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Everything works so well together: carbon/silver decals, 7800 and the Cosmics with the alloy brake track. So cool!

Dibs on the shifters, happy to pay postage if you're willing to send

Yeah the test ride was cool, easy to wheelie and super comfy. Less fun was realising that using the limited work toolkit (big Park shifter) to nip up the brake hose after cutting to size wasn't adequate... popped the hose clean out the lever :-| I live and learn, first time working on hydraulic brakes.

Getting the 3pc cranks lined up to clear the chainstays and play nicely with the chain device was also a faff, but took my time to space it out. There are plenty of trails and woods nearby so hoping to get some lunchtime rides in soon!

DMR Sidekick just about there. Built to be a big BMX/exorcise some teenage desire. Just a back brake for now, should be enough for cruising about. Just need to look out my DCs and chain wallet...

Yeah that's beyond cool, what a build

Super cool build, the bars and stem look great as does the tape job. Sorry to read about your broken wrist but it'll be worth the wait to heal up and ride by the look of it!

Thanks very much for this, lazy/gunked up mech would make sense! Never really had issues with used parts but definitely highlighted testing the drivetrain/indexing in a stand rather than a quick ride is better!

Also, sorry to hear about the see you next Tuesday in a van, not time for that crap

That's such a cool commuter. Might be worth checking for grit and crap under the Hamax clamp too - I did this for the first time in a long time on my commuter to fit an extra bottle cage and was unpleasantly surprised to find it had rubbed a bit!

Those tyres are cracking for the money, have them on my commuter that gets the odd lunchtime ride and they make such a difference

Rapid progress! Have enjoyed reading your thread and seeing your framebuilding and machining, inspirational stuff.

After work beer/fettle on the DMR. Madera BMX cranks robbed from my BMX. Profile 39t chainring... getting ready to ride. After I've popped the back wheel in tight judging by my own picture!

And a nice optic added to the work bikeshed, emergencies only!

Cheers! Tyres came with the BBS and were definitely stretched more than I liked... still rubbed the rear arches! Photo is over 6 years ago which takes me back.

Fitted up the tyres on the Merckx today and took a quick cycle round the block at 120psi to make sure they're bedded in, felt rapid! Definitely less aggro to mount these than the Veloflex Roubaixs, and also have pleasing logo/valve alignment.

Merckx outside for the first time in a long time. Just need to index the gears and good to go. Hopefully in time for the weather to pick up a bit here and get a ride in without grit/snow on the road!

Cheers Tom. I have a set of black SKS Bluemels for the Kona, but now it won't be on commuting duty and I don't really dig riding in the rain if I can help it ("French style" as a friend's Dad put it), they'll stay off for now.

The Sidekick was parted out by a guy who had gone to town on it, has a post up on the DMR Facebook page. My build is pretty cheap and cheerful, will get some pictures up once I make some progress on it.

Yeah could be any of those things - jockey wheel still attached to the cage but the inner plate sheared just below the bolt hole. Seems one to file under "one of those things". Especially with used parts. I'd back myself to spot an obvious issue but a weakened plate maybe not.

Shifting (with DT shifters) before it let go was nice though! I have a replacement 7900 rear mech already and some fresh jockey wheels. Will take my time setting it up and run it through the gears on the stand once the frame is back to check and maybe get some closure.

Thanks for all the comments, much appreciated

Lolz, rushed screenshot takes no prisoners! Off to crop that now!

Good work on the purchase, what a strange setup for that frame though, takes all sorts!

For fitting a tight tube, I would:
Fit one side of the tyre bead inside the rim
Apply loads of talc/chalk to the tube to stop it sticking inside the tyre/rim
Carefully fit the tube within the tyre, no twists
Inflate the tube a small amount, just so it takes shape
Wet the rim and bead that isn't seated and squeeze on with thumbs, no levers! 2x people here can help too. Squirt some more water if needed to help the bead slide over the rim.

Yeah this is what lead me to do it. Had an 11 speed change spare, correct length.

Thanks for your thoughts guys, ultimately the frame is off to be repaired and I'll fir a 10 speed chain and replacement mech, but knocked my confidence in home maintenance and wondered if anyone had an idea what could've happened.

I'm certain it wasn't - although can't find pictures of it built up to double check! I'd ridden it a little way without issue before this happened though, was shifting nicely and no noise.

Found one, chain routed correctly! Only thing I can imagine is the upper jockey wheel being too close to the cassette and causing the chain to jam?!?

Thanks! Never too sure if I'm rambling or not, glad you enjoyed.

Thanks James. Front chainrings hardly used, cassette is new. Checked the chain and not physically possible to drop between two cogs, no stiff links either. I couldn't find any evidence online to suggest why the chain shouldn't work but happy to hear otherwise - believe the inner spacing of the links is the same? I've bought a 10 speed replacement anyway.

It happened within a flash: shifted up a cog on the rear, continued forward on the flat and didn't have time to stop before the drive train locked up and the chain snapped!

My friend also built up an MGOOF MTB, using a GT Tequestra and 1x SRAM plus HS33s and some magic to use the canti studs on the rear. This lead me to buy the MTB frame of my teenage dreams, a DMR Sidekick. This one is in the work bikeshed nearing completion.

I managed to pass my affliction onto a friend who lives down south and is a big fan of late 90s-early 2000s bikes. Found a T-Mobile TCR on eBay that was far too small for him and heaped the pressure on, he's here now

Thanks very much! I've lurked on this forum long enough so wanted to add my 2p

Went for a plain Flite in the end, Deda post (thanks to feedback on here). I found some yellow Eddy Merckx stamped bar tape on ebay, bought it before the bike arrived. It clashes a bit but I feel like a) it's in keeping with the era and b) it was £25 and its on now!

Full Record groupset, Arkane built Lightbicycle.com 25mm tubs on Bitex hubs.

Excuse the photos please, it lives in a cupboard at work! Gluing tubs on this week. Vittoria Corsa Speed 2.0 that were 2 for 1 months ago. I think black would suit better, but once these are worn through. Also has King Cages, kept the original yellow Sole ones too.

keep this bike at work as no space at home/likely to cause the "another ****in bike?!?!" conversation. So worked on it during lunch breaks, not ideal but got it done.

Tips building up an old frame:
Clean up the threads! I did this for the BB cups but not the fork, nearly minced a Record headset by being impatient and wrenching it on

Check the thread spec/steerer OD. The Record crown race was tight as hell, used a bearing puller to get it on. All told, that headset is probably different spec to the frame.

To that end, take your time!

Work in progress shots: