1995 Lava Dome ATB

[originsoundd]

Tomorrow I'm going to mock the bike up the best I can and gonna take it to a home-run shop near me to figure out what to do with my headset. I want to run threadless ideally so going to look into fork options and/or a replacement headset. Also getting my wheels trued.

I've already had a look at the chainline by eye and it seems quite out of whack. The middle cog on the 9x casette lines up with the smallest on the front. Pretty confident the 122.5mm BB is also the smallest that would work without the cranks contacting the frame. Maybe 118 would just work.

 

[originsoundd]

Mocked it up today and took it to an LBS for truing. Excited to get this done! Bars, pedals, seatpost, saddle and maybe shifters are all placeholder for now. Ordered a 4.5mm shorter axle BB to try bring the Q factor down a bit but the chainline is spot on with the 122.5 BB. Frustratingly I couldn't find any ISO 68x118mm BBs so I ordered a JIS one to try with some different cranks. Maybe I'll end up using those. Also not sure if I'm keen on the friction shifting, on the 10 min ride to the LBS it was a bit confusing but perhaps it's something I need to get used to. Will go for a longer ride this weekend once I get the bike back. As for the headset, decided to go for a stem converter to run the bars I originally intended rather than changing the fork.

 

[shepp]

Mocked it up today and took it to an LBS for truing. Excited to get this done! Bars, pedals, seatpost, saddle and maybe shifters are all placeholder for now. Ordered a 4.5mm shorter axle BB to try bring the Q factor down a bit but the chainline is spot on with the 122.5 BB. Frustratingly I couldn't find any ISO 68x118mm BBs so I ordered a JIS one to try with some different cranks. Maybe I'll end up using those. Also not sure if I'm keen on the friction shifting, on the 10 min ride to the LBS it was a bit confusing but perhaps it's something I need to get used to. Will go for a longer ride this weekend once I get the bike back. As for the headset, decided to go for a stem converter to run the bars I originally intended rather than changing the fork.

View attachment 949299

Lovely build, definitely a good choice with the stem adapter!!

 

[originsoundd]

Went for a shakedown ride today with the new stem converter, bars and grips. I was not expecting it to be perfect but I also didn't expect it to be that bad. I'm using a placeholder stem, of which the reach is wayyyy too long and my shoulders were aching after about 40 minutes. I'm hoping a shorter stem resolves this (and the odd look), but I have a feeling I might have to go up in frame size so a frame swap might be pending. My seat is substantially higher than the bars are at their max height and it feels like I'm putting too much weight on my wrists/shoulders. In any case I'll have to see once I get the stem. My 18" Hahanna that I ride to work feels much bigger and weightier but it's a lot more comfortable, where as this is super agile and snappy but feels a little small. I think a 17" frame might be a perfect size for me.

I also installed a front mech today, an Exage 500LX. It works well but the chainline seems less than ideal. Again, further shakedowns will confirm whether it's that much of an issue. The clearances around this area of the bike are ridiculous, I'm guessing due to the size but I managed to adjust the limit screws accordingly and I now have a working front mech.

I also had a go at the cable routing I queried about in this thread and completley cocked it up! I think my small frame has shorter chainstays so drilling out the dog collar to fit the cable wasn't going to work, learning the hard way I suppose! I could sort of see it wasn't going to fit as soon as I put the seatclamp on but I decided to just send it with the rest of it to see how bad it really was. It's bad.

To be perfectly honest I'm feeling pretty deflated about this whole build. I've spent ~£1,200 on parts, frames and tools as well as 100s of hours of research and part hunting to get to this point and it doesn't really feel coherent or complete at all. I'm planning a mini trip to Bristol (~230km) in 2 weeks time so am gonna have try something put together for that to test the full setup, bags and all.

 

[bikeworkshop]

You can rotate the collar and bend the noodle to get the cable run working on the v brake - once the pads are aligned and the cable tensioned.
Wide bars often cause shoulder pain over longer distances.

