Rockhopper '95 First strip n build

[walshy69]

Thanks for tips with the BB and seat post, the BB is splined n sealed.
Pretty much stripped the frame tonight, quick clean and degrease tomorrow and it'll be getting blued tomorrow night. Was hoping to have it blued today but its taken longer than i thought to strip.

many thanks again

 

[walshy69]

Hi all,

got the frame blued tonight, put 5 rubs of gun blue on it, 1 less than the forks but its about the same colour so left it be, will polish it some more tomorrow and see if it needs another rub. Got the BB out but the seat post is still seized, dont have a vice so may have to visit an LBS.
Will post some pics tonight but need a bit of urgent help, need to order a new BB from CRS, the old BB is stamped mm110 so I guess the spindle is 110mm, but automatically assumed the shell would be 68mm, the lock ring has the following stamp on it RC1.37X24-73- does this mean i need a 73mm shell.
Any guidance would be geatly appreciated.
Many thanks

 

[coomber]

Re stuck seatpost, there is a lot of exposed seatpost above the frame. Have you tried putting an old (ie one you can potentially ruin) seat in it and stand on nose and back of it and turn the frame? It's worked for me before. No vice needed. As a lot of the seatpost is showing, I doubt too much can be in the frame. So should crack and break bonding. Worth a try anyway.

As for BB shell, easiest way is just to get your ruler out and measure the bottom bracket shell on your frame.

 

[walshy69]

Thanks for hint with BB shell, in hindsight I suppose the clue was in the shell, but i was measuring the BB and couldn't figure out anything anywhere near to 68 or 73 mm. Anyway, the frame BB 'shell' measured in at 73mm so I've ordered a new BB and sram chain from CRC. Chainset is IG but according to a certain mr sheldon brown sram fits all. Polished and degreased the frame after work tonight, after the bluing the frame goes very rust brown, guess its from the wire wool residue, same happenned with the forks but after polishing those and degreasing it didn't come back.
Tried standing on the saddle and twisting the frame but the post is still seized fast, will be a trip to an LBS tomorrow i think, hopefully pick up some acrylic clear coast and spray frame and forks tomorrow.

Many thanks for all the help and tips and thanks for looking
Pics of the frame below, looks lighter in the pics than it is, once built I'll get some pics taken outside where hopefully the finish will be more lifelike in the photo's.

 

[coomber]

Frame is looking very nice.

Another trip if you wanted to try again would be to get some penetrating oil and pour it down the seattube, ie through the bottle cage mounts. leave it soaking for a few days (upside down) and it should help penetrate the bond so it moves easier.

Then again, your local bike shop usually charges about a tenner, so might be worth the trip and less hassle.

 

[walshy69]

Spot on with the LBS charge, £10 and the seatpost is out, took a vice and a blow torch but they got it out eventually.
Frame and forks have been clear coated and are currently drying in the bathroom, CRC have dispatched my goodies today so hopefully they'll arrive tomorrow and I can start the build tomorrow after work and finish off on friday, will post pics of the frame and forks when they're dried, they've gone very black with the clear coat on, hopefully its just the wet look that making them look so dark, will find out tomorrow for sure.

Have a good one all

 

[walshy69]

Alreet Folks,

sorry for the late update, bike is now built and ready to test run, prob on thurs, gotta start commuting to work on it ready for the C2C, borrowed a mates g/f bike on sat, did about 11 miles and was surprisingly slow on the ride so I need to get some miles in.
Frame was laquered, but unfortuantly the laquer has really darkened the frame, instead of a nice looking steel/titanium colour, it's gone almost a chocolate brown colour, maybe I need to rename it a choc-hopper.
Apologies for the anti-climax, took some pics tonight but my phone isn't syncing with pc so will try again tomorrow to transfer and upload them.

Thanks for following all Have a good one

 

[walshy69]

Alreet Folks,

managed to get phone synched to pc so here's a quick update. Still not too happy with the finish, but it'll have to do for the time being as need to get miles in for the C2C next month, I might strip and respray her when I get back.

Thanks again for looking