98 clockwork - rebuild take 2

[Captain Stupido]

Re: My first Orange.

This build stalled for a while as for various reasons I've not really been working on bikes for the past couple of years...but getting back into it again.

Dug this out of storage - this is as far as I got... the yellow grips aren't staying but I'm quite into the gold bits actually... Anyway got some XT mechs and v-brakes to go on it plus a Flite on its way. Looking forward to riding it soon hopefully!

It's going to be a rolling project, I'm sure I'll be tweaking and improving it as I go along, and the aim for the build is something practical and reasonably comfortable which suits my riding preferences and aesthetic taste rather than obsessing about period details etc... in other words a bit of a mish mash of parts from different eras, but hopefully it'll come together in the end.

 

[brocklanders023]

Re:

Good stuff. Best colour and decals Orange ever did

 

[Captain Stupido]

Re: My first Orange.

Did a bit more today, fitted the mechs and serviced the grotty looking brake set with new pad insets. Slowly slowly it's starting to look like a bike...

 

[Silvergoat]

Re:

Looking good!

 

[Captain Stupido]

Re: My first Orange.

Slowly getting there... actually I should be out there spannering, not wasting time on the internet.

Anyway, thinking that a slightly shorter & higher stem might be more comfortable...what you got?

And bars maybe silver rather than black, have got some here...

 

[wiggviv]

Re: My first Orange.

Looking good - putting a '94 Clockwork together myself satin black with Silver block decals came with added patina been stood for 12 years going to leave and ride this one...........

ps - have the same wood burner gave it a lick of satin black yesterday ............to match th Clocky

 

[Captain Stupido]

Re: My first Orange.

Looking good - putting a '94 Clockwork together myself satin black with Silver block decals came with added patina been stood for 12 years going to leave and ride this one...........

ps - have the same wood burner gave it a lick of satin black yesterday ............to match th Clocky

Nice! We had a little fire last night. I was thinking about painting mine but I think I'm going to let it rust.

Made a bit more progress yesterday - installed brake pads and cables. I had some help from 4 year old son so it took nearly all day. I'd forgotten how obsessive I get about getting that stuff absolutely spot on... and I'm still not quite happy. :roll:

Had a slight problem with the brakes (XT M750) not having enough push in the springs even with the adjusters wound fully in. In the end I resorted to manually bending one or two of them out a little which seems to have worked, but would welcome any advice on the "right" way to do this. If anything there's still only just enough tension there, most of the adjusters are wound in pretty tight, but they seem to stop well and spring back out OK.

Another small problem was the front mech (FD-M735) I'd earmarked (and fitted) is a bottom pull one. I'm so used to older bikes that I always forget about top pull when I'm working on a "modern" retro like this. Have found a rusty STX-RC which I'll probably fit for now but if anyone has anything nicer then send a PM. Is this a 28.6 seat tube? I'll go check in a bit...

 

[Captain Stupido]

Re: My first Orange.

Have found a rusty STX-RC which I'll probably fit for now but if anyone has anything nicer then send a PM. Is this a 28.6 seat tube? I'll go check in a bit...

Spent some time cleaning up the STX-RC mech only to discover that the frame is 31.8. Of course. Got a suitable M739 on the way via eBay. By the time I'm finished, this bike is going to have pretty much every generation of XT on it... Will be a miracle if it all works.

So much for using up bits I had in the shed...In the end aside from cables and pads I think the brake levers are the only bits I didn't buy especially for this build. :facepalm:

 

[reanimation]

Re: My first Orange.

This looks great the frame had me fooled at first. Quite inspiring to do my 93 this year or maybe even my 99 P7!
So it's a 97 C16 in the style of a 92 Clockwork.

 

[Captain Stupido]

Re: My first Orange.

This looks great the frame had me fooled at first. Quite inspiring to do my 93 this year or maybe even my 99 P7!
So it's a 97 C16 in the style of a 92 Clockwork.

Thanks, yeah something like that. I bought the frame on an impulse, not really thinking about exactly what it was, but actually it's sort of inspired its own build. What it lacks in authenticity it's made up for versatility. I'm generally aiming at the mid 90s but if it looks OK (and works) then it is OK...

I'm quite liking the combination of proper thumbies and relatively simple/rugged/cheap 7 speed drivetrain with threadless 1 1/8 headset, V-brakes etc. Sort of best of the 90s in terms of simplicity and reliability. I would like some nicer forks, I think, but funds are limited at the moment.

Front mech arrived from eBay so its possible I'll get it riding this weekend. Still a bit unsure about the brakes (anyone?). Funny because I chose Vs over cantis for the ease of set-up! Have had a similar problem with STX Vs before, but as they were nothing special I solved it by replacing with brand new Tektros. The XTs are quite nice, so probably worth persevering with. Actually, as I say they seem to work OK anyway, I'm being fussy as usual.

Had a slight problem with the brakes (XT M750) not having enough push in the springs even with the adjusters wound fully in. In the end I resorted to manually bending one or two of them out a little which seems to have worked, but would welcome any advice on the "right" way to do this. If anything there's still only just enough tension there, most of the adjusters are wound in pretty tight, but they seem to stop well and spring back out OK.