A 2000 Kona Cindercone parts-bin gravel bike

More fiddling with the cantis on this thing, which has become a kind of permanent work-in-progress.

After reading a couple of threads on here about canti set-up, it was clear to me that my initial work on this was decidedly sub-par, so I disconnected everything and re-set the angle of the canti arms as well as adjusting the straddle-cable lengths and replacing the pads.

The new pads are nearly new Koolstops, which is good; they are bright red, which just adds another shade to this build's overall palette.

They feel much sharper now -- I'm off for a short spin to see how that impression translates to real-world conditions.

Next -- some shallow-drop bars and a stem with a bit more rise. The latter's on the way; still waiting to find the right bar at the right price.


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Can't stop meddling . . . this arrived today, thanks to an internet sale. This no longer an official parts-bin build.

The brand is BBB which doesn't appear to be very retro, but it seems to be nicely made. It won't solve the issue of the too-deep handlebar drop, but may bring the tops closer in both height and reach, which the old lower back will appreciate.

Stay tuned for handlebar news!

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Yesterday some second-hand PRO gravel bars arrived . . . thanks local Gumtree! So while the bike is definitely not a parts-bin special anymore, all parts are second-hand or repurposed except for the gear cable, bar tape and tyres.

Put it all together today and took her out for a bit of a test ride. It's a huge improvement -- the bars are closer to me so the riding position isn't quite so stretched, and the shallower drops are definitely useable. It's been a very windy autumn day, so pootled around some back roads rather than tackling any of the usual climbs, but am pretty happy with it overall. It's certainly effective when the road turns upward.

I'm not saying it's now done, but it's close -- and it's a useable option in the arsenal.

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