my new aluminium O build thread update 10/03/11

[jonnyboy666]

here are a couple of pics of my condor bikes to explain what i need to possibly do. the pic of the white frame shows a brake cable stop, if i could get 4 of these then drill them out so the outer goes all the way through i think that will be the best bet and the measure up to fit the holes aswel.

if that doesn't work then the other pic shows what i think is the neatest use of a washer and ziptie to attach a cable to a frame that i have seen. but i would much prefer the guide option.

 

[MikeD]

How about some self-adhesive ones?

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/MPart ... 360007956/

 

[jonnyboy666]

i had thought about those but i'm gonna email a few frame builders etc and see if they can help out with the propper stops, i'd rather try and do it properly rather than zip tie anything but having said that i do think the condor ziptie and washer works very well as the washers are stainless steel and the way they are fitted they don't touch the paint and the ziptie is one of the stronger ones as opposed to the skinny ones used with the plastic guides, there is one bonus of the plastic guide is that they would cover the holes where the condor washer method wouldn't.

glad to know someone is thinking about it though!

 

[MikeD]

Given the number of holes, didn't that frame originally have the little plastic pop-in guides like Pace used? It must have had continuous housing, otherwise there'd only be stops at the ends. If you get hold of the metal stops, you'll have to do something to cover the "spare" holes anyway, so I think I'd be tempted to stick things on. Although the fact that they come in a pack of three and you need four is a bit annoying ;-)

Apparently Jagwire do similar ones but in aluminium and with a hole to thread the housing through rather than using a ziptie, which look quite neat. Never seen them in real life, though.

Who did the powder coat? I'm edge of New Forest, might well have use of a tried and tested local outfit...

 

[jonnyboy666]

i haven't seen the pace ones, i was gonna get 4 guides and drill them out to run outer all the way through, god knows why it's like that though, as you say mostly things like this would be done in 3's not 4's. my 07 clockwork for example is running discs and they use 3 guides on the toptube so why it has 4 sets of holes is beyond me.

the powder coater i used is ok, don't expect the most prompt service though, he said a "few days" which was fine and easily quick enough but it got put to the back of the job list a couple of times and turned into 9/10 days and a couple of "he's doing it as his next job" excuses. don't get me wrong 9/10 days is plenty quick enough but if it's gonna be 9/10 days don't quote 3 or 4! :roll: also they are generally an industrial orientated place as opposed to private small stuff place. they are based in Totton. from Rushington roundabout (going towards southampton) turn into rumbridge street then take the 1st left into Brokenford lane (very narrow entrance between 2 buildings) then go all the way to the bottom and turn left into a little industrial estate, drive past the nissan pajero's scattered around and they are on the right hand side. the office is further in on the left, see a guy called john, he charged me £40. overall i am happy with the quality of the work but you will need to re-cut the threads etc , i blanked them off with old bolts and an old bb unit to keep as much crap as poss out of the threads, you will also need to face the headset and bb shell after. remember they are used to painting steel beams and garden gates etc not bikes!

if you want to see the frame up close to check what you think you're welcome to pop round and see it at somepoint, i'm just down past blackfield.

 

[makster]

You should look at those holes as a blessing mate. Now you've 'found' them you'll find a proper solution where as you would always have been un-happy with cable ties and washers

 

[jonnyboy666]

today i should have been prepping bikes for going to the alps tomorrow but i found myself faffing with this!! :roll:

i nipped into my old shop yesterday and took the frame so that i could get the b/b and headset etc faced and clean out all the threads that were full of excess shotblast, damn stuff gets everywhere!! :x

any how, i decided to get it into a rolling chassis, then the next thing i knew i had almost finished it!!! i didn't realise just how many bits i had available for it!

i used the LX 8 speed gearset i had although the shifters are the older model STX-RC unbadged shifters, the front mech is being used elsewhere at the mo but will end up on this bike. the hubs are both LX but the rims don't match, the front will be replaced as it is the FIR model of rim that is made of cheese!! so i'll get a mavic 221 to match the rear. the fork is just a basic model i had lying around but it will be replaced at some point with probably a pace rc30/1 or similar. the brakes are avid something or other but the better quality ones. the bar, stem and post are FSA and i also want to change the saddle but it will do for now.

i still haven't sorted the rear brake cable issue, i have emailed a couple of frame builders, the gents at bob jackson got right back to me but after a couple of emails they couldn't get the part i needed, still talking to a couple of others so hopefully i can get something sensible sorted.

as far as decals go i was thinking of having "orange" written in silver in the normal font (as on the frame on the previous page) with an orange orange next to the lettering and the usual "aluminium O" on the toptube in silver . . . but coreectly sized and spelt!!

here's some pics.

 

[GT-Steve]

Looking good for a quick 'throw-together'

 

[jonnyboy666]

starting to get a little pissed off with aluminium O's.

one of the things i didn't like about riding my white ali o was the handling with the matching fork. it felt sluggish and had that bar tipping feeling when cornering. the correct matching orange fork is 390mm a-c with about 4cm drop out off set, like this i don't like the handling at all. the original fork i rode it with was 420mm a-c with about a 4cm drop out off set and it felt a nice ride with this set up. i never refitted this fork as it didn't match paint wise and would have meant changing to headset reducers, a different headset and stem and even though i didn't like the ride i did like the looks of it.

when i got this second frame initially i was gonna build it with that original nice riding fork while i searched for something nicer with similar geometry. for the record i don't want to use the "nice riding" fork as it is a bog standard basic fork.

the fork i found for it it was one of the "exotic" carbon forks, i got it from stevec1975 for what i think was a very good price (thanks steve) but it's slightly longer then 420, a quick measure in the bike suggests 430 and again it rides with that bar tipping feeling on cornering.

i haven't ridden this bike other than around my street as it still hasn't had the brake issue sorted yet but i just wanted to get a little further on with it. it's a shame as i think it looks quite nice with these forks in it, i'm thinking that i have 2 possibilities at the moment.

1. try a shorter stem and a riser bar as this might help. looking for opinions here please!

2. i have a set of 420mm girvin forks i could try, but they have a canti hanger which then breaks my "must use the canti hanger if it is there" rule, which assuming they ride ok in this bike i will then have to either remove the canti hanger (cut and file etc) or find a way of fitting a canti brake to the rear bearing in mind there is no cable hanger.

so i'm sure you can see why i am getting frustrated with Ali O's.


we need a "frustrated" icon.

 

[jonnyboy666]

so should i fit the girvin fork and try and modify the rear to take a canti brake? or should i remove the canti mount from the fork?

it is a shame as i like the look of the carbon fork in the bike.