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Apologies for a long winded 'build thread' I spend a lot of time on car forums and this is what we do! If it belongs elsewhere then happy to take the flack.
I decided to ditch the roadie recently, twice I've tried and 18 months ago spent a fair few quid on a new Giant but still didn't get on with it. So I decided to sell it and fund a rebuild of my MTB, an ageing 2007 Kona Kula I'd had from new. It's had most parts upgraded over the years, in fact I think the only original item left was the chainset and headset. The lockdown project began...
The Original Bike
I was working to a budget so decided to buy a new frame and re-use parts, maybe upgrade a few bits over time. I wanted to stick with a Kona (because I like them) and go with a 26er to save changing wheels and forks. I settled on a NOS Kona Kula Watt Team, a 2013 model carbon frame.
I stripped the forks (RS Reba Race), and ordered a service kit with new bushes and oil. Prepped the legs for painting and resprayed in satin black. Whilst rebuilding I also increased the travel from 100mm to 115mm. Finished off with some new (not period) decals.
New frame arrived, incredibly lightweight and I went straight to work on building up. These frames come with a BB30 sized BB, so I chose the Praxis bottom bracket which essentially converts to an external bearing allowing fitment of Shimano HT etc. Reducer headset (HOPE) needed as my forks are 1 1/8th straight. I also had to convert my Hope Pro II hub to Pro Evo spec to allow for the new style Shimano Microspline free hub and cassette. As always budget went a little over, I ended up splashing out on a whole new XT 12s gear group set. After a few issues though it's now built and took it for it's first outing today.
I've also added a few other bits and bobs, new DMR V8s, grips, etc. I might look at a shorter stem I think as the next mod. Longer term, I'd quite like some new forks when funds allow.
Now as if I wasn't content with one bike build, I decided having my old Kula frame laying around was just too tempting to not do something with it. My other half doesn't have a bike and so that was all the excuse I needed. This was going to be a LOW budget build, parts bin special as far as possible.
I decided to respray the frame, rattle cans from Halfords. I'm not much of a painter, but having plenty of time on my hands I did plenty of prep and read up on technique. I went for a metallic pearlescent grey which is finished with a clear coat. Grand total of £22 spent so far...
I sourced a cheap pair of wheels and forks from a friend for a few quid. I've rebuilt the forks but not sprayed these ones! They work ok for their intended use, could do with a damper stanchion end cap seal as the oil is leaking past into the lower legs, but thats another day's job. I re-used my old chainset, XT front and rear mechs, DMR pedals, etc. Sourced some cheap eBay bits (seat post), clearance specials (Nukeproof bars, stem, SI saddle).
The item I was struggling with was brakes, I really didn't wan't to fit V-brakes and the rims wouldn't 't take them anyway. I was recommend the Clarks M2, so managed to get a left and right side (both rear) with a bit of cable adjust had them fitted fine. so far I'm really impressed with them, considering the full set with rotors cost £44.
Just waiting on new decals, but so far it's got me some brownie points with the war office and kept me quiet for another week of lockdown!
Great work 👍🏼
Blooomin love that grey paint job
V good!!!! 👍😎
I have a build going on currently however cannot upload pics due to restrictions on moby
Scotch 2228 rubber tape on the chainstay.
I managed to chip a new frame badly in one hour.
I did cut a piece of 3M vinyl out to help protect, you can just about see it in one of the photos, it's black. I did think it might be a bit thin to do much in the way of protecting. I'll have a look into the Scotch though, thanks.
That said, my other half is not likely to be doing much more than bumbling around on it, so it should have a fairly easy life
Grest. another 26er lives
Ive been using my time to upgrade my childrens bikes.
Eldest has moved from 24" wheels to 26".. using up older bits from the shed. Small Giant Anthem running 26" wheels on 27.5 frame and fork.
Younger one has small giant Trance running 24" wheels and shorter cranks on a 26" wheeled bike. (picture taken before the short cranks went on)
Finished just before lockdown so it counts.
