Silverfish 1987 Mountain Klein

[Silverfish]

Success!


A very helpful man on one of the Klein Facebook forums informed me that Klein "massaged" the 28.6 clamp to fit the seat tube and used a longer bolt.

I will need to find a prettier conical bolt but just wanted to check if it would work - and ‘massaging’ (bending) the mech clamp actually works

 

[27motorhead]

Been there and done that. You can manipulate the clamp quite easily, but just be gentle and you might need to fettle the inside of the body where the cage is fixed to to stop edges digging into the paint.

Other ways of increasing the DIA slightly is to find something round that is the right DIA (or make it the right DIA by applying many layers of wide masking tape) and then wrap and double side some wet & dry in position and slide the front mech on and twist it around by hand to shave some material off. Every little bit helps!

28.6mm DIA = 89.85mm CIRC
31.8mm DIA = 99.90mm CIRC

So 10mm more on circumference = 10mm longer bolt!

Just be aware you'll need to open it up a bit more to allow for paint too, otherwise the paint will get damaged instantly on fitting, something you don't want, especially with front derailleurs and setting the height right on the chainrings.

I have a bike that needs a 34.9mm derailleur, the reality is though is that the seat tube is nearer 35.6mm DIA and it's original paint, but that's only just over 2mm extra on circumference.

 

[Silverfish]

Been there and done that. You can manipulate the clamp quite easily, but just be gentle and you might need to fettle the inside of the body where the cage is fixed to to stop edges digging into the paint.

Other ways of increasing the DIA slightly is to find something round that is the right DIA (or make it the right DIA by applying many layers of wide masking tape) and then wrap and double side some wet & dry in position and slide the front mech on and twist it around by hand to shave some material off. Every little bit helps!

28.6mm DIA = 89.85mm CIRC
31.8mm DIA = 99.90mm CIRC

So 10mm more on circumference = 10mm longer bolt!

Just be aware you'll need to open it up a bit more to allow for paint too, otherwise the paint will get damaged instantly on fitting, something you don't want, especially with front derailleurs and setting the height right on the chainrings.

I have a bike that needs a 34.9mm derailleur, the reality is though is that the seat tube is nearer 35.6mm DIA and it's original paint, but that's only just over 2mm extra on circumference.

On a newly painted frame, I like to fit the front mech with insulating tape the first time and then remove for that very reason.
But I shall be super careful with this one and check and double check the dims to ensure no paint damage

 

[stephan]

On a newly painted frame, I like to fit the front mech with insulating tape the first time and then remove for that very reason.
But I shall be super careful with this one and check and double check the dims to ensure no paint damage

What I would try to do is with the clamp off the bike and a spacer within the gap of the bolt, measure what spacer size you would need before removing the clamp, then get yourself a Tubular Inside Micrometer and check frequently what material you need to take off, that way you will know its perfectly round and not to crush the seat tube using the Micrometer. (The actual hanger itself will have the wrong radius so keep that in mind along with the clamp itself, when removing material)

 

[Silverfish]

I don’t think I need to take any material off.
I’ve ‘massaged’ the clamp to fit.
Before the frame is painted I’ll double check the tolerances around the seat tube - but tightening the clamp also helped ‘shape’ it.
I think this is a good solution.
I might need to expand the clamp a little more once the frame is painted but that should be easy enough to do.

The rudimentary new bolt is also growing on me tho one with a conical head would be cleaner for sure

 

[Silverfish]

I’ve also discovered that the red colour is called ‘Very Fast Red’

That’ll do for me

Apparently it has a yellow base coat and a red top coat which results in a slight colour changing effect in different lights which will be difficult to replicate with a single paint. I’ve got @jonrock on the case to look at it for me

 

[stephan]

Yes a lovely Ti or Alloy bolt would look good from the pictures above and you could finish it off with a rubber boot to cover the threads within. ;-)

 

[27motorhead]

‘Very Fast Red’

Awesome name! Marketers on top form that day!

 

[Dr Dremel]

I’ve also discovered that the red colour is called ‘Very Fast Red’

It´s only Very Fast if you are



(I think I´ve posted the pic before on @Tsundere ´s thread)

 

[Silverfish]

It´s only Very Fast if you are

View attachment 870559

(I think I´ve posted the pic before on @Tsundere ´s thread)

I wouldn't be riding drops - but I'll do ok with some bullmoose bars