Ecobeard's Projects.

I've been looking for a nice steel winter bike for a while.

The dream would be to have a winter version of my 953 Rourke made up, but realistically thats not going to happen for a while. So I've kept and eye out here and on eBay and waited for Rourke to pop up in my preferred spec.

Lo and behold after about a year this red 531c Rourke came up on eBay in my exact size, with generous clearance and winter trappings.

Plan is to build it up with some decent hard wearing kit for the Scottish winter/roads.

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What's the plan for the groupset etc?

The knock on projects from this are a bit odd.

1 - The Train to Isen

So we are moving to rural Scotland from London, but I will still be doing some work down here in the week. I would normally use the Train as my winter bike and my work bike, but I can't do that now as Work is now a fair bit further away from the lanes I would ride my winter bike on, hence the Rourke as a new winter bike.

The Train will stop down here and continue to be a work bike and mid week riding bike, until @coldharbour gets off his arse and sorts these Isens out. Then I will probably move most the decent bits of the train, Wheels, lights, rack, gaurds, stem and seat post over to the Isen and that will do work and mid week duties.

This will then leave the Train as a frame and bits, that I will move up to Scotland and do something silly with. As the clearances are enormous and forestry roads plentiful, I might go full monster truck gravel eater with it, for pure lols.

2 - Station beater

The train/Isen can be kept nice and secure down here while up on the other side of Sturgeons Wall, but a fare way away from the station I alight at.

Sooo I want to build up a beater for secure station lock ups and if it gets nicked, not be too upset.

In an act of internet kindness (and me not wanting to spend any money!) @nz_lucas gave me an old Raleigh Winner he found, complete, in a skip.

I tidied it up a bit and added some mudguards, I then crashed it on the test ride at 5mph.....and buckled both the wheels....

However, after a plea on IG, @PhilDAS kindly donated some wheels, Brixton Cycles some secondhand bits, including a hilarious stem,and it was running!

It didn't turn corners very well or really stop, but it worked, sort of!

THEN out of nowhere, @Dammit started giving up his stash and I nabbed a 9 speed 105 GS off of him and I've conned @hillbilly into fitting it for me in return for cider... So In July when I'm back in London I look forward to being able to turn around corners and not die.

Winner (lol)

So far I have Ultegra 6800 shifters, front mech and Chain courtesy of @dan

Just need a 6800 rear mech and FD clamp to finish that bit off

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Subbed for multiple projects!

Project 3 - Space bike Talbot

So after my Clark Kent Ti rebuild went wrong at the first stage, due to a large crack. I was left with some lovely wheels and nothing to hang them on.

@coldharbour is a mentalist and I've ended up with https://www.lfgss.com/comments/13694637/

Not really a true project any more, but I do look forward to riding it in the sunshine and watching the paint sparkle destroy small animals retinas.

I do still need to, change the bars to the matching Enve ones (these are loaned), get a fancy carbon XXX Paradigm Bonty saddle, attach ELEMENT Bolt to said bars and make some small changes to the seat mast topper.

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^ that is insane

You don't have enough projects - would you like to take on one of mine? It can be a full custom frame if you like.

That space bike is awesome.

I feel that customer satisfaction would be low due to timescales!

I also need to rebuild the Elsegood.....

Moving means I will have a load of space to finish all this off, even if it is slowly. I started this thread so that I actully have to get on with it all :)

Made a boring list today

Things I need for the Rourke

(If you have them please shout)

• A sensible 11 speed wheelset
  
• 6800 RD
  
• front Mech clamp
  
• Shimano cassette, prob 11-28
  
• 130 bcd chainrings and maybe a chainset if I can't get the chainring Bolt that's stuck in the Bontrager ones out.
  
  

Think I'll start assembling that lot before thinking seriously about what to do with the Train

So after getting throughly bored of unpacking boxes in the new gaff and also becoming REALLY quite perturbed about the amount of DIY I need to learn how to do, I retreated to the garage to play bikes.

