Complete rebuild of 1990's MTB to 2016 XT spec 1x10

[xxnick1975]

Top work, can't see you using that bottom gear much, unless you are going up a vertical wall!

 

[Silvergoat]

Re:

Apollo lift off! What a build, what a thread. Both insane and audacious but utterly dedicated, creative and highly ingenious. Remember chaps – bearing in mind the amount of industrious work and effort that has been put in – this inventive build and well-documented thread were only started on March 15th and now we're looking at a pretty much fully built ready-to-shred bike on April 15th.

Top marks NewRider for a genuinely enthralling addition to Retrobike that raises the bar. For someone new to bikes, you've done exceptional work and you've more than just preserved the spirit of your Dad's old bike. What was once a humble red Apollo, is now a timeless and rad-looking machine with a wonderful dark blue sparkling paint job and that awesome drivetrain.

 

[cherrybomb]

Re: Re:

Apollo lift off! What a build, what a thread. Both insane and audacious but utterly dedicated, creative and highly ingenious. Remember chaps – bearing in mind the amount of industrious work and effort that has been put in – this inventive build and well-documented thread were only started on March 15th and now we're looking at a pretty much fully built ready-to-shred bike on April 15th.

Top marks NewRider for a genuinely enthralling addition to Retrobike that raises the bar. For someone new to bikes, you've done exceptional work and you've more than just preserved the spirit of your Dad's old bike. What was once a humble red Apollo, is now a timeless and rad-looking machine with a wonderful dark blue sparkling paint job and that awesome drivetrain.

I couldn't have put it better.

But please, please, please; just so I can sleep at night, consider fitting some better brakes!

 

[Silvergoat]

Re:

and may be some cooler tyres and saddle too?

 

[NewRider]

Hi guys

Thanks for the kind messages and I am really pleased with the finished bike. Went for a quick ride around a couple of streets near me and its feels great and I think it seems to brake well. I think that I really need to work on my confidence though but I suppose saddle time sees to that. As stated previously I will put together a weight comparison and the build cost on this thread for interest now I will have a bit more time . I have really pushed on this build as I wanted to ensure I had as much practise time before the charity cycle.

In regard to the brakes can some one clarify what the main issue with them is. I think my next project may be to redesign these brakes as the main issue I found as stated in a previous post is not with the brake arms bending but with the plastic spacer that separates them, as this seems to flex. I am thinking of possibly replacing this with a stainless steel bearing perhaps to provide more free movement but without the flex. Any thoughts?

 

[redzephyr]

I think there are two main things which are causing all the comments re the brakes.

1- Most people in this section of retrobike are out an out mountain bike riders. I don't think any of us would trust those brakes for that sort of riding so there is generally a very low opinion of them.

2- There's also the section of the audience who objects to them on plain aesthetic reasons. Despite the lovely job you did on them, they are still cheap unbranded plain gauge single pivot calipers that will get no love from this crowd.

Since your not going do to that sort of riding you can ignore 1.
Given the effort you put in on them you can ignore 2 as well.

It's a great build, really unbelievable stuff.

However if/when you progress your riding you might get the itch to start improving the bike.
Since your transmission and wheels are now mint the brakes would be the next main focus....followed by the stem and seat post.

....That's pretty much how it started for me 20yrs ago at least...

I'm certain replacing the plastic spacer for a steel bearing is a good idea tho.

 

[Thias]

Hats off to you. I hope your charity ride goes well.

 

[NewRider]

I think there are two main things which are causing all the comments re the brakes.

1- Most people in this section of retrobike are out an out mountain bike riders. I don't think any of us would trust those brakes for that sort of riding so there is generally a very low opinion of them.

2- There's also the section of the audience who objects to them on plain aesthetic reasons. Despite the lovely job you did on them, they are still cheap unbranded plain gauge single pivot calipers that will get no love from this crowd.

Since your not going do to that sort of riding you can ignore 1.
Given the effort you put in on them you can ignore 2 as well.

It's a great build, really unbelievable stuff.

However if/when you progress your riding you might get the itch to start improving the bike.
Since your transmission and wheels are now mint the brakes would be the next main focus....followed by the stem and seat post.

....That's pretty much how it started for me 20yrs ago at least...

I'm certain replacing the plastic spacer for a steel bearing is a good idea tho.

Thank you for this explanation, and I totally get where your coming from.

I think the one part of the bike that on reflection I should have looked into more was the stem. I looked online several times during the course of the build while buying parts and I struggled to see a stem suitable for the bike, would yourself or anyone have and recommendations?

In regard to the seat post I reused this mainly for ease as there was nothing wrong with it, but if I changed it as mentioned there would this be to save weight or are there other advantages?

 

[redzephyr]

Re:

My very first Giant had a two piece clamp/post like yours, the clamp just wasn't up to mountain biking on rough trails. No matter how much I tightened it the seat would move. In the end disaster struck and the post failed halfway through a ride. That was an uncomfortable ride home and the last time i used a cheap post. Same with the stem... the clamp can be improved, but again probably not something that will be an issue for your riding.

The other reason to change post and stem is to improve your riding position. You might find you're a little too upright. Particularly on inclines, but with the gearing you have hills probably won't be an problem either! Once again that depends on the type of riding. So it's hard to recommend a stem as the perfect one for you depends on the position you like to ride in. Best to get a few kms under your belt on the bike so you have a feel for it. Bad positions make themselves known pretty quickly on long rides through aches.

So a new post and stem would be lighter as well having better clamps and you can adjust your position to suit you with layback, angle & length etc. However at this point, now you have done the wheels the weight savings are small to negligible. Most of the weight is now in the frame and you can't change that.

I'm 105kgs so I don't bother saving grams on expensive bike bits. What I have for breakfast will save more weight than any component on the bike ;-)

That said you'd probably find lighter tyres (like lighter rims) makes a difference because of the rotational mass.

The other reason to change parts is aesthetics. However, I think your build has integrity. It's true to what the original bike was built for and how you'll be using it. It's never going to be a single track shredding mtb bike or race bike.

 

[NewRider]

Re: Re:

My very first Giant had a two piece clamp/post like yours, the clamp just wasn't up to mountain biking on rough trails. No matter how much I tightened it the seat would move. In the end disaster struck and the post failed halfway through a ride. That was an uncomfortable ride home and the last time i used a cheap post. Same with the stem... the clamp can be improved, but again probably not something that will be an issue for your riding.

The other reason to change post and stem is to improve your riding position. You might find your a little too upright. Particularly on inclines, but with the gearing you have hills probably won't be an problem either! Once again that depends on the type of riding. So it's hard to recommend a stem as the perfect one for you depends on the position you like to ride in. Best to get a few kms under your belt on the bike so you have a feel for it. Bad positions make themselves known pretty quickly on long rides through aches.

So a new post and stem would be lighter as well having better clamps and you can adjust you position to suit you with layback, angle & length etc. However at this point, now you have done the wheels the weight savings are small to negligible. Most of the weight is now in the frame and you can't change that.

I'm 105kgs so I don't bother saving grams on expensive bike bits. What I have for breakfast will save more weight than any component on the bike ;-)

That said you'd probably find lighter tyres (like lighter rims) makes a difference because of the rotational mass.

The other reason to change parts is aesthetics. However, I think your build has integrity. It's true to what the original bike was built for and how you'll be using it. It's never going to be a single track shredding mtb bike or race bike.

Thank you for that, thats really useful to know. I went for a ride yesterday in the forest of dean with Phil who I work with and in the end we covered 9.8 miles. I was really pleased to achieve this although it did take a couple of hours and my backside was and still is absolutely killing me. Phil states its a combination of having never ridden for long before combined with a new saddle on a hard tale bike on cinder roads. Time to buy some padded shorts I think as the jeans I wore were probably not ideal.