Orange R8 - time for some Halifax steel

[Carge]

So I managed to pick a rather nice 17" R8 a week or so back - been keeping an eye out for a while.

I have a number of Sram X0 bits for it - but a lot of them have red highlights - which I'm not sure suit the light blue and white frame. I also have a set of black Magura - which won't really suit it either.

I do have a set of wheels that will suit the frame - but I have had major chuffing issues getting them to take a set of tubeless tyres - until today (more of that later)

As I type it - I'm kinda wondering why I'm bothering

So out with the 3x9 Sram X0 - and there's 1x11 kit going on it. Partly cos the wheels are XD and I have a spare 42-10 cassette - and I have a set of XX1 cranks that are just too nice to leave idle.

I've manage to find a pair of 120mm Magura Durin - in white. I'm going 120mm instead of 100mm as two previous R8 owners were highly complimentary of the longer fork on it.

I'll throw some pics up tomorrow - and might just stand a chance of getting it done for this month's BOTM

 

[Carge]

The wheels I'm going to use on the R8 are carbon Sram Rise60 - from 2012.

I got them with the Yeti ASR-C that I got a while back and they had Conti summat or other summer tread rubber on them. So I thought, something a bit meatier - little did I know that Rise60 are a bu66er to set up as tubeless! The wheel needs a rim strip to lift the tyre bead into where it seats - otherwise you just get a sealant shower when you blast some air into it. I've tried various strips with no success - and then I saw the foam liners that are about these days.

So a little more googling and YouTubing - and I am ordering some "JOINT BACKER ROD" from eBay. This stuff is basically soft foam tube, used to fill gaps between walls and windows, or suchlike, to reduce the amount of sealant used to get a decent finish.

The Vittoria road version of foam core holds the bead in place and compresses under the air pressure. If I can find the right size of foam rod to hold the tyre bead in place ........

So the 15mm looked promising - made a loop held together with a zip-tie - tyre fitted nicely - but too loose and another sealant shower ensued

The other option I'd bought was the 30mm tube. Repeat the exercise with the larger tube. The tyre seated nicely and I could feel that the foam wasn't totally in the rim like the 15mm, but sitting higher. Looking good I thought. A blast of air from my Giant ControlTank - and BINGO! Virtually no sealant seepage - tyre sealed - seemingly holding pressure.

To be clear - I'm not looking for the foam to be a "get me home ride on a flat" fix - and this bodge was never intended as such. It was purely to get the tyres to seal - and I'll see how they ride as soon as the bike is built.

There's a direct mount chainring, a rear mech, shifter and seat clamp arriving imminently. I'm tempted to try some yellow highlights - partly to go with the 853 logo - and partly as I have some yellow Hope brake caps that'll look better than the red ones on it now.

 

[brocklanders023]

Let's have a look then!

 

[Carge]

Quick throw together of bits so far......

 

[jimo746]

Should turn out nice, and probably quite light.
I really rate those Durin forks, light but stiff too.

 

[Carge]

I agree - I had some black 100mm Durin on my Sub3 - really liked them.
I swapped em with Wadsy for another pair with lockout and fancy bits.
I've got Fox 32 on the Yeti but thought I'd stick with the Durin for this

Been rummaging through boxes this morning to find the gold Hope bore caps I have somewhere......
Didn't find them but I did turn up a minty XTR M902 headset, a Ringle bottle cage and my old BLT lights, including the charger!

 

[brocklanders023]

Yes, that's going to be ace!

 

[Carge]

And here's some more goodies bolted on.....

 

[Carge]

Got a new chain that was destined for the Yeti, but it'll do nicely for this wee beastie
I'll try @Gtpulse 's water bottle cleaner trick tonight to get the packing grease off.

Anyone got any gold Hope bore caps for the MonoMini they don't need anymore?
All I found was this lot.....

 

[mk one]

Nice, not the biggest fan of 853 but still would like to try one