AlexD's modest array of bikes

This. Over the past year I’ve ran both Swissstop blue and Koolstop salmon on my Giant, equal stopping power imo. Major toe in though to eliminate the squeal

Some good advice @jontea and @Matisse , cheers. I’m definitely going to get some decent pads, even if just for the front for now.

Someone recommend me a tyre, please. I’ve found the double fighters fine for road use, but they’ve been pretty inadequate in anything approaching mud or loose stuff. I’m not that fussed about them being fast rolling on the road as I’m just going to be pootling when I’m dadbike mode. I would like some more grip for hitting the trails, though. Also I’ve got no budget so they need to be cheap. I liked the look of the 26” flavour of WTB nanos - knobbly but not too aggressive. Trail boss seem a bit rowdy and can imagine them being pretty noisy on the road.

People seem to rate Continental Race Kings quite highly.. Come in a pretty cheap wire bead version.

which handlebar bag is that? I remember seeing one online like that but it had neon splatter colours ... I'm trying to find it now but my brain is absolute toast these days.

Seconded. It’s what I have right now. Decent on the road tbf and fine on damp/wet trails round our way.

The splatter ones you’re thinking of are probably Wizard Works. Mine was Forum-built!

https://www.lfgss.com/conversations/331860

Just did my first road ride in almost a year. I’ve just been enjoying getting off road and away from cars and I think this morning kind of galvanised that really!
25mm tyres didn’t help - the roads are pretty crappy round Bristol and I spent most of the time pulling my front wheel up and dodging potholes and ironwork. I’d forgotten about having to do that.

As much as I do love this bike, I just don’t know how much enjoyment I’m going to get out of it, so I’m thinking of splitting it and moving it on 😭 I could keep it, but I have a feeling it would just sit there, not getting ridden for another year.

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Solid fave this bike, I do like.

Of course if you split I may have to get things off you...

I think what I might do is try and sell the frame and forks and hoard all the rest! Did you have any bits in mind?

@AlexD I'm collecting this in a couple of weeks and need a silver 27.2 post, quill stem, some wide ish bars and maybe a 1" threaded H/S if you do split and @Matisse doesn't need any of that pleaseeee. But also... don't sell it!

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Ooh! So is that a 1” threaded steerer then? Looks ahead.

I think the sensible thing to do with this bike is mothball it in the loft for a bit and see how I feel. I actually feel at the moment that I’d be more stupid to get rid of the parts, in case I see a fun looking steel road frame at some point in the future - I can just throw all these parts at it and have an instant bike.

If I go the ‘sell frame, keep parts’ route, I don’t mind losing the seatpost. It’s just a kalloy copy of the campag aero ones. I’d probably treat myself to a nitto s65 if I resurrected.

@AlexD yep threaded fork. It has some weird adapter thing in at the moment but I will be looking to swap that out I think.
Good plan! frame looks real nice - what would you ideally find and swap it for?

Quite a neat job with the adaptor - looks like they’ve put some spacers over the locking nuts of the headset to disguise them or something?

The idea is just to get rid of this bike - I’d use my genesis for anything I might have used this for (possibly I get another wheelset to leave some 32mm tyres on). But I’m also a realist and am aware I might get swayed by something shiny at some point in the future 😄

While pondering getting rid of a bike, I kind of accidentally bought another one!
@Matisse linked me to a heap of crap for sale just round the corner from my gaff and it felt irresponsible not to go and get it. A Bridgestone MB-5 that has clearly spend longer outside than is ideal. It was a complete bike, but pretty much all the components are junk (Exage cranks and colour-matched Ritchey stem possibly salvageable). The frame doesn't actually look too bad - certainly worth saving. The seatpost is stuck, but so was the stem and I've just managed to get that out. Hoping all the post needs is a bit of soaking and then a bit of muscle.

Not really sure what to do with it, though. It's too big for me!

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Bloody love that paint job

Good innit. Just got to get the bloody seatpost out! Could do with getting it in a vice. Could do with owning a vice.

New project time!

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I couldn’t budge the seatpost on the Bridgestone but a mate reckoned he could sort it so he is the new owner now. If he builds it up I’ll post it here. I did manage to at least salvage something from it - some Exage mountain cranks that eventually gave up the pedals I assumed had become one with them. Not the prettiest of cranks, but they will take the hope retainer ring I have spare, so I’ve set them aside for incoming project...

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Things are hotting up a bit now. Got frame with a downright radical paint situation through the post today. Eagle-eyed forumists might recognise this from classified.

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I’ll be building this up unmolested at first, but my ultimate plan is to get Pi at Clandestine to weld a disc tab to the back and I don’t care what you think

I want to make sure the frame is right first, though. I did, however, whack it on the 650 wheels I have, just to see what happened!

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“I’ll just whack the headset in quickly before taking the dog for a walk”

Luckily it’s incredibly cool to put your cheapo headset cups in upside-down, right?

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Paint is a madness on this one! Tres fünky.

Can’t wait to see it with a disc tab and running chunky 650Bs. What’s the clearance like right now?

It’s not bad at all. Certainly better than the genesis. I think I could size up a little bit and still be fine. Didn’t take a photo of chainstay clearance but here is the fork. Also the most weirdly composed photo ever....

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Also, that fork is an absolute unit. I couldn’t find anything else that was 1”, threadless and had a disc tab and it was cheap as chips but man is it heavy. Certainly compared to the forks that came with the frame. I know there’s a fair bit more steerer on these ones as it’s uncut threadless, but I still think they’re pretty beefy. Ideally I’d love a barnacle fork for this, but we’ll have to see how my finances are when Stridsland opens the order book on those.