Bikedued

If I can sell another bike, I will order a set of the Panaracer tires like I have on the Trek 800. They are a matched set front and rear, and are like 26" CX tires. Mountain tires under 2.1" are getting scarce, and they seem to be the only ones available in 1.95 range now. SK is rear, and SS front. These are the tires that shrugged off being ridden through 300 yards of grey railroad track rocks. They took a beating and were no worse for wear. Nice manners on the road too. I might rob the ones off the Trek 800 in the meantime.

After searching around, it seems they are discontinued? That's a crying shame. It looks like Panaracer has fallen in line with the fat tire is better crowd. They have a new website, and neither tire is on it. Sad, just sad I tell you.... If I wanted to mush around on fat under inflated tires I could go with anything.

https://www.rei.com/product/764315/p...-tire-26-x-195

Panaracer Mach SS Semi-Slick 26" Tyre | Chain Reaction Cycles

Bikedued

I found a local bike parts distributor that has a bunch of Mach SK's in stock, but I am wondering if I can skip shipping, and pick them up? I went there once before. I was sent there by a bike shop once, so I would not have to wait for them to bring a rim I needed the same day, to take a bike to a charity auction. I will call them Monday, and see. To ship them 10 miles across town, is 10 bucks. The gas would be much cheaper at least right now anyway.,,,,BD

That way I can order two limited stock SS online, and get two SK's locally. I will keep those wheels indoors when not in use, so they will last longer without dry rotting...

hankaye

Bikedued, Howdy;

Project looks like it's comin' along at a nice pace. Good to see you
didn't need to resort to more severe methods to get all the unwanted
removed from what is now a truly good lookin' bike. , .

hank

Bikedued

And "done" pics. I had to use a front road triple derailleur to use the Tiagra brifters, but the rear worked right off. I need another updated pic though. I changed the tires to Fire XC Pro. And I am about to see if I have a silver seatpost. Rides wonderfully, and shifts perfectly. Made in USA True Temper OXIII frame.,,,,,BD

eom 

Please let me in on the secret about the furniture polish. I have always used auto wax.

Thanks

Bikedued

And now.... Got to paint those forks. I passed by a parked Dodge truck from about 05 or 06, and the paint was almost perfect. I have to find somewhere that carries matte finish clear. It's available, just have to find it.,,,,BD

Still wish the frame was a couple of inches larger. Oh well.

Bikedued

The furniture polish is just that. Go buy some cheap stuff like Behold, etc. Just spray the frame down with it, let it soak in until it starts to go clear, then wipe it down. Follow it up with a dry rag to bring out the shine. It works best if the frame is scrubbed clean first, and it will not make dull paint shine, if it's supposed to be shiny. It will however make a shiny bike super shiny, and sometimes bring color back to black components, and will deepen faded matte finishes, like the Gary Fisher. I wiped this one down too quickly, so it faded back a little, but a Trek 7000ZX I sprayed and never wiped, dried to a gorgeous matte sheen. I am cleaning it up for resale now, so I will post some pictures of it on the vintage mtb thread in a few days. I also shot this bike with Behold, and let it soak in longer as well. An ironhorse that sold the first day I posted it, funding the Gary fisher project.

Oh, and BTW? Don't pay $10-$12 a can for spray "bike polish" at the bike shop. It is the EXACT same thing. Just like Pledge, Behold, etc.. Just like the automotive product "Back to Black", for black trim... is Mop N Glo!!! The first time I bought some, and put it on a rag, it reminded me mopping the floor as a kid, and my mind was blown. I had just paid seven bucks, for a few ounces of Mop N Glo. MNG is WAY cheaper, and is the exact same product. It rinses off the first time it rains, hehe. Be SURE to wipe down the braking surfaces, both disc and rims, with alcohol afterwards, and you're good.

Here's the other bike I did with Behold... Ironhorse Quantum II. I sold it before dark, on the first day, hehe.,,,,BD

vdub6541

Some updates to my bike. Found a stem adapter and a high rise 80mm stem that fits much better. Can't wait to ride this bike to class this semester. Not a huge fan of how the adapter sticks out above the stem, but it was cheap enough to see if the fit would work. I'll replace it with a cleaner stem adapter down the line, but you know what they say.... function >>> form.

Please excuse the low-quality picture. Had to make-do with the phone camera for this one.

LesterOfPuppets

Nice!

I'd just get a threadless headset. They can usually be had for not too much dough.

LesterOfPuppets

Oh, I guess you'd need a fork, too. But those can be had cheaply too, especially if you have a good used bike parts store.

vdub6541

I would, but it's a 1" threaded steer tube. Also, I like the bi-plane crown on the 80's Stumpjumper fork I got at my local bike co-op. So 1" will stay, but I will either get a proper adapter, or a proper fitting quill stem. This was what was available at the time, and I really wanted get it running so I slapped these parts on.

Bikedued

I can't say that I've ever seen a quill adaptor that has a clamping surface that tall? What brand is it? I am in Houston also, and have an adaptor where the clamping surface is the size of the stem? The bottom part works like a normal quill stem, so if you lower it all the way it looks like a threadless headset almost. In other words, nothing sticks up above the stem no matter what height it sits.,,,,BD

Looks sort of like this, but not much taper below the stem, so it it fits flat down against the headset. Mine is a 22.2mm though? Is the bike a 25.4 quill?

https://tfe.me/image/480_345/bgx3900.jpg

himespau 

I'm curious about that adapter as well.

vdub6541

The adapter doesn't have any writing on it. My friend picked it up for me at the Yellow Bike Project in Austin, and they had a few there. It's actually a 22.2-25.4 adapter, and I have a 1" - 1 1/8" shim in the stem to make it work. I'm going to be replacing it with something like Bikedued posted, but this is just temporary for me to dial in the fit (and it was just a couple bucks, so why not). I plan on dialing in the height i like (and seeing if I need a different stem) when I commute to class this week. I'm definitely planning on changing to a better adapter (and getting rid of the stem) before hitting any trails.

Edit: the bike has a 1" headtube, 1" headset, and 1" fork and takes a 22.2 quill.

Bicycle Addict

Liking the alternative front mech cable routing there BD

Bikedued

I had the clamps on hand, and with funds getting ever lower I didn't feel like spending 22 bucks on the Problems Solvers pulley. I work at a pipe flange manufacturer, and oil is at an all time low. We're working 3 1/2 days a week now, sigh. I can still build, just can't buy everything that catches my eye for a certain build. If this goes on much longer, I will have to switch careers back to body shop work.,,,,BD

The bottom picture is the latest. Fire XC Pro's, and a different stem configuration. I need to scrub and dress those tires. They're about 4 years old and have seen little trail time. They're going to start cracking on me if I don't do something to bring them back.

lasauge 

Josh (Purebikes) listed this frame for sale here a few weeks ago and I couldn't pass it up:


A lugged MTB frame with braze-on posts for downtube shifters is just begging to be turned into a pseudo road bike. This will be my commuter this coming winter on days when 26x2.25 studded tires are required, will add fenders soon.

frantik

man those downtube shifters look clean!

MeatloafOvadose

My heap : 1990 Ross, entry level bike that I added some decent goods to, it was running 6207 shimano 600 levers, sugino AP crank, Deore mt60 derailleurs, and 26x2.3 Fat Franks. Its dismanteled now
The Ross by Ryan Silva, on Flickr

vp1337

That's bloody awesome!

cs1

That just might the coolest bike I've seen. I used to be into antiques guns big time. If you use 0000 steel wool on that you can seal the finish and It will look great.

yangmusa

Nicely done! What crankset is that - it looks like a giant step between large and small rings.. looking for something similar for one of my bikes

lasauge 

Thanks. The cranks are generic Chinese "Prowheel" arms that I stripped the anodizing from and polished to a sheen, rings are a SRAM 50/34 set - sorry that's not going to be of much use to your in your search.

hankaye

MeatloafOvadose, Howdy;

What are those shifters you've got on that bike???
Appear to be some kind of bar end but (being new to all of this ),
they are something I've not seen till now. Also what handlebar do you have on it?

Thanks for indulging my curiosity.

hank

MeatloafOvadose

The shifters are just cheap shimano friction thumb shifters I put on the ends of the drops, EM series I think- not very good, and the bars are just regular road bars that were on my entry level Panasonic Sport-DX. The stem is what made it all comfortable, which was stock on the bike with a straight bar setup

The fenders are from a 80s huffy, I pounded them wider, stripped the paint and force rusted everything with vinegar