84 Saracen ATB

[Tootyred]

Hi. Is there any tips to avoid having the nuts of the wheels scratching the bike paint when tying and untying them?

Washers help, but they will still spin a bit as they get tight. There are some nuts which have a captive washer on them too.

Im actually going to use some "slime" tubes i picked up in a charity shop a couple of years ago (been awaiting a good home ). As removing the wheels is a complete pita....once again thanks Sturmey archer!

To remove the wheels not only do you need to undo the bolts, but also disconnect the brake cable and remove the tension arm bolt / arm from the frame.....so as weights not really an issue I think 100g of extra sealant per tube may just save my sanity the first thorn i go over!

Plus the original set up uses 11mm nuts, a long flat blade screwdriver and a knurlednut which requires pliers .....all of which I obviously carry every time I go out cycling.......not .

 

[Tootyred]

I've also been thinking a bit more about how to finish this bike off....

Sadly the bars are beyond saving, the chrome has all but disappeared in the sheep dip...I'm not suprised it was very flaky to start with....see below.

But those being off the menu, has now made me think about other options...including a pair of early nitto bars.

I've always fancied a clunker style bike and the clean lines of the drum brakes certainly lend themselves to that.

I'm also in two minds as to whether to keep the original brake levers or swap them out for a pair of deerhead ones. The diacompe are original, but the deerhead are much more refined and nicer lever....both are the same era too.

It might come down to aesthetics in the end.

 

[27motorhead]

I've also been thinking a bit more about how to finish this bike off....

Sadly the bars are beyond saving, the chrome has all but disappeared in the sheep dip...I'm not suprised it was very flaky to start with....see below.

But those being off the menu, has now made me think about other options...including a pair of early nitto bars.

I've always fancied a clunker style bike and the clean lines of the drum brakes certainly lend themselves to that.

I'm also in two minds as to whether to keep the original brake levers or swap them out for a pair of deerhead ones. The diacompe are original, but the deerhead are much more refined and nicer lever....both are the same era too.

It might come down to aesthetics in the end.

You could get those bars rechromed, but at quite a cost! Some early Nitto bars sound great, but need pics of shape/profile/sweep etc.

Love the difference between the levers. The Deerhead are WAY more refined in everyway, but I really like the clunky/agricultural aesthetic of the Dia-compes, kinda' match the funky (yet clunky!) SA hubs!

Why is this the lever profiled as below? (Looks like a profiled steel plate sitting against the alu lever?) Intrigued if it offers any functionality:

 

[Tootyred]

The lever is made in 2 bits. Alluminium blade and a steel plate for the cable nipple amd pivot.

 

[Tootyred]

I did think about chrome plating it at work, but the metal has rusted under it quite badly and is pitted badly. Im not sure, without professional multi layer and polishing you would get very far. The last set of bars we had done were close to £200 by Vehicle and General in Bedford!

Its such a nasty process, nobody now wants to do 3 pass chrome anymore....pitty as there were 3 in the same area near me 20 years ago and it was dirt cheap!

 

[27motorhead]

I feel your pain. £200 is a crazy price, but completely understand why it costs that. And you’re 100% right, years ago you could get decent chroming done for not a lot, especially with small bike parts (Chopper fan here!) and they were well prepped. I ended up getting quite a few bits re-chromed for not a lot of cash and it always was cash too!

Guess those Nitto bars now sound very appealing and I haven’t even seen the shape on them!

 

[Tootyred]

Tyres.....now I've got some wheels....i need tyres.....but what colour? Solid black, in a Charlie Kelly klunker sytleeee or maybe red panaracer fires....more retro mod.....or maybe just good old smokes?

I will circle back round to that later.

Here are the bars I've decided to use....not exactly original spec, but right age and has the added advantage of makung the bike far more O.R.F.... (old rider friendly).

Plus as they are actually early 80s, they will fit the 22.2 stem clamp.

Bit of paint stripper and a buff up and they are as good as new.....

 

[Synthiaks]

Nice....love those bars!

 

[Synthiaks]

I've also been thinking a bit more about how to finish this bike off....

Sadly the bars are beyond saving, the chrome has all but disappeared in the sheep dip...I'm not suprised it was very flaky to start with....see below.

But those being off the menu, has now made me think about other options...including a pair of early nitto bars.

I've always fancied a clunker style bike and the clean lines of the drum brakes certainly lend themselves to that.

I'm also in two minds as to whether to keep the original brake levers or swap them out for a pair of deerhead ones. The diacompe are original, but the deerhead are much more refined and nicer lever....both are the same era too.

It might come down to aesthetics in the end.

I love deerhead levers, but those Diacompes look great on that bike.....its a tricky one, but if it were me I'd stick to the diacompes.

 

[Synthiaks]

Straightened the hanger...it was quite a way out, which may explain...along with other factors, the rattles of the original bike!

Fitted the rear wheel and sorted the brake arrangement.....taped the frame to stop the clamp damaging the paint.

I've also scrapped the original weird round knurled flat nut, that holds the torsion arm to the frame clamp....as to remove this required a long screwdriver through the spokes and a 7 mm spanner.....neither of which i ever carry in my tool kit! Without you can't get the wheel out to fix a flat! Oh Sturmey Archer.....again...wtaf were your engineering team thinking!

Also I'm thinking of a rack. I've got a broken original early 80s jim Blackburn....but it has a couple of busted welds....oh and its too big....and its missing its stays...... So ive actually got a few bits of alluminium rod.....time to rev up the welder.

I've fashioned some stays for it from a dead rack, bit of heating and bending.....im sure it will all be fine!

Chains on, its a bitza. Lighty used 8 speed kmc extended with a bit of left over sram.....the chain stays are loooooong. 480mm !

Well at least it will be stable....if not the most responsive hill climber ever!

The frame looks great in these pics, like its re-finished.