bikeworkshop
Senior Retro Guru
The road is lo-o-ooooong.....In that last pic you captured the essence of mountainbiking at least for me
With many a winding turn
That leads us who knows where...
Today's Ride
- Thread starter FairfaxPat
- Start date
With many a winding turn
That leads us who knows where...
Damn, I really need to get my bum back on a bike and ride more than just the way to work. But every time something comes up, what a bummer!
Guinessisgoodforyou
rBotM Winner
Great song.
moonlite
Kona Fan
Today I've been working on a bike that I reckon fits in with the spirit of this thread rather well -- and certainly more so than on a 'serious' build or restoration thread. Here goes the story: Mrs Moon has sometimes expressed a wish to do a spot of cycling, although I have never really encouraged her much as a) it's bad form to expect one's spouse to love everything one loves and b) because I cycle to get a bit of 'me' time and rather selfishly want to keep it that way -- ie to get away from it all and not bring it all with me . . .
Anyway, she has never been keen on any of my bikes because she regards them as "boys' bikes" and is afraid of injuring herself on the crossbar should she fall. She also wants a bit more comfort. So last year I found a Pashley Duchess in decent nick which I thought ticked all the right boxes: step-through frame, mudguards, comfy springy seat, and a basket for carrying kittens, bouquets and such feminine flim-flammery.
Sadly, this was not a success -- not only did it 'pull to the left' (which I couldn't discern), but it was heavy. There it sits, while my sister-in-law has received a bike from me following a thorough overhaul. It's a hybrid "boys' frame" which I have lightened by replacing the laughable suspension forks with a pair of Kona P2s, which in turn required a Avid BB7 disc brake at the front, which required a new front wheel . . . I removed the rack, seized suspension seatpost, kickstand, and numerous reflectors, before adding some Michelin cyclocross tyres. Sister in law was delighted with the lightness. Mrs Moon was, may I say, impressed and perhaps a tad envious, so I set about creating something for her that might fit her criteria.
Fortunately I had a smallish 98 Kona Fire Mountain frame which I figured I could build with enough seatpost and higher bars to compensate for the dreaded top tube. This is how I got it:
And this is how it looked when I started:
The basic rule for this one was that it really, really wouldn't have any new bits on it whatsoever. I had an aluminium 'Mosso' fork with a very long steerer which would be perfect for the sit-up-and-beg riding position, so would build it around that -- colour mismatch be damned. The headset cups proved very hard to shift, so I built up a make-do headset with the original cups and bearings and various bits that works fine after a bit of tinkering. But the only top part that would work came off a damaged cyclocross headset which included a cantilever cable stop, so this meant the bike would need to have cantis -- of course.
This is how that all came together, including what I contend is a world record stack of spacers:
Avid Cantis came off the Kona Jake I converted to V-brakes a while ago, wheels were from the spares pile, and cranks are Spot I70mm jobs I found somewhere or other. Those get a 34t chainring and a Race Face bash ring to prevent chain derailments. Best of all, there was a pair of brand new Maxxis Hookworm tyres on the spares stack, so that all worked out nicely.
Mock-up status as of close of play today -- cabling, chain etc. all still to come.
Anyway, she has never been keen on any of my bikes because she regards them as "boys' bikes" and is afraid of injuring herself on the crossbar should she fall. She also wants a bit more comfort. So last year I found a Pashley Duchess in decent nick which I thought ticked all the right boxes: step-through frame, mudguards, comfy springy seat, and a basket for carrying kittens, bouquets and such feminine flim-flammery.
Sadly, this was not a success -- not only did it 'pull to the left' (which I couldn't discern), but it was heavy. There it sits, while my sister-in-law has received a bike from me following a thorough overhaul. It's a hybrid "boys' frame" which I have lightened by replacing the laughable suspension forks with a pair of Kona P2s, which in turn required a Avid BB7 disc brake at the front, which required a new front wheel . . . I removed the rack, seized suspension seatpost, kickstand, and numerous reflectors, before adding some Michelin cyclocross tyres. Sister in law was delighted with the lightness. Mrs Moon was, may I say, impressed and perhaps a tad envious, so I set about creating something for her that might fit her criteria.
Fortunately I had a smallish 98 Kona Fire Mountain frame which I figured I could build with enough seatpost and higher bars to compensate for the dreaded top tube. This is how I got it:
And this is how it looked when I started:
The basic rule for this one was that it really, really wouldn't have any new bits on it whatsoever. I had an aluminium 'Mosso' fork with a very long steerer which would be perfect for the sit-up-and-beg riding position, so would build it around that -- colour mismatch be damned. The headset cups proved very hard to shift, so I built up a make-do headset with the original cups and bearings and various bits that works fine after a bit of tinkering. But the only top part that would work came off a damaged cyclocross headset which included a cantilever cable stop, so this meant the bike would need to have cantis -- of course.
This is how that all came together, including what I contend is a world record stack of spacers:
Avid Cantis came off the Kona Jake I converted to V-brakes a while ago, wheels were from the spares pile, and cranks are Spot I70mm jobs I found somewhere or other. Those get a 34t chainring and a Race Face bash ring to prevent chain derailments. Best of all, there was a pair of brand new Maxxis Hookworm tyres on the spares stack, so that all worked out nicely.
Mock-up status as of close of play today -- cabling, chain etc. all still to come.
bikeworkshop
Senior Retro Guru
You're going to want a reassuring yet attractive saddle*, and to pick an introductory ride with charm and facilities.
*a rarity in the spares box
*a rarity in the spares box
moonlite
Kona Fan
Picturesque low-hanging mist!
Guinessisgoodforyou
rBotM Winner
MattiThundrrr
Kona Fan
Was wondering if you'd made her ride it sans saddle, a way to tell her "that's what you get for rejecting my pashley".
I usually think I'm in the Inn when I mispost. My predilections are probably not to blame
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