Yukon SE revival

It seems a bit unlikely that I should start a CP, but *deep breath* here goes. Mostly a document, but also because I have a few probably quite basic questions…

I had a few bikes as a kid, one after the other, two passed down from older siblings and one BSO I won in a council competition when I was 11. Then my dad brought me back a brand new bike from a work trip to Taiwan. Boxed direct from the Giant factory. A matte titanium Yukon SE with front suspension and wide “brahma” bars. I think it was 1994 but it could’ve been 1995. It saw me through the end of school, college and later. Actually dad brought back two identical bikes, thinking to perhaps sell one, but “my” bike got stolen within a year so I took over the twin. I found a photo online of how it would’ve looked.

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I’ve had it ever since and while it was my only bike for around 16 years (until the Gazelle) including my first few forum rides, commuting, light touring, visiting friends and so on, it’s gradually had parts stolen, worn out and replaced until finally it was left at my dad’s house for station commuting duties, and generally rather neglected. The only original parts in this guise being the derailleurs, seatpost, chainset, cranks, and rear cantilever. I think that’s it.

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For a few years I’ve been thinking to rebuild it and give it some TLC, but in what direction wasn’t clear until @kat mentioned she had a 26” Alfine 8 wheelset she wasn’t using… a year or two later and I finally acquired said wheels, together with shifters and cranks, and I’ve now started with the project. I wasn’t sure at first whether it was ‘worth it’, fearing that the frame might be rusted or otherwise junk, that the build wouldn’t really work or be nice/useful, but now I’ve started it seems that the only thing is to get on with it, despite the likely economic absurdity. The intended outcome is an easy-going tourer – something with gears that can take luggage and maybe a spot of off-roading.

I decided the only part that really holds sentimental value is the frame. After stripping and washing, I took to bike shop to help get the fork and cranks off. As part of the conversation there we decided to try and get the stuck seatpost out too. More on that below…

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Its condition is pretty rough and ready, lots of scratches from various fittings, cable rub etc, rust patches treated (the dark staining) and some mismatched gold touchup paint. The ‘bridges’ have suffered the most rust. (the weird blur patches are where my old postcode is painted on in enamel, those were the days when we weren’t concerned with identity theft!)

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The seatpost – aluminium in a CroMo frame – had been stuck for the best part of a decade. It was removed piece by stubborn piece and with some collateral damage to the seattube, a ding in the toptube and a squashed cable stop. I had a little cry about it but hopefully nothing structurally or functionally too much of a problem (although I'm not sure what to do about the cable stops, I tried levering the squashed bits and because they've stiffened it just seems to pull apart the whole lot, and I don't want it to pop off the frame... ). That whole area will be repainted.

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I practised rust removal, sanding, priming etc on an old (very rusty) soap tin. Chose a colour based on a scratch and chip repair pen in Halfords – Audi “Dakota grey”. Ordered a couple of mini spray cans on Amazon that finally arrived yesterday. It’s not a perfect match but it seems to be a nice warm metallic brown-grey. (I am wondering whether I should've gone for something more obviously different though, I thought it would be a touch darker.)

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I’ll finish with a top-coat on the soap tin – got a Hycote clear lacquer, since the colour spray is also Hycote. I have these 3 plasti-kote clear sprays at home, and tempted to try them out (particularly the matt sealant) but I’m guessing that they won’t be very durable – they’re all specced for indoor use.

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First of the frame finishing questions then:

1. Any point filling the saw marks / scratches inside the seattube? I guess that once a seatpost is in there, there isn’t any particular stress on it.
   
2. Going to fill the ding in the toptube and the chips around the top of the seattube – @freezing77 recommended Araldite Rapid, I’m also wondering about Araldite Repair putty, and Isopon 38. I have no experience doing this sort of thing.
   
3. I bought some boiled linseed oil with the intention of coating the inside of the frame, I’m a bit worried about it rusting apart. Any advice on how to proceed? I was going to give it a wash to get rid of the crud inside, but without any detergent/degreaser, and let it dry for a few days outside in the sun. Then stop up holes and pour in the oil while the frame is warm, turning to try and get it moving around. Should I tape over threads to protect them? I’m guessing the correct sequence is to fill the interior scratches if I’m going to do it, then do the boiled linseed oil, before doing any outside frame prep. How long should one leave the oil to dry? And is it ok to leave outside (or will interior condensation in morning cause a problem – it’d be covered out of the rain).
   

My sequence for painting is:

• Sand back rust (I have various wet&dry papers and a small glass fibre pen).
  
• If I take the rust back to metal, is there any point to also use Kurust? If so it needs sanding before primer, right?
  
• Wiping over with solvent to remove fingerprints and dust.
  
• Handling with gloves from here on. Zinc primer, couple of coats.
  
• Lots of drying time – at least 2 days? Better if it’s more?
  
• You don’t need to sand primer unless there’s bumps to take down, right?
  
