack definitely, thinking Blackburn Outpost front rack currently. I do have some Gilles Berthoud mudguards to fit but I'm going to have to do a fair amount of fuckery to fit the rear, there are no braze-ons, threading, or even holes, and no chainstay bridge. So we'll see.

@dangeek They are very comfy and stable things, nice middle ground between drops and backswept bars. The Midge bars are very short and shallow, so something like a Cowbell should be a better replacement for drops

Would yellow brake cables be a step too far, or a perfect finishing touch?