Project?

[enc]

Hey all, first post n all ,

Toying with the idea of an old school mountain bike restoration. Something pre disc brake maybe v brake or even canteleaver !?
Something like a Marin, kona or early Specielized.
Been watching a couple of bikes on fleabay to get an idea of what's out there and prices etc. I can imagine these projects can get costly if not kept in check.
I'm aware frame decal sets are easy enough to come by, I can do paint if required. I'm looking to to do something I can use not be a show queen. Any tips ?

Cheers

Ian.

 

[RickTheUncivil]

dont jump.
take your time until you find the one you want, otherwise something better comes along next week you kick yourself
If you want a nice, say, 17 inch fire mountain, then wait for a nice fire mountain in 17 inch. Don't blunder in and end up with a 21 inch rockhopper.
(i did this, wasted time and money, got bored with the project and moved on without finishing it, no fun)

 

[enc]

Re:

Hahaa!! Wise words indeed. One of the bikes i was following is a kona but turns out the frame is a medium when I need large.
Pitty as its an ideal project base.

 

[Ollie]

If you're looking for a bit of a project e-Bay does occasionally have some good buys however as for most stuff, people know what they have and the price reflects it. Check out the for-sale forum, lots of bargains there, or post a wanted ad for a large frame.

All the best, Ollie .

 

[ljamesb]

Sounds like fun . How much were you looking to spend on the project and maybe people will have a few suggestions for a bike.

Caught the retrobike bug a few months ago and the main plus has been that I've been cycling a lot more as a result.. I just finished a build last week which cost me £50 total including the bike, a bunch of parts incl. some new tyres. Has now become my errand bike.

I've kinda set myself a goal/design brief for each of the builds which really helped. I'd really recommend this so maybe you could ask yourself what you want the bike for? Maybe just an all round bike, something for the trail, something to commute on, or maybe a single speed conversion?

e.g I wanted a bike for running errands and commuting on. I'm in London quite often so I specifically chose a bike which is not sought after much by bike thieves (not a top bike brand). I chose £50 as my budget to make it a bit of a challenge for myself, but also so that if it does get stolen, It wouldn't be the end of the world. I got lucky and found a really uncommon 90's Coventry Eagle e-stay bike for £15 which I absolutely love and yet I don't mind if it gets a scratch here and there.

 

[enc]

If you're looking for a bit of a project e-Bay does occasionally have some good buys however as for most stuff, people know what they have and the price reflects it. Check out the for-sale forum, lots of bargains there, or post a wanted ad for a large frame.

All the best, Ollie .

cheers fella

 

[enc]

Sounds like fun . How much were you looking to spend on the project and maybe people will have a few suggestions for a bike.

Caught the retrobike bug a few months ago and the main plus has been that I've been cycling a lot more as a result.. I just finished a build last week which cost me £50 total including the bike, a bunch of parts incl. some new tyres. Has now become my errand bike.

I've kinda set myself a goal/design brief for each of the builds which really helped. I'd really recommend this so maybe you could ask yourself what you want the bike for? Maybe just an all round bike, something for the trail, something to commute on, or maybe a single speed conversion?

e.g I wanted a bike for running errands and commuting on. I'm in London quite often so I specifically chose a bike which is not sought after much by bike thieves (not a top bike brand). I chose £50 as my budget to make it a bit of a challenge for myself, but also so that if it does get stolen, It wouldn't be the end of the world. I got lucky and found a really uncommon 90's Coventry Eagle e-stay bike for £15 which I absolutely love and yet I don't mind if it gets a scratch here and there.

£50.... wow ! i was thinking a little more than that. post a pic of your £50 coventry eagle dude.

its a good idea to set out a budget. and ive been factoring this into what the bikes ive lookd at on ebay cost. the bikes ive looked at i reckon £200 tops and thats with me doing the paint work.
i haven't built a bike in a good few years and this would be a first step up the ladder (maybe) to getting back into it. a sketch pad if you like ...

i have a 3 week old 2015 Scot scale 770 as my go to bike so this would be just a little project as i have some free time on my hands at the minute.

 

[ljamesb]

Haven't got round to taking any photos since finishing the bike, but this is a photo from part way.

Now has some brakes , different pedals, stem, handlebars, bar ends, saddle and seatpost.

You should be able to get the frame and forks powder coated for £40-60 if you choose to go that way, or you could keep it original if it has nice paint already . Don't know if you need any bike tools, like to remove the cranks+bottom bracket prior to painting. Probably be a good idea to factor that in too. I got a lot of the parts I used from planetx (like new brake+gear cables, handlebar, pedals, grips etc). I also got some stuff in halfords (new tubes) as they will price match competitors with cheaper prices. Also found ebay is a really good source for parts. There seem to be a whole bunch of really good quality NOS components on ebay.

I'd say it's best to get a bike with good drivetrain, brake components and wheels (i.e good hubs and non worn rims) already on it, as this will work out way cheaper than buying a bike and then upgrading/replacing these. Also I'd go for something lightweight, like a specialized rockhopper, stumpjumper or Marin something. Lightweight usually means that it has good choice of components on it and a nice frame tubing material which is butted for lightness.

Maybe you could keep an eye on this Marin Bear Valley SE. Super light steel frame, deore lx all over. Just had new tyres and rims. Looks like it's in really good condition. Or this Pine Mountain which has deore xt all over.

Or this Trek 830 and you could spend the extra cash customising it. One recommendation I have is to keep an eye out for a trek 950, 970 or 990 on ebay. They seem to go for really stupidly low amounts of money for what they are. often like £50.

Specialized rockhopper, another rockhopper, yet another rockhopper.

 

[dyna-ti]

Here
viewtopic.php?f=4&t=327924

WITH postage.

 

[hamster]

Have to add Univega to the unloved brands but great bikes category. My wife's Alpina Aluminium 800 is unbelievably light (3lbs frame!) and handles beautifully.