Bobble's Bristol Bikelife

@veLLo yep that makes sense cheers and nice diagram :)
First I might try and just clamp the nose back on and accept the slit in the middle. Not sure if that will work - will look shit but if it works... Failing that, I will try the above

Not exciting but cleaned the GT up, ditched the grim saddle, ditched the kick stand. It will get a new chain, brake pads, brake cables and jockey wheels. Not going to do much to it - not worth it beyond fitting the above for now.

Rear wheel is really gritty so might service that.

Was also thinking about chainrings. There is 39mm between the adjacent holes which doesn't have an obvious bcd on Sheldon's crib sheet. They look to come as a unit of 3 chainrings so maybe not that easy to go for a 1x setup on this crank

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What’s the frame like? If it’s not a total anchor and rides nicely, you could go the slow burn upgrade path and just chip away at snazzifying it?

I meant to do that with my Giant, but ended up getting impatient.

@AlexD not really sure to be honest. Very different to anything I've ever properly ridden.
Your giant is ace!
If I'm using it a lot then and it's justifiable it will likely get better wheels, cranks, stridsland chainring, 8/9 speed mech just as and when cheap and decent parts come up. Will get new cockpit sooner than that I think. Have you got a spare quill to ahead adapter, BMX stem and some upright bars by any chance?

Brooks wise I found a photo of how it should look underneath. Will nip the bolt up as much as possible and hope it holds.

On a brooks generally, what is the recommended adjustment on the nose bit? I think my leather snapped because it worked loose but I've read they can do the same from being nipped up too tight

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Afraid not, but I’d recommend the PZ Racing ones, from my very limited experience. That reminds me actually - I need to Chuck another spacer under my stem on the Giant.

When you say upright bars, do you mean swept back shoppers or something? I’ve really got on with the On One OG V2s: seem to be a nice combination of comfort and shredablity. I’ve found Ashton Court trails a lot more fast and fun than I’d expected on that bike!

@AlexD ah no worries cheers anyway :)

Something like in this picture I think. I do have a generic pair of mtb bars that are super wide but not much rise and such a ball ache getting bars that wide into my house.

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Ha, yeah I know what you mean: getting either of the mtbs I’ve owned in and out the house is a pain. Almost like the Victorians didn’t design them with getting rad in mind...

Going the quill to ahead adaptor route does open up so many more options with stem angle and length etc, plus generally makes it a little easier to raise the stem too. When I eventually get round to it, I’ll get a higher rise stem for mine.

Today: Quill to ahead arrived/ got some bigger tyres / cleaned drivechain / had some wider bars lying around / new rear brake pads.

Tomorrow: Fit new stem, fit chain, new brake cables and set up brakes

Shopping list: grips (vans cult I think)/ pedals

Longer term plan, maybe: swept bars, better wheels, 9 speed sram mech, new chainset with 1x stridsland chainring, mudguards, rack.

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No 40k kitchens in this thread - doubles as a garage

Found a nos/unused 26er wheelset locally on Facebook marketplace. Hope hubs, Dt swiss spokes and these campag mirox rims. Rims seem quite narrow and I don't know much about wheels, but the price was too good to not get them. Is that freehub 8/9 speed does anyone know? The GT is likely to get these, new cranks, 1x shifter/mech, some v brakes, front rack and then fit the more modern cockpit I'm working on. Or it might stay stock and then wait for something more special to crop up and go full @t0-ster using the above recipe

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The Mercian will be for sells soon I think. Can't really justify keeping a bike that's too small for me. My thinking is my commute is 2-3 days a week max since WFH became a thing, 7k each way, so could do that on a 26er with a front rack/guards. Genesis CDF can then lose the rack and guards and be lighter/more all-road focused.

Having 3 is dooable and if time/space/funds allow get a designated road bike and a vintage Mercian in my own size (I have a soft spot for them)

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Sweet! Gumtree or Facebook? Surprised I missed them :-)

@AlexD Facebook. Chuffed!

Riding my CDF a lot as a road bike is making my really fancy something lighter and better suited to it. It's not going anywhere though because it does commuting duties well and will hopefully see some tours this year.

Front mech (stock from a 2014 version I think) is shifting awfully and something (BB I think) is extremely squeaky.

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Couple of new to me bits

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Mercian is for sale to make space and raise funds for a road bike or a Mercian in my own size. Was a fun project and needs someone to take it the last bit (tape, more period gearing) but does have a replacement brooks on it and the wheels have been serviced by my LBS

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All the bikes getting out at the moment. Keeping half an eye out for a road bike in my size because the CDF isn't ideal for that.

-Mech on the GT has seen better days. Coasting it just jumps all over the shop and throws the chain

-wearing in the brooks on the CDF, looking at front rack options, few updates to go on and the rear mudguard not being long enough is noticeable at the moment. I really like this bike though

-enjoying the Stanton but not been on it too much recently

Shout out @Eseman for the virtual mechanic help today cheers pal

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This looks lovely

Bikes are looking good, think I recognise most of those locations. From the home owning thread, have you looked a bit further east at houses? More bang for your buck beyond St George, and as a cyclist nowhere is that far away!

I’ve been in Fishponds for the last 7 years. Pretty convenient for bike path, motorway, green spaces, Parkway...
Still loads cheaper than Easton, St George etc too.

Yeah, St George and redfield are going up in price a lot

When we were first looking at houses, moving out of our flat in stokes Croft, I remember a house on the park in st George being in our price range 😳
Certainly not now.

@bobble snooped on your post in homeowners thread. FYI you’d get a 2 bed house for that around me I reckon (think Victorian 2 bed that could be loft converted)

Yeah, there are still a few old house to be had around my way, but they anew sought after now and the bidding just rockets.

@Matisse which area do you live in?