• If any sanding at this point, use tack cloths not solvent wipe.
  
• Colour spray, 3 light coats, 15 min between.
  
• Lots of drying time, again at least 2 days ok?
  
• Does it need sanding before lacquer?
  
• Any part keeping the original paint definitely needs sanding before lacquer, right?
  
• Clear lacquer, 2 or 3 coats – I haven’t done this one yet. I might experiment with sanding/ no sanding of the colour paint, and sanding / no sanding before the final clear coat.
  
• Much drying time.
  
  

Anything should be done different?
I don’t have a frame stand, so it will be done in the garden just on the ground on dust-sheets. The frame obviously needs turning to get at all of it – is it better to do each thin coat over the whole frame? Takes longer, since it needs to be left an hour or so to handling dry before turning, rather than 15min between coats. Or is it ok to do the full 3 coats on most of the frame, then leave for a while, then do the bit that’s been resting on the ground.

I haven’t decided how to paint it. I want to get it ‘nice’ so that scratches and rust patches are done properly. However, I also want to keep as much of the original finish and decals as possible. Being aesthetically battered is not a problem, so small scratches/chips that don’t go through the original primer could just be clear lacquered. Thinking to lacquer everything.

Some ideas:

1. Mask everything that isn’t trashed, use clean but wobbly/curvy edges, no overall design. Could be tricky to mask using regular tape, but might be able to get some clear sticky-back to cut on the frame.
   
2. Mask everything that isn’t trashed, using square cut edges only, no overall design.
   
3. Try and get some graphical consistency, such as symmetry. The odd spot that needs redoing gets masked out as a small spot.
   
4. Graphical thing going on, for example masking a barbers pole pattern all over, or lengthwise stripes – covering a lot of the decals. Additional spots/patches where necessary.
   

I am thinking to get the actual build done at LBS, I’m not sure about internal hubs… the parts list is:

• Alfine 8 26” wheelset, fairly chunky rims. (If I was going to really upgrade anything, it would be disc&dynamo front wheel... but I'm not. Not yet anyway.)
  
• Alfine FC-S500 cranks, 39t chainring and Hollowtech spindle.
  
• Versa 8 STI levers
  
• Midge bars – acquired from forum to go with the drop levers, but a bit apprehensive about how wide they are (been used to flats cut down to 50cm and bar-ends) and the funny angle on the hoods. Something to try at least.
  
• Specialized saddle, reminds me I think I left it at LBS.
  
• Flat pedals.
  
• Chunky Topeak rear rack.
  
• I have one of those baby PDW front baskets which might go on, but it’s not that practical.
  
  

I still need:

• Fork! The two on the list are Surly LHT and Thorn Sherpa 531. Similar price, similar array of attachment points. Surly is a bit sleeker, Thorn is 531. And matt black.
  
• Stem – I was looking at the Genetic AQ, but now I’ve got a 25.4mm handlebar… any ideas? Shim? I could go adjustable? (I do also have an OS Midge bar but it’s in bright yellow gold. )
  
• Hollowtech BB, headset,
  
• Seatpost...? think it’s 30.2 but could shim.
  
• Mudguards… ? Thinking something neat and fixed, to go under rear rack.
  
  

Obviously an important question – what colour cables and bartape? Maybe orange cables to match the original decals? Pink? Camo bartape?

Should I get new brakes? The old ones are the original Shimano Altus rear and some no-name front ones, they still work fine but are a bit bitten into where the pad post is clamped. I could get new ones just because… Also is there any issue with STI levers and cantilever brakes in terms of pull?

Updates as we go. Opinions and ideas on how to approach the painting and on parts, welcome. ihavenoideawhatimdoing.jpg

I'd sack off and have versa shifters as they are crap, and get a jtek bar end jobbie from sjs. works better, looks better win win!

If you go bar end, I have a microshift for Alfine 8 collecting dust.

Got a LHT fork you're welcome to on the cheap, PM me.

@coldharbour @sykodrama

these?
https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/gear-shifters/jtek-8-speed-bar-end-shifter-for-shimano-alfine-nexus-internal-hubs/
https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/gear-shifters/microshift-bsno8-8-spd-bar-end-shifter/

what's so bad about the Versa shifters? I like the idea of being able to change gear without moving my hands much... and I'm inclined to go with them since I have them in hand, but will keep the bar-end option in mind if they're a pain. Would need new brake levers too in that case.

As you've got them already try them, but in my experience the shifting is sub standard and the brake levers are flexy. Yeah that's the one I had in mind...

No idea about the versas, just trying to get rid of things :)

Fwiw I hate bar ends! Since I am a Rex I hit the fuckers with my knees all the time.

Edit: yes it's that one

good to be forewarned...

I will certainly keep it in mind, thanks!

so, 10 months on, time to pick up this project again. frame basking on the lawn after a linseed oiling.

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