ODD Randomör — Mostly True

So. This bike will be built for the purpose of trips, recounted through stories being mostly true. So this is the concept.

It is my first modern project. Been fettling with some 80s racers and 90s mountain bikes and tourers. Having done some bike packing on my own the last four years on the bikes mentioned I decided I wanted to get something more dedicated and purpose built.

Having spent too much time searching for the perfect frame I eventually got a pretty weird, not really to my taste, but made for the very purpose Odd Cycles Randomör. You might remember Odd Cycles from the TGAC frame they did last year. Anyway it’s made from steel, quite heavy and in a colour I will have to learn to appreciate.

Here’s a pic of the frame. Since it was taken I changed all the hardware to black. Thinking all black everything is the only way I could live with this colour. Unfortunately the wheels I got built came with silver nipples
Although I had asked for black ones.

Wheels you say? Kinlin 22 Son front, Miche back.

TBC

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The idea is that the bike is oriented towards the utilitarian side of things. It's to test how I find merging previous bikes, hoping to find a sweet spot. Well see if it ends up as good as I hope or just meh. The idea is merging my Marin with a road bike. Frame and fork takes 45x700 and at least 55x650b.
Ordered a pair of 40x700c Gravel King slicks to begin with. I put them on my GFs Univega and really like them.

Waiting for the groupset to arrive. Went for GRX600 with an aditional XT rear brake, because the frame is specced for 180mm post mount for some reason.

Fork will be Bombtrack EXT v2.

Still waiting for the parts. Still havnt ordered bottom bracket, head set, bottle cages, handle bar tape and what not.

TBC

Was hard to focus on work today, waiting for the delivery of the lost fork. Package arrived all banged up but the fork was packaged well inside. Fork is ugly, but hopefully functional. Looking forward to putting some even larger tyres on.

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in a colour I will have to learn to appreciate

Why not respray at this stage?

Well. I like to challenge myself. Its just something I’d never choose. But now I’m starting to get into the idea of black on blue.

Sketching on some down tube graphics. Either going down the calligraphy route or turn of the century grotesk. Will Try to get vinyl plotted before the last pieces of the build arrives.

Considering living room camouflage at the moment.

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If I were to go down the spray can route. Is it important that I strip the frame? I have done it before but not sure where my paint stripper is because of moves and cba buying more.

I guess the obvious reasons are that the old paint fills say pantos and such.

But since spray paint layers are very thin compared to proper wet coats. I was thinking maybe it's good to keep some of that thick goodness beneath.

Do I remember correctly that @PhilDAS you painted your arkose without stripping it? How did that work out for you?

Yeah a couple years ago. It held up really well. Wouldn’t have bothered stripping any more off than I did.
I just sanded it back so that there was no clear coat left anywhere and that the paint was roughed up beneath.
I rode it for a year and it didn’t chip or come off until I sold it and it’s now just been repainted again by @hp93

Thanks!

Build starts soon!

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Question: If you asked a highly rated wheel builder for a £650 set of wheels with black rims, spokes and nipples. And got a set with silver nipples, even though wheel builder sells black nipples and did not mention it. What would you do if said wheel builder was in another country.

Current way of handling the situation is to not think too much about it.

If you were definitely clear about specifying black, I'd be asking them to sort it.

Yeah I was. But I also want to ride the bike I've been planning for two years. Being assembly, a stem and a seat post away from that. Kind of makes it bit of a meh. Should maybe not have brought this up, for my own sake.

Speaking of seat posts. Would you say that the dampening effect of a seat post matters when riding 38mm tyres? Trying to decide if I should take that into consideration.

A bit. Tyre pressure makes a bigger difference

I got this adapter to make the Supernova front light sit under the fork crown, because thets where the fork is drilled. Turns out its slot is about 1-2 mm too short.

I’m guessing it wouldn’t effect it noticably to remove that little material. But what method would you suggest?

I have a pillar drill and a hand drill. My first idea was to just push my hand drill sideways in the slot. But i guess I could drill it out too.

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My first idea was to just push my hand drill sideways in the slot. But i guess I could drill it out too.

Sorry to be the one always replying :)
Drill bits only have cutting faces on the end for drilling downwards. You'd need an end mill bit for cutting along like that. I'd suggest a dremel type rotary tool if you have one or a small file

Or even hack saw the slot all the way out — I can't see that compromising whats asked of the strength, not to mention it's quite common on front rack fixtures.

Yes I think I might go down this route and then clamp it between washers.

I don't mind. I'm happy someone is :•)

I know about drill bits but it works if you move the drill up and down. At least on wood. Don't have a Dremel or file that small unfortunately.

There we go. Like a glove.

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I'm somewhat relieved since I received the GRX group. Earlier I was a bit at odds with the design of the Bombtrack fork, being rather bulky and also weirdly curved (It was not my primary choice but the one I wanted was delayed because of covid and I really want to get rolling). Yesterday I broke out the cranks and realized they actually went quite well together with the fork legs.

The cranks have also been a compromise in this build. Since I had originally intended to use the WI 94 bcd cranks from my Marin. But being unable to source a 40t NW 94 BCD chainring and also knowing the comfort of hydraulic disc brakes I decided to get the GRX groupset.

All in all. I'm glad they go well together.

Started sanding the fork and the the frame.

Using P355, I’m just making the clear coat a bit rugged. You think thats ok or should i keep going to the black paint?

The print, being 25% the reason I'm doing this, is pretty hard and slightly embossed. Not sure if I should leave it so I don’t go too far or keep going.

I started doing the down tube on the frame as well. Seems the pits in the paint are in the clear coat. So new paint is probably going to be a fit smoother.

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Family is away so I finally had some time to mask frame and fork. I started painting the fork and it looks ok, as expected. Here's a picture after a couple of coats.

Sadly I had bought the paint before I found this image of a kick ass VW T3. Had I found it earlier I might have gone for a more rose tint.

But what ever. The paint I'm using is off white with a slight green tint. Plan is to sew some burgundy bags at some point.

If I'm not happy after painting the frame I have a more elaborate idea. Will see.

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So far everything is going as planned. Going to get some 800 grit wet sand to rub it down before clear coat.

Pale horse is coming along fine and cat approves!

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