Gaddmeister
Retrobike Rider
Re:
Ah yes manners! I shall try not to use my feet again!
Ah yes manners! I shall try not to use my feet again!
I do love building wheels!
- Thread starter Gaddmeister
- Start date
M-Power
Old School Grand Master
Re:
Gotta be honest my bike OCD comes partially from seeing horror bike builds and repairs by ex bike shop mechanics spaced out from smoking too much weed and on a more serious note, a cycle courier mate died a horrible death from an incorrectly installed BB from another shop, which suddenly seized when he was being followed too closely by a HGV around Trafalgar Sq. RIP
Bike set up has to be perfect for me to ride. I'm always fettling. I'm obsessional about brake toe in, neat cabling, headset and BB adjustment, cantilever centering as well as wheel builds. However, if I could change one mindset on RB it would be the lack of love for well used looking bikes on BOTM and Iconoclassic. Bit too much of an obsession with making the bike look as new. Or maybe I'm just jealous :facepalm:
Gotta be honest my bike OCD comes partially from seeing horror bike builds and repairs by ex bike shop mechanics spaced out from smoking too much weed
and on a more serious note, a cycle courier mate died a horrible death from an incorrectly installed BB from another shop, which suddenly seized when he was being followed too closely by a HGV around Trafalgar Sq. RIPBike set up has to be perfect for me to ride. I'm always fettling. I'm obsessional about brake toe in, neat cabling, headset and BB adjustment, cantilever centering as well as wheel builds. However, if I could change one mindset on RB it would be the lack of love for well used looking bikes on BOTM and Iconoclassic. Bit too much of an obsession with making the bike look as new. Or maybe I'm just jealous :facepalm:
Gaddmeister
Retrobike Rider
Re:
Maybe botm should include well used bikes sometimes?
Maybe botm should include well used bikes sometimes?
Gaddmeister
Retrobike Rider
Re:
How do we make it happen? It's like original classic cars that have patina, yet ooze so much character!
How do we make it happen? It's like original classic cars that have patina, yet ooze so much character!
Re:
I'm all for that!
Nothing worse than seeing a bike lovingly put together,and knowing it's only ever going to be looked at.
However, where do we draw the line at being ridden? Up and down a canal path/cycle track, slowly so as not to chip the paint.
Photos of bikes being raced would be good, but of course you'd need help.with an action photo
Never heard of garage queens til I joined here!
Mike
I'm all for that!
Nothing worse than seeing a bike lovingly put together,and knowing it's only ever going to be looked at.
However, where do we draw the line at being ridden? Up and down a canal path/cycle track, slowly so as not to chip the paint.
Photos of bikes being raced would be good, but of course you'd need help.with an action photo
Never heard of garage queens til I joined here!
Mike
tbh when I was putting my Zaskar back together I toyed for a while with the idea of getting new decals and so on and in the end fell down on the side of, 'but it wouldn't feel like my bike then'. (Although I may change my mind at some point ) It's also got a ding in the top tube where I dropped it on a wall once (trying to be clever and trying to do some trials). Not perfect - but my bike showing my history with it. I also tend to end up riding it in Saracan kit because that's part of my own history of MTB. Again, not OCD perfect on a GT but I know why.
That said, it takes all sorts - and I do love drooling over some of the garage queens - beautiful, rare old bikes with nice components; lovingly and obsessionally put together and cared for. Or even the mid, lower end bikes that remind you of your roots. I don't have a problem with that side of it at all - it's nice to have a snap shot of what it was like then, instead of my battered old steed.
) It's also got a ding in the top tube where I dropped it on a wall once (trying to be clever and trying to do some trials). Not perfect - but my bike showing my history with it. I also tend to end up riding it in Saracan kit because that's part of my own history of MTB. Again, not OCD perfect on a GT but I know why.That said, it takes all sorts - and I do love drooling over some of the garage queens - beautiful, rare old bikes with nice components; lovingly and obsessionally put together and cared for. Or even the mid, lower end bikes that remind you of your roots. I don't have a problem with that side of it at all - it's nice to have a snap shot of what it was like then, instead of my battered old steed.
Gaddmeister
Retrobike Rider
Re:
I could be like the V dub scene and have the 'rat look'
I could be like the V dub scene and have the 'rat look'
Silvergoat
Senior Retro Guru
- Feedback
- View
Re:
I’ve still got some ‘rat look’ pics knocking around somewhere still. It would be great to see some retrobikes with battle scars and still toughing it out in regular daily use today.
I’m generally torn between preserving the bike in meticulous condition and just letting go, allowing the bike to age and develop character, as others have said. I use my bike constantly and it’s always evolving with repairs, upgrades or from swapping bits just on a whim. It’s never going to be a brochure condition period correct garage queen. At the moment I’m debating whether to keep it as it is to let it age or whether to do a complete strip/paint/resto job to see it through the next ten years.
That said, because I rely on it so much, I do keep it well maintained. The guy running the local ‘bike boutique’ always laughs when he sees me: “that bike’s so clean man!”. Every 3 months, the bike gets completely stripped and cleaned, with all new outer and inner cables, brake pads and grips. Every weekend or so, the drive train gets a clean, pulling the rear derailleur and its jockey/pulley wheels apart. Doing this might seem OCD but it keeps the bike fast and efficient – “marginal gains”.