Sorted out the various build bits into their own crates and got started on the Rourke.

I popped the GXP BB in, greased and finger tight, I need the tool to arrive to tighten it up properly though.

I also got the nitto bars, clamped up in the 3t stem and the shifters on for a look see. So far so good. Nice slight flare on the bars too. I had assumed they were 177's but will check in the morning now after looking at the photos.

Two irritating issues though

1) The back of a track chain ring Bolt is really, really seized in the Cranks (I used it on the flyer for a winter as a single ring). I've now got the front out and the chainring off, but the back section is not coming out. Anyone got any ideas past soaking it and twatting it?

2) The forks and rear bridge are not drilled for recessed brakes. Obvious ways around that, but annoyed I didn't think about it before....

updated to do/get list

• A sensible 11 speed wheelset
  
• front Mech clamp
  
• Shimano cassette, prob 11-28
  
• 130 bcd chainrings and maybe a chainset if I can't get the back of the chainring Bolt that's stuck in the Bontrager ones.
  
• Cable cutters
  
• Cables
  

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There's some x-rated shit going on in the background in that second to last picture. This project also looks great!

Hoping all the tools and the rear mech are back at home, when I get back next week.

I managed to free the stuck chainring Bolt with the classic combo of a rubber mallet, WD40 and an old knife steel!

Really struggling to find some semi-decent 130bcd chainrings though, that aren't expensive.

Any one got any they are keen to dispose off for a reasonable price?

Rourke forks always look especially elegant, I don't know why.

I might have a couple of old Sugino chainrings-think they are 130 bcd 53/42 that you can have for postage if they are, can dig them out tomorrow to check.

That would be excellent, the 52 I will definitely use, Thank you!

On the forks, I agree and I think it's the way the crown 'melts' into the forks, almost like a mono stay rear end.

So at least one of these projects is now finished.

The station beater is now done, and my what a looker it is!!

Bit of a team effort this one. @nz_lucas donate the bike from a skip out side his flat, @PhilDAS donated the wheels after I crashed it and buckled both the originals, @Dammit & Fenella gave me the group-set, Brixton Cycles parts bin provided the rest and @hillbilly made it all work together and made sure my bodges were at least semi safe :)

Massive thanks to all. My only regret is having now curated this bike, I fear it may well just be too beautiful to leave at the station.

Before I get any more offers for it, be aware that @coldharbour and @dan have first and second dibs via IG.

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In slightly less exciting news, I also now have some wheels and chainrings to go on the Rourke.

I also couldn't resist Ed's cheap 6800 chainset so I have that too, and a choice to make.

I'll now cobble it all together in a box with some cables and a cassette and get it posted up to Scotland so I can finish that too.

Then i need to start thinking about this Isen......

and @hillbilly made it all work together and made sure my bodges were at least semi safe :)

crash test?

crash test?

He just flicked cider on it to bless it. Sadly, there is no CCTV footage of this happening though.

What a let down.

Rourke frame looks wicked though! need to get one in my life and rep the hometown.

Everything arrived in a large box I posted to myself from the shop and I've managed to get a lot of it on the bike.

Ultegra chainset from @edscoble completes the gruppo and the wheels from @Bainbridge look like they will fit the bill nicely.

The one fly in the ointment is that even though the rear spacing is 130mm, the brake bridge and forks aren't drilled, so work to do there.

This is taking a frustrating amount of time as I can only grab 15mins here and there, at the weekends, due to DIY/garden maddness at the mo.

Still, hopefully in a few weekends time it will be rolling!

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What tyres? Needs gumwalls for sure!

Rather boring 4 seasons I'm afraid.

Mudguards are black though, so gumwalls might look odd.

Had a fettle today and I need a Tektro 559 for the rear, due to the enormous drop

I use Tektro 539, don't know if there's much difference but they work well and have a little cut out section on the arm instead of solid. So they look a tiny bit cool.
If you care about that sort of thing.