Beanoir, I enjoyed that thanks. Great to the see the process.
Ahh, was just going to start a thread on this
Niche lockdown monstercross dinglespeed from me
Excellent work OP, especially the spray work!
Akira, that Shand is stunning!
2 bikes living again for not much cash, good work! Like the grey too, understated yet different.
Got a rebuild of my trail bike ongoing (waiting a delivery of parts) that wasn't meant to be happening as a new bike was on the cards this year.
I've got some of those Clarks brakes on my commuter bike, they're bloody impressive for the cash. Think I paid just over £36 for them with discs and mounts from their Amazon store a while back, might have even been a Black Friday deal. As much power as my Deore brakes on another bike but with less feel. My rear lever has developed a small rattle where the lever pivots as it's a plastic bush but not noticeable over traffic noise so not worth worrying about given their price.
Repurposed my steel plug into an awesome gravel bike. I'm absolutely loving it and have done loads of riding on it during lockdown. It's been perfect for finding new routes and avoiding gnar and car.
I love it
Nice work OP! I decided to repurpose my on one 45650b to a bikepacking rig. Some singular steel forks and a new handlebar with thinner tyres so far... Build will progress once the forks are sprayed black!
Nice work, some awesome projects on the go! Keen to see all the progress, so keep us all updated!
@gt56 are they BMX handlebars?
Ha they are a bit weird aren't they?! I thought I'd try them out as I'd like to mount lights unobscured by a handlebar bag - not sure on them yet but then I haven't ridden them; they might be amazing!
https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/HBOOMKB/on-one-mickey-handlebar
I think it's a great idea! What bag are you using?
I have purchased an airlock 13l jobby from alpkit. Looks ideal, and with those bars I'm thinking I could have that underneath and room for something else on top. The world is my oyster 🙂
For a laugh I'm building a SS, doubt I'll use it much but it passes the time, I only stripped the bike down the other week to change the frame & now I've stripped it again to swap the frame back again, the aim is sub 20lbs (just).
Original thread HERE.
Cheers.
I'm tempted to do another lockdown build, this thread is given me some inspiration to try something a bit different.
hmm...
Love that fatty Spoon.. why sell? I considered SS myself for the bikepacking build but worried it might limit my choice of terrain. Perhaps I should do another 🙂
Forks now a lovely shade of hammerite black 😂
I have purchased an airlock 13l jobby from alpkit.
I might have a look, quite fancy a bar bag. I'm not sure I'm ready for full on bikepacking yet, but like the idea of a bag to carry a small stove and do a brew and grub stop.
3 for 2 on bikepacking gear on planet x right now, we bought a waterproof frame, bar and saddle bag set for £40!
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Wife's 14" inbred frame from 2005?
Updated for the eldest with 26" parts from box in the shed
Deore LX 1x drivechain, bb7 brake on the back with Chris king, fox forks and xtr shifter.
She loves it and wants to go night riding on it with me
Just picked one up from Alpkit, the one that worked size wise for me was out of stock on Planet X. Good shout though 👍🏻 I quite liked the look of their Adventure bundle...
I reckon I’ve got a day pack sorted now.
I built up my old 1998 Schwinn Homegrown for my son who has outgrown his 24* wheeled Voodoo.
Proper parts bin special but hells bells it's light compared to a modern hardtail.
3x8 gears mix of LX to XTR running gear and an Alivio crank with XT rings (left over from a 1x conversion). XT parallel push Vs on back and cable disc up front, Avid Speed Dial levers and a Manitou Axel up front.
Have to ask myself at what point I accumulated a spare Chris King headset.
Haha! I found myself wondering if an XT groupset and DT Swiss rims were really necessary for my other half who can barely ride a bike! But it’s what I had. Probably drawn the line at CK headset!
