Rude lunchtime Rudy Project

[Jonny69]

Got these lovely DX brakes off elridge on here. Did a bit of cabling tonight. Bear in mind my main bike is fixed gear with only one brake so this was a bit alien to me : D

 

[Jonny69]

I finished this a while back but haven't actually ridden it a lot yet because my knee has deteriorated. It rides really nicely though.

 

[Jonny69]

Getting the thread up to date. I made a 1-1/4" quill adaptor to use a normal 1-1/8" a-head style stem and 31.8mm bars. I used thick wall aluminium tube machined at one end for the quill wedge and reamed at the other to use the original stem cap and bolt.









Bike was in commuting duty over winter 2018/2019:



Then it came out of service. I took the running gear off and used it on my cargo bike and the frame went in the loft.

 

[Jonny69]

Lockdown rebuild at end of May. New drivetrain is 10-speed 105 with TRP Eurox cantis, 3T stem and Ritchey bars - all from another build that didn't work out.



I was using my circa 2000 GT TT bike with a child seat on the back, as you do, but it wasn't good down the towpath and it was a bit wiggly on the road due to the short wheelbase and fast steering. I figured a longer, stiffer bike with bigger tyres was the answer so pushed the Rudy back into service as dadbike. It is waaaaay more stable with weight on it than the GT is.



Did a 20 mile round trip emergency food delivery for some sick friends with Covid-19.

Been basically using this bike for everything because it's very capable no matter what it's riding on. Road, cobbles, grass, paths, gravel. It just does it. Yesterday switched from a 32 to a 34 chainring because I think it’ll fill a gearing gap I have between the top two gears on the flat and I won’t keep getting stuck between the two. Red Chinese ano is just because it was in my box and I'll get a nicer black one if it works out.

 

[Jonny69]

Current spec sheet

Frame: Early 90s Rudy Project / Verlicchi anodised alloy

Fork: OEM rigid alloy with 1-1/4" steerer

Headset: OEM loose ball threaded 1-1/4"
Stem: Custom straight 1-1/8" quill adaptor with Deda 1-1/8" a-head stem
Handlebar: Richey alloy 31.8mm
Grips: Specialized Roubaix tape
Barends: Specialized

Brakes: TRP Eurox cantilever
Brake Pads: Kool Stop red
Brake Cables: Shimano OEM
Cantilever cable hangers: Frame-mount at rear, Tektro stem-mount at front
Brake Levers: Shimano 105 10-speed

Shifters: Shimano 105 10-speed
Front Derailleur: n/a
Rear Derailleur: Shimano 105 5700 long cage
Derailleur Cables: Shimano OEM
Cassette: Tiagra 10-speed 11-34
Chain: KMC
Cranks: Race Face Deus XC
Crank Bolts: Race Face OEM
Chainrings: Chinese narrow-tall alloy (black 32T, red 34T)
Chainring bolts: Race Face OEM
Bottom Bracket: Race Face
Pedals: Shimano M505 SPD

Hub Skewers: Generic
Rims: Budget 36H 26", black
Hubs: Shimano, black
Nipples:
Spokes: Generic plain gauge steel, black
Tyres: Halo Twin Rail
Tubes: Generic

Saddle: Selle Italia Prolink
Seatpost: Chinese carbon
Seatpost Binder: OEM Rudy

Weight:

 

[Jonny69]

This is still in regular use. Updates:

September 2020:





I’d wondered for a while if the lower frame on a Hamax seat would make a good quick-release rack, since the Hamax mounting point basically lives on this bike. Well I found a broken Hamax seat dumped in the local woods - perfect! It worked really well. Made quite a big difference to riding comfort when I was regularly carrying my work laptop etc in my bag because of the Covid mostly-WFH situation.

The red ano seemed to be spreading like pox. It was time for it to come off.

November 2020:



May 2021:

So the bike got used a lot in the year since the rebuild at the beginning of lockdown 1 in 2020. Started out on dadbike duties, doing lockdown adventures with my then 2-year old and it had been brilliant. Then I added my early lockdown commutes when I was allowed back on site and it proved excellent on the smashed up roads and potholes (as it still does). Also started to add 25-40 mile weekend rides with a pal, though it was evident that I was having to ride a lot harder than him on his road bike.

I did nothing to it whatsoever for a whole year; not even a wash. Gave it a clean down with Grimex wipes at the time of this pic and checked the state of the bottom bracket. It had the Race Face Team bb well known for premature failure. Sure enough mine had gone pretty wobbly after no more than a couple of thousand miles. Glad I asked on the Any Question Answered thread on LFGSS, because picking a direct swap wasn’t as straightforward as it appeared, which I seem to remember was the reason I just went for the matching Race Face one for the cranks originally. Anyway, now have this Shimano one which ought to last a bit longer:





November 2021:

Tightened in the loose bottle cage mounts as per this method:

And finally re-wrapped the bars.

In 2018 I need to adjust my headset before I went home from work but I didn’t have a 40mm headset wrench. I bodged something up on the composites saw to get me home with the intention to buy one later.

January 2022:

 

[Spudalumps]

Very nice build thread, loving it <3

 

[legrandefromage]

Gnarly

 

[Jonny69]

Now just racking up miles again. Did about 80 miles this week. It just does everything better than my current road bike except for going super fast. It’s comfortable, has all the gears, doesn’t rust and will ride practically anywhere. I think the key thing is the state of the roads around here. I find myself having to watch the road surface too much on my other bikes, when I really need to be dedicating that attention to what the cars around me are doing. On this bike I can just batter over most stuff and not worry about it.

 

[dyna-ti]

It looks superb with the drops, though im not a droppy fan i do appreciate when something looks better than it should because of them. As an mtb it , well just didnt look good, too patchy.
This is a much better set up.


Now, to drop that child carrier........
I built up a 1992 Rudy Project a number of years back, to its pretty much original condition and sold it lock stock etc, to a member on here who was working down my way and in need of transportation, and something to get out and about on. For the life of me i cant remember who and do occasionally wonder what became of it.
Think I've still a few pics of it completed :? If you dont mind that is

The stem is original and 31.8mm, which is far more modern than current 31.8mm would lead most to believe.