Diamondback Apex build

[twain]

Re:

A little trip to the shops at lunch (drizzly and windy but still enjoyable) and it's taking some getting used to, feels very slim and nimble, the saddle is slippery, but I don't really mind that (probably more to do with my trousers).
Everything works lovely, the forks are weeping a little, but I'm not worried about that as they are extremely easy to service.
The only niggle is that the front wheel seems off slightly. I don't know if it's the fork legs or the dishing of front wheel, but there is a definite difference in clearance from the non drive side of wheel compared to drive side.
Anyway. While I think about that, have a look at the finished article

 

[Muddy paw]

Gorgeous mate as for those bars crikey! they are really narrow mate :shock: and looking at that saddle it's no surprise you've found it slippery as it's very shiny and the spoon of the saddle seems pretty narrow and well rounded over the top so i'm not sure if you'll resolve the slipping on the saddle by changing to a different pair of trousers ..

The forks may just require a pair of new seals to resolve the weeping issue but if it's as little as you say it is then nothing to worry about then ..

Any way your update seems really positive mate and i love a bike that feels quick and nimble and yours just looks amazingly tidy and i love the colour contrast between the frame and forks ..

As for the front wheel position well is it possible to reposition the axle in the hub to even out the clearance on both sides ..

 

[ultrazenith]

Looking good!

 

[Super_G]

Re:

Wow. This is such a throwback for me. I had, well actually I still have, an axis in the same colour running Judy XC's. Did a few National races on it back in the mid 90's. Was a fast XC machine and was very light. Will put it back on the road one day, when time allows. Out of interest, the white shop sticker on the downtube, it's not Warminster Cycle Centre is it?

Keep up the good work and enjoy

 

[ultrazenith]

Re: Re:

Wow. This is such a throwback for me. I had, well actually I still have, an axis in the same colour running Judy XC's. Did a few National races on it back in the mid 90's. Was a fast XC machine and was very light. Will put it back on the road one day, when time allows. Out of interest, the white shop sticker on the downtube, it's not Warminster Cycle Centre is it?

Keep up the good work and enjoy

As the original owner of the frame, yes, it is Warminster cycles

I bought the complete bike back in summer 1997, after seeing an ad in the back of what was then the latest MBUK.

 

[twain]

Re:

That is a keen eye you have there! I'm loving this bike, and glad I got a chance to build it up after such a long time looking for it only 2 gripes. The wheel alignment needs resolving on the front wheel (think it's fork related) and I might change the death brakes to v's. Some XT ones I think. Or XTR.....

 

[Super_G]

Re:

This makes our bike pretty much brothers then! The reason I recognised the Warminster Cycles sticker was that I got mine from there too, and at around the same time. Maybe our bikes have met before

I found the Judy XC's had a lot of flex in when using a standard hub, So built up a new wheel using a Hope Suspension hub. Made the front wheel track a whole load better over the rough and meant the brakes didn't run nearly as much during hard sideways force.

Unfortunately my paintwork hasn't survived as well as yours and has worn through in several places. I think a reapray will be on the cards before recommissioning. Shame, as the sunburst red does look quite retro cool

 

[twain]

Re:

If your areas of paint wear aren't too large, I found a near perfect nail varnish match which I'm sure I can dig out and let you know. A few pages back you'll see where I worked on the chain stay pitting I need to give the front wheel alignment some attention to solve that mystery I was planning on using this at Mountain mayhem next year but I may just use it as a run around between laps I just don't trust those brakes!!!

 

[Super_G]

I haven't used canti brakes in anger for quite some time now, so I can't comment on their performance, but I intend to rebuild with the original brake setup. Maybe then i'll feel the same about how deadly they are.

Thanks for the offer of digging out the nail varnish name, but believe it or not, I think I still have the original touch up paint that came with the bike! It was never a perfect match, but very close. I've actually worn through the paint on the seat and chain stays and almost on the top tube. Chipping on the down tube is pretty bad for me, and unfortunately my crud gaurd zip ties damaged my downtube stickers so badly, that I decided to remove them. They're actually under the lacquer, so that was a bad idea, as I now have steps in the paint were the decals were. As a result my intention was to respray the frame, but in a titanium / nickel style colour. That's yet to be decided but I will post pictures before I make irreversible moves!

 

[k-rod]

Re:

Balderdash!

Properly set-up cantis have ample stopping power ... enuff to either lock up the rear wheel in an instant, or throw you over the front bars just as fast (if you lock up the front).