Sorry It's another Kona Lava Dome

[Scott-S]

I was supposed to be at a shooting comp in Dundee today but the weather was crap and I couldn't be bothered with the drive in those conditions
So I have more shed time for the bike,
Last week I stripped the brakes and all the cables off the bike, the brakes were utterly filthy and I had to wash my hands a half dozen times to get clean (rookie mistake, I have gloves)
Anyways I tossed the lot in the ultrasonic cleaner and after 10 minutes they came out clean, they've been on the radiator all week drying and I just wiped them off and attacked the worst of the surface rust with a green scotch bright Im going to take them out to the shed and wire brush the threads before I give some things a Kurust then lick of black paint.
Interestingly my back brakes are black (still Shimano) but the other Lava Dome's I've seen were silver like the front plus it had a Horseshoe booster fitted too.. weird
Just having a coffee then out to the shed, clean the chain get the wheels off degrease the frame and wheels and maybe if I have time fit the new tyres


[EDIT]
Well that didn't go as planned, it turned biblical and the rain was driving into the shed where I was working, I had the door open as we are expecting some deliveries.
So back into the warm house for a coffee.
Anyway wheels and mudguards taken off chain cleaned (but I think I'm just going to replace it) and I gave the frame a degrease however it will need to wait till its dry before I can give it a good wash down again.
when I get outside to wash, I'll clean the rims and put the new tubes and tyres on.
I remembered to take a picture of the brake booster, it looks like a Joe Murray one but unless its been repainted the finish was garbage.

 

[Scott-S]

I need to get better organised with the pics and stuff sorry folks.
I picked up a set of trigger shifters as I had them on my early 90s DiamondBack and much prefer them to the current levers.
They are Shimano Altus which is fine for this old fool as he wont be racing, only problem I see is that they are for V brakes (ignorance here) but I’ll see if they work if not they were only going £25
I also ordered new brakes and grips and a basic non GPS computer as I used to like to know my ride distances when I was much younger and fitter.
Tyres are Schwalbe Black Jack cheapos to get me out and moving and I'll see if they need replacing of not,, most likely not as I won't be getting too demanding with my routes.

 

[MattiThundrrr]

The brake levers will work, but not well. The distance from the pivot point to the cable attachment is longer than levers designed for cantis, changing the length the cable gets pulled. More distance equals less force, you won't have much stopping power.
If it was me, a set of vee brakes would be a logical step, as you aren't doing a catalog build, braking will be improved, and setup and adjustment is more simple

 

[Scott-S]

The brake levers will work, but not well. The distance from the pivot point to the cable attachment is longer than levers designed for cantis, changing the length the cable gets pulled. More distance equals less force, you won't have much stopping power.
If it was me, a set of vee brakes would be a logical step, as you aren't doing a catalog build, braking will be improved, and setup and adjustment is more simple

Thanks MattiThundrrr, it's the honest well meant advice for us new rider/renovators like this that make all the difference.
Like you said I have no issues about the bike not being 100% catalogue true, so off researching then shopping I go.

[EDIT]
I ordered a v brake set they should be here mid week.

 

[Scott-S]

Well best intentions and best laid plans and all that silliness
Ordered the v-brakes from a well known online shop because they were instock, 1 week later they were still expecting them from the supplier.
Cancelled the order bought the same set off an amazon bike shop for the same money and they were delivered the next day.

On Friday I dropped my rims off at a local shop to have them trued as I noticed a few spokes seemed bent and the wheel wasn't running true.
He said he's check the rear cassette for me too.

This weekend Ive been learning (though mistakes) how to deal with the paint chips and Im getting there, so while the latest thin application was curing I set about cleaning the crank rings and sometimes ignorance is bliss its certainly less costly for sure.

Now I need to buy a full set of rings as they have less teeth than a Glaswegian east ender, buy some specialist crank tools and get that damn crank pedal with the smallest ring off the bike.

Why did I want an old bike instead of that shiny new hassle free bike?
Yeah cos new bikes have no class

Anyways enough of my moans and whines here's my toothless rings for your entertainment,
the smaller one isn't too bad but its still bad enough, and you can also see why I needed to clean them.

 

[Scott-S]

This morning I colour cut the paint repairs and they are almost invisible, although I did dig out the paint on the top bar as I stupidly used a white primer that came with it and it just kept coming through on the outline of those 2 chips, given that this was the repair I started with and I didn't really know what I was doing with them Im not too down about it.
So I started again with just the black paint confident that I know (roughly) what Im doing now.
I got the wheels back from my lbs last last night so I'll get the tyres on them later and depending how things go with time as my oldest is coming over this afternoon to take us out for a "late lunch" as he was unwell and missed our 30th anniversary.
I might put the v-brakes and levers on and route the cabling etc this evening or I might end up drunk and talking total shit at the inn

Ive decided to refit the chainrings and run with them as the feedback I got was that they didn't look too bad, if they do need replaced that will most likely be next year plus my savings will start building up again by next month as Ive had to buy a lot of parts so the bike and tools that I never had not to mention the bike itself.

Talking of tools, I got a crank extractor fitted it gave it some tension a lot but not stupid amount and it never moved..
Then I remembered somebody saying on one of the threads to loosely fit the bolt and do it so I did gave it a bit of tension again not a lot.
and pop.... out came the extractor tool and some nice aluminium threads with it
So that's staying put and if the small ring does need replaced I'll take it down to the lbs and let them do it

Anyway the bike is a lot cleaner now and more pleasing to the eye now that the chainrings derailleur and cassette etc doesn't look like it was stored in a tar pit.
Im really looking forward to having it reassembled and knowing that it will be safer for me to enjoy the bike of a once young mans dreams

 

[MattiThundrrr]

might end up drunk and talking total shit at the inn

Might?!

 

[Scott-S]

So you know that paint repair that I redid?
Well I sanded right back through the paint to the metal right beside it and on the stem too,, yes I was being impatient, oh well

In other news I did fit the tyres then realised I have no pump and it's tipping it down outside so Im not taking it out to the car inflator
I also managed to fit the levers and shifters and the new Kona grips, tomorrow I'll run the cables and fix the paint again.

 

[Splatter Paint]

Getting there!

 

[Scott-S]

Turned the bike upside down, stuck the wheels on and ran brake cables right lever to to left side then did the same with the gears!
Turned it the right way up and awww furfuxakes!!!!
Aye you guessed the gear cables are wrong unlike the rear brakes they don't swap sides

Screw it, tossed it back in the shed in utter disgust, I'll fix that next weekend