There is something to be said for attention to detail and rigorously checking your bike regularly. I’ve had a number of close shaves on the roads that underline this. One time, the barrel ends snapped off in the levers whilst braking for a crossing. I had cantis fitted so this meant the straddle wires dropped into the knobbier of the tyres, causing me to skid to a dramatic halt in front of terrified pedestrians. Second time, the free hub shattered whilst in the middle of heavy traffic. Managed to get off the road and to the nearest LBS. Third time, the bolt of the seat clamp sheared, dropping me on the road, which was fortunately quiet. Fourth time, I flatted out. I rarely suffer punctures, so it had been a long time since I’d had the tyres off. Took everything off the wheel only to see a number of cracks running around the rim. These were old FIRs from the early 90’s. Ditched these at work and got a cheap ‘emergency’ wheel set from a nearby Halfords. After a year of use, the free hub of the Halfords rear shattered – see above. Fifth time, a rail on a vintage Vetta saddle snapped :cry:
If your life depends on all of your bike working reliably and safely, particularly when commuting amongst fast heavy traffic, then it helps to be a bit obsessive about the details and maintenance.
I’d love to see more retrobikes out there being ridden and enjoyed. It seems a bit sad to think of them closeted in garages or wherever, pretty much existing as museum pieces. But then again, it’s great to see beautiful pristine old bikes being preserved, hopefully to be appreciated by anyone who wished they could have had an exotic MTB at the dawn of time.
I’m heading out west next week to the Malvern Autumn Show – might hopefully get to see some V-Dubs out for the last meets of summer. Love a good rat V-Dub. But then again, I equally love a beautifully restored mint one too... :facepalm:
I’ve still got some ‘rat look’ pics knocking around somewhere still. It would be great to see some retrobikes with battle scars and still toughing it out in regular daily use today.
I’m generally torn between preserving the bike in meticulous condition and just letting go, allowing the bike to age and develop character, as others have said. I use my bike constantly and it’s always evolving with repairs, upgrades or from swapping bits just on a whim. It’s never going to be a brochure condition period correct garage queen. At the moment I’m debating whether to keep it as it is to let it age or whether to do a complete strip/paint/resto job to see it through the next ten years.
That said, because I rely on it so much, I do keep it well maintained. The guy running the local ‘bike boutique’ always laughs when he sees me: “that bike’s so clean man!”. Every 3 months, the bike gets completely stripped and cleaned, with all new outer and inner cables, brake pads and grips. Every weekend or so, the drive train gets a clean, pulling the rear derailleur and its jockey/pulley wheels apart. Doing this might seem OCD but it keeps the bike fast and efficient – “marginal gains”.
There is something to be said for attention to detail and rigorously checking your bike regularly. I’ve had a number of close shaves on the roads that underline this. One time, the barrel ends snapped off in the levers whilst braking for a crossing. I had cantis fitted so this meant the straddle wires dropped into the knobbier of the tyres, causing me to skid to a dramatic halt in front of terrified pedestrians. Second time, the free hub shattered whilst in the middle of heavy traffic. Managed to get off the road and to the nearest LBS. Third time, the bolt of the seat clamp sheared, dropping me on the road, which was fortunately quiet. Fourth time, I flatted out. I rarely suffer punctures, so it had been a long time since I’d had the tyres off. Took everything off the wheel only to see a number of cracks running around the rim. These were old FIRs from the early 90’s. Ditched these at work and got a cheap ‘emergency’ wheel set from a nearby Halfords. After a year of use, the free hub of the Halfords rear shattered – see above. Fifth time, a rail on a vintage Vetta saddle snapped :cry:
If your life depends on all of your bike working reliably and safely, particularly when commuting amongst fast heavy traffic, then it helps to be a bit obsessive about the details and maintenance.
I’d love to see more retrobikes out there being ridden and enjoyed. It seems a bit sad to think of them closeted in garages or wherever, pretty much existing as museum pieces. But then again, it’s great to see beautiful pristine old bikes being preserved, hopefully to be appreciated by anyone who wished they could have had an exotic MTB at the dawn of time.
I’m heading out west next week to the Malvern Autumn Show – might hopefully get to see some V-Dubs out for the last meets of summer. Love a good rat V-Dub. But then again, I equally love a beautifully restored mint one too... :facepalm:
Attachments
Gaddmeister
Retrobike Rider
Re:
Back on topic......I still like building wheels! And what I have learned is that the logos all need to line up, along with certain spokes to fit your pump! Snowflakes are too daring and using your feet is bad manners and not good practice. Although my logos do not align, I should ride fast to avoid finger pointing and that non aligning logos are more likely to cause buckling. All I can say is there are plenty of logos to feast your eyes on the bike.....my wheels are the least of your worries!
Back on topic......I still like building wheels!
And what I have learned is that the logos all need to line up, along with certain spokes to fit your pump! Snowflakes are too daring and using your feet is bad manners and not good practice. Although my logos do not align, I should ride fast to avoid finger pointing and that non aligning logos are more likely to cause buckling. All I can say is there are plenty of logos to feast your eyes on the bike.....my wheels are the least of your worries! 