 

[dirttorpedo]

Nice bike and the build is coming along nicely. I have a 94 cinder cone and have struggled with what to do about the threaded fork. There are some 1 1/8th quill stems in short reach and high rise with a two bolt faceplate that might be a good option for you - particularly running Jones style bars. Another option is to run some classic riser bars and mount a set of bar ends inside the shifters to give you a more aero alternative hand position (I'm trying this currently on a Surly Troll). Personally I'd stick with the friction shifting if you want to use this for touring because its so much more robust and field repairable than indexed pod shifters. A third alternative is to see if you can get a 1 1/8th dirt drop stem and try drop bars and bar end shifters. You might find that a better alternative for long distance touring if you are sticking to paved/unpaved roads.

Edited to add, I think Velobase includes the correct BB spindle length for the cranks in the database.

 

[originsoundd]

Nice bike and the build is coming along nicely. I have a 94 cinder cone and have struggled with what to do about the threaded fork. There are some 1 1/8th quill stems in short reach and high rise with a two bolt faceplate that might be a good option for you - particularly running Jones style bars. Another option is to run some classic riser bars and mount a set of bar ends inside the shifters to give you a more aero alternative hand position (I'm trying this currently on a Surly Troll). Personally I'd stick with the friction shifting if you want to use this for touring because its so much more robust and field repairable than indexed pod shifters. A third alternative is to see if you can get a 1 1/8th dirt drop stem and try drop bars and bar end shifters. You might find that a better alternative for long distance touring if you are sticking to paved/unpaved roads.

Edited to add, I think Velobase includes the correct BB spindle length for the cranks in the database.

I've not been able to find any suitable 1 1/8th stems so far, any particular brands to look out for? Times ticking for me and I want to get the bike dialled a couple weeks before I leave so I can properly test it and whatnot. I've picked up some Surly Corner bars for £40 and I do have a pair of gravel drop bars too. I've ordered a 50mm stem which I'm hoping will sort out the reach issue!

 

[dirttorpedo]

I've not been able to find any suitable 1 1/8th stems so far, any particular brands to look out for? Times ticking for me and I want to get the bike dialled a couple weeks before I leave so I can properly test it and whatnot. I've picked up some Surly Corner bars for £40 and I do have a pair of gravel drop bars too. I've ordered a 50mm stem which I'm hoping will sort out the reach issue!

Something like this

https://www.amazon.ca/WEEROCK-22-2mm（1-Aluminum-Gooseneck-Bicycle/dp/B0CSS9QJ2Q/ref=asc_df_B0CSS9QJ2Q?mcid=f1a30e91ccee3a0d89aac7705d635df5&tag=googleshopc0c-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=706758486190&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=7986613058363514885&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9001532&hvtargid=pla-2294937729486&gad_source=1&th=1

or this

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/30538175219...9TTh-Padc0VAYgITghQGiiNCXv5yjz3O7cqlCVrfNHzzA

I've been thinking about trying Surly Corner Bars on my Troll as well - most of my bikes have drops now and while I like the risers for short rides I may want to tour on the Troll and I think something with more hand positions would be better.

 

[bikeworkshop]

You can shim the steerer and use an inch stem? They are more freely available in short/tall sizes, and would look less lumpen than the quill/ahead conversion with ahead stem, although this latter will cost the least and offer the most options.

 

[originsoundd]

Something like this

https://www.amazon.ca/WEEROCK-22-2mm（1-Aluminum-Gooseneck-Bicycle/dp/B0CSS9QJ2Q/ref=asc_df_B0CSS9QJ2Q?mcid=f1a30e91ccee3a0d89aac7705d635df5&tag=googleshopc0c-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=706758486190&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=7986613058363514885&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9001532&hvtargid=pla-2294937729486&gad_source=1&th=1

or this

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/30538175219...9TTh-Padc0VAYgITghQGiiNCXv5yjz3O7cqlCVrfNHzzA

I've been thinking about trying Surly Corner Bars on my Troll as well - most of my bikes have drops now and while I like the risers for short rides I may want to tour on the Troll and I think something with more hand positions would be better.

Do 31.8 bars fit in those 25.4 clamps? Just had a fiddle around and went on two quick 1 min rides and it seems like my bars are way too low. If I raise my stem converter as high as it'll possibly go it feels almost right, well exceeding min insertion. I think I need to size up... Here's some photos of what I've got set up at the moment.