Update.. the 45650b is nearly done. Tested mounting the new bags and all seems good
Had an (almost) full Geometron G16 to sell as a full bike, but ended up hanging up the frame in the shed and using all the parts on a bike that the two youngsters will use - Ragley MmmBop frame
Looks good @gt56 - how did the BMX bars works out with that bag?
Love the Ragley, nice colour combo, dark grey and 'kash'. Which dropper post is that?
It's a fox transfer post
Budget build finished, got the decals from Graphics Direct and I'm not that impressed with the quality of them, might try the other guy at retro stickers as he seems to get good feedback. Still, it looks ok for now.
I picked up a Space Chicken frame a couple of weeks ago when they were reduced, I already had most of the other parts spare to complete a build.
I thought it was going well until I came to put the chain on. Queue my family taking it in turns to come out and laugh at me.
I didn't think the gloss crank looked right anyway with the matt frame so a quick change to silver cranks and a touch of bar wrap (which looks very red but will fade) and the build is done.
45650b looks great 🙂
This is the start of mine for the wife. Circa 2012 carrera vulcan. Needed a right good clean before I used some meguiar's ultimate compound.
Some great looking bikes there.
I managed to convince myself that a new Five would be a good buy for my son as the frame was half price. Forgot that his old bike had 26" wheels!
Shield your eyes.........
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.......I did warn you.
Re-purposed spesh rockhopper frame off eBay and random spare parts bin stuff.
Go on then...here’s mine...
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That's nice
Bit late to the party, pub bike with bits from the parts bin, frame offa here + rattlecans and some cheap 27.5 wheels.
Finished this GT Grade frameset build for t’waife. She’s 6’4”.
Brief was lighter than my Raleigh touring/Audax bike and more stable than her SuperSix.
Came in at 20.5lb.
I've done two lockdown (re)builds so far:
Changing my Soul from a heavy 3x9 build to a much lighter 1x11 set-up (oval 34 up front and an 11-46 cassette):
Changing my Inbred (which hadn't been used since 2011!) from a rigid singlespeed to a geared 1x10 front suss set-up:
Dug this 2004 frame and forks out of the garage, the shock was toast so had to replace that, fitted a dropper and replaced the rear cassette for a 11-40t and a 30t single up front to make a ghetto 1x9 setup.
Chucked a non perished set of tyres on, and it’s just like I remember it. Tyres are pretty sketchy actually, are ‘Conti Vert Pros’ still popular on here?!
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49995921446_7484300772_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49995921446_7484300772_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2jaYaBC ]Rocky Mountain Switch SL[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/tookeyi/ ]iaintookey[/url], on Flickr
That RM Switch is awesome. I remember thinking that was an absolute monster of a bike..... but it looks like a trail bike now!
That’s good because trail riding is all I do nowadays anyway!
Really deserves a better photo, but my new frame, ordered at the start of lockdown finally arrived.
Definitely deserves some new, shinier parts, but this will do for now.
Can't get photos to work 😐
Replacing an old Carerra commuter which donated most of it's (non standard previously updated) parts:
Cove HJ, Exotic carbon fork, 1x9 SRAM, Hope Pro2 hubs with 26 rims, Avid Elixir brakes.
Based on a freebie Planet X Uncle John frame, this has undergone three incarnations - roadified CX, commuter and, now, gravel grinder. Built from 95% spares and parts bin acquisitions. Sora 2 X 9, Mavic Open Sport on XT hubs, Lyra mechanical discs, 37mm WTB Riddlers.
Not light, not packed with cutting edge technology but the most fun of the bikes I currently own (expensiver/faster roadie, bouncier 29er full sus).
Injury + lockdown conspired to result in a new frame and cranks for the 20er because bikes. Fiend Reynolds 21TT frame in trans green over raw for the record
Frame arrived at the start of lockdown. Enduro frame sold and parts swapped over. Its a quick bit of kit, even more with the X2 on the back.
Started looking like this:
Swapped out the rockshox bits for fox bits: